Passing the Code de la Route test(s)

[DaveW]

I exchanged my New Hampshire license many years ago and was told that the determination of which states is down to reciprocity. So, it wasn’t really France it was individual US states.

Had no idea. So, I presume that means that a French citizen, holding a French driving license can exchange their license for a U.S. license in those named States, if they relocate to them. Meaning, they don't have to pass the State Driving license test in those States? Had no idea anything like that existed in the U.S. I thought everyone had to pass a State test before acquiring a U.S. Driving License.

Seems so. When we went to the US I had a UK driving licence and my wife had an Irish licence we both had to take the ‘test’, which was very easy, a multiple choice questionnaire. I assume there was no reciprocity twixt New Hampshire and UK/Ireland.

[Lori]

Here's an hilarious, and very accurate, account of a US Citizen wanting to get a French Driving Licence.
https://www.thelocal.fr/20210217/four-y ... -foreigner

There are several similar online accounts from Americans who've been through the process. Some are funny, some are really just meant to be informative.

They are all interesting to read (for me at least).

The U.S. process is FAR FAR simpler. And it is very hard to believe that the French drivers I often encounter would pass the current tests.

[DaveW]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... death_rate
Damn statistics

[Lori]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... death_rate
Damn statistics

France didn't rate too badly there, though it was from 2019.

[Lori]

Okay, so I passed the written test yesterday ! Yippeee !

I missed 7 out of 40 on the first test. Only missed 2 on yesterday's test. La Poste has really got this down. I chose to use a La Poste location that only allows one student in the testing room (small post office). It was much better than being 1 of 20 students all in the same room - at least for me.

Onward and upward for the driving test, which will require a few hours of classes in and of itself.. All this makes the U.S. procedure for obtaining a driving license look like a walk in the park. I mean really, it is SO convoluted here. SOOOOO many things to memorize.

[exile]

[MAD87]

Félicitations!

[Blaze]

Well done, Lori !

[DaveW]

Well done, I doubt I would pass the written test. I’m sure you’ll find the driving test easy enough.
When we first came to the South of France the standard of driving was terrible; aggressive and no respect for anybody else.

These days, at least where I live, the standard of driving is much better and that has to be down to education and application of a tested process. The road death numbers also back that up. Ironically the most agressive are the recent qualified displaying the A.

When giving my two grandsons a lift a few months ago I was almost swiped on a roundabout by a car displaying the A on the back. I did curse a bit and the boys clocked it all and wanted to know what the A meant. Unfortunately, I replied ‘Arsehole’ which brought on lots of giggles. Of course one of the little snitches told my daughter and I was duly reprimanded for bad language.

I spend a fair bit of time in the car with them (9and11 years) and of course the game now is spot the the Arsehole and give a rating.

[Hotrodder]

I passed my test in California at the age of 16 after driving under supervision 6 months before that. The test seemed incredibly easy at the time and I recall very little of what was required apart from parallel parking. I remember having to reverse into a space marked by traffic cones that was large enough to contain a Cadillac and I only had to get both ends within a foot of the kerb. I was driving something much smaller so it was a no brainer. With that piece of paper in hand, I was deemed fit to drive pretty much anything, automatic or manual, and a motorcycle of any size. Happy days.
If my UK license had not been exchangeable for a French one I wouldn't have had any chance of affording the required lessons or actually passing the test. Thankfully, Plan B would have been an option. The sans permis.