Jerseygirl

My daughter's driving test was in an empty car park. She drove in a straight line for approx. 100 yards...then parallel parked between 2 cones approx 50 yards apart.

Yes NJ drivers are generally atrocious. While driving along a dual carriage way a woman pulled out of a side road...to turn left. She stopped in the middle of two lanes...as we approached and swerved around her...I noticed she was applying mascara! Once when driving along I24 a car undertook me on the hard shoulder. I was in a large SUV...so I could look down right into his car. He was reading a book!

It isn't unusual to be hit by another car and that car take off. This is due to the number of illegal immigrants in NJ. It happened to me twice.

It is generally illegal to do 'U' turns in NJ on main roads and quite often there are no left turns. NJ has a jug handle system for turns. You will get used to it.

If eligible I recommend auto insurance with NJ Manufacturers. Anyone born and bred in NJ will tell you they are far the best. We also used them for our house and contents insurance.

I concur with EM...Route 22 is a pain...I never got used to it and always shopped along Route 10. I also liked Route 46 at Willowbrook.

The Mall at Short Hills is by far the best mall in NJ and King's the best supermarket. When we first moved to NJ...King's was owned by M & S. Also look for Gary's Winestore for British goodies.

Rete

Don't have a clue what this means. And honestly, I don't care.

Rete

My daughter did with a New York State license and while living in NYS. She purchased it in Freehold and registered it in NYS.

Many NJ residents go to Reedman's in PA to buy their automobiles. The only time I could afford to shop at Bloomy's is when I had my mink cleaned and stored for the season.

Olly_

Actually they waive the practical test if you have a UK license. You still have to do the theory though.

Jerseygirl

Also if you buy a car from a NJ dealership...they must call the insurance company to confirm you have a policy before they can release the car.

Pulaski

People seem to focus on buying TVs by size and brand, but TV manufacturers produce multiple TVs of the same size, just like car manufacturers make multiple versions of each model - L, LX, EX, Sport, etc., and the TVs Walmart sells superficially look a like good deal, but some are actually low spec models that other retailers don't stock.

FWIW the refresh rate is how often the TV refreshes the image. 60Hz is the base level, but you get a better picture with a 120Hz refresh rate. Higher frequencies are also available, but the big jump in picture quality is between 60Hz and 120Hz.

Lowes and Home Depot sells stoves and other appliances the same way - the prices look great, but many of the cheaper models are stripped-down basic models with few features.

Englishmum

I don't know when you took your test in NJ but it has changed recently. When we first moved to NJ in 2000 we just had to take the theory test. Then of course 9/11 happened and they became much more strict on providing ID.

They have definitely tightened it up more for foreigners on visas. I have dual nationality and kept my NJ licence up to date whilst my husband was on expat postings in Singapore and Switzerland; indeed I flew back here from Zurich last May for a short visit to renew my NJ licence, which had to be done in person as they wanted a new photo. It wasn't much fun waiting in line with 100 people across the street in the 95F heat....for security reasons they only allow a limited amount of people inside the DMV building at any one time. Good job it wasn't pouring with rain or freezing cold, there is no shelter from the elements at all.

We relocated here again at the end of last Summer. My husband had a Swiss driving licence and his old UK one, but was told that all aliens on visas have to take both the theory and practical test in NJ now. (He had given up his greencard as he had been out of the States for 8 years).

I drove him to the driving test centre for his practical test and the examiner grinned when he heard my husband's English accent....he was so used to going out with the 17 year olds. When realised that my husband had been driving for about 30 years in a number of other countries he got chatting about his US Army tours in Afghanistan....and was so engrossed that forgot to tell him to take some turns on the test route lol! Btw JG; they still ask the driver on the test to reverse between some traffic cones at the testing centre...!

Olly_

I got my NJ licence in 2015 so maybe it's changed since then?

It does say this on their website on the page for non citizens though:

Perhaps the member of staff didn't know the policy?

Jerseygirl

Doesn't make much difference whether a practical test is required or not...it's so easy a blind monkey with its arms and legs tied together could pass it.

Olly_

Oh I know, it's just one less thing to have to do though

Pulaski

The bastard offspring of a crossroad junction and a roundabout! I doubt it.

Pulaski

A number of states have similar wording, but buried in the details somewhere is says "until you become resident". In other words, it's OK as a visitor, or for a few weeks after you arrive, but when you buy/rent a home, put your children into school, or start work, etc.you need to get a local license.

Olly_

That page is about getting a local license. It's basically saying they'll accept a foreign license as proof of experience to waive the road test.

Just for reference the new residents page says you have 60 days to get a local license.

Jerseygirl

Problem is you can't buy/lease a car from a dealership without insurance in NJ...you can't get insurance without a DL.

When we moved to NJ in 1996...on our first day we went to the SS offices on Rt 10 to get SS numbers...the second day we took our driving test.

I really don't know what all the fuss is about...getting a NJ DL is easy. The test whether practical or theory...is a piece of cake. Just get it done and out of the way.

Englishmum

My husband had long discussions about this at the Wayne DMV (where he took the theory test). He even took a print-out of his DMV NJ driving record from the years 2000 to 2008 which he was able to find online.

They were having none of it, despite him escalating it to the most senior manager there. As far as they were concerned, as a foreigner coming in on a new L1-A visa he had to take both the theory test *and* the road test, even though he had previously been a NJ licence holder for 8 years.

However, they were booked up for the road test, so he went to the DMV at Randolph and was told the same thing there. They don't care at the DMV offices what it says on their website (they are just like all the 'jobsworths' we all know of back in the UK).

He took his road test in Eatontown in the end as the date was more convenient....it's less populated than in north Jersey so more time slots were available.

Btw; I hate jughandles....almost feel like I'm going to be dizzy going around the tight bends to merge with another lane....much prefer the European roundabouts but then again have seen the chaos at the very few traffic circles/roundabouts here in NJ...omg