Learning to Drive - UK or US??

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I'm yet another never-driven-before-learned-once-I-got-here people. I got a deal with a driving school. The first day they took me to get my learners permit, I had 5 lessons, by the 4th I was on the highway, and the end of the 5th was my test. The test was the easiest driving of all. The main difficulty that I had was that I wasn't familiar with the way that the road system works and the fact that the signs and signals were not where I was used to. I think that would have been made worse if I was already used to driving in the UK, no habits to try to unlearn.

[weedebz 0]

I'd wait. After 10 years driving in the UK I have picked up so many bad driving habits and now I need to take a test again. My spacial awareness is thrown totally off and I keep stamping on the floor looking for the non exsistant clutch having driven a manual for the last 10 years!!!

[English Muffin 59]

Hi Kirsten. Where in NC will you be living? I see that your local office is in Charlotte, is that where you'll be?

I just spent a week driving around Charlotte and I can tell you that it is the best place I've ever driven in - much better than MA! I found the signs and road markings very user-friendly and the roads never seemed to be very busy, no matter what time of day it was. I'm sure they have a rush-hour but it wasn't anything compared to what I'm used to.

I'd also say wait until you're in the US to learn and if you'll be driving round Charlotte it'll be a breeze.

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

I'd wait. After 10 years driving in the UK I have picked up so many bad driving habits and now I need to take a test again. My spacial awareness is thrown totally off and I keep stamping on the floor looking for the non exsistant clutch having driven a manual for the last 10 years!!!

Lol. I had the same problem but in reverse. When I lived in Germany I tried and failed to learn how to drive a standard. At least they drive on the right side of the road though. However, I was still a danger to myself and others trying to work the clutch. I was especially scared when I had to come to a stop on a hill and another car was behind me. I'd nearly cream my pants. Standards just don't make sense to me in stop and go city driving.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Hoomsfuturewife

[Kirsten UK 2]

Hi Kirsten. Where in NC will you be living? I see that your local office is in Charlotte, is that where you'll be?

I just spent a week driving around Charlotte and I can tell you that it is the best place I've ever driven in - much better than MA! I found the signs and road markings very user-friendly and the roads never seemed to be very busy, no matter what time of day it was. I'm sure they have a rush-hour but it wasn't anything compared to what I'm used to.

I'd also say wait until you're in the US to learn and if you'll be driving round Charlotte it'll be a breeze.

I'll be living about 30 minutes outside Charlotte, but i'll need to work in Charlotte or Hickory for my kind of job, so driving is essential - i've noticed that the roads seem far less congested than over here, people drive alot slower too

[broma25 2]

If you want to learn to drive - do it in the UK

If you want to get an easy license and know how to make the car move - do it in the US

I believe that the US testing system is way tooooo lenient and that causes many bad drivers on the roads.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

If you want to learn to drive - do it in the UK

If you want to get an easy license and know how to make the car move - do it in the US

I believe that the US testing system is way tooooo lenient and that causes many bad drivers on the roads.

There are plenty of bad drivers in the UK too, but using manual at the start makes learners that much more dangerous and unpredictable on the road. I still say learn where you will actually be driving. You'll only have one set of rules in your head rather than 2.

[Kirsten UK 2]

I think for me it would be safer to learn there, simply because I have spent the last 32 years as a 'backseat driver' and mentally know how to drive over here, ie, I know the road rules and it seems second nature, however, from being a passenger over there, trying to figure out what to do is not easy, especially at multi-lane junctions....I think I would end up turning/crossing a junction and driving into the wrong lane!! Thats what freaks me out the most...driving along their country lanes doesn't bother me at all, its the city traffic that i'm most concerned about. Anyway, i'm still waiting for our NOA1, I can see i'm becoming obsessive about this already

[broma25 2]

If you want to learn to drive - do it in the UK

If you want to get an easy license and know how to make the car move - do it in the US

I believe that the US testing system is way tooooo lenient and that causes many bad drivers on the roads.

There are plenty of bad drivers in the UK too, but using manual at the start makes learners that much more dangerous and unpredictable on the road. I still say learn where you will actually be driving. You'll only have one set of rules in your head rather than 2.

The only set of rules in the US are "There are no rules....." Do as you please as long as you piss off at least 3 people on your journey!!!

[ginger1981 0]

driving along their country lanes doesn't bother me at all, its the city traffic that i'm most concerned about.

Have you done any driving on gravel/dirt roads? That was one thing that impressed me about the UK...even the back roads were paved (at least up where my husband is from).

[Kirsten UK 2]

I haven't had any lessons at all....I mean, driving on wide roads with next to no traffic won't phase me once i've learnt but keeping my head together in rush hour traffic over there fills me with dread.....i've never driven in the UK, I honestly have never needed to, I use public transport all the time.

[broma25 2]

I am not sure that there are many roads in the US with not much traffic!!

[britty 1]

I would say definitely wait until you are in the US before you take driving lessons. I passed my manual test eons ago at 17 in London, but still had to take the driving test here in the US which was in an autmatic car. The UK test is far more difficult than the US one. The first question on my test here in the US was "what is your name?", with four options on how to spell my name ???!!!. Seriously, I got a point for getting my name right. My driving test was driving around the DMV car park, exiting onto a quiet road, stopping at a STOP light, and then returning to the car park. Seriously, a trained baboon could have done it. Also, as someone mentioned before, you only have to pass an automatic test here and then can buy a manual car if you want to ?? Strange but true. If you are moving anywhere near DC, heaven help you. The drivers are terrible. God only knows how they passed a test. A few weeks ago the rain was fairly heavy and people pulled over to the side of the road because "they couldnt drive in rain". One guy was brave but ended up driving the wrong way down a road heading straight for me. Twit. Good luck !

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I am not sure that there are many roads in the US with not much traffic!!

Eh, you haven't been in "flyover country" much then.

In states such as MT, SD and ND traffic is so light that it is not unlikely that cops called for a highway accident might first assume there is bad-blood between the two drivers.

[ginger1981 0]

I am not sure that there are many roads in the US with not much traffic!!

Eh, you haven't been in "flyover country" much then.

In states such as MT, SD and ND traffic is so light that it is not unlikely that cops called for a highway accident might first assume there is bad-blood between the two drivers.

In some areas of Montana there is no speed limit. They'll have a night time speed limit but otherwise the signs posted say that you can pretty much drive as fast as you like.