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

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

Old May 4th 2017, 7:36 pm
  #46  
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
There are probably hundreds of things that could lead to you failing your test but would never get you a ticket.

And the other reasons getting a friend or relative to teach you would be a bad idea include: insurance, suitability of their vehicle, the risk to their vehicle and therefore to your relationship, their patience and suitability as a teacher, mutual availability of time, etc. Most of those reasons are why I would never have got my father to teach me. I only very rarely ever drove his car even after I passed my test, and on one occasion he criticized me for doing something I wasn't doing and knew to not do (tailgating IIRC).
Nothing wrong with learning to drive using a relative's car or his/her help. And if someone wants to pay a driving school that's ok too. It's not complicated. As I said, you usually learn in large, empty parking lots. Hard to have an accident that way.
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Old May 4th 2017, 7:44 pm
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

Originally Posted by NYer
Nothing wrong with learning to drive using a relative's car or his/her help. And if someone wants to pay a driving school that's ok too. It's not complicated. As I said, you usually learn in large, empty parking lots. Hard to have an accident that way.
It works for some people, that doesn't mean it's a good idea for everyone (I am not even going to try to estimate the relative proportions). And since you learned to drive more than 30 years ago, Sunday trading laws have eliminated most large empty parking lots that used to be available on Sundays.
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Old May 4th 2017, 7:48 pm
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

The driving standards here in GA are appalling. I believe that much of that is because family "teaches" family and so bad habits are simply passed on. Then the driving test is such a joke that it is very difficult to fail.
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Old May 5th 2017, 12:00 am
  #49  
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

I've started to see an increase in student drivers on the road here over the past couple months. Not sure if it's a seasonal thing.
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Old May 5th 2017, 1:10 am
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
It works for some people, that doesn't mean it's a good idea for everyone (I am not even going to try to estimate the relative proportions). And since you learned to drive more than 30 years ago, Sunday trading laws have eliminated most large empty parking lots that used to be available on Sundays.
Just because I received my license thirty years ago, doesn't mean we haven't shown our own children how to drive - in empty parking lots on Sunday. Believe me, school parking lots where I live are empty on both Saturday & Sunday generally and totally during the summer months. Church parking lots on Saturday are good too.

I'm sure the person who started the post will make a right decision for himself.
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Old May 5th 2017, 4:17 am
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

Originally Posted by NYer
Just because I received my license thirty years ago, doesn't mean we haven't shown our own children how to drive - in empty parking lots on Sunday. Believe me, school parking lots where I live are empty on both Saturday & Sunday generally and totally during the summer months. Church parking lots on Saturday are good too. ....
I thought we were talking about the UK. That it certainly what the OP was asking about, and clearly what I was talking about in my post that you quoted. I don't know of a school in the UK with a parking lot big enough to swing a cat. Most churches I know of have very little off-street parking.
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Old May 5th 2017, 6:26 pm
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Default Re: Should I learn to drive in the UK or when I move to California?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I thought we were talking about the UK. That it certainly what the OP was asking about, and clearly what I was talking about in my post that you quoted. I don't know of a school in the UK with a parking lot big enough to swing a cat. Most churches I know of have very little off-street parking.
Oh, misunderstanding. I learned to drive in America 30 years ago and I suggested the original poster learn to drive here as well.
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