I had my first driving lesson today.
That was just so cool. My feeth hurt though coz I was trying to keep them steady on the paddles and I was just too nervous..
My driving teacher was like "You've done this before! You're doing really great! you'll be a great driver!" Bet he sais that to everyone.. But it was a lot easier than I had thought. Though we were just training on this field. Next time we maybe go already in the traffic and I'm just sooo scared..
I've had now half of the theory lessons and they're cool because the teachers are just so funny.
I really love my driving teacher. We talked about dogs and stuff and he was so nice.
Our teachers say that it's most difficult to get a driving license in Finland, Norway and.. euh.. was it Holland..? I'm just curious.. how about your countries? How old do you have to be? How many theory and driving lessons do you need to take? I know that you need to be only 16 in US but I don't know anything else. And from other countries I know nothing about.
In Finland we can get a driving license when we're 18 and we can start driving school 6 months earlier. Our system goes like this:
FIRST PHASE:
-20 theory lessons
-30 driving lessons (30 x 50 mins)
-THEORY TEST
(you can do this on your 18th birthday or after it, not before)
-DRIVING TEST
(this is from 45 to 60 mins. you drive around and your teacher has his/her pen and is making marks all the time on how you're doing
*yaiks*)
If you get past these two you'll get a short termined driving license. This will do for the next two years. During these two years yo need to go threw middle phase.
MIDDLE PHASE:
(this takes from one and a half from two years. you should practise on your own during this period)
SECOND PHASE:
During this phase you'll go to the driving school again (for just a couple of times) and they check how you are doing. Then they'll help you with any problems you may have and then they will teach you more about driving in the dark or when it's slippery.
-DRIVING IN THE DARK
(They'll teach you especially how to use the lights when facing some one or going past someone and stuff like that. You'll be practising in a closed area or in an area that has just a little of traffic)
After that you'll (finally!!) get a real driving license, which will do till you're 70. After that the police can give you another one for five years at a time.
THIRD PHASE:
This is something that is currently under construction. It's meant for the old people.
So.. that was the very complicated system of how to get a driving license in Finland. Now tell me yours.
[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: Fazerina ]