Six Months In

 

I realize I am very behind on my blog. I can credit two things for this… traveling and obsessing over the written driver’s exam.

Here in Germany you have to obtain a German driver’s license within six months of arriving. Up until that time your US license is fine. Like everything else here it is a process. 

First you have your licenses “translated”. For some states they give it back accompanied by a German license, others need to take a written exam, and still others (NJ being one of the states) you have to get a translation, take a six hour first aide course (taught in German), an eye test (which I failed the first time), written exam, lessons behind the wheel, and then the behind the wheel exam. Let me add the lessons and exam are in a manual transmission car even if you have an automatic. As you can see this is not a quick thing. So now we have a car and we have been in country more than six months. It is sitting in the garage at this point.

I passed the written test yesterday, April 17^th)!!!! I put in more hours of studying than I would like to admit. The test is multiple choice, but there can be one, two, or three answers. They do us an English version, but it is British English so the translations are sometimes a bit tricky. The bank of questions is about 1000 and you really need to go through all of them because they are varied, some absurd, and technical. There are questions about catalytic converters, servo brakes, ABS systems, towing limitations, tire pressures, and fuel economy, as well as the regular rules of the road. 

Now you have to understand there are rules for everything here, so road rules are plenty, specific, and at times odd.  It is an experience all its own. Hopefully I will get the driving done in the next week and get it all over with.  There have been Americans fail the written and behind the wheel so nothing is a given even with 40 years driving experience.  Wish me luck! Bob hopes to take the written test next week.