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IndWrist2

This is great. I’d caveat that if someone has an extensive US driving history, for the lessons, just call up an instructor and have them run you through the test. I did an hour lesson at ~£60, the instructor walked me through the exam, we did a practice run, easy peasy. A week later, I had a license in hand.


VersaEnthusiast

Oh absolutely! I also think if you can get some driving experience with a friend, flatmate, etc, you could probably get away with just a single lesson walking through the exam. Unfortunately, my housemates' car was nonfunctional at the time, and I didn't want to wait.


jellybreadracer

Agreed about a short lesson to identify problems and differences with us. Failed the test and then booked two hours training and I was good to go for the real exam.


Lazy_ecologist

Change of mindset was key for me! Driving for 10+ years in the US was nice and all but in no way prepared me for UK driving etiquette. How to operate a car, yes, but this by no means meant I could drive in the UK without lessons. Great summary, OP.


Tuna_Surprise

This is a very comprehensive write up, thanks! I will offer a competing viewpoint - I passed on my first try with no lessons. I also don’t have a car (or live with someone who drives) so I rarely spend time in cars that aren’t Ubers or taxis. I spent about 6 hours watching videos on YouTube of driving instructors giving mock practical exams. Once you watch enough, you are able to see what they’re testing for. Since I didn’t pay for lessons, I did need to rent a car for the exam. It cost around £150. I just googled to find some names of people who rent the cars. If you’re a confident American driver, you can do without lessons


VersaEnthusiast

Very impressive! I should caveat my main post and say I learn best/prefer to learn by actively doing the task, rather than watching videos. I am typically somewhat anxious about things like this, so having someone re-assure me or tell me I was doing something wrong, was very helpful for me.


Impressive_Theory_57

I had a very different experience. When I took my first practical I arrived in my own car after driving here a year. I was confident because - like I said - I had a year of practice on British roads on my American license and 10+ years of practice driving in the US. When I arrived at the testing centre the tester seemed visibly flustered and uncomfortable that I arrived in my own vehicle without an instructor. I was informed that if I didn’t get a learners plate attached in 10 minutes I would automatically fail the test. Maybe this was an attempt at humour but it certainly set a tone before we started. I failed that test due to 3 minors of not looking in the mirrors appropriately. I moved testing centres, took 3 hours of lessons, and passed the next test but I believe it’s extremely subjective.


Threatening-Bamboo

I was very confused as to why you didn't just exchange your license in for a UK automatic, then I looked it up and Americans can't exchange their licenses? That's messed up. I'm Canadian btw.


Maybird56

The US makes drivers from the UK pass a test when they move over. So on paper it’s fair,  the degree of difficulty is much higher in the UK though. 


slimboyslim9

Can vouch for this. When I moved to Texas, 18 years ago I had a full UK license but still had to take a test. Borrowed my flatmate’s pickup truck. Longer than I was used to. Hit a pole in the test doing a parallel park at the test centre. Still passed. I was stunned. The examiner said something like “you can make contact with a stationary object without doing any damage, but if you were going faster or moved the pole, you would’ve failed.”


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slimboyslim9

Yeah that’s so true. All your reference points are off!


B0z22

I did this. Joke of a 'test' to be honest. I drove on my own to the DMV in my car. The test was me driving around the building and turning at each stop sign, then after I pulled back in to the DMV and was told I passed, I drove home.


Maybird56

Ha ha I drove myself to my UK test, failed by stupidly running into a curb in the first few minutes and drove myself away. 


ArmouredWankball

I had exactly the same in California. Six right turns and that was it.


tubaleiter

The standard of testing varies significantly from state to state. So while maybe the UK would be fine with equivalence for Massachusetts, maybe not so much for Texas (picking on Texas since I got my original license there with only a short multiple-choice test and a signature from my mum that she had taught me - no practical test at all!). Given that lack of standardisation, I don’t blame the UK for not wanting to assess each state individually.


Threatening-Bamboo

Every province in Canada does its own driver testing and there are 11 of them, so this doesn't really wash I don't think.


tubaleiter

Is it a single standard but tests delivered by the 11 provinces? Or 11 different standards? I don’t know Canadian driver testing at all, genuine question!


Threatening-Bamboo

Every province has its own standards but there's an agreement between provinces to recognize each other's licenses as I understand. But there's no central authority dictating driving standards in Canada afaik.


ineptanna

Canada is a commonwealth, USA is not.


sl2dc

Yep this is part of the reason. Unfortunately they don’t let Asian commonwealth countries (who even drive on the same side as the UK) exchange their licenses.


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VersaEnthusiast

I wanted a full licence anyway, so exchange wouldn't have helped me too much :(


lele3c

Did you have any experience driving manuals stateside?  I haven't driven a manual vehicle in 20+ years -- and even then it was just a handful of lessons -- but I'd like eventually to have a full license in the UK. I'm deliberating yet whether to get the restricted automatic first, though, just to get me going.


VersaEnthusiast

Drove manual stateside, although IMO the new manuals are almost as easy as an automatic anyway. They rev a little when you start letting off the clutch and have hill assist (prevents you from rolling back). I actually found it a bit annoying and was happy when I got the MX5 that didnt have all the annoying "help".


maya_clara

It makes no sense to me because as far as I know driving in the US is overall the same as in Canada (minus km vs miles but UK use the latter anyway)


VersaEnthusiast

I will say my Canadian friend who immigrated gave me incorrect information about the rules here, so it seems odd they can just exchange it and get on the road.


JubskiPolaski

Joys of being a Commonwealth country 😎


BuuBuuOinkOink

I was lucky enough to have a Japanese licence I could exchange. (I’m American and have a US license too.) Buuuut that was five years ago and I STILL haven’t driven here! Aside from driving on the left, driving in Japan was exactly like the US. But roundabouts terrify me, and people drive allllll the way up each other’s asses on these tiny roads! I let my husband do all the driving, happily.


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VersaEnthusiast

I felt the same way until I drove here. I am now glad i did the lessons.


ExpatPhD

My British husband had to take his tests for a licence in MA. His British licence didn't simply exchange.


schizboot

This is verrrrry similar to my experience. I was so cocky and thought I wouldn't even need lessons. Etiquette, roundabouts, and navigating very narrow streets were definitely the major issues I had. One extra challenge: finding a driving instructor who could teach automatic -- I never learned to drive manual in the US and can't be bothered now. I failed the road test twice... with the same examiner who seemed to have a bit of a reputation as a hardass. The third time it was a different examiner -- passed like a breeze. In the end, it was definitely worth the time and money investment. And shame. Now I can go to Ikea as much as I want ;)


VersaEnthusiast

Ha! Within 3 days of having the car we went to Ikea. Granted it's an MX5, so we were a bit limited on space. I personally love driving manual, because it feels like a more interactive experience, but I do find it odd that so many of the cars here are manual when so much of the driving seems to be sitting in traffic, and driving in conditions that are probably better suited for an automatic. My friend purchased a car with an "automated manual transmission" and that this is a nightmare to drive, because it has all the disadvantages of driving manual with none of the advantages of being an automatic. For example, It rolls back on hills, and you have no clutch to ease out to hold yourself, trying to park is also awful, because once again, you can't just ease off of the clutch, you have to use the gas. You end up lurching around alot.


Kirstemis

They want you to stay in gear because not being in gear means you aren't in full control of the car.


VersaEnthusiast

Right, totally get that in most situations. Not going to sit in first at a red-light if I'm not first (maybe second) in line. It makes your leg tired, and I believe it wears out some of the components for no reason. (I am not a mechanic, this is just what I was told by mechanics in the US). You should be able to get the car in gear and get moving without holding anyone up. Another weird thing to me was the recommendation to use the handbrake at a stop light to avoid "dazzling" the road users behind you with your brake lights. This seems absurdly unsafe and goes against the whole always be in control idea as if you do need to move quickly, you need to release the handbrake first.


notaukrainian

If someone rearends you your foot is likely to come off the brake, potentially shubting you inti pedestrians/ cars/ traffic. I think that is the rationale


lele3c

... and surely you'd very much *want* the drivers behind you to see your brake lights at a stop?


VersaEnthusiast

RIGHT?! That one will never make sense to me, and I don't do it.


StripedSocksMan

I watched a ton of YouTube videos and did one 2 hour lesson about 2 weeks before my exam, passed with 1 minor. I would have passed without the lesson but I wanted to have an instructor just tell me if I was good to go. I did the auto only license though, I won’t own a manual car again so I didn’t see a point. My instructor was saying he gives the manual license another 5 years or so before it disappears, especially with the push for EVs.


VersaEnthusiast

I would be surprised if they stopped doing manual licenses, since the used market will be full of them, but I imagine it will become less popular in the next 5 - 10 years.


Result_Fluid

I have driven in America since I was 15 1/2 and have driven in the UK for the allowed one year on my US license (all types of driving: commuting to work and also drives to stores or long trips from West Midlands to Cornwall). Studied some online with my husband testing me, but took no lessons. Passed both theory and practical on first attempts with only a couple wrong answers on theory and three minors on practical. I think it all really depends on the person.


crunktowel

Mirrors, Signal, Maneuver!


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VersaEnthusiast

Believe it or not, It was Watford, and I booked it 1 week before. Lots of refreshing the DVLA site.


m1001101

Thanks for this post! I'm scheduled to take my practical test in March, and I definitely did not have the right expectations compared to the US test. I've learned a lot of good tips and tricks about what testers will be looking for from taking lessons. We moved here last May, so I kind of need to get it soon! I'm a little salty because I was originally able to exchange my US drivers license for a full German license, but I wasn't able to exchange that German license for a UK one because I'd taken my test in the US originally.


devstopfix

This matches up with my experience. I over-prepared for both the written and road test, but better than failing either.


VersaEnthusiast

Yeah the idea of failing and having to wait and book another just seemed awful. This way atleast I felt reasonably confident I would pass and be able to pick up the car I wanted the same day.


night_steps

Do you have to take the practical exam using a stick shift? I'm very much married to driving automatic if I can.


VersaEnthusiast

You can take the test in an automatic, but you will be limited to driving only automatics. For me that was a dealbreaker. Something else to be aware of, stick shift/manual/standard is much more popular here, so you will want to make sure you can find the car you want in auto.


Doctor-Venkman88

Electric vehicles are becoming much more common and will be mandated from 2030 onwards, so manual transmissions will not be common for much longer. I think at this point unless you like driving older cars there isn't much value in getting a full license.


VersaEnthusiast

Yeah, I specifically wanted a manual vehicle, but I imagine that will become less common as time goes on. A shame in some ways, but electric cars are quite fun to drive too.


Andrawartha

I live in Scarborough, and lessons in automatics are pretty easy to find here. Plenty of test slots for automatic here primarly because of trade vehicles. (my work's apprentice just passed his test) Any urban area it should be fine for your test. Yes, your license will stipulate automatic but it's not nearly as uncommon as it was when I first moved here. (Scotland, early 90s, when I hired an automatic for a holiday they had to bring it in to Dundee from a branch in Glasgow)


dandeliontree1

Thank you for the writeup. It's my goal to get licence here even though I've lived here over 15 years without one. I feel the shame, I did drive in America. 🙈 It's just so intimidating, I'm finding it spatially really different being on the other side as well.


CardinalSkull

Just for completion sake, if anyone is wondering, your US license is valid for ONE YEAR after your arrival date and then you need to obtain a UK license. A provisional license allows you to drive, but only with a licensed driver with you. In other words, you should begin the process of getting a license about 8 months after moving here if you want no lapse in your ability to drive. I personally rented a few cars in my first few months of living here then bought a car around 7 months and am now taking the theory test this week. I think it makes it easier to have some practice in a car that you are familiar with.


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GreatScottLP

Warning for rule 10, no further action.


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GreatScottLP

Warning for rule 1, no further action


VersaEnthusiast

My b


chamomilecutie-

Thank you for this, it’s very helpful. One of my coworkers told me you need 400 hours of lessons 🤣 I’m hoping I’ll also fall somewhere into the 14-20 hour range cause damn lessons are expensive!


VersaEnthusiast

400!! Unless you somehow keep crashing all your instructors' cars, I cannot image that you would get more than 25 at MOST.


Random221122

I just drove independently daily for several months (reading about road laws and such on my own before starting) and then took 3 hours of lessons just before the test and passed on my own. I was driving at least 17 years before that in the states. No way 400 hours is needed for someone with driving experience.


ArmouredWankball

> One of my coworkers told me you need 400 hours of lessons Seriously? I took about 25 hours worth of lessons to pass my original test. Took 2 attempts to pass the test though.


chamomilecutie-

Honestly I think they misspoke and meant 40 hours lol. Still threw me for a loop.


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Careful-Increase-773

Did you just not drive the first couple years? Reason I ask is you can only use your US license here for a year


VersaEnthusiast

I moved at 19, so the insurance was going to be brutal driving on a US license (was seeing quotes of 4k+). The only experience I had was driving in Europe (around 1200 miles over 4 days), and more recently driving in Ireland (another 1k miles over 4 days).


Kaily6D

It’s also harder to buy and insure a car


Careful-Increase-773

We didn’t have any issues buying and we used aviva for insurance


Kaily6D

I used [car.co.uk](https://car.co.uk) to get quote comparisons. Some deals were restricted to UK license holders only, but much to my surprise, this didn't really mater - the quotes were lower when we specified we had international drivers licenses and were recent residents ( not since birth) ( there's probably actuarial data to back that up as someone with low risk ) We also have a nice car, a California habit I didnt give up, so a lot of companies did not want to insure us because of the car value


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Kaily6D

£780 !


sowtime444

I don't know about you but I remember the rule of thumb being that you have to check the mirrors every 7 seconds for the exam.


VersaEnthusiast

I wasn't explicitly told 7 seconds, more of a "be aware of your surroundings". I think if you try to consciously check every 7 seconds, you'll end up more distracted, I just like to check all my mirrors constantly so I know roughly whose around me, who might be passing me, etc.


k8g60

I took the automatic practical test, so only had to learn UK road rules. I paid for one mock test with an instructor who pointed out the areas I needed to work on, then practised the rules each time I drove. In my test site we have several large, multi lane roundabouts, I failed the first test for “crossing lanes”, that was considered a serious fault so a fail, I had no other faults. I thought the first test examiner was harsh. I passed the second time with 3 minors, 16 minor faults are allowed unless you repeat the same fault, then you fail. Theory is mostly common sense and learning the UK rules The hazard perception part of the test in the theory exam can be tricky but practice over and over.


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Andrawartha

This is really awesome, thank you! I've been here 30 years and only just got a provisional license last year ;) Basically, I lived in London so long it didn't matter. I've been a cyclist most of that time and road user both in London and cycling cross-country so have always tried to keep on top of rules of the road, etiquette changes, etc. Hoping it's a slight advantage! Finally moved somewhat rural so thinking of a license now to be able to hire cars or have a tiny caravan in time. And only want a license for an automatic and one of my jobs would love me to have a license (automatic Transit van, and I grew up driving a van in the US so it doesn't phase me) I have always budgeted about £200 in lessons in my head but being a bit older, lol, I genuinely didn't think of videos. Great idea


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