Filipinos Learning How to Drive

[Passing.star 0]

Like JOM, I started driving our lawn mower for practice then my husband lets me drive the car within our yard. It was exciting to me at first driving for the first even if I just have to run around again and again in our compound. Then he taught me to drive in the vacant parking lots, then in the small roads. The first time I drive in a real road, as in real road for me because cars were running at a speed of 70 mph, I can't almost breathe because of nervousness and excitement, but we arrive home safely anyway, I was so proud of myself at that time. Now I got my learner's permit I insisted on driving everyday on the way, here in SC, I can only take the road test 190 days after I got my learner's permit.

I am thinking of taking a special course for driving because for me my husband is so impatient sometimes that we argue on the car. I understand his concern coz one time, I almost hit the fire hydrant, yaiiiikkkkksss!!!! Now I am more careful, always follows the speed limit and never hit the fire hydrant anymore.

[fish 0]

My husband bought me a used car a yr before I even came here lol He let me drove it the first day I was here boy it scared me to death! I never even tried driving back home . I'm even scared to sit beside the driver/front seat when I ride fx or cabs, or jeepneys back home. I have to forced myself to do it. My husband who is very patient with me pushed me so hard to learn how to drive. He said he lost "his salvation" while teaching me how to drive but little by little while waiting for my paperwork I practice driving around our farm, circle another back roads without license (do not do what I did). Failed my first driving test due to my backing (always been my weakenss) came back the next week it was perfect...

I've been driving since then I work 25 miles away from home one way and I still don't like to drive if I got a choice but it's very liberating for someone who has not even tried it back home. Best part is I could go anywhere I want to without bothering my husband.

Jasman,

I hear ya, Like Claudeth I'm 4"11, I could imagine her driving with her seat pushed closer to the streering wheel with pillow to boot. lol Please be patient with her lol!

Like JOM, I started driving our lawn mower for practice then my husband lets me drive the car within our yard. It was exciting to me at first driving for the first even if I just have to run around again and again in our compound. Then he taught me to drive in the vacant parking lots, then in the small roads. The first time I drive in a real road, as in real road for me because cars were running at a speed of 70 mph, I can't almost breathe because of nervousness and excitement, but we arrive home safely anyway, I was so proud of myself at that time. Now I got my learner's permit I insisted on driving everyday on the way, here in SC, I can only take the road test 190 days after I got my learner's permit.

I am thinking of taking a special course for driving because for me my husband is so impatient sometimes that we argue on the car. I understand his concern coz one time, I almost hit the fire hydrant, yaiiiikkkkksss!!!! Now I am more careful, always follows the speed limit and never hit the fire hydrant anymore.

[Jasman0717 9]

My husband bought me a used car a yr before I even came here lol He let me drove it the first day I was here boy it scared me to death! I never even tried driving back home . I'm even scared to sit beside the driver/front seat when I ride fx or cabs, or jeepneys back home. I have to forced myself to do it. My husband who is very patient with me pushed me so hard to learn how to drive. He said he lost "his salvation" while teaching me how to drive but little by little while waiting for my paperwork I practice driving around our farm, circle another back roads without license (do not do what I did). Failed my first driving test due to my backing (always been my weakenss) came back the next week it was perfect...

I've been driving since then I work 25 miles away from home one way and I still don't like to drive if I got a choice but it's very liberating for someone who has not even tried it back home. Best part is I could go anywhere I want to without bothering my husband.

Jasman,

I hear ya, Like Claudeth I'm 4"11, I could imagine her driving with her seat pushed closer to the streering wheel with pillow to boot. lol Please be patient with her lol!

[

Claudeth is only 4'8" so trying to drive my Dodge 1500 may be a bit much. She likes Volkswagons so we might get her a bug or something once she completes the driving school.

Edited October 18, 2008 by jasman0717

[vsmtghdy 2]

I've never driven in the Philippines, although before I got here, I applied for a student's license then applied for a non-prof after a month. Then when I got here, my husband enrolled me for a 5 hours driving lesson, which by the way I'm still not that confident to drive. Bu when I have to start working and my husband have his army duty for almost a month, I don't have a choice but to drive for myself (that was December of last year) and I've been driving since but just to work then home. I'm still not good at parking, I still get scared that I may scratch the other parked vehicles or back/reversed on them. And oh by the way, I am only 4'11" and I used my non-prof philippine driver's license for a year before I applied for a California driver's license. I just got my CA-DL last July. this is my husband's big truck (F-350 Harley).

Edited October 19, 2008 by vsmtghdy

[fish 0]

holy smokes that a big truck yikes.... I use our office big SUV going to post office and it always scares me... I already hit a tree, our mailbox, and two neighbors mailboxes (I'm a mailbox wrecker), a tree and the brick column at work but that was when I was just starting to drive! I'm more careful now and less agressive than when I first got my license... lol

I've never driven in the Philippines, although before I got here, I applied for a student's license then applied for a non-prof after a month. Then when I got here, my husband enrolled me for a 5 hours driving lesson, which by the way I'm still not that confident to drive. Bu when I have to start working and my husband have his army duty for almost a month, I don't have a choice but to drive for myself (that was December of last year) and I've been driving since but just to work then home. I'm still not good at parking, I still get scared that I may scratch the other parked vehicles or back/reversed on them. And oh by the way, I am only 4'11" and I used my non-prof philippine driver's license for a year before I applied for a California driver's license. I just got my CA-DL last July. this is my husband's big truck (F-350 Harley).

[Gumbolette 58]

I do drive here in the Philippines, but my husband told me that he won't let me drive when I'm in the states unless I do have my license there already. I am just kinda afraid when he told me that highways there are pretty much wide specially in the inter state, people drive like a speed of light. Edited October 19, 2008 by my_panacea = Greg

[Completely 3]

Did you know how to drive when you arrived in the U.S.? If not, how did you learn?

Claudeth hasn't learned how to drive yet so are starting to look into it.

I never drove in my life as I never thought I will drive a car someday.. I am contented riding Jeepneys, taxis and buses.. But you know things happen unexpectedly, so I regret not being able to learn drive when I was young.

I knew how to drive motorcycles when I was 17 yrs old, I had a lot of confidence back then, but now.. it is difficult..

It will be best if you enroll her in a driving school, husband teaching his wife is not a good idea sometimes, one example was when my husband was teaching me how to drive, he does not have a lot of patience when it comes to teaching someone how to drive.. So I had my father in law taught me how to drive.. But still I need to built up more confidence....

[ryandgracey 2]

I've been driving here in Manila for the past 13 years (wow! has it been that long?). I acquired my driving thru 3 people: 1. my ever-careful cousin, 2. my uncle's driver, also ever-careful (though he has to speed sometimes with care when my uncle's security is of concern), and last but not least 3. an ex-taxi driver. LOL. My pet peeve is drivers who do not know that they have such a contraption on their vehicles known as a signal light and that it is not a decor, and try to sneak into my right of way.

My husband has witnessed my driving skills and thinks I will do just fine in the US though I may have to adjust to the wider and less congested (thank God!) roads. He was and still is all too happy to have the opportunity to drive here since he can drive the way he would really like to drive....he can acutally pass for a Filipino cab driver

When we move to the US though, I will need to get used to driving his truck. He plans on getting a second-hand car which he would use only in going to work and back and he says he would rather let me use the well-maintained truck for whatever need I would have. He doesn't want me commuting. Besides, I dont think I can stand NOT driving.

[rheanick 42]

Did you know how to drive when you arrived in the U.S.? If not, how did you learn?

Claudeth hasn't learned how to drive yet so are starting to look into it.

I have been driving for more than 4 years now.

I first entered a formal driving school and did an online defense driving study.

I had friends who taught me how to drive on 1). road just big enough for my car's two tires and i had to stay on it, 2). going up a mountain 3). zigzag road 4). sharp curves 5). going around a "rotonda" 6), high speed and putting on my break without my car spinning around ( quite useful in driving in expressway wherein the car in front of me suddenly stop.... i'm far more worried with my car's tires than hitting the car in front of me), 7) steep road, stopping and starting my car with strict instructions that my car is not allowed to slide back when i re-start.....

The key here is to find friend/s who is/are expert/s on different areas with a mile long patience and courage to teach a newbie driver. It was not easy but worth it (worth your life and other people lives).

I also have friends who insisted that i drive my car.... They dont accept excuses... only actions... They did not stop until they saw me driving my car. I was always the designated driver then.

I have not driven in the US yet. I drove my fiance when he was here in the philippines. He said that he would only allow me to drive in the US if i have studied US road dos and donts...which is reasonable since the road law here in the philippines is different from the US....

Driving is a skill.... you wont acquire it unless you do it.

Tell you wife to be brave...!!! Good luck

[eros_EX_Plumber 0]

I've never driven in the Philippines, although before I got here, I applied for a student's license then applied for a non-prof after a month. Then when I got here, my husband enrolled me for a 5 hours driving lesson, which by the way I'm still not that confident to drive. Bu when I have to start working and my husband have his army duty for almost a month, I don't have a choice but to drive for myself (that was December of last year) and I've been driving since but just to work then home. I'm still not good at parking, I still get scared that I may scratch the other parked vehicles or back/reversed on them. And oh by the way, I am only 4'11" and I used my non-prof philippine driver's license for a year before I applied for a California driver's license. I just got my CA-DL last July. this is my husband's big truck (F-350 Harley).

WOW....with a truck like that....i will need to get a 18 wheeler driving license...LOL

[elle_boj 0]

Yeppie got my driver's license in october 1,2008 I have never been driven back home,the first time I learned to control the car when I insisted my husband to let me drive on the freeway luckily I learned pretty fast,Just turned 21 this year.And now i can go anywhere i want.I didn't go to driving school because we can't afford it..lol.Just be confident and you will learn,don't be scared....

[andrew&evelyn 6]

I've never driven in the Philippines, although before I got here, I applied for a student's license then applied for a non-prof after a month. Then when I got here, my husband enrolled me for a 5 hours driving lesson, which by the way I'm still not that confident to drive. Bu when I have to start working and my husband have his army duty for almost a month, I don't have a choice but to drive for myself (that was December of last year) and I've been driving since but just to work then home. I'm still not good at parking, I still get scared that I may scratch the other parked vehicles or back/reversed on them. And oh by the way, I am only 4'11" and I used my non-prof philippine driver's license for a year before I applied for a California driver's license. I just got my CA-DL last July. this is my husband's big truck (F-350 Harley).

I'm planning to take my road test this coming week or so but I'm worried about parallel parking because i'm not very good on it. You are from Ca and I'm from Ca too..I'm wondering if they asked you during your road test to do the parallel parking?

Thanks!

Evelyn

[Passing.star 0]

You have to practice for parallel Parking, its the last thing they will ask from you before parking. my friend said that you would know you gonna pass if they will ask you to do parallel parking.

[KC♥MP 0]

I'm presently here in the Philippines and is planning to enrol in a driving school to learn the basics.Then continue to practice my driving skills when I get back there in the US.Do you think it is a good idea?Or should I just enrol there when I get back?And which has more advantage to learn, automatic or manual?Thanks in advance for anyone who can answer me.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Claudeth is only 4'8" so trying to drive my Dodge 1500 may be a bit much. She likes Volkswagons so we might get her a bug or something once she completes the driving school.

Wow...she is tiny!

Jinky's father taught her how to drive a multi-cab - stick shift a few years before we met. When she arrived, she was driving with PI license here in Cali until her Green Card arrived and then passed the written after 3 tries and the driving exam on the first attempt.

Good luck.