DMV and me

Hey folks!

Whooo-hoo!!! I got it!!!! (This week I finally got my driver’s license) Whooooo!!! Ok, I think you can imagine, how I felt. After a circle of days of constant doubts, dubious nightmares and an endlessly seeming session of “DMV Genius” (an App to prepare for the written driver’s license test), I am now officially allowed by the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) to drive a car on America’s streets. What a feeling!

I always had kind of exam nerves when I was at school, at university or during the internship to become a teacher. But I really thought this would be over now that I’m – well, too old for that. It was not.

I would say I was a little stressed in the last few days. I spent repeating the over 300 questions on DMV Genius again and again until I suffered from headaches. Although I must admit, that there were some really strange and funny texts, that made me smile from time to time. Some examples:

1. If your parked car rolls away and hits another vehicle, you should:

a. report the incident to the city police – Uh, maybe not so bad…

b. remove your car and go on your way – Even better! La la la, has anybody seen me?

c. get the vehicle repaired – Guess I could do that!

d. sound horn to attract attention – Oh yeah, good idea!

2. The primary traveling aids for a blind person include:

a. a red cane or a trained guide dog – Uh, you almost got me!

b. a white cane or a wheelchair – No!

c. a white cane or a trained guide cat – Hmm… a guide cat… interesting… Check this out!

d. a white cane or a trained guide dog – Well, ok, phew! Almost doubted the American health system 😉

3. Do not use your horn in the following situation(-s):

a. you want the driver in front of you to move out of the way – I’m pretty sure that some drivers here use their horn just because of that reason!

b. because you may be angry or upset – Yepp, made this experience, too.

c. at a blind person – Hmm… is that person accompanied by a guide cat?

d. any of the above – I’m not so sure about that…

Crazy! Actually I was well prepared, but the night before my written test I still had a weird nightmare about it, in which none of the questions I had learned appeared. Instead I was asked by a computer to wrap a bunch of flowers and locate the capital of Oklahoma on a huge map! I didn’t even know what the capital of Oklahoma was!!! (I checked it up the next day on Wikipedia. It’s Oklahoma City. Damn! Who’d have thunk it!) Does that make any sense to you?

In fact the written test really included some questions I never even heard before. But I tried to use my common sense and finally was successful – with only two errors. Yay!

After that I made an appointment for my practical test and was lucky – it was right the next day in Santa Clara. Oliver came along as my official company (you need a person who already has got the Californian driver’s license) and emotional support. As we were standing in line to be registered for the driving test there was an elderly couple right in front of us. Obviously the man was profoundly deaf, because his wife was constantly shouting at him trying to make him understand what the person in charge requested (He should do an eyesight test to make sure that he isn’t a threat to other traffic – hmm… maybe it’s not only about his visual abilities…). I just wondered how he should successfully complete the driving test as he apparently would not understand the driving examiner’s instructions on the road. However, while the man finally was taken to further examination, I was registered and went out for my test.

First I had to show the basic functionality of the car (blow horn, make the automatic turn signals and the appropriate hand signals and some other stuff) and afterwards me and my examiner went out for a little tour. After all that I picked up so far from Oliver’s colleagues who didn’t pass, there could happen anything on the streets that makes you fail, no matter how well prepared or experienced you may be (for example one of them failed because he made an emergency brake when turning on green as a pedestrian, who already had a red light, suddenly started to enter the crosswalk – what should he have done instead? Knock him down?). Finally you somehow always need a little luck to pass a test.

On the whole my number of errors was six. Take a look at the evaluation sheet:

Seems like the American population doesn’t have to fear me when I’m driving along. And seriously I am really a responsible and cautious driver with good power of seeing and hearing. But you always should consider that there are others who may not be, but had enough luck to pass the driving test anyway. Which reminds me of our deaf friend from above. Oliver told me later that, while he was waiting for me to return from my driving test, he saw the elderly couple again. The woman was trying to introduce the examiner to her husband and was shouting at him that his driving test would take place “NOW!”. He didn’t seem to understand at all what’s gonna happen to him next. I can hardly imagine that he passed – but I hope that he and his examiner made it back somehow. Without any collisions.