No. 10 Petition for U.S. drivers

Sign if you wish:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/USA-Driving/

Personally, I don't think the P.M. or No. 10 gives a hoot about anything presented in these petitions, but at least a sizeable number of signatures can bring issues like this to the attention of people.

You can drive with a US license on a visitor's visa though, right? At least, we got me put on his insurance. Seems silly that you can rent a car and drive it but not live there and drive.

Still, I anticipate getting a UK license. If I can pass the exam 

You can drive with a US license on a visitor's visa though, right?

Yes, and you're allowed to drive for your first 12 months residency here.  But then to get a U.K. license you have to undergo all the tests exactly like a novice British driver.

As it should be. When I moved to the USA I did not get any kind of a break and had to retake all tests exactly the same as a novice American driver would.



If a British person moves to the USA they cannot just exchange their British license for an American one, so why should you be able to exchange your American license for a British one.

Why do you think you should receive preferential treatment ?.

You should just be grateful that you are allowed to drive over here for twelve months before having to take your test. That's a damn sight more than what America does for us.

As it should be. When I moved to the USA I did not get any kind of a break and had to retake all tests exactly the same as a novice American driver would.



If a British person moves to the USA they cannot just exchange their British license for an American one, so why should you be able to exchange your American license for a British one.

Why do you think you should receive preferential treatment ?.

You should just be grateful that you are allowed to drive over here for twelve months before having to take your test. That's a damn sight more than what America does for us.

Could I just point out that Paul1966 is in fact British, and so far no American on this thread has said that they should get preferential treatment.

No one on this particular thread has said that they should get preferential treatment, but, loads of people on this board constantly whine about " how unfair it is" that they have to take their British driving test.

No one on this particular thread has said that they should get preferential treatment, but, loads of people on this board constantly whine about " how unfair it is" that they have to take their British driving test.

Constantly? 

No one on this particular thread has said that they should get preferential treatment, but, loads of people on this board constantly whine about " how unfair it is" that they have to take their British driving test.

This is a proactive way to deal with the issue.

Being able to exchange your licence on the basis of citizenship / residence of a province / territory / state / country is based on governmental agreement and not much else. 

As it should be. When I moved to the USA I did not get any kind of a break and had to retake all tests exactly the same as a novice American driver would.



If a British person moves to the USA they cannot just exchange their British license for an American one, so why should you be able to exchange your American license for a British one.

Are you sure this is true for every state? I will be moving to the US as a PhD student in a few months' time and was under the impression that unless I was a first-time driver, I would only have to take a short written test, undergo a DUI awareness course and perhaps spend a few minutes driving a car. When I studied there about 3 years ago, I knew of other foreign students who obtained a state license and owned a car within a couple of weeks of arriving in the US (I knew of people, back in 1998/99, who just had to take the DUI course and then exchange the slip of paper from that for a US licence and that was all).

As it should be. When I moved to the USA I did not get any kind of a break and had to retake all tests exactly the same as a novice American driver would.

I never had to take the full Nebraska test because state law allowed it to be waived for anyone already holding a valid out-of-state license.





 

I can't talk for every state but Northern Virginia gives you no break at all.

For one, Northern Virginia is not a state - Virginia is, though.  I have a Virginia license currently, and I can speak that they are real turds when it comes to driving .

Secondly, I believe that Paul (and others) were making the case for Americans to be able not have to start fresh when getting a UK license on the basis that the UK operates a similar scheme for EU citizens.  After all, driving in Poland or Croatia is just as different as driving in the UK as in the USA, yet those citizens are able to drive freely in the UK and exchange their licenses for UK ones with no instruction or test (or at least, minimal effort).  I'm pretty sure no one was advocating that we Americans deserve free reign with the licensing, but rather that we would like the same treatment as those from EU countries.  You're being entirely too hostile for a non-contentious topic!

Yes you are right, I meant the state of Virginia.

I am not being hostile at all, that's just your misguided perception.

The reason that people from Poland and other eastern European nations can exchange their driving licence for a british one is because they are part of the EU. The USA is not, that's why you have to take your test. If America became part of the EU then you would be able to exchange your licence just like any other EU member country. 

The reason that people from Poland and other eastern European nations can exchange their driving licence for a british one is because they are part of the EU.

Yes, which is why many people see this as being unfair.  We are forced to exchange a license from another EU country because those are the EU rules, yet the government will not enter into voluntary agreements with the various U.S. states to provide similar swaps for those with U.S. licenses.    They don't even allow minor concessions.

I don't know when you took your U.K. test, but I'm assuming that it was back under the old regime the same as when I took mine.  In those days the test was just a 30-minute or so practical drive followed by the examiner sitting in the car and verbally posing a half dozen Highway Code questions.  I can't remember exactly how much it cost, but even allowing for inflation, it was much cheaper than obtaining a license now.   Experienced drivers from the U.S. might still have had to learn monkey tricks for the "proper" British method of steering and the obsession with overuse of the parking brake, but at least it wasn't as bad as today.

Now, we have the practical drive, the written test, and the ill-conceived and seemingly worthless hazard-perception test, which in fact probably penalizes experienced drivers.  I don't know the exact fees off hand, but it's vastly more expensive than it used to be.

And for what?   Would it hurt to make a least some concessions?   Maybe require people to take the written test to check for familiarity with U.K. road rules and signs, but waive the practical and hazard tests for those who are clearly experienced drivers. 

The requirement to undergo the full range of tests makes even less sense when you consider that U.S. drivers can drive here for the first 12 months anyway, and with the recent rule changes has to wait at least 6 months before applying for a U.K. license even if he wanted to get one immediately.

After somebody has been driving around 6 to 12 months, he's going to be much more familiar with British roads and driving anyway.

I agree about the hazard-perception test.  totally worthless and as an experienced driver you know that EVERYTHING is a hazard! I had a couple of the sets voided (getting a zero mark) because it said I was just willy nilly clicking the mouse when in fact I was seeing valid hazards.