Driving in the UK

Yeah, but even still roundabouts in the states (and I grew up with rotaries in Mass)- they don't work the same way as they do here. 

When you are getting a first licence in the UK as a US citizen, you have to take it to the DVLA.  They have to verify the photos--the rules don't allow the post office to do it like they do for UK citizens. There isn't a charge for it.  If you include your special delivery envelope in it, you will get your provisional licence and passport back very quickly--mine took about a week.

Just to be a bit pedantic, this is not the case in Northern Ireland. Instead you have to have your photo signed by a professional who's known you as long as possible--the DVLNI won't verify the photo.

To pass your driving test you have to do a

Theory & Hazard Perception test - This certificate lasts 2 years.

you then book your practical test once you have passed.  On the practical test you start with 2 or 3 questions on the engine of your car..you have to pass that otherwise they don't let you go to the practical.  Practical test is 45 minutes long.

You are allowed 15 minor mistakes to still allow you to pass.  5 minors in one area (i.e not checking your mirrors properly) before that counts as a major.

Oh man. Backing into parking spaces is one thing that for whatever reason, I have real difficulty with. It's funny, because, I'm quite a good parallel parker (I lived in NYC, so I've had to pull into my share of very tight spots), but for whatever reason, when I need to back into a bay, my brain just shuts down. Just another thing to add to my anxiety about the driving test.

I will have had my provisional for one year in August (passed the theory last November), so I need to pass my practical by next August. It's just so hard, because we live in London, so I hardly ever drive, and I want to avoid taking lessons here if I can (as they are so expensive in London!)

I'm hoping to do one of those week long intensive courses next autumn.

the bay parking depends on where you live.  That's why some may not be familiar with it.  My testing centre doesn't have a parking lot--just street parking, so they don't do it.  They won't have you back into a parking spot in a store--it's just something they do in some of the testing centres.

Ahhh that explains it- that's interesting!!!

the bay parking depends on where you live.  That's why some may not be familiar with it.  My testing centre doesn't have a parking lot--just street parking, so they don't do it.  They won't have you back into a parking spot in a store--it's just something they do in some of the testing centres.

Thanks! That does explain it. 

When you are getting a first licence in the UK as a US citizen, you have to take it to the DVLA.  They have to verify the photos--the rules don't allow the post office to do it like they do for UK citizens. There isn't a charge for it.  If you include your special delivery envelope in it, you will get your provisional licence and passport back very quickly--mine took about a week.

I didn't go to the DVLA for mine, I sent it in the post and had a friend of the family verify the photo...luckily I had no problem and my passport was back within about two weeks.

Reverse around a corner?!!?!?!? What!!??    is this the driving school for James Bond? why would I want to do that?

It's useful for turning around if you suddenly realize you're going the wrong direction.  The road you are on might be too narrow to do a three-point turn easily, or have too much traffic.   Instead you can pull into the curb just past a turning on the left, then back into it.

I'm more worried if I have to actually do an emergency stop.  I don't like em. 

It's only one in three tests now.  It always used to be a mandatory part of every test.

I didn't go to the DVLA for mine, I sent it in the post and had a friend of the family verify the photo...luckily I had no problem and my passport was back within about two weeks.

Did you put in a return envelope in the package to have your passport returned?

Is it too early to send in my application for a provisional? I've been here for 6 weeks.

Did you put in a return envelope in the package to have your passport returned?

Is it too early to send in my application for a provisional? I've been here for 6 weeks.

No

and

No

If you put in the special delivery, you can track it.  That was a big part of the pull for me.

By the way, I reverse around corners every single day.  The roads here are just so much narrower, and it isn't like much of the US where if you make a wrong turn you can just go around the block.  The roads don't work that way.  Backing into a road is one of the easiest and fastest ways to turn around.  Personally, I live in a city, so I parallel park facing one way and have to turn around to go back out.  The only way I have enough room to get back where I want to go later, is to back into a side street and pull back onto the street facing the way I want to drive.  My instructor taught me a good way to do it that leaves me feeling totally fine about it.  My parallel parking is also amazing now.  I had been driving in the country for a long time before lessons and parallel parking was still hit and miss at times (even though I used to be pretty good at it in the States) but my instructor taught me a few tricks that make it almost sure fire now.--that alone has made the lessons worthwhile!

I LOVE roundabouts.  What a great invention!  If there were roundabouts in Miami I wouldn't have had to have been stuck in traffic for 2 hours (1 hour there and back) each day to go 10 miles to work and 10 miles back.   

Believe it or not there actually are some roundabouts in Miami now :-) just not in places that are awfully helpful...

Mostly around UM, but I know they have put in a few more elsewhere. My mom gets a kick out of them, as she first experienced them in Ireland when we visited in 2002 and it always reminds her of that trip. 

I had been driving in the country for a long time before lessons and parallel parking was still hit and miss at times (even though I used to be pretty good at it in the States) but my instructor taught me a few tricks that make it almost sure fire now.--that alone has made the lessons worthwhile!

How much are the lessons?

How much are the lessons?

It will depend on the instructor/driving school you go with. Back in 2001, I paid £14 an hour, with 2 hours of lessons a week (so £28 a week). I was a first-time driver, only 17 and also nervous on the road so it took me over a year to pass the test (and over £1,000 in lessons and tests!). But if you are just brushing up on your skills to be able to pass the UK test, you shouldn't need too many lessons and if you can practice between lessons you might not need as many either.

Looking at the BSM driving school website, lessons in my parents' area (near Bristol) are now £23.75 per hour. The AA site is quoting £25 per hour (for the area I grew up in), but if you book 12 lessons you can save £2 per hour.