DRIVING LICENSE

[MRS. GRAVESTEY]

Hi all,

 

I am now here in Michigan and would like to start with my driving course and take note i am just a beginner. What steps should i must do or prepare to apply driving? PLeaseeee share any ideas guys and i appreciate in advance any help i could get, thank you.

[dnoblett]

1. Get an SSN, virtually all states require SSN before issuing a learner's permit.
2. Have evidence of lawful presence, your passport with I-551 notation should serve this, however if they don't like they will want to see a green-card.
3. Study for a written test to get the permit.
4. Practice driving with the learner's permit, with your spouse as a passenger.
5. Take a road test to get your license

http://www.michigan.gov/sos

 

Also note: If and when you visit the DMV, if they ask you if you want to register to vote, you are NOT a US citizen, so as such should decline that, until if and when you naturalize and become a US Citizen.

[MRS. GRAVESTEY]

 

1. Get an SSN, virtually all states require SSN before issuing a learner's permit.
2. Have evidence of lawful presence, your passport with I-551 notation should serve this, however if they don't like they will want to see a green-card.
3. Study for a written test to get the permit.
4. Practice driving with the learner's permit, with your spouse as a passenger.
5. Take a road test to get your license

http://www.michigan.gov/sos

 

Also note: If and when you visit the DMV, if they ask you if you want to register to vote, you are NOT a US citizen, so as such should decline that, until if and when you naturalize and become a US Citizen.

Thank you for the quick response Dan. I will show this to my husband later...

[dnoblett]

A SSN card should arrive in the mail a few weeks after arrival if you checked the box on the DS-230, if not then visit the SSA office and order one. If at any time in the past you had an SSN, the number will be the same, and if you lost it, you can order a replacement at SSA.

[MRS. GRAVESTEY]

A SSN card should arrive in the mail a few weeks after arrival if you checked the box on the DS-230, if not then visit the SSA office and order one. If at any time in the past you had an SSN, the number will be the same, and if you lost it, you can order a replacement at SSA.

I have a SSN already from before and still have it. Thanks

[NickF]

For what it's worth the State of Colorado won't even issue a state ID without a green card. They use the same process for drivers licenses, too. Social Security cards don't count.

[Scott@Hong]

 

 

• Get an SSN, virtually all states require SSN before issuing a learner's permit.
• Have evidence of lawful presence, your passport with I-551 notation should serve this, however if they don't like they will want to see a green-card.
• Study for a written test to get the permit.
• Practice driving with the learner's permit, with your spouse as a passenger.
• Take a road test to get your license

 

 

Item 4 should read,

4. If you want to give your spouse a heart attack, practice with your spouse as the passenger.

[dnoblett]

 

 

 

 

• Get an SSN, virtually all states require SSN before issuing a learner's permit.
• Have evidence of lawful presence, your passport with I-551 notation should serve this, however if they don't like they will want to see a green-card.
• Study for a written test to get the permit.
• Practice driving with the learner's permit, with your spouse as a passenger.
• Take a road test to get your license

 

 

Item 4 should read,

4. If you want to give your spouse a heart attack, practice with your spouse as the passenger.

 

 

I know that, I had the biggest challenge with my wife on this, in NY one of the steps is taking a class before you get a card that allows for 3 road tests, she took the class no problems, the road tests were a different matter.

 

My wife's style of learning is a route memorization thing, so she would insist that we go to the areas where the state does road tests, and practice driving in those areas, as if the inspector runs a standard route, I tried explaining they are not looking at how she handles a particular route, they are looking at how she drives the car, it's an overall skills assessment.

 

Anyway she failed two tests, and then thought I was training wrong, so she went to learn with an instructor, and again failed the road test, requiring another class to get another 3 tries.

 

I then had to keep working on her, after another two failures, she finally started getting it, and passed on her 6th road test.

 

Anyway, she has turned into a good driver from this ordeal, and in fact points out flaws when her friends are driving.

[Mick]

My experience was similar to the one Dan described. I taught Li for awhile, but after several near-misses and taking into account my weak heart, I opted out of the teaching role. She took a course with a driving instructor and passed her road test on the second try. Like most Chinese, she made a 100 on the written exam.

[ama537621]

My wife did the same thing as Dan's. She insisted that we drive around the testing area for weeks before her test. As to item #4 I was on many occasions after a driving lesson a

 

1. "Bad Man"

2. "Bad Teacher"

3. "Bad Husband"

And on 2 occasions she would not even talk to me for 4 hours. She did however choose to look at me with "that look in her eye" as she hacked up chicken with her HUGE ARSE knife that she bought at the Chinese food store.

[MRS. GRAVESTEY]

On my first visit here, he let me drive his BMW Z4 and almost crashed our neighbors house, who knew it is very fast? Hahaha...Now, he suggested for me to go to the driving school or he will get a heart attack...hahaha...

[warpedbored]

I was lucky that my wife already could drive when she came here. She just had to learn the differences of driving here vs China. Little things like not driving on the sidewalk, staying in your lane, obeying traffic lights. We did go to the DMV and follow people taking the test so she could see what things they had them do.

 

I did try to teach my ex how to drive. After nearly killing us I decided spouses shouldn't teach spouses how to drive and sent her to driving school.

[True Blue]

I did the following to help my wife learn to drive.

 

(1) I signed her up for a sample written test package for our state on the internet., Cost was about $25 and she is dirt cheap so she howled about it. But it was well worth the money. She practiced the written part of the test several hundred times and when it came time for the real exam she was very confident and only missed 1 question.

(2) We started practicing for the driving part on evenings and weekends in the local high school parking lot as no one was there. Then we moved to abandoned dirt roads with no traffic. After a few more weeks of practice, I would drive to the countryside and then pull over so she could drive with very little traffic.

(3) I labelled the controls after she would always turn on the wipers when it got dark or put on the lights when it sprinkled. That helped a lot.

(4) I would sing "Stay in your lane" to the tune of the old country song "Stand by your man" every time we went for a drive. I'd sing it over and over again. Until she was really sick of it. But it stuck - because if you stay in your lane, 50% of all potential problems fade away.

 

Good Luck and remember "Stay in your lane"!!!

 

Here is the tune your husband should use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZr0_ic1304 - you will hate him for it but it will help teach you to drive more safely!!!

 

True Blue

 

[d&z]

Im Michigan also and yes you take a written test. Then the give you a learners permit and you practice with someone driving (started in empty parking lots) till your ready to take road test. After I got my wife far enough so she was getting used to the controls and car somewhat go to a driving school. For the sake of my marriage I did and happy wife happy life ever since. Hint ,you can go to a driving school and same instructor will do state driving test also. Just look on sec of state website and find approved testing centers and most are schools too

Edited April 17, 2013 by d&z (see edit history)

[AZwolfman]

Does anybody have a link or know how to get a Chinese translation of the Nevada driver's handbook?