PA Driving Test

[Pheasy]

Not long after I arrived in the USA I took the required driving test to obtain my PA drivers license. This involved a theory test and 5 mins. actual driving in the car with examiner. Parallel park, 1 stop sign, pull in and out of prison car park (umm ), return to test centre. Now I figured, that as I had held my UK drivers license for 20+ years, that the examiner really just wanted to make sure I could drive on the right (umm wrong ) side of the road - hence the short test. However, my neighbours son (age 16) just took his test, he also only had 5 mins on the road with examiner!

I really do not think this is enough time for the examiner to truly access a new drivers ability/safety on the road. Is this just PA, or do other states only take 5 mins to test learner drivers?

[Peg]

It's the same in Ohio and West Virginia.

[Pheasy]

When my 16 year old neighbour drove past me this morning (waving his arms in a mad way - obviously excited about going solo ), I took a dive behind my mailbox and hid, shaking until he had gone - I thought I was going to be road kill !

[sunny104]

at 16 you should have drivers education in school for half the year and then you get to take the test to get your license.

[Pheasy]

Originally Posted by sunny104

at 16 you should have drivers education in school for half the year and then you get to take the test to get your license.

We have only just got Drivers Ed. put back for our high school kids. The School Board took it away!..................... don't get me started on the School Board.

[cars]

Originally Posted by ThePheasant

When my 16 year old neighbour drove past me this morning (waving his arms in a mad way - obviously excited about going solo ), I took a dive behind my mailbox and hid, shaking until he had gone - I thought I was going to be road kill !

This probably should be a seperate post, but . . . . .
The tender age of "16" is way too young for our youngsters to drive!!!! Most of them are still only babies, and really don't know & or really can't understand the grivity of that they can be using a deadly weapon, when used in inexperienced, easily distracted hands! At 18, only two years older, can bring a little more maturity. Not always though, but it's still can be better then at 16. (We made our kids wait till 17 + to start to learn how to drive, & then dragged out their driver's training till they were almost 18)

Don't get me wrong, many "adults" do know the gravity/consequences of reckless driving, and yet still choose to drive carelessly!, Thus making it into a deadly weapon scenario as well.

[Pheasy]

Originally Posted by cars

This probably should be a seperate post, but . . . . .
The tender age of "16" is way too young for our youngsters to drive!!!! Most of them are still only babies, and really don't know & or really can't understand the grivity of that they can be using a deadly weapon, when used in inexperienced, easily distracted hands! At 18, only two years older, can bring a little more maturity. Not always though, but it's still can be better then at 16. (We made our kids wait till 17 + to start to learn how to drive, & then dragged out their driver's training till they were almost 18)

Don't get me wrong, many "adults" do know the gravity/consequences of reckless driving, and yet still choose to drive carelessly!, Thus making it into a deadly weapon scenario as well.

I totally agree with you

[chonsigirl]

States have different driving requirements to get the license. In Maryland, it is a short test also. But I remember in California, it can be much longer. It just depends...

[Bryn Mawr]

Originally Posted by chonsigirl

States have different driving requirements to get the license. In Maryland, it is a short test also. But I remember in California, it can be much longer. It just depends...

If you live in California can you "Visit a Friend" in Maryland and take your test there - if so can you legally drive in CA?

Even more basically, given that different states have different licensing requirements, is a license issued in one state valid in another which has stricter requirements?

[RedGlitter]

I was in the DMV once and there was an elderly man there renewing his license. He could not read the eye chart. They kept bumping it up for him. Finally I heard him say, "E?" They told him that was fine and they renewed him. On his way out the door, he dropped his keys. His son picked them up for him and he walked a few feet and fell down. Got up, and stumbled out the door. And drove away.