crusaderrabbit

Hello all. Just thought I'd post in a blatant attempt to seek reassurance but also maybe as a warning to others.

We've been in Vancouver as PRs since September. As we were based fairly centrally and because neither of us had jobs we decided to forgo buying a car. We also didn't want to be in a situation of owning a car but not being able to drive it, which would have been the case as for a variety of reasons - none of which were our fault - we only received our PR cards in Jan (our UK licenses validity here ran out in Dec and we've only in the last few weeks been able to start with the test process).

However in hindsight this was definitely a mistake. Am now cacking myself about the practical test because just do not feel confident driving on Canadian roads, whereas if I had been driving for those first few months I don't think that would have been the case. I would definitely recommend to others to get driving as soon as you can - even if there is a gap between your UK licence running out and being able to take the test.

So now in order to boost my confidence am now forking out $100 a time for driving lessons because this is the only way I can get any practice - we don't really know anyone well enough over here to ask them to take me out in the car.

Perversely though am starting to think that actually having lessons (have had 3 so far) is now becoming counterproductive. On my first - once had got used to being on other side of the road which found pretty straightforward - I felt reasonably confident. However since then things seem to have gone downhill possibly because instead of driving in my natural way (have been driving reasonably confidently and safely for 14 years) am now over thinking and fretting about making any mistakes. Granted this could be down to my instructor but now don't know whether to fork out for some more lessons before my test or just go for it now!

So is it really that hard? Do you have to drive on the freeway? Do you have to do handsignals and identify hazards (instructor not mentioned anything about this!)

Any advice, comments, suggestions always greatly welcomed

CR

bazzz

Well, I found it pretty difficult, but then I was a generally hopeless and inexperienced driver in the UK. My girlfriend was a more confident driver and passed first time.

A certain amount of thinking is important - you need to do things like shoulder checks and stick rigidly to speed limits in school/playground zones. But so long as you don't commit any traffic violations (like jumping a red light) or dangerous actions (turning into oncoming traffic), you should be okay.

You don't have to do hand signals, but you'll be asked to demonstrate them at the start of the test in case your indicators stop working. Yes, you'll be asked to identify hazards - basically anything to do with the weather, parked cars, side roads, lots of people around, poor road surfaces, buses, bikes - that kind of thing.

There is no freeway in Vancouver, but there will be a stretch of highway driving.

Of the three instructors I experienced, I'd rate this guy the most highly:

http://www.westenddrivingschool.com/

he looks a bit scary, but he knows his stuff.

There was another long thread about this somewhere, I'll see if I can dredge it up.

bazzz

Here:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456926

Marmalade

You've probably got the answer from reading the thread given to you in the last post.

I'm not in Canada, but the US, and if it is anything like here it is very easy. I was not looking forward to taking my test here in the US, but found it very simple. Not a thing like the British one. Thank god, as the one I took in Scotland many years ago was nerve-wracking to say the least. The US one seemed like a complete breeze compared to it.

L'il Bear

Hi, l took my test last year. Like you I was nervous and cursing the fact that I had to go through it...though, it makes sense, different side of the road and all.

I decided to take a lesson before my test. I looked at the first test as a 'trail run' and so didn't expect to pass - but to put it to experience, like another lesson if you will. I managed to get a cancellation slot for my test about 4 days before, booked a lesson before hand and use of the instructor's car and off I went.

The instructor took me on a possible test route so I could at least be somewhat familiar with the area (North Van, I live in Burnaby). He pointed out school zones and emphasised the need for shoulder checking. Another thing he told me to do was to drive near the central line, I guess that driving on narrow roads for years made me drive closer to the edge than Canadians (a subconscious fear of getting clipped maybe?)

The lesson went OK - but I was filled with nerves and not extremely confident that I would make it through the test. I kept trying to convince myself though that this was just a practice and good experience, if I passed it would be a bonus.

The examiner asked me to turn on the lights, indicators etc and asked me where various controls were in the car, luckily the driving instructor had pointed all these out to me. I think that I also displayed the hand signals before we left the car park, but I can't quite remember now.

The examiner did not ask me about hazards etc - but a few did pop up (such as a jay walker) I pointed them out and was pretty much constantly jabbering on through nerves, so maybe I answered any questions they would have asked. I hesitated on a right turn facing a red light (I still find the idea 'free rights' quite strange and hard to get use to), luckily there was a large truck to my left so I stated that I could not clearly see if it was safe to proceed, *phew*.

I did go on the highway, but I found this almost comforting and a lot less stressful than a left turn (for some reason I find them much worse than a right turn in the UK - purely a psych thing I'm sure).
I didn't have to parallel park. I think that I did back around a corner though (automatically looking over the wrong shoulder and having to correct).
A few times I reached to my left and hit the door - going for the gear stick, an automatic reaction - even though I was in an automatic.
When we got back to the test centre I was given the happy news that I had passed Then headed off to work.

I am not as confident driving here as I was in the UK (where I happily drove Post vans and trucks) but I only really drove last winter and didn't own the safest car ever. A lot of it is confidence and I am sure that the more you're on the roads the more confident you become. As it stands I have no need for a car at the moment and can get by on transit but the licence certainly helped me last winter when it would have been expensive to get to & from work in the hours that the buses did not run.

Best of luck with your test, maybe try thinking of it as a practice, it removes the fear of failure, worked for me

live to ski

We work in traffic engineering - I passed first time, Mr L2S failed - none of his co-workers know this!

We still haven't bought a car (living and working downtown) etc. So had only done a bit of driving in rental cars.

From our personal experience, I wouldn't bother too much with an actual lesson to test your driving, rather get inside info from the driving instructor on what the examiner is looking for and what they'll fail you on.

For example, I didn't know about the hand signals and thought I had failed before we left the parking lot of the test centre, but passed despite this! Also, how to drive in through a 4-way stop, stopping at the stop line then creeping forward if you don't have enough sight distance (still beats me that they put stops lines at places with not enough sight distance), driving round a traffic circle (which is different from a roundabout), not turning wheels when you are waiting to turn left, speeding throgh school zones etc. etc.

It is getting stuff like this wrong that you will get minors and failures on. Being a nervous driver won't automatically fail you unless they really think you are unsafe or it leads you to being unsafe or making quanitifiable mistakes.

It is the same in the UK, I know loads of people who I classify as "good drivers", but because they went 2mph over the speed limit they were failed on their test. Whilst others who are nervous, incompetitent, and who I wouldn't get in a car with are passed because they didn't make a mistake that could be quantitifed.

Maybe have just theory lessons with the instructor to understand these things, rather than having to learn them all whilst in a car driving to drive on the wrong side of the road.

(On this note, I also instruct skiing and sailing, and for many people fully understanding a concept whilst on flat or dry land is far easier than trying to learn it on a boat or on the side of a ski hill)

Also what car are you going use for the test? Most rental car companies won't let you use theirs and the test centres know this. We rented from Rent-A-Wreck (RIP) when they were still open in Vancouver. They didn't explictly say that we couldn't use the car for the test, and although the examiner kept asking us, they didn't know either, where I am sure they could have done for Hertz, and hence stopped us from taking the test.

Because when he failed MR L2S had his UK license taken off him, he had to borrow an instructors for his re-sit.

Good luck, I am sure you'll be fine and if not, you'll know more about what to expect the next time. Sometimes it is the fear of the unknown that is most of the hurdle

bazzz

I'm pretty sure there are some rental companies along Broadway that will let you take a car out for the test. I forget which ones now, it was near the intersection with Granville outside. The sign on the window says something about ICBC. It's probably just easier to go through a driving instructor - I think I was paying about $100 for about 45 minutes pre-test plus the actual test.

crusaderrabbit

Thanks for everybody's help and encouragement. Feel slightly better.

The things I seem to find hardest are turning left after a stop (eg you have right of way over oncoming vehicles if you get to the Stop first), left turns at intersections where you have to check not only for oncoming traffic but pedestrians crossing and I also have a tendency for driving a bit too far to the right within my lane. But I would say the biggest thing is the sheer number of lines across the road - I always feel like I should be stopping for something!!

I agree about treating the first one like a practice - though am not someone who takes failure very easily. But if I fail I don't think will have more lessons - probably just the practice before the test again. Just for people's reference am paying $245 for 90mins driving lesson plus 60mins before test and then use of the car in test. 2 x 90mins lessons cost me $210 (the last time I had driving lessons it cost me 12 pounds an hour!!)

edsask

My and my wife's problem is slightly different - we (with any luck) will be moving to Ontario from California (me English, she Canadian), and we've both got California driving licenses.

From what I've read on the relevant web pages, she'll be able to get a full driving license no problem because she's been driving for over 3 years. Meanwhile I've only been driving for 4 months, and will have to enter the byzantine Ontarian provincial driver licensing system, even though I've got a full California license (a 'temporary' license, but that's another story). Even reading the web pages gave me a headache …

geedee

Good luck with your test... and don't forget, you have passed the UK test which is one of the most difficult in the world. This is why in most countries you can simply get given a local license because you have a UK one. If you can pass in the UK, you can pass here. They are NOT better drivers!!

Just to get your blood boiling a little, here in Quebec I didn't need to sit a test. They recognise the UK license / training as equal, and you just pay 50 bucks or so, fill out a few forms, and get a Full License. Took an hour. (They won't give me a motorcycle one though!!! I have to sit the practical to get one of those, even though I have a UK one!).

Good luck and don't worry. You are a good driver. The DVLC says so!!

DaveLovesDee

DVLA

Lorna_D

Must have left the UK many years ago

Iain Mc

If you do your test in Vancouver from the driving center on MacDonald (and about twentieth, I think) you will be taken on the only bit of highway around which is the one out by UBC.

Which is really tame, pretty empty outside of rush hour and far easier than, say, Highway 1, which you might end up on if testing in Burnaby.

So pick your test center, and good luck (it's really not that bad - at least some of the examiners are nice and friendly and it's not seemingly as rigid as the UK test from our limited experience - both me and the missus passed first time).

Watch your speed, they're really hot on taking you past lots of school zones.

Londonuck

I did it in North Van on an absolutely awful day. It was pouring North Van stylie. After passing in Morden, S London first time in the early 90's I felt confident. Funny enough the instructor said he didnt understand why Brits had to take it again. We simply went up and down Lonsdale and round the back streets without much aggro. Passed first time and have to say it was very easy. Remember, they teacher you to pass the test not to drive. You wait til you get among the scariest laid back drivers in the world... thats far worse!

p.s. we hired a car for the day from Enterprise. My wife passed an hour before me with the same instructor. It really isnt the same experience as the UK.

geedee

True enough!