I was just wondering if anyone has taken their drivers test in Rhode Island. I have mine on Friday, just a little bit nervous only reason being I don't want to look stupid if I fail as I have already have a UK drivers license and have been driving for over 7 years! If anyone has taken it around here, I'd appreciate any tips.

From what I have read from other posts with other states, is that you mainly do a 3 point turn and parallel parking, haven't done parallel parking in a while, but I should be ok. So I'm guessing you do those, follow the rules of the road while your driving around. 20 minutes total? sounds like to me.

If anyone else has other accounts of their test, even in a different state.

I took my test about 10 days ago in Massachusetts. The best advice I can give you is make sure you know your hand signals!

They ask you to demonstrate them before you set off and it's an automatic fail if you don't know them. After that we drove out of the test centre and turned right, then did a left turn. I then had to reverse in a straight line for about 50 feet, which was harder than I thought it would be because she wouldn't let me use my mirrors. Then it was a 3 point turn and back to the test centre. At the centre they had some cones set up for doing a parallel park into and that was the end of the test. It only took about 10 minutes in total.

Good luck.

Gillian

Where are you taking it? Homeboy was going to do his in Pawtucket, but the guy wouldn't let him because I didn't have a passenger's side mirror. Good thing, because the man was awful and he made him very nervous (was a real jerk about the language barrier instead of just being cool and realizing he wouldn't have the same level of comprehension as a native speaker). But that won't be a problem for you!

Anyway, I heard that in Pawtucket you have to back up in a straight line while keeping a very specific stance at the wheel.

But he ended up taking it in Westerley (quite a haul, but they were the only ones with a fast appointment) and just had to drive around a bit.

I haven't heard of anyone parallel parking or doing a three point turn, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Thank you guys for your replies!

Thank you English Muffin for the advice on the hand signals! I shall make sure I go over those! will practice reversing in a straight line as well!

GabachaYucateca, thank you as well! Yeah, I will be doing it in Pawtucket, in that weird Arena area, lol, is just like a parking lot, but there is signs that tell you where to stop for your drivers test. My husband took me there yesterday so we could see where I had to go on friday and we just drove around the area. Some of the roads round there are a bit confusing! I hope I don't mess anything up! The only way I could see if I was going to do parallel parking would be if we did it down a street somewhere. Glad the test seems quick though from what people have said, thank god!

There are tons of pot holes around that area too! lol

GabachaYucateca, did you have go with him in the car when he did his test? or did he just go by himself?

Did someone else have to drive you there? and have some one else with you besides the examiner, because you only have a learners permit at that time?

I live in MA. They never tested my on hand signals. I guess it depends on how stuck up the state trooper is.

i'm glad I stumbled upon this post. i just got here in RI a month ago and planning to take my driving test soon too

A state trooper didn't take me for my test, it was an examiner at the RMV.

Hi! thats cool! where abouts in Rhode Island are you?

Thats different, a state trooper, as the examiner?

Now I'm really curious about this. Where in Massachusetts did you have a State Trooper take you for your driving test? My husband has lived here his entire life and has never heard of it, as far as he's concerned it's always done by an RMV examiner.

Gillian

depends where you live

i lived in New Bedford...they had a state trooper doing the exam...also in fall river too....I don't know where your husbands live

I lived here my entire life as well.

Well, you live and learn.

You sure do

Hey Lisax....we live in Warwick...what about you?

Actually, the examiner was a jerk, as I mentioned. Because my husband only speaks English as a Second language, I did the initial communication. He abruptly said, "You can't be in the car. If he doesn't understand my commands, we won't even leave the lot."
Yeah, that arena is very strange...I live and work in that 'hood and never even noticed it.

I took my first driver's test in Attleboro and it was with a DMV examiner...never seen a Statie doing it!

In Warwick too! not far from Tollgate High School.

My husband is coming with me to the drivers test, but he can't be in the car with me during the test?

wow!!! really? that's quite near us...we're in Royal Crest Estates

Hmm...If you never seen a Statie doing it, then now you know there are cities in MA that Statie are used as examiners. To begin with, that is how I got my license. Not by a DMV examiner. This was the year I went to college. Other people had Statie do it too. It depends on where you live. I'm not someone who hallucinated, don't play ignorance that just because you had a DMV rep do your exam, no other entity could've done it.

Anyway, I do hate RI drivers crossing into I-195 east torwards NEW BEDFORD. They sure drive weird. Sometime it says 55 mph on Rte 6, and they drive 30 mph instead. Most times on the freeway, esp on I-195 in MA, they drive their usual RI speed limit of 55 mph instead of th MA 65 mph. These are the RIslander who drive on 24 North from Newport, Middletown, and Tiverton. Weird drivers! Seth McFarlen (Family Guy Writer) loves to make fun of them.

Most definitely not! Best of luck! I'm sure you'll do wonderfully.



You must chill! I simply stated that I'd never seen a statie do a driving test. Nowhere did I state that I did not believe it was done since I'd never seen it. That would be ridiculous.

I took mine in 1985,when I got my license for the first time.You won't fail,it's a piece of cake.

I think in general you should be prepared for anything as they could ask you to do it all.

That said, I took my DL test in Rhode Island a few months ago (I am the USC but have been living abroad for a long time), and I was totally nervous they were going to ask me to parallel park, do hand signals, etc. So I practiced like crazy for the month I was in the states (which is like the only time i was able to practice since I am almost never in the states). Anyway, I have to say I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get to show off my excellent parallel parking that I practiced so much at. But honestly, I was shocked at how little I did. We drove about 3 blocks, made ONLY right turns. I had only two stop signs and then was asked to back straight up in a line and that was ALL. The whole thing was less than 10 minutes and it was so quick I thought I must have done something really wrong. But he told me everything was fine and that maybe I should stop for longer at the stop sign.. or something like that.. honestly I think he didn't care at all and just wanted the whole thing to hurry up so he had to say I did something wrong.. .because who gets a perfect score?

So yeah. In my experience, Rhode Island is the strangest of states and generally not the most rigid when it comes to laws. Its a strange state I think....

Anyway, of course you should practice everything safe drivers are better for everyone! But if you have been driving for years in the UK I don't think you should have a problem, just make sure you don't drive on the left side of the road!

Good luck!

Its true! They do drive strangely. Actually, I don't know where it was but I saw some research on the worst drivers in america (they did a massive survey of drivers in every state) and found that RI drivers were the worst in America.... and I really wasnt surprised.

The thing about RI is that its so small that I think people their feel like family, so most people drive like everyone is friends... which is all good, except that they will often stop their car and let a bunch of people pass or enter when they clearly have the right of way. I get very confused when I stop at a four way stop AFTER someone else has stopped and they wave me thru. Has anyone else noticed this? Also RI drivers don't usually know how to use a turn lane and instead they cut straight across it when turning. Also very weird.

I hope no RIlanders get offended I love the state... but it is a bit odd compared to the other states I have lived in.


oh! Here it is: http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Insura...car/P151501.asp

I love RI, inlaws live in Middletown, always look forward going up there in the summer and occasionally in the winter. Always have to stop at the Creamery!!

Hi!

Thank you, I really appreciate your account on what happened on your test. I think I'm prepared, as I said I've been driving a while, I haven't really practiced much parallel parking, but if I'm asked I will try my best. But from what you've said and what I've heard from other people, the test is easy peasy, I'm sure I'll be fine!

Thank you again!



ooh yes! love the creamery!

No offense taken! I remember when that study came out, and people were perversely proud of that designation of worst drivers. In the year following, I beleive RI dropped from #1 to #3.

Actually, I can't quite say that I'm a RI driver, as I grew up in Seekonk and just recently finally changed my license over to RI.

I don't know if it's in all of New England, but the most terrifying part about driving here is that people constantly screw through yellow lights, and are even still going through when it's decidedly red.

I'm not familiar with that phrase you used...turn lane? What's that?

Hah hah! You are right a true RIlander would probably go straight through the yellow light UNLESS a friend was in the intersection. In which case, he/she would let him/her go first.

Although now that I have been living in Georgia (Rep.) for the last few years, I think my idea of good driving is seriously skewed as drivers out here are by far the absolute worst drivers I have encountered pretty much anywhere in the world. Nobody uses turn signals here, and i am pretty sure that even using one could be considered a sign of weakness....

PASSED! hehe, I passed the drivers test! woohoooo! eh couldn't have been anymore easier! the test literally lasted 5 minutes! I did a few left turns, a few right turns, thats it! no reversing back, 3 point turns, just driving around for 5 mins! hehe, soo glad that is done!

Thank you for all your helps guys! I appreciate all of your advice!

CONGRATULATIONS!

YAY!!!!!!! Thanks!!