American doing UK test

[illmonkey]

How many lessons would a competent American driver to pass a UK test? He's been told 15 hours by 1 guy!

[madbadger]

If he is competent then none.

[cheesesliceking]

Suppose it depends on experience, how many bad habits have been picked up. you could always just book a test and see how you do.. not saying you'll pass but it will give you some idea of how many lessons you'll need.

[M6L11]

madbadger said:

If he is competent then none.

Being competent to drive a vehicle in the US doesn't mean they're automatically competent to drive over here. I'd be surprised if many US drivers (or from any other country) could waltz into the UK, then immediately take a theory and practical driving test and pass. They'd have a fair bit of learning to do, signage, conventions etc, and that's not even accounting for the fact they may be going 'auto to stick' for the first time.

[illmonkey]

He drives stick, also has a HGV licence (what ever it's called over there!).

I said a few hours to just go over and more importantly, get use of a car to do it in!

The tests are only booking 1 week away, I reckon he just does a few hours and goes for a test.

[Troubleatmill]

Assuming the American has to do the theory test.

Get something off the internet - that tests you.
Repeat mock tests until you can get 50 out of 50.

Take theory exam.


Practical test:
6 Lessons maximum. I'd be astonished if he needed more than 3.
Each lesson being in effect a mock test.

Edit: The bloke can drive - so it is just about exam technique.
"What will the instructor be asking him to do?"

[illmonkey]

Therory passed, scored well first time, with little practice.

[Kj159]

Book an hour with a private driving instructor (ie. Not with a company like AA or Reds) and get a mock test, should give an idea of how different it is here?

P.S Good luck with the first major roundabout you come across, much more to think about than one of those huge crossroads you lot have over there.

[Don]

There are the differences to learn. Shouldn't be a problem though. The basic rule "hit nothing!" applies.

Roundabouts - the Americans actually have these now. Not many, but they do. They had public information films about them and everything! But the default is a "Traffic Circle" which is quite different - it's priorities operate the opposite way so traffic on the circle has to stop for anyone wanting to join. Helpfully they paint white lines where you are supposed to stop so you do get a clue.

Lights and junctions aren't so different either. Although getting used to 80mph motorways with narrower lanes will probably be interesting.

I've driven a lot in the US. I did read up about it first but didn't need to take a test as I wasn't staying for more than three months at a time. I doubt that it is that hard for an American to adjust to our rules and traffic.

[Jagmanv12]

He'll need to lose his bad driving habits (if he has any). I took the test for a California licence and basically drove like a learner. Stop at junction, apply handbrake, move forward slowly, etc instead of the way I drive usually. Got 98%.

[hairyben]

I think most UK licence holders would need a couple of lessons before they could pass a test, would certainly advise any foreigner a few lessons to unlearn a few bad habits and learn some of the conventions that differ, 15 hours seems excessive though...

cheesesliceking said:

Suppose it depends on experience, how many bad habits have been picked up. you could always just book a test and see how you do.. not saying you'll pass but it will give you some idea of how many lessons you'll need.

Wouldn't an hour with an instructor be both cheaper and more informative?

[Rick101]

Can't see it being much. Don't forget how low the bar is on driving test standards.

Much like us driving on the Continent, couple of hours and it all seems normal.

[digitalsafari]

illmonkey said:

How many lessons would a competent American driver to pass a UK test? He's been told 15 hours by 1 guy!

So a competent American driver taking the UK test would need some prep a for the Theory test, and you might want an hour with a real driving instructor to get a feel of what you will be tested on.

You may need more instructor time if you want to get a manual (stick shift) license and need to learn to drive with manual transmission.

I did it the other way round and had to pass the California driving test a few years ago!

[Troubleatmill]

digitalsafari said:

illmonkey said:

How many lessons would a competent American driver to pass a UK test? He's been told 15 hours by 1 guy!

So a competent American driver taking the UK test would need some prep a for the Theory test, and you might want an hour with a real driving instructor to get a feel of what you will be tested on.

You may need more instructor time if you want to get a manual (stick shift) license and need to learn to drive with manual transmission.

I did it the other way round and had to pass the California driving test a few years ago!

If you read the whole thread ( a massive 1 page of it ) - the OP says the American drives a manual car - and has passed the theory test already

[shake n bake]

Kj159 said:

Book an hour with a private driving instructor (ie. Not with a company like AA or Reds) :

Why not them?

[omgus]

swerni said:

hairyben said:

I think most UK licence holders would need a couple of lessons before they could pass a test,

I think you're right on that

I had to do my D1 a few years ago. The examiner graded us on minors and majors each day, my first day i had 47/2. I was the lowest scoring of the three on the course.

You won't realise until you do it but we all have some appallingly bad habits.

[Finlandia]

Oh how the times have changed.
When I moved to the UK, my first day at the first job I got within a week of arriving, pick up a lorry in Reading, drive it to central London, load it and drive back.

But then I have a Finnish licence


I don't get it though, a guy from New York, maybe even a yellow cab driver, must undergo a test to drive in the UK, while a Finnish bloke from a village of five houses can jump straight into a lorry and drive in London.

[sparkyhx]

Don said:

There are the differences to learn. Shouldn't be a problem though. The basic rule "hit nothing!" applies.

Roundabouts - the Americans actually have these now. Not many, but they do. They had public information films about them and everything! But the default is a "Traffic Circle" which is quite different - it's priorities operate the opposite way so traffic on the circle has to stop for anyone wanting to join. Helpfully they paint white lines where you are supposed to stop so you do get a clue.

Lights and junctions aren't so different either. Although getting used to 80mph motorways with narrower lanes will probably be interesting.

I've driven a lot in the US. I did read up about it first but didn't need to take a test as I wasn't staying for more than three months at a time. I doubt that it is that hard for an American to adjust to our rules and traffic.

Roundabouts, Handbrake use (habit takes a while to get engrained), steering wheel 10 to 2 (will also take a little while to get engrained). Mirror check and over the shoulder checks (again taking time to engrain if not up to scratch) then there is the more obvious sign's, road markings and highway code type stuff.

15 hrs is way over and would question the instructors competency.
Hazard perception should be good if HGV driver.

Probably a few lessons spread over a month to highlight the bad habits and then practice on your own.

Month max

Just don't turn left(right US) at a red light like you would at home (

[mph1977]

Finlandia said:

Oh how the times have changed.
When I moved to the UK, my first day at the first job I got within a week of arriving, pick up a lorry in Reading, drive it to central London, load it and drive back.

But then I have a Finnish licence


I don't get it though, a guy from New York, maybe even a yellow cab driver, must undergo a test to drive in the UK, while a Finnish bloke from a village of five houses can jump straight into a lorry and drive in London.

have you seen the (lack of) standards in US driving tests ...

the UKs reciprocal licence agreements are the product of two things

1. EU /EFTA standardisation of test standards

2. long standing arrangements with mainly commonwealth countires deemed to have a similar or greater standard than the UK test / EU core standards

[walm]

Finlandia said:

I don't get it though, a guy from New York, maybe even a yellow cab driver, must undergo a test to drive in the UK, while a Finnish bloke from a village of five houses can jump straight into a lorry and drive in London.

The American tests are a total joke.

Parallel parking? Nope - just nose in here.
Once round a one-way block? Yup - here's your licence.