Whereas that's the regular driver's test here. Do your test in an automatic, can only drive an automatic and insurers view you as incompetent for having to resort to auto only and raise your premiums significantly which is just great when English car insurance is already among most expensive in the world, the penalties for not having it are high and the likelihood of being caught is high (I got pulled over for driving uninsured in the time it took for my policy to begin and then the police database to be updated with that newer info)
You can't do your driver's test in an automatic here either, unless disabled going for a special B1 licence. Strictly manual for tests, then what you choose to drive once you've got your licence is none of the DMV's business.
Well they probably shouldn't be driving a car without special setup for it then should they? I think it should be mandatory to take your driving test in a manual here, too many idiots in autos who can't drive and have a free hand for texting and driving which is disgustingly common.
I agree but I know many people (really, a lot) who have disabilities. They can't drive a manual (and to be honest a lot of people in my country are starting to ditch manuals which is sad) so they have driving aids. For example, one guy lost his right leg so they moved the gas pedal to the left (you have to redo your driving test for that of course), or they soften up the steering wheel to make it easier to turn. Those people drive because they need a car not because it's fun.
Exactly. They'll say "this government rule is so dumb" when they have to take the test then they'll buy an auto and never drive a manual again.
And that's perfectly fine. Learn to drive anything your licence allows, then drive whatever you like best. While you need to learn how to handle a manual, very little to no practice is required to drive an auto. You can well drive an automatic if you've only driven manuals before, but not the other way 'round.
The regular class D license test here was so easy I'm pretty sure I could have done it in my sleep, I don't remember it in real great detail, as I took it on my 16th birthday, but I remember that It only took about 10 minutes and I passed with flying colors, and they didnt look at the car itself for more than two seconds. The Class A CDL test was way more stringent. Not including the written test, It took about 30 minutes of driving, tight turns, city driving, U turns, Lots of reverse turns, hill starts, hill descents, and not running over curbs. Also the truck and trailer had to show DOT Certification, Insurance, and legal plates, and you had to have a set of warning triangles, roadside hazard markers, a full set of replacement bulbs, replacement fuses, two fire extinguishers, and at least 4 red flags. This is the truck I took my test with, It belongs to the company my best friend works for, but I went through it myself prior to going to the DMV. (07 Pete 389 with an ISX-15 and a 13 by the way)
I'm just saying that learning how to drive a manual doesn't necessarily make you a good driver, and it's not going to stop anybody from driving and messing with their phones. Nice truck. Only a 13 though not an 18, what does your friend's company usually haul?
Indeed. More pedals would also increase the chances of pedal misapplications, which seem to be a curiously frequent occurrence in the US...
In seriousness, steel and onions, that's not even a joke, lots of steel coils, plate steel, beams, and on quite a few occasions they'll put sidekits on the flatbeds and haul bagged onions. They do more than that, so long as it can be put on a flatbed, but by far it's mostly steel and onions. They do run those 13's over the mountains, but they usually stay in the midwest, on the east coast, and down south.
Actually no. The most common mistake is hitting the gas instead of the brake, which you can't do in a manual because you'd stall (I've never seen someone do it who wasn't already stopped). The reason they're frequent is probably mostly due to the prevalence of automatics.
Another difference in the standard class D and a class A CDL is that with the basic license doesn't really require you to know much of anything about the mechanical aspect of the vehicle, whereas with a CDL a solid third of the written test is about you being able to understand and diagnose mechanical issues, be them with the engine, turbo, trans, steering, suspension, brakes, air system, tires, electrical system, and the cooling system.
