Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Hi guys,

this is my first post.

Before I start I would just like to say how wonderful it is having a forum like this, such useful information.

So basically, I am looking to move to California in October 2017. [*UPDATE* I am a Foreign Born US Citizen]

I visited last month, my main concern with moving is driving, as I don't drive here in London, I am 27, I never bothered to learn to drive as I didn't see the need!

I am in two minds whether or not I should learn to drive here in London or in Los Angeles.

I'm thinking, is there any point in learning to drive in London considering I will have to take another course to learn in California.

Is it cheaper to learn to drive in London or California?

Is it easier to learn to drive in London or California? -- Considering American's drive on the other side of the road.

Also, I've heard that I will have needed to have my license for 1 year to use car rental companies in the USA?


Sorry for the many questions, but any advice would be much appreciated.

:thumbsup:

Regards,

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

No.


It's relatively cheap in California.


On the assumption that you're talking about the ease with which you can get a driver's license - it's definitely easier in California. Actually driving in California can be much more dangerous, however!


Since you don't currently drive, I can't imagine it makes much difference!


I doubt this is true - but be prepared to fork out a chunk of money!

Ian

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

OK, I'll ask first: Assuming you are not a USC, what visa are you moving on? Do you have a job in California and are they sponsoring your visa?

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Good question Quiltman, I am a foreign born USC. I haven't lined up a job as of yet (In the process).

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Assuming you've got the visa side sorted, there is ZERO point to learning to drive now in the UK. It's very expensive and likely you wouldn't even get your license before October even if you started now (unless you did an intensive course - but I'm assuming you'd be the average '1 lesson per week' type person). London is HARD to drive in, to boot (used to live there...didn't learn how to drive until we moved to Yorkshire, as London was that intimidating!). On top of all that, even once you got your British DL, you'd have to take a new written AND practical test in California anyway. They are easy, but I don't see the point in doing both.

I've started from scratch (driving license) in both countries, but America is ten times easier to learn to drive and obtain a license in.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Thanks Ian, it does seem that in the USA learning to drive is cheaper. :fingerscrossed:

< snip >

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Thanks, nice to know. Saves others asking the same questions! good luck with the job. yup, learn to drive once you get to California , don't waste money on UK lessons with such a short timescale.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Thanks for your Advice Aless02. I am in the process of lining up a job before I move, depending on my success I may move without a job, the reason I considered learning to drive here in London is because I may move and have to start my job immediately.

I am looking to move to the Los Angeles County area, so I could always make use of the Los Angeles public rail system.

Has anyone commuted to work using the Los Angeles public transit?

Thanks in advance

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I learned to drive in London. Wasn't that bad and I have driven in countries all over the world since.

OP, I'd at least start learning to drive now. Just to get the feel of driving, starting to get a bit of a sense of others around you. Make sure you get an automatic car to learn in. Not sure how you would cope in California and not be able to drive - just getting to job interviews will be 10x harder. Anything that gets you going a bit earlier is going to help. Switching sides of the road isn't difficult either.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

If you can manage it I would definitely try to both learn to drive and get a license before you leave the UK. While you will need to take a driving test to get a license in California you will not need to take any driving lessons in California *if* you already have a UK license.

Yes it is probably harder to learn to drive in London, and the UK driving test will be more difficult, but you will at least actually learn how to drive.

On the other hand, the logistics of arriving in the U.S. and trying to settle in and find a job *and* learn how to drive all at the same time may well be overwhelming. As you should already have discovered, public transport in the U.S. typically ranges from poor to non-existent.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

When we moved to Riverside CA in 1977* my wife had never been a driver. The only lessons she got were from me and she passed her test first time about 3 weeks after we arrived.

*The rules may well have changed since then, but I'd be surprised if the congestion in and around LA were any different today.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Yes, but there were two of you. You had a license and could give her lessons and drive her around until she got her license. As I understand it, the OP will be on his own and will most likely not have someone with a car, living in the same household, who can give him lessons and drive him around for the first month or so.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Fair point. But starting lessons in London would just be a waste of money and probably a set-back.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Thanks Md95065, great point. Luckily, I will have someone in Los Angeles to drive me around (depending on their availability), and theirs always Uber, I will be staying with them for a month or two until I find my feet.

But just as petitefrancaise said, it may prove difficult learning to drive, looking for work and a place to stay all at the same time.

I may ask a friend to give me 'free' lessons while I am still in London.

Thanks guys.:thumbup:

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Outside of learning the rules of the road in the State you will be living in, driving is really learning to control the vehicle. So it makes no difference if that control is learned in the UK or the US. There might be slight adjustments to be made in making left and right turns and parallel parking (if that is done in CA) as the driver's seat is on the opposite side of the car in the US if you are learning in the UK but a few lessons in the US will bring you up to speed. Since you aren't planning on coming to the US anytime soon, I vote for taking a few lessons or having a friend let you use their car for the first few times in a large empty parking lot :thumbsup:

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

One learns to drive, in the other, one learns to pass the test and learns on the go, but the look of things....

Learning in a automatic, would certainly be easier. It's basically a go-cart at that point, but you don't have that same level of concentration you have when you learn to drive in a manual, which I think helps make you a better driver over all IMO. So might be worth having a few lessons before you leave London. Not really worth the cost of doing the test and getting the license though, unless even having a new one gets you out of the drivers ed type requirement in California. You don't have to do that stuff if you're over 21 in MA, but not all states will waive the requirement of hanging out with the spotty pizza faces.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Although certainly cheaper and easier to pass your test in California if you are ever thinking of moving back to the UK then I would get your licence here first before you make the move.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Definitely in the UK. And make sure its a manual, so you can drive automatic as well.

I did this 2 years ago. Passed everything first time after 25 hours of lessons. Took 2 months from my first lesson to having my licence in my hand.

I would never drive here in London, only did it so I have the option in the future, and so I could drive my then girlfriend's car when I visited her in NY.

Driving in the USA is easyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy compared to the UK. Might as well get the hard part done first!

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I have no idea how much a driving test and license cost in the UK these days but, yes, if you already have a full driver's license then all that you have to do to get a California license is pass the (ridiculously easy) test.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

It's an interesting judgement call. You say you live in London - have you always lived there? How much time have you spent as a passenger in a car vs on public transport? Do you cycle much?

I'm asking because it's amazing how much "road sense" you can pick up in ways other than driving. By which I mean being able to understand signs and directions, observe other road users and potential hazards like pedestrians about to cross the road, and generally anticipate the behaviour (good and bad!) of other drivers. It's these skills that make you a better driver and also give you more confidence, regardless of what country you are in.

Actually operating a car is relatively easy in comparison; you could be easily driving round an empty car park in 10 minutes. It's all the other stuff that's hard.

I think this is good advice - some introductory lessons to get a feel for operating a car would help if you've never sat behind a steering wheel before.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I've never driven a car before unfortunately, but yes I would be able to make out some of the signs on the streets. I'll take your advice, I'll ask a friend to let me drive their car in the middle of a car park.

Thanks!

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Getting a license in California will cost you a grand total of...wait for it...$33. And that $33 allows you to take your test up to *3* times. So, it will be much cheaper (and easier) to take your test here.

Depending on where you will live in L.A. you might want to choose to take your test in one of the more 'quieter' suburbs as traffic downtown, Venice etc are traffic nightmares even for the most experienced driver.

Also, we are all saying the test is really easy and it is if you've already taken a British test, but since you've never driven before, it won't be a piece of cake for you. I'd suggest taking some lessons with an instructor when you arrive here.

Good luck!

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I'm with sherbert, I took my test in Santa Monica at 4pm so I was in rush hour traffic, not much driving achieved!

IMHO I would not bother with any training in UK, I think it would confuse you more, its ok for people who have driven for years to make the transition.

Have fun, join the driving test line at the DMV stand behind the spotty oiks taking their tests, I was the oldest in line by at least 30 years!!

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Driving an automatic car in CA is bog simple. What is not simple in the UK these days is passing a driving test. It is fairly trivial in California.

Get a bit of parking lot practice in London in your mate's car for sure, but don't waste a penny on lessons there.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I think some of the posters here are exaggerating the easiness of the California driving test. It's easier than the UK, but they do still seriously test you. I've seen people with years of driving experience fail. So you do need to spend some time learning to drive. Getting some experience handling a car with an L plate and someone sitting beside you before you come will shorten the time you'll need in the US.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I agree with Asg123. I think that the California driving test is simple for someone who has passed the UK driving test, but it does still requires some training, a reasonable amount of driving skill, and a (learned) innate awareness of what's going on around you.

When I took my California driving test, I was drove for about 20 minutes in a residential area and on a few main roads, and had to stop at several STOP signs, and reverse in a straight line.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I certainly didn't don't take any training at all, I said that IMHO learning in the uk, then learning in the US would be a waste, do the training here, and yes if you've never driven before the test is likely to be difficult!!!


As for seriously testing you, really??


But I'm sure some SA will say they passed without ever driving before hand.


My experience was based on 30+ years of driving, all over the world.


I thank you m'lud, and I rest my case.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I didn't learn to drive until I moved to USA from UK in my late 20's.
It presented me with no problems the test and everything was fairly easy and slack. I learnt in an automatic and have never driven anything else, why would anyone want to mess around with gears?! ;-) Having to learn in a manual is what put me off from learning in the UK.
The only thing I didn't like about taking my test here was that everyone else was like 16/17 at the test center and I felt like a Granny.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

If you have access to a car in the UK, and you might return at any point, I would strongly consider getting your license in the UK. It is more expensive, I got mine in the US at 18, paid almost nothing for it, and it was super easy exam. This was because I had access to my parents' car and didn't have to pay for lessons. However, when I moved to the UK, I had to start from scratch, had to take lessons and it wasn't easy because in the UK I had to find a teacher etc. This was despite having driven in the US for 8 years, 6 on a full license, so if you return you might have to face taking lessons anyway.

When I was in the US, I didn't live in LA, but I can't imagine that it is that easy to find a driving school in the US as most people get taught at school or from their parents, and if you don't have access to a car in the US to practice, it might be more expensive to get lessons. Quick search on google has 6 hours at $300-400 in LA

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I think what most people are ignoring is that whilst you can pass the test over here relatively easily, having a license doesn't make you a good or even capable driver. As such the roads are full of idiots so to avoid accidents you not only need to know how to control the car according to the rules of the road but also have to know how to avoid the people who have no idea what they're doing. Personally I did a bunch of lessons with BSM in the UK before coming here and doing the test as I knew lessons wouldn't be readily available.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

This is very true, and while people often focus on how easy the driving test is in the US, the issue for the OP is that the quality and rigor of the tuition probably has a similar difference. So even if the OP doesn't reach the point in the UK where they have passed their test, I would argue that there is significant value in the process of learning to drive in the UK.

As others have said above, it would also be handy to have passed the test if there is ever any chance that the OP might return to the UK to live later in life.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

One thing to note, is that if you want to learn to drive a manual , do that in the UK because there are very few people who teach in manual cars in the US. Also the manual tuition is not very good from my experience.
Driving a manual will also give you some idea of how gear changes work. However from a purely financial and passing the test perspective, training and take the test where you will eventually be driving. That way you learn the rules of the road once, and create less confusion.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

The financial perspective needs to include an estimate of the additional expenses the OP may incur in the US, between the time that he arrives and the time that he gets a license, as a result of his not being able to drive.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Yes, the OP has asked about learning to drive, while many of the responses have been about passing the driving test.

IMHO, these are two different, albeit connected, issues. In both the UK and the US, you learn to drive after you pass the test! By which I mean all the things I mentioned upthread about reading the road, hazards, anticipating the actions of other drivers, being able to handle your vehicle in all sorts of weather conditions and generally being a competent and confident driver. And these skills are, by and large, universal and not country dependent.

If time and money weren't a consideration, I think driving lessons and passing the test in the UK means you are further ahead of the game when moving to the US as the UK test is more rigorous on more difficult road conditions and gives you a better place to start. However, as the OP said they had never driven, we have no idea what kind of driver he/she is, and whether they would be able to transfer skills from London to LA easily, or whether it would hinder them to move mid-learning.

Having a few introductory lessons in the UK would at least give them an idea of what would be good for them, particularly if they found an instructor who has experience in teaching international people and/or an understanding of what US driving is like and could advise them appropriately on how they are progressing and what skills they need to focus on. I would have thought London would be a good place to find such an instructor!

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

A good friend, neighbor or relative could teach you to drive for free. That's how I learned. You'll need to pick up a handbook for the written test, of course. I failed on the first try! Also, you'll be using an automatic here in the USA, not a "stick shift."

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

I drive in NJ and there are plenty of driving schools - it's hell being behind a driver with the sign "Student Driver"! But, yes, high schools generally have driving classes.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

If you have never driven before this may not be the best idea for most people for several reasons, not least unless you want to start out by learning their bad habits.

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

:goodpost:
we basically taught our daughter. She took her first test and failed it because she failed to come to a complete stop at a right turn junction. Guess where she learned that???? :o

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Well, I wouldn't learn to drive from a friend who had a lot of points or a DUI conviction! And who is to say that some professional driving instructor doesn't have bad habits of his own?!

I've never had a ticket in 30 years of driving.:lol:

Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?
 

Yes. Unfortunately, both of them have since died due to suicide.

It is possible to survive on public transit with careful planning and if both job and home are centrally located. But that will limit your options and your housing costs will likely be on the high side. So you should expect to drive, then feel fortunate if you don't have to.