Guess who has a Drivers license

So I finally got it done. I have now been here for 3.5 months and finally got my shit together to get to the Department of Motor Vehicle ("DMV") and take the various tests.

Although to be honest, half the reason for the delay was not having a social security number for 2.5 months, then i was busy at work for September.

Anyway, will take you through the process for anyone else travelling to USA and planning on living in Virginia.

I am sure I have mentioned in an earlier post the issue about needed to get a Virginia drivers license. You need 4 things:
2 x Proof of Identification
1 x Proof of Legal Status
1 x Proof of residential address in Virginia

The residential address was satisfied by a recent bank statement. The passport and E3 Visa satisfied Legal status and half the identification requirements. But the problem I had was the secondary ID. Despite the passport being enough to get through customs, department of homeland security, immigration, state department and who knows what else checking on my arrival, the state of Virginia still needs more. So I had my Social Security Number and took that with the other documents and voila, I can take the tests.

In Virginia, there is a two stage computer test, and a driving test. The road rules are fairly similar to Australia, but I would still suggest you get a copy of the Virginia Road Rules booklet (only about 20 or so pages) as there are a few little tidbits you need to know.

First stage of the computer test was street signs. You need 100% in this section to proceed. The signs were all fairly straight forward. And I passed with ease

The second stage was a "Road" test. I added the "" to Road as one of the questions asked about when i have to advise the DMV if I moved address. Not sure what that has to do with road safety.

Anyway, got through all the questions and only got one question wrong which had to do with hand signals. Having driven over here for 3 months and where actual car indicators are frequently left unused, this was another strange question. Anyway, apparently, the universal signal of stop being arm extended, out and turned up at the elbow is incorrect. Stop in Virginia is arm down. Strange...

Regardless, one error lets me pass and move onto the driving test. I was actually a little bit nervous about this. Having watched all these other crazy people on the road drive with no care or consideration for people or vehicles on the road, I was thinking I should pass easily. Not only that, The ridicule I would have copped from my girlfriend would have been unbearable, especially as I am usually hanging onto the death handles (also referred to as the jesus handles) whenever she is driving.

Out we go in the car for a drive, I end up doing several bad things, almost hit a pedestrian, make an illegal turn (kind of - I didn't give way), almost hit another car (their fault), and pretty sure I changed lanes in the middle of an intersection.

Shit. Come back in trying to figure out what excuse I can give to my colleagues and girlfriend (maybe i never took the test...hmmm). Anyway, back to the counter, the driving instructor takes me through the errors, and then says, despite all that, you still passed.  WTF?!?!?!?

No wonder the drivers are hopeless over here. Their driving tests are way too easy to pass! As long as you don't actually hit anything, it looks like you pass the test. So anyone who has actually passed the test in Australia (or NSW at least - Those melbourne drivers are crazy) should have no problems passing the test. Just stay on the Right Hand Side. Which I didnt do a few weeks ago and scared the shit out of some poor driver coming at me from the opposite direction.

Anyway, they give a temporary paper license with the real one coming in the mail in a week or so. Oh, and cost of the license. $8. So cheap!

I could start a discussion about why people drive instead of public transport because driving is so much cheaper (with subsidised fuels) and public transport is quite expensive... but I wont.

I'm just happy I have my license. Now time to go buy a car so I can scare some pedestrians!