Learning to Drive

[Flake2m]

Many of the members here can drive and many either more will be getting there licence in the coming years. I am one of them.People in different parts of the world all have to go though different systems in order to get a drivers licence.
In Western Australia to get your licence you first have to pass a practical driving test, then get record 50 hours of experience using a Log book, once you have done that if you can pass a Hazard perception test you become a provisional driver or P-plater. You have P plate for two years then are entiltled to a full drivers licence. The system is stupid, but the idea is that it will produce better drivers.

What is the system for getting your drivers licence in other countries?

[vulture]

I don't think I'm lying if I say Belgium is the country where getting a drivers license is piss easy.
Basically, you have 2 options:

1) When you're 16 and 9 months old, pass your theory exam and take 14 hours of driving lessons. Then you get a provisional permit that allows you to drive around with a parent for 12 -18 months. Then you have to take your exam.
2) Wait till you're 18, take your theory exam and go driving around with your mom/dad. No lessons required! Then take your exam.

[zaibatsu]

The UK's quite simple really, although still quite tough.

You get a provisional licence just by filling in a form, but you can only drive with someone over 21 who's driven for three years (older brother, cousin, parents etc). When you want to get your full licence you have to take a theory test, then a hazard perception test. The hazard perception test is like a video, and you have to click a button everytime you see a potential hazard.

If you fail either the theory or hazard perception you have to take them both again. Then you do a practical test, which is a lot harder than in the states from what I've heard. Then you're free to drive!

[Chemical_burn]

super pissass easy in the USA depending on the state your in when your 1 some states require 17 now you just go take the written exaime about 30 questions and then a quick 5 min driving test around the block or driving area they have and boom you have your license. :D


really stupid huh soooo fucking easy its not funny.

[kingspaz]

Chemical_burn, you guys don't have to use gears ;)

[peterthesmart]

Here in Minnesota, USA you can get your permit at age 15 after taking 30 hours of classes and passing a 40 question test. You can get your full license at age 17.

[Skean Dhu]

in my state to get your temporary liscence(you need a legal gaurdian in the car) 15 and 6mo to get your 'temps' as they are called you need to answer 35/50 driving common sense laws correctly . then you take a driving class and 8 hours of an instructior in the car with you, then you need 50hrs of driving 12 of which have to be nighttime then at 16 you can get your regular lisence but i think they recently changed the age to 17

[IDTB]

The laws in my state are very similiar to Minnesota's. I myself am stalling on the whole driving license thing. The whole 2-3tons of metal death boxes driving a foot away from eachother thing really FREAKS me out. People are STUPID and I really don't think I'd like to put my life into the engineer's hands, nor the retards of society's hands. Am I the only one that feels this way? I hope I'm not alone! ;)

[scarletmanuka]

Hey Flake2m i'm in WA too. Ive got my practical in a few weeks time, but i'm only going for auto. What part are you up to in the proccess?

[Mumble]

1) 15 1/2 get a permit after taking a common sense test
2) Drive for 30 hours with 10 being after sun set. Various road conditions are recomended.
3) 16 take the official test(aka drive around the block and don't hit someone and stop at stop signs), then sit at the DMV for 6 hours to get your sorta official licence
4) Wait 9 months without getting a moving violation. You can also not drive between midnight and 5 AM, and only have one other person besides family members.
5) Unrestricted after 9 months(16 days away for me)

or
1) Wait until 18 and just do step three.

[static_firefly]

In queensland you may go for your leaners test when your 16, which is 30 questions. With that you can drive only with someone in the seat with an open licence. 6 months after getting your Ls you take a practical exam where you drive around and reverse park and the such. Passing that you get your P licence, where you get only one point and cant drive around with any alcohol in your system. After 2 years on your Ps you can apply for your open licence where you get 12 points to blow on speeding and other offences and can legally dive with a limit of 0.05% alcohol in your blood. However the Learners test is quite pointless....when you have the cheat sheet like me :)

[Fear]

In North Carolina, (southeastern usa) At 14 1/2 you can take a 15 hour course with 3 hours of driving, and take a test on road signs, to get your permit, and at 16 you can get a full licence with a minimum one mile road test. At 18 you can get a full licence with just the sign and road test. I have had 2 classmates killed and one is still in recovery after a wreck 5 months ago, only in the US.
As for the human factor, take this recent discussion to one of my friends
Me "Have I ever told you that your a great driver?"
"no"
"that's Right, your not!"

[Flake2m]

I am still only a phase one driver. Though I am going to get an Automatic licence for now since it much easier to get. I am not going to rush learning to drive as I'd rather be a good driver then a shithouse driver.
Once again the lesson of driving safely is often earned the hardway, a fellow classmate died in a car accident on a property while learning to drive. While he was a great bloke he was not to wearing a seatbelt, so when the car crashed he suffered head injuries.

[Mumble]

A kid(who I didn't even know existed) at my school died a couple of months ago. It really pisses me off though. He was out street racing, without a licence, without wearing a seatbelt, and get was going about 3 times the recomended speed on a sharp corner and he flipped the car and died. Now they treat him like he was a damn Saint. He gets a page in the year book and they're buying him a star. People who wouldn't have anything to do with him while he was a alive are like crying and making tributes to him. Some fat bitch(and I do mean FAT) got his face or something tattooed on her leg. Basically we shut down school for 2 days because someone seriously broke the law and died in the process.

Now the town is trying to get some stricter guidelines for driving. It's a big load of BS. They're trying to extend this graduated drivers licence from 9 mo. to a year and have stricter penalties for breaking the limitations of the licence. That doesn't bother me though. By the time they get around to making some laws I'll be well off it, and they can't touch me.

[Anthony]

I know, it's like that everywhere. I wish some headteacher with some balls would stand up and tell the truth; "yeah, I couldn't stand the shit, good to see he's reaped what he's sown".

The whole driving test system is increasingly becoming just a money-making scam. They keep adding stages just to give you more opportunity to fail, and retests obviously mean more money. For example the written test and hazard perception tests are seperate tests, but fail one and you must retake both. Also, they're adding to the practical test - soon you'll have to dip your oil and shit before driving.

Practical test here is approx 40min of town and out-of-town driving. Overtaking, slip roads, roundabouts, junctions, hill starts (clutch control) etc. Plus your maneouveres: three-point turn (not required in USA where all roads are wide enough to allow U-turns ;) ), reverse around a corner, reversing into a parking bay, and parrallel park.

All reversing ones not required in USA :)

Pass rate in my area is 18% IIRC, waiting time is approx 2 months if you take first available slot, and using an instructor will cost you £70+ a go. If you don't hire an instructors car it's cheaper but your chances of passing are greatly reduced.

Still, sounds less hassle than Isle of Mann or Australia. At least no P plates or restrictions here, and we get 6pts for the first two years. Points system should be scrapped though.

It cost me over £2000 to get a driving license, possibly £2500.

If you get 6pts, you start from scratch. Personally, I'd much rather have a proper driving ban.

Of course, once you pass you then have the joys of motoring which involves constantly crying and opening your wallet...

[Axt]

"Still, sounds less hassle than Isle of Mann or Australia."

Umm .. nope. 18% pass rate!, 2 months wait!, 2000-2500 pound! I think them three points rule that out!

I guess our pass rate would be 80% wait a week and one to two hundred Aus. dollars.

Im too old to know what this two-P plate system is but P plates were good, the schoolgirls (car sluts) knew where to look!

EDIT - This is for NSW, sounds the same as Queensland.

[pornopete]

In NZ
when youre 15 you sit a written test to get your Learner License. You have to drive round for 6mths with a full licensed driver. After 6mths you sit a practical test to get your restricted license, you can drive by yourself now but carry no passengers. After 18mths of driving yourself you can sit your full license practical..

[Jumala]

In germany you have to be 18 years old. Then you can visit a driver school where you take lessons in theorie and praktical driving. How much lesson you need depends on your ability to absolve the tests. When you are good enough your teacher register you for the tests.
The costs are 25-40€ a hour additional the basic charge and costs of the test.
The driver licence is divided in different classes for cars, motorbikes, busses or trucks.
In the first year the licence is on probation.
The cost are high but not far as high as in england.

To have an own car is more expensive. Newbies have to pay 250% of the basic insurance premium. Additional is a motor vehicle tax and a gas price of 1,10 € (=1,35$) for a liter.

My insurance premium is at 35% now(250€ a year) newbies have to pay 2000-3000 € a year. Depends on the insurance and the car.

Would be interesting to know your costs.

[Anthony]

I was always under the impression that in Germany, the practical dirving test was much longer and more expensive than in the UK. Including night time, bad weather and motorway driving as standard. The result being a higher standard of driver.

New drivers here do not pay any extra fuel or vehicle tax.

Insurance is more expensive due to loading by the insurance companies. Average premium would probably be 1000 - 1500 Euros. Typically males pay 50% more than females.

Road tax is £165 per year if you are in top bracket like me - 1.4L engine or larger (screwy system really).

Fuel here is currently £0.73.9/litre which is 1.05 Euros.

Motoring is a crippling expense. I'm forecasting a total outlay of £4500 for this year (ends mach 2004). The purchase cost of the car is only £750 of that.

Fuel is the worst. I do at least 400 miles a week. So I end up putting in £40 of petrol every 6-7 days. It really does make you want to cry :(

[Jumala]

I have written something mistakeable. The motor vehicle tax and a gas price has to be payed by everyone. It isn´t different for new drivers.
The motor vehicle tax depends on the cylinder capacity and the exhaust gas emission.
New cars with very less emissions are free from tax for the first years and old cars without exhaust gas cleaning are extreme high in tax.

The insurances give discounts for every year witout an accident. The insurance companys are extreme different in it´s premium. I have a cheap direkt insurance (250 €). Other companys want nearby double as much.

The costs for the driver licence depends most on how fast you learn. Only 6-8 practical hours are prescribed.
In big citys with extreme traffic the people need 30-50 or more hours to drive good enough for the test. This makes it expensive.

[Blackhawk]

Thats strange, that European countries would pay so much for fuel. The prices around here range from high 80's low 90cents AU per litre, and considering a euro is aprox 1.5 AUD, you are paying the equivalent of $1.50AU/L, fuel only gets that much here if you are in a very 'outback' location because of all the extra transport needed to get the fuel there.