Drivers Licences...

[Robert&Karen 264]

As soon as she lives here my car insurance goes up $24 a year. As soon as we are married it goes down $36 a year.

[David And Katie 5]

We just changed her name officially at the SS office, and we're going to the BMV to get her DL changed too (for a fee). I think then we'll go up to the insurance agent and see what happens to her rates.

[Moomin 292]

David,

your question is not an uncommon one and the issue surely is confusing as driver's license laws are a matter of the state, not the US government, and since we have 50 of these, there's a lot of different soups to be cooked.

Indiana is a new one for me so I had a quick read on the subject, but the way I interpret what's written, you do not meet the residency requirement of the State of Indiana yet and you are not in a position to satisfy Indiana's Secure ID requirements either. Thus, you are not a resident yet and can use your British license until you have become one and can document it. At that point your 30-day window opens.

http://www.in.gov/bmv/2766.htm

There's a twist to it regardning Indiana. They allow for someone to sign an affidavit based on relation(there are 3 options on the form). My fiance brought 4 documents proving his identity(driver's license, notarized bank statement, birth cert. and ssn), and I brought Passport with visa and i-94, ssn and foreign birth cert.

The state ID will expire same day as i-94. If you before then can show change of status go in an renew the ID.

I hope that helped if you didn't get the answer yet. I have just gone through it in Indiana(Valparaiso to be exact).

[David And Katie 5]

Awesome, thanks.. The wife works in Valpo (at one of the hotels in town).

I'm reluctant to go for my IN DL just yet, mainly because I don't want to have to take another driving test - how is the Indiana test? What did you have to do for it ?

[Moomin 292]

Small world : )

I haven't gone through the driving test yet(sorry if I made it seem like I had gone through that part too - I wish I had already, hehe!). As far as I know you can't avoid this since you're planning on using your current foreign driver's license and they want you to take the written test and driving skills test. The 30 days is a matter of how long your i-94 is valid, and can be renewed when you change your status(AOS) unless it expires before you renew it. In such case, you need to do it al over again.

The written test hoeever.. A walk in the park.

[Robert&Karen 264]

My fiance would rather I always do the driving. I scare the life out of her with my wide left turns, hehe.

[visacat 1]

We live in NM and I was able to get a driving licence once I had my SSN

I also only had to pass the written test in order to get my licence but Geico wanted me to have an international driving licence and a UK valid licence in order to insure me before I had my US licence.

[Pooky 3,809]

In NJ it was discretionary whether the BMV officer would require me to pass a road test after the written test. When I reached the 80% pass mark on question 41 of 50, she decided I probably knew what I was doing.

Also, NJ wouldn't have required me to take a separate motorcycle test, as I had a UK licence for both cars and bikes. But I had made a promise to the wife, so I didn't take advantage of that.

[David And Katie 5]

In NJ it was discretionary whether the BMV officer would require me to pass a road test after the written test. When I reached the 80% pass mark on question 41 of 50, she decided I probably knew what I was doing.

Also, NJ wouldn't have required me to take a separate motorcycle test, as I had a UK licence for both cars and bikes. But I had made a promise to the wife, so I didn't take advantage of that.

Indiana is quite "liberal" when it comes to applying laws, (I used quotation marks because we all know its a "Conservative" state), but they've recenetly gotten tougher on drivers licences, so I don't think I'll get away with just flashing my UK licence.

It's all the stop signs that bug me - we don't have them in the civilized world, except on blind junctions - 99% of other junctions are give ways (yields), so having a stop sign at nearly ever intersection over in the US is annoying!

[Pooky 3,809]

It's all the stop signs that bug me - we don't have them in the civilized world, except on blind junctions - 99% of other junctions are give ways (yields), so having a stop sign at nearly ever intersection over in the US is annoying!

Most Americans don't understand yield signs. For some reason, the ones round here seem to think the signs mean they need to put the gas pedal flat to the floor, especially if they have an SUV.

And 4-way stops? Show most Americans a roundabout and they're stumped!

[Robert&Karen 264]

When I am in the UK and enter a roundabout as a passenger, and go left, I get completely lost. No matter where we were gong I need to completely start over, in my mind I'll never get back.

Inside the US I think I have only been on two roundabouts ever.

[william_wallace 8]

I remember my first ever trip to Wal-Mart. I see a sign saying 'Ped-Xing'

I thought it saying something in Chinese.

[Robert&Karen 264]

I remember my first ever trip to Wal-Mart. I see a sign saying 'Ped-Xing'

I thought it saying something in Chinese.

When I was a kid I knew Ped meant pedestrian, but I thought "Xing!" was the sound they made when you hit them with your car.

[Pooky 3,809]

Inside the US I think I have only been on two roundabouts ever.

There's 7, soon to be 8, within a mile of where I work.

There's 4 on my route home.

The wife hates where I work.