I got a notice in the mail from the DMV that because of my age i needed to renew my liscnses to drive in the state of California... So I stopped by the DMV and picked up their newest Drivers hand book and motorcycle book
I read through it about 3 times cover to cover but it does not tell you what the laws are now it talks to you like a friend saying what you should do in certain siduations.... in other words impossable to figure out what the laws are now
....so I went and took the test and failed both the drivers test and the motorcycle test.... there were questions in there that I had no idea what the answer was... and I decided that the only way you would pass that test was to memorize each book ! and the booklet has grown from a small booklet that stated the laws when I was a kid to a story book of well over 100 pages...for each of them....
so out of desperation I looked on line for a cheat sheet for the test and I found some imediately.... paid $9.00 each for the drivers test and I studied it....
then I went and took the drivers test again . I made the mistake and took it on the computer there and there was about 90 questions and all new and of course I failed to pass it again.... so the gal at the desk said well you have one more chance did you want to take it again ? I said yes and I want to take the written test... which I did.... and I passed it finally, barely.... but I passed
...I think she said you can miss 5 and still pass and I missed 4 and that was on the car test the motorcycle test I failed I missed one too many
so I went back on line and got the cheat sheet for the motorcycle portion of the test too....
.... Now I have to pay $41.00 again and then I can take my test again.($41.00 for 3 tries)
the problem as I see it is not the laws but the "instructions for keeping you safe" like how they say you are supposed to lean in a corner or cross railroad tracks and get rid of tailgaters..... so the tests have gone from knowing the laws only to How they think you should ride and of course I failed the test ... I have over 50 years of riding a motorcycle under my belt
and under all weather conditions ... I do not drive into large cities I avoid them like a pleg ! so I don't think I have ever seen a car pool lane in my life
or a light rail vehicle and their tracks....
the fact that they ask many questions in the motorcycle test about where the sand and gravel acumulate on a curve is good, but it is not a law ! and asking you when you should flash your brake light when stopping is also good but it is not a law.....
so it's not a question of knowing the laws anymore you have to pass the test
and it is test taking skills.... not just knowing the law.... they even asked when you should use the high beam on your headlight, which was when there was no one around ! ... and I have to wonder how many miles that person has put on a motorcycle at night ! and on what bike !
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I found the cheat sheets out of date but they have given me an area of which to study instead of trying to memorize the entire book which is what you need to do. many new laws that half of which I didn't know existed have been in effect for years.... ear buds I new were banned but I had no idea a 17 year old could not use a hands free phone in the car.( or any electronic device) or smoking in a car with kids in it was totally illegal ! and I did hear something about child restraint law changes but nothing specific... sense I don't have a child of young age any more, I don't care !
.....
so I passed the car part but I still need to go back and take the motorcycle endorsement test and pay another $41.00 for the "privilege"
..... and folks I don't care what they call it it is not a privilege it is a God given RIGHT to drive in this state..... you can drive you cannot survive how do you get food if you can't drive.... but if it's a Right they can't take it away from you..... so it's a Privilege !
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if by chance you are thinking of taking your drivers test all I can tell you is MEMORIZE the drivers hand book cover to cover...and the Motorcycle hand book too....because it's not about the laws... it's how they want you to drive
and if you don't answer the questions right you won't be allowed to drive
you may never encounter a Light rail vehicle in your life.... but you'll find trick questions about them.... like how to pass one when there is no room
that is kind'a hard to figure out on paper but in reality it's real easy....
so sharpen up your test taking skills because these tests are extremally hard
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when I first took my drivers test at 16 or 17 years old I passed the test with ease the first time..... well they FIXED that !
hopefully next week I will take the motorcycle test again and pass it and be done with this B.S. !!!!!
.... .08 percent (BAC) that is less than 1 tenth of a percent of alcohol in your blood and you are guilty of DUI ....that is ONE drink people ! you can't feel .08%
and to loose your license's due to DUI is very very expensive, not just the fines but the mandatory IID you have to have installed on your car before you can drive again ! ...... man you are better off walking home !
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You youngins know all this already but anyone over 50 may not...I'm 70 and you have to renew your license's before your birthday at 71....so start studying now ! LOL
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Bob.....