Comment by simonw

Comment by simonw a day ago

I'm from the UK, took driving lessons in the UK but then passed my driving test in the USA (in California).

The USA driving test is so much easier than the UK one!

UK: Varied junctions and roundabouts, traffic lights, independent driving (≈20 minutes via sat nav or signs), one reversing manoeuvre (parallel park, bay park, or pull up on the right and reverse), normal stops and move-offs (including from behind a parked car), hill start, emergency stop.

California: Cross three intersections, three right turns, three left turns, lane change, backing up, park in a bay, obey stop signs and traffic lights.

My understanding is that the USA test is so much easier because it's hard to get by in most of the USA without a car, so if the test was harder people would likely just drive without a license instead.

foobarian a day ago

Not to mention no stick shift. The driving test from hell in hilly Adriatic cities: parallel park facing downhill

To be fair even people who have been driving many years do this by grinding up the clutch.

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meindnoch 21 hours ago

>To be fair even people who have been driving many years do this by grinding up the clutch.
What would be the alternative? There's no other way to inch uphill than to grind the clutch. It's fine as long as the engine stays below ~2000 rpm.

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- foobarian 20 hours ago
  
  Right, maybe those words don't express the action correctly: the experienced way to do it is like you say, but it's a little tricky for new drivers. And then there is the noob way where they keep the engine rpm bouncing around 5k and slowly let go the clutch as needed. Can really stink up or even smoke up the street.
  
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wccrawford 17 hours ago

It depends on the area. My (rural) test was harder than your CA one. My test was easier than many of my big-city friends' tests.

But I've heard of areas that's it's easier, too, like your CA experience.

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amy214 17 hours ago

have you taken the maryland test? no road test. an obstacle course

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jen20 21 hours ago

Similarly, when I did a US driving test (with a UK license), the examiner himself commented on the relative difficulty.

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