Pulaski

"Don't speed" would have worked better at the end of the list than at the start.

markonline1

Totally agree. The driving test here in CA, as it appears to be in most states is a complete joke! No wonder everyone drives like a clown! As you say, the important things are come to a complete stop at the stop signs, and look over your shoulder, especially when entering a cycle lane (which is a pointless exercise). My maneuver (if you can call it that) was reversing in a straight line for about 10 feet. I wonder whether he went easy on me because of my UK license though.

Nutek

I never touched reverse gear at all. Not even in the parking lot. In fact, I drove through an empty space in front of where I was parked when we pulled out.

Pulaski

Though my (NY) road test was indeed a joke, I did have to do a parallel park manoeuvre, which wasn't part of the test when I got my UK licence. The space I had to reverse into was literally big enough to park a bus, mostly because there wasn't a vehicle at the rear end of the space for me to back towards.

rpjs

Just took my NYS test this morning. Thought I'd failed on the parallel parking because I forgot to switch to reverse when pulling out. Obviously didn't hit the car in front before realizing and switching, but I thought that'd be the clincher. Examiner didn't even deduct any points for it!

Also the three-point turn was on a road so wide I could have easily done a U-turn instead. And then back to the start after approx 10 minutes. Now I know why NYS drivers are so bad!

fozzyb

When I did my California test, you were allowed up to 15 minor errors and still pass. Which considering the test is about 10 mins long, means you are allowed to make an error every 40 seconds. Pretty scary.

I'm still resentful for the one minor error I got though. Approaching an intersection on a residential street, the road markings did indicate that I had priority but were rather worn, so I took the intersection slowly enough to see that both the cross streets were clear. Had that counted as a minor error for showing undue hesitancy.

Out of interest does anyone know if I do move back to the US - would I have to do the test again. I still have my California licence, but it expired 5 years ago now.

Bob

If you move back to CA, you could probably renew it. If you moved back to another state, you'd probably have to take the test, or go back to CA and renew it before swapping it in the new state as most states require a valid license to do a swap or one that hasn't expired more than x number of day/months.

Worth double checking with the state DMV though.

Jerni

LOL same here, I had to do a 3-point turn on a street I could have done a u-turn in a lorry on, and parallel park into a 'space' with no car behind.

smarty156

If the road is wide enough to just u turn do they still expect you to 3 point turn anyway or can you just u turn?
Next thing on my list is to swat up on the NYS driving test.

Rpjs - did you have to do the 5 hour course? Where did you do it, what does it cost and how quickly could you get booked on it?

Jerni

I did my driving test in NYS earlier this year. I had to do the 5hr class, I did mine at AAA it cost me around $50. They ran the class several times a week so it was easy to get booked in.

If you have a UK license you can attend the driving test alone, but you'll have to turn it in if you pass the test, the examiner will give you a notice that it will be held at the DMV. If you don't want to go that route, you'll have to bring a license driver with you.

Jerni

Forgot to add, I was being silly about the road width, it was easily wide enough to not have to worry about needing to do a 5-point turn. They want to see you can do it without touching the curb and using the proper signaling. If they ask for a 3-point turn they expect you to do it, doing a u-turn would probably get you some points.

Pulaski

Everyone doing the NY test has to do the 5hrs drivers ed. Most of the people in my class were either Hispanic and probably understood little English, were drunks going through relicencing, or other who had been ticketed and were doing a drivers ed instead of getting points on their license.

ubernathan

One tip is to go look for you-tube videos of the test route.

rpjs

I did mine at my driving instructor's office but as Jerni says there are lots of places that do it.

That's right - you as a learner are not allowed to drive to the test, or indeed in any NYS DMV designated test area. You're not even supposed to start the engine until the examiner tells you to!

Edit to add: whilst there are plenty of places to do the five hour course, I understand that the closer you are to NYC, the longer the wait for an appointment to take the road test. Consequently people from the city often go to Westchester or Putnam counties to do the road test. I did mine at Yorktown Heights in Westchester. I booked about a month in advance through my driving instructor who provided his car, gave me an hour's brush-up lesson before-hand concentrating on the parallel parking and 3-point turns and then drove me to the test site.

Pulaski

That's right. I lived in Westchester Co, actually Valhalla, and back in 2001 it was easy to book the 5hr drivers ed in late November, just a couple of weeks after I arrived, but a local road test was going to be late February or March, 3+ months later! ..... Mrs P looked on line for me, looking further and further North and West, until she found that I could do the test the following week (early December) in Herkimer.