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[Frumple]

Wasn't where I took it. Was a written test, then (though I sorta' remember the written test might have happened some number of days before or somethin'?) a fairly short drive down the road, a left turn, shorter drive down dirt road, three point turn, then returning to the DMV office. Demonstration of ability to park and basic "Don't be stupid" stuff like putting on your seatbelt, using blinkers, etc. Practical part didn't even take twenty minutes, near as I can recall. Don't believe there was anything about maintenance at all... maybe a check to see if you knew how to check the oil? If there was, it wasn't much and wasn't particularly comprehensive.

I guess to be fair, it would have taken more than a 45 minute drive to reach traffic worth mention from there, and the only particular driving conditions in between are light traffic (which the drive to the dirt road covered), dirt road with little to no traffic (covered), and offroad, which they mostly don't give two shits if you kill yourself doing. Could have maybe made it to the interstate (though just getting there would probably have added a half hour or so, total, nevermind actually driving on it), but about all that would check in th'region the test was taken was if you can keep the car going straight when you're going 65.

Pretty sure the driving lessons (provided by the schools, among other options) in the area actually do do something like that more thorough test as part of their programs, though. It's just, as stated, they're not mandatory, and I never ended up taking them.

[scriver]

Okay, now I'm properly terrified of American roads.

[Frumple]

If you want something really terrifying, as near as I and anyone I've met that's commented on it can tell, I'm actually one of the better drivers on the road by a pretty notable margin (and have been basically since day one) :V

[Sirus]

Okay, now I'm properly terrified of American roads.

From what I hear, our roads have nothing on roads in many Asian countries, including Russia.

[Frumple]

'bout the same thing I hear, but, uh. Damning with faint praise and all that.

[Cthulhu]

My driving test is about ten minutes on main road and backstreets with several awkward spots to test your knowledge of the rules, as well as a maneuverability test which is basically parallel parking but with cones.  You drive between cones, turn and set yourself up between four cones, then back into the starting space, and if you knock a cone over you lose.

[Orange Wizard]

You drive between cones, turn and set yourself up between four cones, then back into the starting space, and if you knock a cone over you lose.

I saw this on The Simpsons but assumed it was a joke because it's so utterly worthless for driving skills

[Frumple]

Nope.

... actually, for some skills (parallel parking or somethin', I'unno), it may be the best option available in some areas. Boonies get boonie.

Do have to say I'm now kinda' wondering if anyone's actually gone and done a comparative study of driving test rigor. Maybe crosschecked it with local accident rates, see if there's any indication of if/how much it matters. It'd be pretty terrifying if there was actually a negative correlation between test rigor and local driving safety...

[Parsely]

I literally just passed my driving test a few days ago. Funny to see this here. Yeah I did a three-point parking exercise between cones, then the instructor took me out on the road and we cruised around a little. It was far easier than I thought it would be. The roads in Phoenix are very reasonable. We have a grid system. It's by far the easiest city to navigate that I've ever been to. California on the other hand is a nightmare.

[DeKaFu]

Here in Ontario there's a written test, followed by a year where you can drive but only with a licensed driver in the passenger seat, followed by a road test, followed by a year where you can drive on your own but only with zero blood alcohol (plus some other weird restrictions based on your age), followed by a second road test including highway-driving after which you finally get your full license.

I'm... still working on it.

[Spehss _]

Watched Barry Hines' "Threads". Cold War and the threat of nuclear winter was some deep shit.

[Furtuka]

I think my neighbor misheard me and thinks I said "it's fun" instead of "it's fine" when we were talking about me feeding and cleaning up after his cats when he's on vacation.

More of an awkward thing than a terrified thing I guess, but we don't have a thread for that.

[MaximumZero]

It's a bad time when you have to stop gaming because of how much pain you're in. Typing and mousing hurts...yet here I am. Rock you like a hurricane.

[TheDarkStar]

Here in Ontario there's a written test, followed by a year where you can drive but only with a licensed driver in the passenger seat, followed by a road test, followed by a year where you can drive on your own but only with zero blood alcohol (plus some other weird restrictions based on your age), followed by a second road test including highway-driving after which you finally get your full license.

I'm... still working on it.

I first started learning to drive in the north-central US, where getting a permit was easy (basically be 14.5 years old and take a 25 questions multiple-choice test (scoring at least 80%)) but the test was really hard and there were lots of restrictions after getting it. I actually got my license in the South, though, and the driver's test was really easy. Even though I almost messed up a three-point turn, didn't know how to park on a hill (because I learned to drive in a place with no hills), and was told that I needed to work on starting and stopping less suddenly, I still passed and was allowed to drive without any extra restrictions.

[Eric Blank]

When I was in school I took a driver's ed exam and did okay. Iowa has some law regarding driving with a licensed passenger while on a permit, too. I was pretty terrible back then, too, and when the learning permit expired I was back in Idaho. There is a law here regarding youths under the age of 17 being unable to get a license unless they take the driver's ed course. Passing another states' drivers' ed course doesn't count. So I waited until I was 17, took a very simple driving test, and got my license because hurdur I are old enuf now.