Driver's License-How Long Did It Take You To Get Yours?

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by angelas

I passed the first time I took my road test at 16 but I would hope so. My teacher was a traffic cop!

One of the things that helped was practice. The day I got my learner's license I became the official family chauffeur. If anyone wanted to go anywhere I had to drive them (with the licensed driver in the passenger seat).

That is exactly what I did with my son. It is very valuable experience.

[Nigel]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

My daughter(17 in August) failed her first one last October(the parallel parking/3pt. turn got her right out of the gate!)
She had only driven her car a few times before the test and wasn't familiar with the lower profile compared to driving my van.
It was a godsend, because she is impatient and not real mature as far as I'm concerned, and seldom drove in snowy/icy conditions. She has had the car since she turned 17(older grand prix), so drives with my DH or me in the vehicle.
She use to race go-carts and has driven several motorized vehicles(boats, mini-bikes, motorcycles) in her young life, so driving a car comes naturally, so does the need for speed.

I'm waiting for her grades to come up and her attitude to change before I schedule the next test....and IMO, she should pay for this one on her own($45).
I got my license in the late '70's and passed the first time. I truly don't think many kids are mature enough at 16 to handle that responsibility...though some states it is 14!

I agree!

My oldest daughter scares the crap out of me. She is not allowed to transport any of her siblings. She is now 20 and has been driving for 2 years, I still can't believe she passed. I didn't get my regular license until 17 due to grades. I got my CDL at 25.

[Gharrissc]

The DMV over here is pretty strict and you must have everything perfect,even if it's something minor. I think she will get it when it's time for her to get it. She's just a little bummed about this being the 4th time she's taken the test.

[onyx'girl]

Ours is as well, and it is more about the revenue they can bring in than 'safe on the street' mentality. Anyone can drive even if they aren't legal! It's a well known fact that they fail you at the first couple dings.
Our DMV(secretary of state) has only one place in my township/not sure about county-wide, you go to for the road test, it is a truck driving school business....what a monopoly, they must be laughing all the way to the bank!

[jocoyn]

I was 18 when I got it...had to do it in a straight shift....passed first time. Well I flunked parallel parking but I was cute and young then and flirted with the guy testing us who figured 3 feet from the curb was "close enough"

[DunRingill]

I took (and passed) my driving test in a blizzard! The test was on a course, not on a real road. and yeah, he made me parallel park in the snow storm! That was an interesting day

[LoveEcho]

I failed my first attempt. Why? Because at the very end, he had me back into a spot... I was perfectly straight, but just BARELY touching the line on one side. Like, less than a cm touching. I passed every other part with flying colors, and for some reason that was an automatic failure. Needless to say, I was sad and my dad was mad....

[onyx'girl]

LoveEcho, what was the fee to test? I still think there is a nice profit to fail(especially when it is a 3rd party testing)

[Bear GSD]

I grew up in Chicago and I didn't feel the need to get my license until I turned 21 and needed it for identification. If were still living in the city with my teenage kids, I don't know how comfortable I would feel about them driving in the city.

My son will be 16 in a few months and be getting his drivers license...there goes my car!

[middleofnowhere]

I was so nervous that my foot was shaking too much to work the clutch properly. I had to retake the driving part of the test. It was a street test and the tester was a state trouper. This was eons ago as I was 16+ at the time. I had been driving a good year before.
When I moved to another state in my mid to late 20s I had to take another road test. I haven't had to do it since. I wouldn't want to have to parallel park my too-big pick up with a witness!