Originally Posted by Pierre_Tete (Post 13287303)

And if so, the OP should be aware that 40 SS credits are also required for Medicare eligibility,

Originally Posted by zzrmark (Post 13287853)

Oh, and a warm welcome from upstate South Carolina.
Are you headed to the upstate (that means the Greenville area to most people), midlands (that'll be the Columbia area), coastal lowlands (Charleston area), Rock Hill (commuter zone for Charlotte NC) or whatever they call the shithole area around Myrtle Beach?

Originally Posted by DerekB1972 (Post 13287860)

Hi,

Yes, i've found a house in Boiling Spings just outside of Spartanburg.

oh, my SSC has arrived alreasy so I'm glad I didn't manage to get an appointment in Michigan when I was there.

Thanks all

Derek

Originally Posted by zzrmark (Post 13287982)

Nice spot, I'm about 45 miles south of there, which will make me one of your closest neighbours.from the Old Country.

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 13287267)

Most states have a very similar process for obtaining a drivers license, and for staters you can't just swap your UK licence for a local one. You will likely have to do [1] a "written test" (on a computer), and so you should download and read the SC DMV manual (local equivalent to the "Highway Code"), just Google <SC DMV>, and particularly focus on the rules for driving around school buses (when to stop for them) and rules against drink driving, as both seem to be favorite topics for the written test (generally speaking, I did my test in New York, and you only ever do the test once. If you ever move to another state you can swap any state license for another one with minimal formalities). Other things which have rules that you likely aren't familar with include railroad crossings and warning signs, which are various shapes, but always yellow - a round one is for a railroad crossing, a house-shaped one is for a school, and a penant is a no-passing zone (also marked with solid center lines on the road).

Oh, and [2] you will have to take a road test. It will probably take around 10 minutes, and you could likely pass it blindfold, and with one hand tied behind your back! Seriously, so long as you don't actually kill anyone, or even worse, pass a stopped school bus, ;) you will pass .... there is a reason why US driving standards are so terrible. :(

Originally Posted by DerekB1972 (Post 13290170)

I sat my computer and road test yesterday and passed :lol: as you said both were pretty easy, questions around the school bus and a few on braking distances, nearly all were pretty obvious, I had one on the weight restriction of a certain class of vehicle that I got wrong but that was it, the road test as you suggested was about 10 mins included a short drive, with a few stops to show parking on a hill, a 3 point turn and back to the test center for a parallel park... all good and the people at the DMV were VERY helpful, only downside is I need to decide if I want to now do my motorcycle license (which I had in the UK) as it's a separate test but looking at the driving here probably not