Passing (again) my driver license (American style)

My dear English speaking friend,

You won’t probably understand the depth of despair (and irony) this post contains, unless if, of course, you’re not american. If you fall into this category, please keep in mind that the written driver test in Europe is significantly different and that we don’t have as much – let’s say… interesting signs. In both cases, you are more than welcome to read the following.

As a Swiss citizen and because the American governement tends to be extremely funny (read that as a proof), I have to pass my driver test. All parts of it. Again. After 10 years of driving every day in my home country (and no, this information is not a clue for you to calculate my true age: I am twenty two. Period.)

And as I mentionned above, the questions and signs are slightly different.

  • Distances are in milesfeet and inches
    Even though I made HUGE improvements in my understanding of imperial units (since that time), I am still quite confused when it comes to visualize how much 500 ft or 10 inches represents. Com’on guys, haven’t you heard about metric?
  • There are special rules for New York State, that are different from other States and… From rules in New York City. Why??
  • “I think you actually just answered that” signs:

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen


  • And its evil twin

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeenYou just started trusting them and boom, tricky question. Not cool, DMV, NOT cool!


  • The Captain Obvious’s signs

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

In Arizona.
(Are people in other States trying to speed up when they see children crossing?)

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen


  • The “we are DEFINETELY not doing it this way in Europe” signs.

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen(Like we try to constantly observe the road.)

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen
We cross double line under no circumstances in Europe. 


permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeenPoor little guy (who might carry a gun, I KNOW!)

no-turn-on-red
Turning on red in absolutely prohibited in Europe.


  • The funny signs

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen



permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen
jesus was here

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen“Just lost my contact lense”

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeenwifi? nope, amphiteatre!

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen
permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeenI showed this sign to ALL of my friends. NOBODY has ever seen that sign. Ever.

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

 w11-5

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen


  • The cute animal signs

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen


  • The “could we please remind that to New Yorkers” signs.

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen

untitled
screenshot_20160921-090147

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen


  • And last but not least, my personnal favorites

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeenThe pink sign

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeen
The sign that says there are no signs

permis de conduire USA new york driver license convertir etranger europeenAnd my favorite of all times!

Just FYI, in Switzerland, you have 50 multiple choices answers (A, B, C, D) and you are allowed to to 14 wrong answers. Considering that you can have up to 4 mistakes per questions (right answers were A & B, you put C & D : 2 mistakes cause you didn’t choose A&B and 2 mistakes because you mistakenly chose C&D)

Any fun driving license related episode to share in here guys?

12 Responses

  1. Merci Amy pour ce moment de franche rigolade 😂
    Je te souhaite bien du courage pour repasser la pratique. 10 ans de permis et l’idée même de repasser le teste me donne des sueurs froides.
    Greetings from Laus’Angeles

    1. Je t’avoue qu’il m’a fallu presque deux ans pour m’y remettre. Finalement c’était pas grand chose (et une bonne tranche de rigolade!) mais c’est vrai qu’après autant d’année, c’est vraiment ennuyeux!!!!

    1. Oui je pense qu’il doit y avoir un peu de ça. Lors du passage de l’examen (que j’ai eu, youpiiii) j’étais entourée par une nana qui soupirait au désespoir à chaque question et un type hyper enjoué (qui avait l’air un peu bourré, il faut le dire!) Bref, la première lisait les questions 4 fois et soupirait à chaque nouvelle page… J’ai fini par discrètement jeter un œil à son écran pour voir si la pauvre était vraiment en train de se choper les pires questions du monde (alors que moi j’avais eu le panneau autoroute, et une question sur les phares!)…. Elle était en train de se prendre la tête sur le panneau stop!!!!!!!! Quant à l’homme enjoué, la dame du DMV est venue lui dire, après son test, et je la cite “Il faut vraiment que vous étudiez, vous avez encore rater, c’est la 4e fois”. Sans méchanceté aucune, je pense que certaines des questions s’adaptent au public cible……

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