Today I'm going to write about how to do a driver's license in USA.
Certain day after I got home from work, two colleagues (females) of mine took the car to go get the cloths at the cleaner. I stayed at home with another colleague (male) doing the dinner, the time was passing and the girls didn't show up, and the cleaner is 5 minutes away from where I was staying. Suddenly one of them appears at home with a breathless air, saying "Do you have an extra car keys, because the cars key are inside of the car, and we can't open the doors because the car locked the doors". I went with her to go check the car, on the way I was thinking how that was possible, in 2 months with the car it never locked by itself, always I had to lock manually. When I arrived there I saw the car keys over the seat and the door locked. What to do? Call the cops to open the door. The cop arrived and asked for documents driver's license, I gave my Portuguese license. Quickly the cop said "where is the international driver's license?" I said I didn't had it, then he told you can't drive in USA without it.
International driver's license is just a "stupid" book similar to a ballot, you have to go to ACP with your driver's license a photo and 25€, and they do the "stupid" small book with your photo, some pages in English and others in Chinese and that's it. And it has an expiring date of 1 year. Mine expired that's why I didn't have it no more with me.
Because of what happen above I decided to take the USA driver's license. As I have the green card (US permanent resident card) and I always heard it's very simple and easy and cheap, not like in mother country Portugal.
My residency in the green card is from Massachusetts state, so I had to go Brockton-Boston where my father lives to do it. One of the weekends I went to Boston and stayed there till Monday to take the learner's permit (called theoretical exam).
Monday I woke up very earlier and went to the RMV- Register Motor Vehicle to do the test, I didn't study almost anything just read some stuffs nothing more. When I arrived there they asked me a proof of my address and I just took a letter from the migration as proof, the who attended me told that wasn't enough. I needed some letter from the bank or phone company so I went to the phone company balcony and got the proof of address. Went back to RMV another lady attended me and didn't accept the proof I got from the phone company because it wasn't a letter sent to home, I showed her the letter from the migration and she said that was OK. I was ready to perform the exam, 25 questions and I could fail 7. Took the exam in Portuguese and did it and pass it easily. For that exam I paid 20$ (yes that expensive similar to Portugal right?)
First part successfully accomplished, now I just had to the road test exam. In my head that would be the easiest part, I drive since I was 18 when I did my driver's license in Portugal. I just had to schedule a day to take the road test exam the next time I come to Boston to do it.
Thanksgiving vacations I went to Boston and I decided to schedule the exam on that time. Here to perform the exam we need to have a sponsor: the person which will go with you; and a legal car. But the legal car must have an emergency hand brake, I learned it in the worst way. Day of the road test I went there with my brother on his car. When was time to perform the test the examiner was examining the car to see if it was in conditions. He starts complaining about the car sticker was putted on the wrong side and then the front plate wasn't there. But those small things he would let it go, than he looked to the emergency hand brake and wasn't there. Quickly he said "you can't perform the test with this car". I start begin him I would go to Portugal soon, and I have a driver's license from Portugal for 7 years, he kept saying no with this car I can't let you perform the exam. Nothing more to do, I was completely pissed, schedule another date.
Went back to New Jersey, 4 hours distance to or from Brockton. Searched on the net the nearest date and booked the exam again.
Tuesday, 7 of December 2010 I woke up dropped my friend at work and went to Boston to do the exam, 4 hours driving. I arrived there around 1 pm, the exam would be at 3 pm, just waited for the exam and for my brother's friend who would land me his car to perform the exam.
3 pm the exam started, the examiner this time would be a old woman. She started asking me the hand signs, left, right and brake. The last one I made the sign correctly but I couldn't remember the name of it, she quickly told me you only have 3 attempts. I thought for me what the hell, and then I said correctly. I drove 20 minutes, U turns, parallel park, parallel back all the bullshits supposedly you have to do when you do the road exam and you don't know how to drive. I drive more time here than when I did my road exam 7 years ago in Portugal. End of the exam I really thought I did everything right and would pass easily. She asked my name and said "you must come back again, you failed the exam". I couldn't believe in what I was hearing. She start enumerating what I did wrong:
- Backing 50ft : Look over right shoulder;
- Hill operation: avoids rolling, properly position wheels, didn't put on park;
- Turning: properly yields;
- Lane change: checks blind spots.
What I did during the exam:
- When I was backing I was looking to the mirrors - She said I can't;
- I putted the gear on reverse and turn off the car - She said had to turn the wheels and put the car on park;
- I learned on the yield sign if there are cars coming I should let them pass till there are no cars, so I let the cars pass - You let too many cars pass, you didn't enter that's why they didn't stopped to let go in;
- I did a lane change after I looked to the mirror and I saw only one car coming, I let that car pass and I merge to the left - You didn't look to your shoulder to check your blind spot.
After all the bullshits she gave what could I do, just said OK thank you.
I'm not saying she was wrong, somethings yes, but in the overall I proof her I knew how to drive and I knew the rules. But I guess that was my mistake showed her I knew how to drive.
Get in the car I drove to Boston and went back to Jersey again, another 4 hours driving. Completely pissed and knowing I don't know how to drive.
Next day on the job was talking with my colleagues about what happened and one them told "you should had talked with, I would told you every stupid things you should have done".
In resume he said the trick is pretend you don't know how to drive, be very silly and dumb.
Guess I learn what not to do next time.
