I have a theory about the DMV

I don't remember exactly, and I know it's changed since I got my liscense. I took a written test to get my permit, a driver's education course (don't remember how long that was, but it met once a week for like 2 hrs or something for a few weeks), then I took a very short road test (pretty much a drive around the block + parallel park) and that's it.

Instead of putting up a new post, I'll share two things that just happened to me tonight here.

I was merging onto the interstate, so I picked up speed on the on ramp. I checked my mirrors and there was a car a ways back, but I should have been able to get in no problem. I say should have, cause the guy sped up, didn't move over, and boxed me out of the lane. I had to brake hard and drive on the shoulder after my lane ended. Why would anyone do that, especially on an empty road?

After getting off the interstate, I'm driving in a two lane area with a 35 speed limit and lots of stores and such. Some guy in the left lane darts ahead of me, switches abruptly into my lane, slams on the brakes, and turns right into a parking lot. Is it really worth risking an accident to not have to go into the next lot to turn around?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I was merging onto the interstate, so I picked up speed on the on ramp. I checked my mirrors and there was a car a ways back, but I should have been able to get in no problem. I say should have, cause the guy sped up, didn't move over, and boxed me out of the lane. I had to brake hard and drive on the shoulder after my lane ended. Why would anyone do that, especially on an empty road?

---

I have had the same thing happen to me as well.
:soapbox:
Another problem with Tucson is we have no cross town freeways. It's is surface streets all the way. Don't get me wrong, the I-10 does go through Tucson, but it goes basically around the far west side of the "city." On some of the 2 lane roads outside of the city limits there use to be passing zones or just white stripes, but now it seems most of these roads have been re-striped double yellow. Which brings me to point of how passive/aggressive Tucson drivers can be. On more then one occasion, I have found myself gaining on someone driving down one of these roads day or night doing 5mph under the limit. As I close in on them, they will inexplicably begin to slow down, now we're down to 10 mph below the limit The only reason I can discern is that they want to have some control over other drivers on the road. I try not to tailgate other cars, but come on, use the gas pedal people. All's clear, no oncoming traffic or Johnny Law to be seen, so I pass the guy on a double yellow. Let me mention that these roads in question are straight and flat. I don't cut them off either, I give them at least 5 to 6 car lengths and signal before returning to the lane. The typical response I get from the person I am passing is a friendly one-finger gesture with some obscenities yelled at me. But the best part is when they SPEED up and start tailgating me after I have passed them! As an added bonus, if this occurs a night, they usually flip on their high-beams while tailgating me.* What is wrong with these people? Why the response from them? Did I personally insult them? No, I continued on my way with a velocity of MY choosing.

*This response is also typical on 2 lane roads WITH passing zones.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jorgeovi

Is it really so simple to get a driving license in the US as we believe in Spain?

How it goes in the US?

---

I took my driver's license test in New Jersey. 50 questions. No studying. Passed on the first try with a 96%. The questions were a joke, really.

They issued me a learner's permit. I had to wait at least 30 days. Went to the DMV, drove down the road 1 mile, performed a "K" turn, drove back to the DMV then parallel parked. Voila!

This was 20 years ago, mind you. It hasn't changed much I don't think.

I moved to Nevada 12 years ago. When I got here and switched, they handed me a new license and a book. I threw that away when I got home! Apparently so does everyone else! :p

The driving test isn't difficult at all. If you fail a driving test here, you have to be really really bad at driving.

In NY its gotten easier than Holli says. You pass a 15 question test, you can miss up to 5, you get a learner's permit. Then you have to sit in a 3 hour lecture on safe driving and "get" 20 hours of practice- though you can simply drive for 20 hours with a parent, or, like my friend did, have your parent sign the form right away. Then you do the drive aroudn the block making left turns, then right turns, do a three point turn and parallel park. You only need a 70% to pass the test.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by khaos

In NY its gotten easier than Holli says. You pass a 15 question test, you can miss up to 5, you get a learner's permit. Then you have to sit in a 3 hour lecture on safe driving and "get" 20 hours of practice- though you can simply drive for 20 hours with a parent, or, like my friend did, have your parent sign the form right away. Then you do the drive aroudn the block making left turns, then right turns, do a three point turn and parallel park. You only need a 70% to pass the test.

---

In MA, it was a joke. Out of the 15 or so questions, 10 were related to driving under influence. The practical test had two major traps - blinking red light and turning into a one way street (you must not ask which way to go...). The bar is set low and it shows on the roads.

Driving around Washington DC can be perilous. I narrowly escape certain death very often. The tests must be easy, it's been awhile since I took mine. -And that test was a breeze. " Turn Right, Turn Right, Turn Right, Turn Right........Pass."

Here in Australia, it's really not too bad... at least not in Queensland...

Mostly bad drivers don't drive much, because they're afraid of good drivers, who usually do the various things most of you are either too polite, or legally not allowed to do. See, our police, in 8 out of 10 cases, see that the driver is of poor quality, and turn a blind eye, thus leaving those deserving of holding licenses free to roam.

There is also the fact that these days in our lovely country, learners have to hold their Ls for a minimum of 1 year, and 100hrs total logged driving time before their even paid any attention at our DMV equivalent. After this, they must spend 3 years displaying a P, or Provisional plate on their car, thus meaning that even speeding or in some cases not displaying this plate while on your P permit, can lose you your license. So by the time we're big boys and girls, most of us are fairly capable.

Oh, also the Road Rage in this area is fantastic. Drive here one day and you'll get the finger:rant:.I've seen other drivers get out of their car and give another's the boot treatment dozens of times. About once a month or so, someone gets shot over something due to traffic. I see accidents daily. And a fender bender can get nasty too. A nice town I live in, I commute with my gun Everywhere,(even Maryland)! :gwh: Yes, it's like that here. 2nd worst traffic (behind LA CA.) in America.

Here's one that happened tonight. I'm coming up to a stop sign at a T intersection. I'm on the | part and the road that is the - part is two lanes per side with a broken median (to allow left turns). At the stop sign, the road I'm on (the |) is wide enough for two cars, but not marked. Usually, if a driver is going to turn right he'll move to the right side and if a car is going to turn left he'll move to the left side.

So I'm coming to the T and there are two cars in front of me. The guy in front (with Maryland blades) drives up to the T right in the middle without a blinker on. The guy behind him (NY plates) has on his right signal. The road is clear, but the Maryland car sort of hesitates. The NY guy squeezes up next to him on the right and makes the right turn. (I honestly didn't think he'd be able to fit by). Then, the Maryland guy pulls out a bit, pauses again, and then turns right. Maryland then proceeds down the road, 5 mph under the speed limit. I was expecting to see an old person, but it was a middle aged man. I guess wasn't familiar with the area... or the rules of the road.