Driving lessons - already have a licence in another country

Premier_2

honeyD wrote: »

Hi,
Long story but when my Husband came to England from USA he was allowed to drive with his USA licence for 1 year. We werent aware of a time limit but after 1 year if you havent traded in your licence for a UK one you have to go through the whole process again for a UK licence. Really my question is, if anyone can help, how many driving lessons should he have since he can already drive and has done here for a year lol? Sounds silly to me but its the law!

He doesn't need to take any lessons if he already knows how to drive. Just apply for & pass the test(s).

Edit: obviously he'll need to have a car to take the test in, but this doesn't have to be a driving school car or one fitted with dual controls...just any car fitted with L plates

Chippy_Minton_2

Premier wrote: »

He doesn't need to take any lessons if he already knows how to drive. Just apply for & pass the test(s).

Knowing how to drive and how to move a car about to DSA in order to pass a test are two diffrent things.

LittleMissAspie

I think one lesson would be a good idea just to check he's not doing anything wrong without realising. Also a good idea to pick up a copy of the highway code for the theory test and to learn the less common road signs etc.

Inactive

Chippy_Minton wrote: »

Knowing how to drive and how to move a car about to DSA in order to pass a test are two diffrent things.

Actually that is a myth, the driving test only requires safe and reasonably competent driving in order to pass.

vaio

Yep, when I did mine back in the 70s the examiner said “you don’t have to be perfect, all you have to do is convince me you’re not actually dangerous”

Chippy_Minton_2

Inactive wrote: »

Actually that is a myth, the driving test only requires safe and reasonably competent driving in order to pass.

All the times I've driven in the USA i've never had to parallel park. Has the OP's husband ever had to do so? How much experience does he have on roundabouts? Not many of them in the US.

vaio wrote: »

Yep, when I did mine back in the 70s the examiner said “you don’t have to be perfect, all you have to do is convince me you’re not actually dangerous”

Things have changed abit in 30 years.

Wig

Premier wrote: »

He doesn't need to take any lessons if he already knows how to drive. Just apply for & pass the test(s).

Edit: obviously he'll need to have a car to take the test in, but this doesn't have to be a driving school car or one fitted with dual controls...just any car fitted with L plates

The correct answer.


I think he should at least get the theory test out of the way, and then if he feels confident go for the full test, if he fails, atleast he will know what areas he needs to work on.

Or have a introductory lesson and see what the instructor thinks of him.

Inactive

Chippy_Minton wrote: »

All the times I've driven in the USA i've never had to parallel park.

Parallel parking is not really different to parking in a busy store car park, now don't tell me you didn't park in a store car park in the USA.;)

Anybody that is safe and reasonably competent will have no problem passing a DSA Driving Test.

vaio

I’ve only ever driven Yank cars for the ’60 & 70s, they were the size of small ships and handled that way too.
I always assumed they had little tug cars to nudge them into parking spaces

Chippy_Minton_2

Inactive wrote: »

Parallel parking is not really different to parking in a busy store car park, now don't tell me you didn't park in a store car park in the USA.;)

Yeah you drive straight into a space large enough to park a truck.:D