lol, are you really from Swindon?

So what the test like? I have to take one soon, any tips?

Here in MD I had to go thru the Whole drugs and alchohol awareness nonsense - and pass a real easy exam at the end.

Then onto the theory - 20 questions of multiple choice in which you have to get 17 right. Most of them are fairly obvious, but a few sly ones too - e.g. If your driving at night on full beam, and another car is approaching in the opposite direction, then at what distance do you have to dip your lights (400,500,600 or 700 yards) (and no, I can't remember)

And finally to the driving test, which is about as difficult as playing with a scalextric: Sit in car, drive 10 yards, turn right, drive 10 more yards, stop at STOP sign, turn right, Parallel park in a space large enough for one of the vehicles on the Interstate with 'Wide Load' signs. Drive 10 more yards. The End....

If you passed the UK one, you will be fine. Just watch out for other drivers and their mistakes. The multiple choice test is easy just read the book and remember how to parellel park!

Same for me. Took the test, got 25 out of 25, then drove around 1 surburbia (not even city) block... got the licence no problem...

The Texas driving test is insanely easy compared to the UK one. No wonder driving standards are poor here, and I don't claim to be an expert driver by any means. You basically just have to know which side of the car your steering wheel is on. The written part is easy too... multiple choice on a computer screen.

When I took the Texas driving test 8 yrs ago, it was on a points system. If you dropped 30 points out of 100, you fail. It struck me then that it must be very hard to drop 30 points, even if some mistakes are 2 or 3 points. The only mistake I made (if i recall) was not coming to a complete stop at a STOP sign - not fully stopping at a STOP is considered a Yield, not a stop, and theoretically a cop can ticket you for that. Yes I know no-one ever does it, unless there's a cop around, just like obeying speed limits.

Oh and make sure you have proof of insurance on the car you are testing in - this could be rental documents if testing in a rental (like I did). If you don't, they wont let you take the driving test.

When I lived in the UK and worked with many Americans, even they'd make fun of the Texas driving test. Something like being able to drive with a beer in one hand a gun in the other. They even said this in front of a native Texan coworker. She took it lighthearted manner, fortunately.

A yosser said 'a piece of piss'. I didn't have my license in the UK although I had taken a few lessons so I had been behind the wheel anyhow came here booked 3 2hour lessons ($310) then took test ($45). passed first time.

Here in MI you are allowed to make 31 mistakes 6 in the parking lot reversing around traffic cones etc then 25 out on the road before they fail you. Although from what I have read here the test is harder than some. This is basically how the test went... reverse around the cones in parking lot.. then out onto the road. Show you are competent with traffic lights, stops signs, residential driving, turn radio on/off (while moving) go onto highway merge correctly, move into left lane then back into right lane, answer what you would do if you think you are going to be involved in a head collision and back to the test center thats it. Once you pass you are on probation for 3 years.

Ash

My g/f's in MI, and while I was over in March her brother was taking his driving test.

His examiner asked him if he had to swerve to avoid a head-on collision, should he aim for the mailbox or the shrub (or tree, can't remember now). He said shrub, she took a mark off for not saying mailbox - as he said to her, isn't destroying a mailbox a federal offence?

It's very easy. Drive well under the speed limit, very conservatively, both hands on the wheel at all times, stop for a good long time at any stop signs (no "rolling stops"), stop at the traffic light if it's even thinking about going from green to yellow, watch out for signs lowering the speed limit further outside a school. You can even take the test in an automatic here if you want to.

I loved that part of the test. Prepared the radio specially.

?? Not if you already have a UK licence, methinks

The probabtion part? Even I didn't know about that bit.

I thought that was only for convicts, oops, sorry, I mean 16-year-olds, and only in some states at that. I got my first license in New York - no probation there.

I don't think that anyone has mentioned that you will get a "full" license even if you take the test in an automatic (and therefore you'd be mad to take the test in a manual).

My car here in the US is manual, and when it arrived at the dealers (thanks Int'l Autosource!) my wife went to collect it and the dealer was quite concerned. They asked my wife if she realised that it was a "stick-shift", and then followed up asking if she knew how to drive one? (My wife owned/drove a stick shift herself before she married me and moved to the UK, and her parents both drove stick-shifts, until they got a bit older).

The US seems to make most of these kind of tests quite practical. Which is a refreshing thing from the BS you tend to get in the UK.

For example, here's a couple of written test questions I was asked when I sat the NC driver license written:

In general, the country roads are more:

a) straight
b) curvy
c) hilly

b is the correct answer

How would you signal to other drivers that you have broken down?

a) Place a red warning triange 50ft behind the vehicle
b) Pull off to one side and put up the hood
c) Use your emergency flashers

b is the correct answer