So I have my driving test tomorrow at the Santa Clara dmv.

I have a quick question - do you know if, when you're stationary waiting to go at traffic lights, should I be going into neutral and putting on the hand break? At the moment I don't, but I'm pretty sure in the UK a driving instructor would tell you to. Guess it might not be an issue, if I don't end up being sat still for long, but I am just wondering.

Other than that I guess it's the usual stuff - over exaggerate looking into mirrors etc.

No, just sit in drive with your foot on the brake.

Make sure you know your hand signals, and where the demister is on the car. Complete stop at stop signs, not a roll...

Good luck

Thank you!!

Gawd, I don't know my hand signals, I'll look them up!

Agreed, I got reprimanded for putting on the handbrake at the lights and told not to do it

What she said, but all the common controls too (indicators obviously, but hazards, windscreen wipers, lights).

For the stop lines, make sure you do the initial stop behind the stop line. If you can't see traffic from that position then roll forward - and at that point some say to stop again. My local DMV specifically has a route that includes that beauty.

Look out for those pesky pedestrians jaywalking.

Good luck!

I didn't either. I brought my car round waiting for the instructor and was sat in line watching people do these strange things with their hands, I frantically went through the handbook that was on the passenger seat to learn them 30 seconds before the instructor turned up

It's not as if it includes the really necessary hand/finger signals either! Hmm, was it Naked Gun where the driving instructor tells the driver to raise the hand and slowly extend the middle finger?

Edit: yes it was!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPf51_mPONM

I did the English ones, luckily she let me off.

I didn't know there were any English ones

Maybe I just made them up I was flapping my arm up and down for 'slow down'.

and you think you don't fit in, in LA?

nutter

Maybe I was thinking of the cycling proficiency test

No, you do not have to do that.

Do make sure that you come to a complete stop at a stop sign, though, and don't forget that if you are turning right and there is a cycle lane you *must* merge into the cycle lane it before making the turn.

I don't remember being asked about hand signals for the CA driving test but it was 25 years ago so things may have changed or I may just have forgotten it.

now what do you mean by this? crossing the road where there is no crossing? how do you define this? I have real trouble understanding whats considered a jaywalker or just a 'im a pedestrian so i have the right of way, so im going to walk right out in front of you' GRRRR mentality.
(you know the ones where your driving in your car and your just about to pull in to your nearest target or ralphs store etc and the ignorant, people just walk right on out in front of you
are you saying that techically isnt allowed??

P.S me and my husband sit in our car literally dumbfounded that you can drive a car, risk somebody driving into the back of you/causing an accident/damage to your/their car all because some idiot has decided to walk straight out in front of you on the road, then look at me driving in the car as if im the one whos crazy!!!!

Thank you all. My hubby (who has his test tomorrow aswell) has said that people at his work seem to think we may also have to parallel park Oh dear! Oh well, fingers crossed.