I Passed The Written Exam!

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

I was going to hold off until I got my instructional permit, but I couldn't contain myself! One more step closer to getting my Class D!

For the younger ones on the forum, I would highly suggest carefully reading the driver's manual that your state provides. But, you have a big advantage; having an active interest in the workings of the nation's local and national level infrastructure! Some (if not most) of us know the MUTCD like the back of our hands, so take advantage of the resource and familiarize yourselves with the nation's standards (or state equivalent).

Best of luck!

[MikieTimT]

Welcome to now driving the roads of Arkansas!  Congratulations on your first step to a license.  I passed my written test the first time, but failed the driving test the first time at Ozark since I was too tentative at intersections and gave my right of way away in a couple of instances.  I definitely got over that, though, by the second attempt!  Nailed parallel parking, though, which can be handled automatically by many newer and well equipped vehicles these days.  Hopefully you get the opportunity to learn your driving skills on a manual transmission, so you can get the full experience and not be limited on what you can drive.  Although, it's getting tougher to find a new manual tranny vehicle nowadays, there are still plenty on the used car market, which you will likely be shopping for the near future.  Or forever, if you are anything like me.  New cars are a great way to stay poor.  Just keep it between the ditches and off the deer and the other sheetmetal rolling around you!

[MNHighwayMan]

Remind me not to visit Arkansas anytime soon.

[ozarkman417]

Congratulations! I assume that the Class D license is your standard driver's license, which is the equivalent of a Class F license in your state's northern neighbor. Having an interest in the nation's roads was a motivating factor in getting my learner's permit (age 15), and had I not had to wait a month to get the proper documentation needed to get the permit, I could apply for my "Intermediate License" (can drive alone, but with restrictions such as a cerfew) as soon as today.
My brother, also 16, still doesn't have his permit

SM-G965U

[kphoger]

Yes, an Arkansas "Class D" license is the standard non-commercial driver's license.  I had to look it up, of course, not having memorized every state's classification system.

[jeffandnicole]

I was going to hold off until I got my instructional permit, but I couldn't contain myself! One more step closer to getting my Class D!

For the younger ones on the forum, I would highly suggest carefully reading the driver's manual that your state provides. But, you have a big advantage; having an active interest in the workings of the nation's local and national level infrastructure! Some (if not most) of us know the MUTCD like the back of our hands, so take advantage of the resource and familiarize yourselves with the nation's standards (or state equivalent).

Best of luck!

Congrats.

Although...in this country, you have an easier time getting a license than getting inside an office building.  Show up, correctly answer 80% or so of the questions poised at you, and don't hit anything during your driver's test, and you have a license for life!

[kphoger]

Although...in this country, you have an easier time getting a license than getting inside an office building.  Show up, correctly answer 80% or so of the questions poised at you, and don't hit anything during your driver's test, and you have a license for life!

Then move to Europe and simply exchange your American DL for a European one.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Remind me not to visit Arkansas anytime soon.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

I was going to hold off until I got my instructional permit, but I couldn't contain myself! One more step closer to getting my Class D!

For the younger ones on the forum, I would highly suggest carefully reading the driver's manual that your state provides. But, you have a big advantage; having an active interest in the workings of the nation's local and national level infrastructure! Some (if not most) of us know the MUTCD like the back of our hands, so take advantage of the resource and familiarize yourselves with the nation's standards (or state equivalent).

Best of luck!

Congrats.

Although...in this country, you have an easier time getting a license than getting inside an office building.  Show up, correctly answer 80% or so of the questions poised at you, and don't hit anything during your driver's test, and you have a license for life!

Tell me about it! I've been trying to wrangle in Walmart for a while! Walmart, the largest (near minimum wage) employer in the country and I can't get a job there.  (I have had a job at a coffee shop through a placement program).

[roadman]

These days, most of the questions on a learner's permit test have little to do with actual rules of the road, and more to do with not using cell phones, always using seat belts, not drinking and driving, etc.

[Brandon]

These days, most of the questions on a learner's permit test have little to do with actual rules of the road, and more to do with not using cell phones, always using seat belts, not drinking and driving, etc.

Which actually creates more of a problem.  Drivers really need to know what to do on the road, and what to follow.  Questions about cell phones, seat belts, and alcohol use are superfluous by comparison.  We're producing a bunch of fools who know not to drink and drive, not to use cell phones, and to wear seat belts, but little else.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

These days, most of the questions on a learner's permit test have little to do with actual rules of the road, and more to do with not using cell phones, always using seat belts, not drinking and driving, etc.

Which actually creates more of a problem.  Drivers really need to know what to do on the road, and what to follow.  Questions about cell phones, seat belts, and alcohol use are superfluous by comparison.  We're producing a bunch of fools who know not to drink and drive, not to use cell phones, and to wear seat belts, but little else.

It was only 25 questions, not 3 sections of 25 questions, just 25 questions. I fully agree with you!

[MNHighwayMan]

These days, most of the questions on a learner's permit test have little to do with actual rules of the road, and more to do with not using cell phones, always using seat belts, not drinking and driving, etc.

Where are you getting that idea from? Every state has different tests, although, admittedly, some are better than others.

[Bruce]

Apparently South Dakota has the easiest driver's test (Arkansas is third), while Washington is the hardest.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/its-harder-to-get-a-drivers-license-in-washington-than-in-any-other-state-study-finds/

[US 89]

The only question from my learner's permit test that I remember exactly:

How many sides are on a stop sign?
A) 4
B) 6
C) 8

I agree with the sentiment that driver's test questions these days are not useful. One of the other questions I remember from mine involved how many points you were assessed if convicted of DUI -- like, why do I need to know that?

[ozarkman417]

Missouri's test involves answering 25 questions with a minimum five incorrect (I got 23 of 25 when I took it, passed first time). There is a general knowledge test then a separate test for road signs. One of the ones I missed was:

What is the fine/prison sentence for a second DUI?

I hopefully shouldn't have to worry about that one in the future, but there are more sensible ones like "how far in advance should you signal?". I am yet to take the actual driving test, and from what I've heard from others it is easier to test in some places than others, due to varying instructors and environments.

[jeffandnicole]

Although...in this country, you have an easier time getting a license than getting inside an office building.  Show up, correctly answer 80% or so of the questions poised at you, and don't hit anything during your driver's test, and you have a license for life!

Then move to Europe and simply exchange your American DL for a European one.

I don't think it's that simple.

A friend of mine transferred to Scotland for business, and decided to stay.  Not only could she not do what you said, but she even failed her first driver's test after driving for 20 years.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

I feel tests would be more effective if state police and DOTs would jointly administer the test. That way you get the laws and regulation + signs, road markings and the meaning behind it all.

[jeffandnicole]

I feel tests would be more effective if state police and DOTs would jointly administer the test. That way you get the laws and regulation + signs, road markings and the meaning behind it all.

Ironically, for most state police, they would consider teaching kids road rules would be a punishment or demotion.  And for a DOT, you would need someone that has so much knowledge of the MUTCD that they would be more useful doing anything else besides teaching kids as well!

It's a damned if you do - damned if you don't situation.  You pointed out those that may be best in teaching the rules of the road, but they want nothing to do with teaching the rules of the road!

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

I feel tests would be more effective if state police and DOTs would jointly administer the test. That way you get the laws and regulation + signs, road markings and the meaning behind it all.

Ironically, for most state police, they would consider teaching kids road rules would be a punishment or demotion.  And for a DOT, you would need someone that has so much knowledge of the MUTCD that they would be more useful doing anything else besides teaching kids as well!

It's a damned if you do - damned if you don't situation.  You pointed out those that may be best in teaching the rules of the road, but they want nothing to do with teaching the rules of the road!

To clarify my point, I mean the formation of a well engineered test from a joint coordination of the two agencies.

[Scott5114]

OK is only difficult because they allow the inspector the leeway to auto-fail you at any time, for apparently any reason. My first try at the driving test lasted about 5 minutes–they had me drive down an arterial and into a neighborhood. On the neighborhood street some birds flew out at me and I slowed down a bit because I didn't want to hit them (understandable, because I was new to driving and wasn't as confident on judging speed and distances yet, so I erred on the side of caution). The inspector immediately directed me back to the testing facility and failed me for "obstructing traffic".

[Brandon]

I feel tests would be more effective if state police and DOTs would jointly administer the test. That way you get the laws and regulation + signs, road markings and the meaning behind it all.

I'd keep the state police out of it.  Engineers should be behind the administration of such a test with the how and why such rules and signs are there in the first place.  The state police seem to be more ignorant of the MUTCD than they should be.

[jeffandnicole]

I feel tests would be more effective if state police and DOTs would jointly administer the test. That way you get the laws and regulation + signs, road markings and the meaning behind it all.

I'd keep the state police out of it.  Engineers should be behind the administration of such a test with the how and why such rules and signs are there in the first place.  The state police seem to be more ignorant of the MUTCD than they should be.

The biggest problem with people's thoughts of the police is that they should be everything at all times, and have perfect knowledge of the entire world. While we focus on them on roads here, people also expect them to have such perfect investigation skills to solve any crime ever committed.  Or negotiate a truce between an argument.  Or get a suicidal person off a ledge.  Or immediately locate a missing person.  Or perform life saving CPR and other treatments on someone in distress.

Like any profession, there's quite a bit of training involved, and unlike most professions, tactics used to do their job are constantly changing.  Most cops start out doing minor stuff, but the stuff we see them do on a daily basis - patrol roads, pull violators over, respond to emergencies.  The cops that move up in the ranks and become specialized in specific fields, we don't often see.  And yet, we continue to expect them to do and know everything.  If a busboy at a restaurant moves up and becomes the chef of the restaurant, we wouldn't expect them to continue working the hostess stand, taking food orders and serving drinks.  Yet if a cop starts out doing patrols and moves up to the SWAT team, we still expect them to pull someone over that just rolled thru a stop sign or threw a piece of trash on the ground, ignoring that they're probably on the way to a shooting or narcotic bust.

They don't even really need to know much about the MUTCD - their job isn't to know which font is used on highway signs, or the grade of a curve and how to post which signs where.  They should know the laws - which are separate from the MUTCD.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

I feel tests would be more effective if state police and DOTs would jointly administer the test. That way you get the laws and regulation + signs, road markings and the meaning behind it all.

I'd keep the state police out of it.  Engineers should be behind the administration of such a test with the how and why such rules and signs are there in the first place.  The state police seem to be more ignorant of the MUTCD than they should be.

The biggest problem with people's thoughts of the police is that they should be everything at all times, and have perfect knowledge of the entire world. While we focus on them on roads here, people also expect them to have such perfect investigation skills to solve any crime ever committed.  Or negotiate a truce between an argument.  Or get a suicidal person off a ledge.  Or immediately locate a missing person.  Or perform life saving CPR and other treatments on someone in distress.

Like any profession, there's quite a bit of training involved, and unlike most professions, tactics used to do their job are constantly changing.  Most cops start out doing minor stuff, but the stuff we see them do on a daily basis - patrol roads, pull violators over, respond to emergencies.  The cops that move up in the ranks and become specialized in specific fields, we don't often see.  And yet, we continue to expect them to do and know everything.  If a busboy at a restaurant moves up and becomes the chef of the restaurant, we wouldn't expect them to continue working the hostess stand, taking food orders and serving drinks.  Yet if a cop starts out doing patrols and moves up to the SWAT team, we still expect them to pull someone over that just rolled thru a stop sign or threw a piece of trash on the ground, ignoring that they're probably on the way to a shooting or narcotic bust.

They don't even really need to know much about the MUTCD - their job isn't to know which font is used on highway signs, or the grade of a curve and how to post which signs where.  They should know the laws - which are separate from the MUTCD.

My point was clarified. I'd just like to ask Brandon, why he feels the way he does? The state police administer the test in Arkansas.

[MNHighwayMan]

The biggest problem with people's thoughts of the police is that they should be everything at all times, and have perfect knowledge of the entire world.

We, as normal citizens, are expected to have full knowledge of the law, and obey it. I don't see how that's very different.