Thread: I have a theory about the DMV

Originally Posted by commiecat

Who here thinks that the drivers in their state are the worst in the US?

I can say that in my various travels across the southeast outside of Florida, when I see a left-laner on the highway they usually have Florida tags. I'm with you, Holli -- it's the most aggravating offense for me.

The worst is when they cross several lanes of traffic as soon as they merge onto the highway just to make it to that left lane.

I'm from Jersey, and I know we have a reputation of our own (aggressive), but when somebody is driving in the left lane slower than right lane traffic, with nobody in front of them, and plenty of room beside them to shift right, 9.5 times out of 10:

a) they are talking on the phone.
b) they have Pennsylvania tags.
c) both.

No offense to any PA drivers, but if there was ever a generalization that I could make that would 95% accurate for an entire population, it's that Pennsylvania drivers do not understand that the left lane is the passing lane.

Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

I'm from Jersey, and I know we have a reputation of our own (aggressive), but when somebody is driving in the left lane slower than right lane traffic, with nobody in front of them, and plenty of room beside them to shift right, 9.5 times out of 10:

a) they are talking on the phone.
b) they have Pennsylvania tags.
c) both.

No offense to any PA drivers, but if there was ever a generalization that I could make that would 95% accurate for an entire population, it's that Pennsylvania drivers do not understand that the left lane is the passing lane.

Everyone in MA knows that the left lane blockers are mostly from:
a) NH
b) ME
c) CT
d) RI
e) FL

f) NJ, too (many NJ plates in MA lately)

Originally Posted by sparq

Everyone in MA knows that the left lane blockers are mostly from:
a) NH
b) ME
c) CT
d) RI
e) FL

f) NJ, too (many NJ plates in MA lately)

Ack! You include NJ on this list and not PA? If you drive up behind a NJ tag in the left lane (at least in my area), they move over and let you by. Maybe it's those "north jersey" people. I want to secede. If there can be Dakotas and Carolinas, why can't there be Jerseys?

Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

Ack! You include NJ on this list and not PA? If you drive up behind a NJ tag in the left lane (at least in my area), they move over and let you by. Maybe it's those "north jersey" people. I want to secede. If there can be Dakotas and Carolinas, why can't there be Jerseys?

Nah, I am just teasing you.

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

I'm getting mine right now, at my 33 years old (yes, I know...).

I passed my theory test last week, that's 30 questions and you can fail 3 of them. Had to go for 3 - 4 weeks to the driving school and study a 200 pages book. And I did it fast, other people needs more work.

Now I'm getting practical lessons, 45 minutes each, and I expect to take no less than 10-15 lessons, and then I'll take the practical test. The examiner will make you drive for 20-40 minutes, and you can have a maximum of 8 minor faults, or 1 major fault + 3 minor. There are also eliminatory faults, like passing a red light, or not stopping at a crosswalk. Minor faults can be, incorrect use of the lights, or crossing the arms when turning the wheel, stalling the engine...

It usually takes 2 months and maybe 900-2000 euros depending on the number of practical lessons you take and the times you have to pay for examination fees, not everyone passes the tests at the first try.

How it goes in the US?

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?

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.

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.

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!

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.