Bix

Not sure about WA but in Queensland you have to pass the theory test first then learn to drive for a minimum 6 months before taking your practical test.

It really would be best for one of you to pass your test in UK before you get here.

I am talking from personal experience. I started to drive for the first time as part of our Aus plans and passed just a few months before coming here. We are in a small city but could not survive on public transport. TAXI !

Ialibu

Without opening the thread, my first thoughts were, I hope you aren't going to Perth!

Okay, reality, Perth has a great public transport system. Out of Peak Hours it is less than ordinary, unless you live within walking distance of the train lines.

The most I have seen people walking in Perth, away from their cars @ shopping centres is up and down the walking paths on the West Coast Highway.

As everyone else has stated "think driving licenses". After all you couldn't do any worse than those drivers I have seen braking on the banked corners (really gentle changes of direction) of the Freeway.

michellemac

I agree with the others who say you'll struggle in Perth.

If you train "network" as four like four points of a compass, (i'ts not exactly the best analogy but work with me!)

All lines lead centrally into Perth at the mid point. So going in and out of Perth is relatively easy (if you live near a train line, of course!) but going "across" Perth would require a lot of time and effort and at least two train changes. For example if you wanted to go from Armadale (the south of the compass) to Fremantle (West point on teh compass), you'd have to catch the train into Perth and then back out again to Freo, and that would take ages - 1.5-2 hours maybe? - even assuming you didn't have to wait ages for a train, but if you drove directly across it would take you 30 mins or so.

Also it's more like suburban London lines where there is a train every 20-30 mins rather than the tube where they come along frequently, so you will also have to do a lot of waiting around. and that is assuming you don't also need to catch a bus to the train station in the first place!

As for passing your DL - well, I don't know which would be easier - I did my test in Australia and I thought it was much easier compared to the experiences of my British friends, but I guess it depends on how confident you are with driving. "In my day" 15 lessons was considered to be a LOT of lessons before passing your test (most did it with 10 or less, but I did grow up in a rural area where we learnt to drive on farms etc), but from what I can make out it's not uncommon to have 30 lessons or more before going for your driver's licence in the UK. Read into that what you like - it probably means Perth drivers are crap (!!! ), but it also means it's will be cheaper and easier to get your license in Perth!

Michelle

Tiawamutu

Thanks very much for that Michelle. I didn't realise it was that difficult to get around in Perth. Will definitely have to do something about it then

Soi Oz

Perth public transport is OK, but why limit your lifestyle that much? Australia is a big, wide, open land. You'll go nuts if you limit yourself to public transport! I'd go so far as to say you will also severly limit your social life. Another thing to remember, the public transport in Perth tends to go to / from the city. You will often have to transit via the city to get anywhere.

As for driving, I agree with Bix, it might be an idea to get a license in the UK first. I'm not sure what the tests are like there, but it recently got a lot harder to get a driver's license in WA. Check the details here http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/learner/index.html and compare. It might be quicker to get a license in the UK.

Shellfish

Not if you are over 25, as far as I know. Then it's three months.


One person mentioned that automatics are seriously common. If one of you just gets your automatic licence which I imagine would be easier to pass then you are laughing. You can always graduate to a 'real' licence later

Siren & Brian

Get your drivers licence.... simple as that.



The better half came over without a licenece and after i think 12 or 15 lessons got hers. Now she wants her own car... cos catching the public transport sucks.


Lessons are about $35 an hour, so probably after all the fees etc should cost about $600. Best money ever spent I reckon

Bella Donna

I am sure you will manage admirably! We've been driving for a lot of years (me 33, him nearly 30) but we found this helpful for testing our knowledge in an Oz setting. We got quite a few wrong too...

http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/l...uiz/index.html

I understand that these quizzes - if you do enough of them - cover pretty much everything that you might encounter on a driving test.

I did think that Rockingham must be a wonderful place to learn to drive - the roads are very wide and quite quiet!! I'd love to drive there!

Tiawamutu

Thanks very much for that, will have to have a go.

I was useless at the U.K one

Widdi

Life in oz changed as soon as we got a car (well an ex delivery van for £1600!)

It took us around every state - over 27000 kms and ensured we saw the real australia.

People who life endless life in the cities might as well be in singapore, london or Las Vagas.

Its the outback and endless expanse which set it apart from the rest.

Why Australia if all you want is a city? - Get a licence and you`ll be rewarded with the best drivers country in the world .