Could I See Your Picture ID Sir?
Just like Hazel I too have recently become a fully fledged Illinois driver, and at last I have my "Picture ID" which in itself is almost more valuable than it's proper purpose. You need a picture ID for everything from picking up your tickets at the will call (ticket office for the Brits) of any sporting or theatrical venue; you need when renting a car, drinking in a bar or buying liquor in the supermarket, because apparently I look younger than 21 (not) but then so did the 80 year old guy in the grocery store (supermarket for the Brits) queue next to me!
The test itself was pretty straight forward, although, given that I have not taken a driving test in 20 years, I was a little apprehensive. I had already cancelled it at least once for taking delivery of our furniture. Not that you have to actually book it, you just show up at the test centre with your documents, old licence, insurance, brain, etc. Taking advice from Hazel, I turned up 20 minutes early and there was indeed a queue already of about 10 people.
Once the doors open, it is a "themed" multi stage process.
Get in line for the reception desk to check your documentation - take a number
The guy basically ensures you have all the appropriate documentation before you start the application process. I suppose this is a good thing b'cos you don't want to start the rest only to get turned away part way through. Take a number from him, which adds you to one of about 3 or 4 lines depending on if you are a first timer, revisit, renewing, etc
Get in line with your number for your official application and vision test
Whilst sitting in the waiting area, I was watching the various people to see who seemed the nicest, who might be most likely to have a sense of humour if I made any silly UK mistakes, etc. There were 3 people on duty at that portion of the process. A fairly non desript woman, seemed personable enough, but efficient and thorough; a really nice sounding guy, laughing and joking with his customers, friendly, outgoing, you get the picture; and lastly a 100 year old dragon who was barking her questions to her customers, one word commands Weight....Eyes.....Hair, etc I could almost see Selma and Patti giving Homer a hard time (scroll down to the Patti, Selma & Homer conversation)
Guess who I got! Tried to crack a few jokes when I was being interrogated by her, Hair, well mostly none, you know the kind of thing, very Chandleresque, to no avail. However I did count myself lucky to get through the process, and be passed to the cashier to pay my money.
Get in line to pay the cashier the massive $10 fee
Have you spotted the theme yet? Fortunately turning up early, none of the lines are more than a few people long. I paid the cashier the paltry sum of $10, for the potential privilege of being allowed to drive on the roads of Illinois, yup at this stage you still don't know if you will actually get a licence, but you still have to pay!
Get in line for the "written" test, actually on a touch screen
I was lucky, they have several of the test stations for the written test, and most of them were free, so I got straight on one. Having only spent about two hours studying the night before, I thought I might struggle with this, although most of the signs are the same and it is pretty much common sense. Some of the questions are really a bit lame, like what does this shape of sign mean (without the appropriate text displayed on it), which would never happen, EG the 8 sided stop sign, in red but without stop written on it, which I have never seen in real life! Others are specifically written to try to confuse you, so you have to read them carefully. 28 questions later....surprisingly I passed with 100%
Get in line to take the actual driving test
When you are done with the written test, you get to take your vehicle round to the next line, around the back of the building. Again I was lucky, no-one else was in front of me. I was a little worried b'cos Todd told me that they might be unhappy with the straight pipes on the truck, and question their legality. When you take the test, the vehicle has to be completely legal, they check the horn, all the lights, the indicators, brake lights, etc. So here I am sitting with the engine running, cos I definitely don't want to start it up in their presence, and who should walk out but Selma or was it Patti?
Out of the test centre, turn right onto the main road, try not to speed. Selma says: "Get up to speed sir, this is a 45 limit!"
Move over to the left to turn at the intersection, stop at the lights, put the handbrake on, car in park. Selma says: "What are you doing?"; Gordy; "In the UK we have to secure our vehicle at all intersections"; Selma: "You're not in the UK now, do it the way we do!" Maybe Selma wasn't so bad after all. So the rest of the day it was simply press down on the brake at any junction
A few turns, stop signs, parking manoeuvres and all of 15 minutes later, I was back on the parking lot at the test centre.
Get in line to have you picture taken.
Last line of the morning to have my picture taken, put on my licence and my licence produced and given to me right there and then. It only took 10 minutes and I was done. Try getting a licence out of Swansea in that time.
All in all the process only took about an hour, but I am sure glad I went there early, as when I left, every line was building big time. Thankfully it also means that I no longer have to carry my passport for ID, although I went to two different liquor stores that afternoon and they didn't even ask, maybe I was looking older after the test!
The test itself was pretty straight forward, although, given that I have not taken a driving test in 20 years, I was a little apprehensive. I had already cancelled it at least once for taking delivery of our furniture. Not that you have to actually book it, you just show up at the test centre with your documents, old licence, insurance, brain, etc. Taking advice from Hazel, I turned up 20 minutes early and there was indeed a queue already of about 10 people.
Once the doors open, it is a "themed" multi stage process.
Get in line for the reception desk to check your documentation - take a number
The guy basically ensures you have all the appropriate documentation before you start the application process. I suppose this is a good thing b'cos you don't want to start the rest only to get turned away part way through. Take a number from him, which adds you to one of about 3 or 4 lines depending on if you are a first timer, revisit, renewing, etc
Get in line with your number for your official application and vision test
Whilst sitting in the waiting area, I was watching the various people to see who seemed the nicest, who might be most likely to have a sense of humour if I made any silly UK mistakes, etc. There were 3 people on duty at that portion of the process. A fairly non desript woman, seemed personable enough, but efficient and thorough; a really nice sounding guy, laughing and joking with his customers, friendly, outgoing, you get the picture; and lastly a 100 year old dragon who was barking her questions to her customers, one word commands Weight....Eyes.....Hair, etc I could almost see Selma and Patti giving Homer a hard time (scroll down to the Patti, Selma & Homer conversation)
Guess who I got! Tried to crack a few jokes when I was being interrogated by her, Hair, well mostly none, you know the kind of thing, very Chandleresque, to no avail. However I did count myself lucky to get through the process, and be passed to the cashier to pay my money.
Get in line to pay the cashier the massive $10 fee
Have you spotted the theme yet? Fortunately turning up early, none of the lines are more than a few people long. I paid the cashier the paltry sum of $10, for the potential privilege of being allowed to drive on the roads of Illinois, yup at this stage you still don't know if you will actually get a licence, but you still have to pay!
Get in line for the "written" test, actually on a touch screen
I was lucky, they have several of the test stations for the written test, and most of them were free, so I got straight on one. Having only spent about two hours studying the night before, I thought I might struggle with this, although most of the signs are the same and it is pretty much common sense. Some of the questions are really a bit lame, like what does this shape of sign mean (without the appropriate text displayed on it), which would never happen, EG the 8 sided stop sign, in red but without stop written on it, which I have never seen in real life! Others are specifically written to try to confuse you, so you have to read them carefully. 28 questions later....surprisingly I passed with 100%
Get in line to take the actual driving test
When you are done with the written test, you get to take your vehicle round to the next line, around the back of the building. Again I was lucky, no-one else was in front of me. I was a little worried b'cos Todd told me that they might be unhappy with the straight pipes on the truck, and question their legality. When you take the test, the vehicle has to be completely legal, they check the horn, all the lights, the indicators, brake lights, etc. So here I am sitting with the engine running, cos I definitely don't want to start it up in their presence, and who should walk out but Selma or was it Patti?
Out of the test centre, turn right onto the main road, try not to speed. Selma says: "Get up to speed sir, this is a 45 limit!"
Move over to the left to turn at the intersection, stop at the lights, put the handbrake on, car in park. Selma says: "What are you doing?"; Gordy; "In the UK we have to secure our vehicle at all intersections"; Selma: "You're not in the UK now, do it the way we do!" Maybe Selma wasn't so bad after all. So the rest of the day it was simply press down on the brake at any junction
A few turns, stop signs, parking manoeuvres and all of 15 minutes later, I was back on the parking lot at the test centre.
Get in line to have you picture taken.
Last line of the morning to have my picture taken, put on my licence and my licence produced and given to me right there and then. It only took 10 minutes and I was done. Try getting a licence out of Swansea in that time.
All in all the process only took about an hour, but I am sure glad I went there early, as when I left, every line was building big time. Thankfully it also means that I no longer have to carry my passport for ID, although I went to two different liquor stores that afternoon and they didn't even ask, maybe I was looking older after the test!
Comments
Congrats on being an official US driver. You're right, you can't do anything without a picture ID over here, and if you were to show a UK drivers license, you'd just get an extremely queer look! ("What's this? A piece of paper?")
One more interesting (to me at least *grin*) sidenote: We dont do revision over here ... that was a new term to me, when I was over in the UK. It's just 'studying' in the US.