Driving laws.

[Big Astro Fan]

Did anybody ever redo the drivers written test for their state? I just did it for NY State tonight. I did ok, but there were some things that I was wrong on. I personally think people should retake the written test every so often. It would refresh them on the rules. The one question they had was when do you put your turn signal on before you turn? I said 50 feet but it was 100 feet. I also thought that if you hear a siren that you can just slow down until you see it. You must pull over and stop until you see if it's on the street you're on.

[DrFrag]

I redid mine (in Australia). I got one of the compulsory questions wrong the first time. It was to do with right-hand turns at unmarked crossroads where the roads are the same size (we drive on the left). I don't think I've ever seen an unmarked crossroad like that in real life.

The two rules you mention sound strange. The distance spent using an indicator should depend on your speed. My driving instructor said to make sure I didn't indicate too early when there were two side streets close together, otherwise people could think I was taking the first turn when I was actually taking the second. IMO, if you're already driving slow you shouldn't need to indicate as far back.
Also, pulling over to stop when you hear a siren sounds totally crazy. Any emergency vehicle driving through the city would grind all traffic to a halt in a two or three block radius. What happens in cities with a high crime rate?

[jeffbert]

I redid mine (in Australia). I got one of the compulsory questions wrong the first time. It was to do with right-hand turns at unmarked crossroads where the roads are the same size (we drive on the left). I don't think I've ever seen an unmarked crossroad like that in real life.

The two rules you mention sound strange. The distance spent using an indicator should depend on your speed. My driving instructor said to make sure I didn't indicate too early when there were two side streets close together, otherwise people could think I was taking the first turn when I was actually taking the second. IMO, if you're already driving slow you shouldn't need to indicate as far back.
Also, pulling over to stop when you hear a siren sounds totally crazy. Any emergency vehicle driving through the city would grind all traffic to a halt in a two or three block radius. What happens in cities with a high crime rate?

I agree with Dr. Frag. I once had a meatwagon right behind me & did not even know it, because the driver was continuously blasting the air horn, which to me, having the thing closing the distance behind me, had me thinking "what is that noise?" So the guy finally let off the horn, & I heard the siren.

Anyway, with the normal noise level of a busy street, the sirens are not so loud as to be audible from more than a few, maybe 7 car-lengths away. Nevertheless, if everybody stopped immediately upon hearing the siren, that would likely lead to more collisions & more congestion. If, on the other hand, you know the emergency vehicle is behind you, trying to get through on the left lane, & you are in the right lane, you know you need to go further right so the guys in the left lane can pull over.

[1magus]

I have not even started the classes yet I was gonna yesterday but I really don't want to get up that early .

[Astro Forever]

Also, pulling over to stop when you hear a siren sounds totally crazy. Any emergency vehicle driving through the city would grind all traffic to a halt in a two or three block radius.

Yeah... We're told to stop, but I don't remember being told to stop before knowing where the emergency vehicule is. Could you imagine stopping on a highway and then finding out that the vehicule is in the other direction? That'd kind of be dangerous IMO. And depending on where you are, I guess it could be difficult to know where to pull over if you don't know where the emergency vehicule is, because if everbody has a different idea or there is not much room and there is traffic, I imagine it could make it even harder for the vehicule to get through.

I also agree with you about the indicator. I just put it at the time I feel it's appropriate. I don't even remember that it was even discussed or written somewhere in my book! Same with the unmarked crossroads, I've never seen that either.

As for retaking the test, it might be a good idea. On one side, I wouldn't be surprised if I failed if I had to take it right away. On the other side, it doesn't seem like I encounter any road sign that I don't know what it means or any situation in which I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Just reading my book again might be enough.

About the test, I remember missing an answer because it had something to do with being behind a tractor. I was furious because I knew the answer and would have gotten it right, but it was an overhead view and so I didn't recognized it was a tractor from overhead. I was furious because it was my second question of the whole test and I thought "oh no, right now I only have 50%!" :d oh:

[DrFrag]

My brother failed his test twice, and both times it was on the same question.

[Astro Forever]

My brother failed his test twice, and both times it was on the same question.

You can't miss a single question? hmy: I guess the tractor overview would have ended my quest right at the second question!

How many questions do you have? I had 3 tests of 16, 16 and 32 questions, and I don't remember how many I needed to get right on each test to get the license. But I still remember my result!

[DrFrag]

I can't remember the details, it was many years ago. We have some regular questions, and a set of compulsory questions. You have to get a certain number of regular questions right, and you have to get all of the compulsory questions right.

[1magus]

You can't miss a single question? hmy: I guess the tractor overview would have ended my quest right at the second question!

How many questions do you have? I had 3 tests of 16, 16 and 32 questions, and I don't remember how many I needed to get right on each test to get the license. But I still remember my result!

Don't you mean gain the right to take the driving part? If not than wow. We have to get up early 4 times for the weekend only to take the classes, than we have to pass the written part than we get a chance to get the license by taking the drivers part it sucks which is why I have not done it yet.

[Astro Forever]

Don't you mean gain the right to take the driving part? If not than wow. We have to get up early 4 times for the weekend only to take the classes, than we have to pass the written part than we get a chance to get the license by taking the drivers part it sucks which is why I have not done it yet.

Hmmm, I'm not sure I understand.

I don't remember wether classes were required when I took them, because it's not anymore (it changed around my time): one can choose to study by himself and learn to drive with somebody else in the car who has his license.

When we pass the written exam, we get a "temporary license", which means it's possible to drive but only with somebody else. Then there is the practical exam with the car.

There are advantages though to take formal classes, such as a shorter "trial time". Because when one gets the first "real" license, it comes with less points at first (don't know if you have those, one may have 15 points and lose a few when caught breaking the rules).