Road Test (1 Viewer)

[David Ren]

Hey, I'm taking my road test on Monday and I'm kinda nervous. I only had around 10-15 hours driving experience. Any advice?

Dave

 

[Bill Buklis]

Don't hit anything.
But, seriously. The most important thing is to stay relaxed and try not to be too nervous. The worst drivers are on the road are those that are either too careless or overly cautious to the point of extreme nervousness.

 

[Bill Catherall]

Don't forget to look over your shoulder to check your blind spots when changing lanes or turning right (looking for bikes). Also, when backing up look over your shoulder. Don't just rely on your mirrors. I failed the first time for those very things.

 

[Todd Hochard]

Wait a minute. You have no driving experience, no license, and you're actually considering dropping 25-40K on a car???? Well, it's your money, I guess.

Todd

 

[Don Black]

hehehe... touche.

 

[David Ren]

Well, if you have no driving experience, it's better to get a good car, right? After all, there's more safety features and you're less likely to die.

David

 

[BrianB]

Well, if you have no driving experience, it's better to get a good car, right? After all, there's more safety features and you're less likely to die.

You're also more likely to have accidents which, in a new car, will need expensive new parts to replace. Your insurance will be /much/ higher as a new driver with a new expensive car than with a 'regular' car.

 

[DaveF]

I think some wisdom would Link Removed
Lane Myer (John Cusack) receiving advice on how to ski the infamous K-12:
"Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn."

 

[Jay H]

Make sure you come to a FULL stop at the stop sign. Don't run through it like my oldest sister did once!!!! I swear, she's not related as she was the only one of my siblings to have to take the test like 4 times.. Everybody else got through on the first shot.... She ran right through the stop sign and was failed right on the spot... (which she deserved!)
Jay

 

[MikeAlletto]

Ahhh...driving tests. When I got my license I got into an argument with the instructor. I came up to a stop sign...it was one of those that is set way back from the intersection and they draw the line about half a car length or more from the start of the cross road. I stopped after the line, closer to the intersection so I could see both sides then proceed. The schmuck yelled at me telling me I should have stopped at the line then inched forward. I hate creepers (those people that get to a stop or light then creep forward for a while). Yeah ok the law says to stop at the line but if the stop sign and line were layed down correctly there wouldn't be these problems. The idiot still passed me. I swear DMV employees have got to be the dumbest people I've ever encountered.

 

[Kevin Coleman]

"Don't fuck with the DMV"

 

[Kevin Eckhardt]

When I got my license the DMV lady first did an inspection of the car to make sure the lights and horn worked etc. After checking out a few things she walked back to the front of the car and informed me that the license plate had expired :b So my dad and I had to drive across town to the plate office to get the registration renewed before I could do the road test. Luckily we made it back in time and I got my license.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I failed the first time because I can't parallel park. I STILL can't parallel park, but I managed a miracle, half because I was given step by step instructions for parking in the space at the DMV, and half because of dumb luck

I think I've attempted PP twice since then, 1 success.

 

[Craig Chatterton]

Take the test in a car you're familiar with. And make sure you know *where* it is in the lane. I was failed my first time because I took the test in a big ass Ford Truck I'd only driven once before. I guess I was driving a little biased to the right because I nearly scared the crap out of the DMV tester every time I passed a parked car on her side. :b She finally told me to stop and get some more experience in that vehicle before I took the test again. The next time I took the test in a tiny Pontiac T1000 - easy to see where it was. It was a stick, but it was a lot easier to drive than the Ford!

 

[cafink]

I STILL can't parallel park

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

 

[Bill Buklis]

DMV lady first did an inspection of the car

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about this one. The car has to be damn near perfect. At least here in Illinois the car has to be 100% legal otherwise they won't let you take the road test. For starters, it must have both left and right side mirrors. It must have both front and rear license plates (valid, of course). All tailights, headlights, etc must be working. Turn signals must work properly. etc., etc, etc...

It has to really suck to sit through 3 or more hours waiting at the DMV just to have the inspector fail you because you don't have a front plate. And you haven't even started the car yet!

 

[MikeAlletto]

I didn't have to parallel park. I know how to do it and I can do it but I didn't have to for my license. Definitely be comfortable with the car you use. My brother and I were sharing a car so I had driven it a lot with my permit and it was a small car...'87 Nissan 200SX so I had no problems.

 

[Holadem]

David, please listen to the advice of those who told you to get a cheaper car. I know this is not what you want to hear.
I got my license late last spring, so I could get a car, which I needed for my summer out of state (you know we don't need cars over here). My friends had told me to spend only a couple of grands since I was totally inexperienced. I wouldn't listen... I drove that $18000 Ford Explorer ('98 sport, I realised later I got ripped off) for a grand total of two (2) months before I totalled it. I am still carless.
$40,000 is a lot of money. Please be patient.
That said, how long was the delay from the call to the appointment? Last summer it was 2 1/2 months in the city! I had to get mine upstate, only about 5 weeks delay I think elsewhere, you can just walk to DMV and get your fecking license...
--
Holadem

 

[David Ren]

I called this Monday, and originall the appointment was in about two months, but they called me back and said there was a cancellation next Monday on the 7th so I got it in only one week.

David

 

[Bill Buklis]

You need an appointment to go in to the DMV? That's interesting. Here they don't do anything by appointment. Just choose what day you go and wait in line; and wait... and wait... and wait...