![]() A burdensome license test would be seen as an infringement on our fundamental human right to drive. A Declaration of Independence from public transportation is part of our national psyche. Most of our towns and cities were laid out after the invention of the automobile. To be fair to Americans, we drive big automatic cars on wide, open, straight roads, and most of our country is farmland and wilderness. I tried to endear myself to my stiff-upper-lipped examiner by noting that the driving tests in America are "a bit different". When the moment of my practical test arrived, I was a nervous wreck – though thankfully not a literal wreck. Thanks to my preparation, I passed the theory test, though my hazard perception score was hazardously low. I've taken to calling Britain's other traffic lights ruby and emerald. ![]() Oh, apparently "amber" means "yellow" in English English. At a puffin crossing, a pedestrian may be "huffin' and puffin' to get across" because there is no flashing amber light. A toucan crossing is where "two can" cross – both pedestrians and cyclists. I also had to create mnemonic devices to remember the differences between Britain's bird-name road crossings. Now that I'm older, I prefer the gentler acoustic sound of bands like Soft Verge, Central Reservation, Pelican Crossing, Gantry Sign, and Urban Clearway, though I can still dig the pop-punk energy of Double Mini Roundabout. You know, when I was a teenager I loved heavy metal bands like Kerb, Slip Road, and MOT, and punk bands like The Rising Bollards. To me, many of the terms sounded more like names for rock and folk bands. In the course of my studies I had to learn all those charming British motoring terms. (Note to American readers: AA is the British equivalent of AAA, but for some reason they don't call it the "American Automobile Association" in the UK.) Had I not watched those videos, my answer to every vehicle safety question during the real test would have been "I would call my dad and then call AA." The night before my practical test I fell asleep around 2am on my sofa with my laptop on my stomach as I watched "show me, tell me" vehicle safety tutorials. ![]() I watched countless "hazard perception" videos on YouTube. I bought the Driving Test Success DVD, watching hours of slightly awkward inside-the-car footage of UK driving lessons. I read the entire 528-page AA Complete Test book, reviewing all of its 948 multiple-choice questions. I'm a doctoral student at Cambridge, and I'm quite sure I prepared much more for my driving tests than I will for my PhD viva next year.Ī UK license is basically a PhD in driving. I began to study (or "revise" as you Brits say) in earnest. And I heard horror stories of Americans and other foreigners failing multiple times. ![]() But then I read that the large majority of UK motorists fail their first driving exam. I initially assumed the UK test was comparable to the one across the pond. ![]()
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