BadgerNaboo

I hope so (fingers crossed) been such a long time since I took mine

Nutmegger

Don't forget to check out your local "burn" laws -- I wanted to do this and at my last home had to get a permit to even burn garden waste on my own property!

Havnfun

We are in Orange County and the driving tests were easy but the motorcycle one is weird. Not sure if it is the same in SF. The test here is to drive around in the DMV parking lot very slowly in a tight circle without your feet touching the ground! Depending on what kind of motorcycle you drive it is not very easy. Hubby rides an Aprilia Tuono Factory and it is not meant to be driven slowly (according to him anyways)

Michael

Unless someone has experience of taking their driving test in San Francisco and can tell you it is ok, I'd set up an appointment in Marin County or the peninsula.

I'd worry that they may have you drive and park on the hills (make sure you wheels are pointed the right direction when parking) and in crowded streets since that is what happens in San Francisco.

In the suburbs, they won't give you a difficult route to drive or park.

Cape Blue

I second that - I would do your test at the Corte Madera DMV in Marin.

coastieexpat

It's the same up here also.

I may borrow a smaller bike to take the test, I have a Triumph Trident 900, I would have a hard time staying in the circle and not putting my foot down.

I don't think you need a bike licence though, if you aren't going on the freeways and you don't carry a passenger.

Cape Blue

Where did you get that from?

coastieexpat

DMV Website http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/motorcycle-license.php

You do need to get a learners permit though.....



With your motorcycle learner's permit, you may practice driving a motorcycle. However, you are not allowed to:

* Drive your motorcycle at night.

* Drive your motorcycle on the freeway.

* Carry any passengers on your motorcycle.

Your $28 learner's permit application fee will be good for one year. You may take the written and skills tests three times. If your application expires before you pass the tests and are issued a license, you must start the application process all over.

sarahlou145

we took our tests at the San Mateo DMV, compared to the UK test it was really easy

We had a rental car that we were going to take our test in, then we ended up buying a car on the Saturday, and returned the rental car and sat our tests on the Tuesday

Cape Blue

I see, I thought you were suggesting that you didn't need a licence at all if no freeways/passengers, rather than a temp period on a learners permit.

Steerpike

I third it also. Not only will the actual drive be less challenging (San Francisco is a crowded, challenging place to drive), but the actual DMV experience is likely to be much, much nicer/easier. The DMV I went to in SF was in a pretty bad neighborhood ... it should be eaiser to get an appointment in a nice boring suburb.

Don't underestimate the challenge of the written test; yes, the driving part is only 10% of the difficulty of the UK test (circa 30 years ago, anyway!) but you do have to answer a bunch of questions of a rather tedious nature ... what is the shortest stopping distance when traveling at ... MPH? I know how to drive safely, but I don't know the answers to these questions in feet ... so do read the book a few times ahead of the test (not just while waiting in line, like I did!). if in doubt answer on the 'safe' side for any question you are not sure about; I got several wrong but she said 'you are obviously a safe driver so let me ask you a few more questions...'

coastieexpat

I am not certain, but I think you can renew the learners permit each year.

Of course it would make much more sense to just take the test, but it does give you a bit of leeway, albeit with restrictions.

I am still on a learners permit, but that's because I live in rural area, with no freeways, and the DMV is a 100 mile round trip.

BadgerNaboo

Hi

We were in Burlingame on Saturday looking at cars

BadgerNaboo

We have full UK car and bike Licence I'm going to look at a bike on Friday. We can get insurance for the bike on our UK licence will this be ok until we take the test (In a very quite place if possible).

Thanks very much for all the useful info I have downloaded the info (like our highway code booklet).

coastieexpat

I'll second that. As I recall if you do fail the written part , you can take it again Immediately, or maybe the woman was just being nice to me.