As I think I posted earlier, my U.S. license accounted for absolutely nothing in Ireland. I was treated a clueless 18 year old with no driving experience. I had to start with the theory test, a multiple choice test taken on a computer. After a month or so, I was able to check out the driving manual from the library, as well as the CD with practice tests.
I studied for another month, with FABJ's help. She quickly learned that anytime I asked her a driving question, the answer was no. For example:
Me: "FABJ, can you park on a double-yellow line?"
FABJ: "No!" (with enthusiasm and a smile)
I passed the test, missing one question (still don't know which one). At which point, I then had to get my eyes tested to show that I could see well enough to drive. That took another two weeks to get an appointment, but fortunately I passed that test as well.
Next step is to take 12 EDTs (Essential Driving Training) i.e. driving lessons, with a certified instructor. Fortunately, in June, I saw that one of the other parents at FABJ's school was a driving instructor. So I wrote down his number and called him up.
He was an excellent instructor. Jay is South African (of Indian descent) but has lived in Ireland for the past 12 or so years. He was very calm (as you'd expect from a driving instructor), and I think he enjoyed the ability to chat during the lessons. However, I must say that I learned a lot in these lessons, as I didn't have a lot of experience with a manual transmisson before. And I wasn't used to driving on the left. So, although I was very annoyed at spending so much money and time on the lessons, I learned a bunch.
I finished my 12th and final lesson at the beginning of March. I applied on-line for the test. Then, I called the number Jay gave me to ask (he suggested all sorts of potential excuses) if there had been a cancellation. Indeed, there was one for the following week. I later figured out why - it was at the time that school let out for the Easter break. Fortunately, FABJ's school had after care that day, so I didn't need to beg her grandparents to pick her up.
Test day arrived, and it was miserable. "Bucketing" rain, as they say here. And very cold - mid to high 30s (5 degrees celsius). I had hoped to take the car to a gas station to vacuum and clean it (Jay said it helps). Instead, I spent 20 minutes in the car trying to wipe it down and clean it. It does look better.
I was quite nervous for the test - the pass rate is under 50 percent. But my instructor was very nice and low key. My wife told me that the odds were in my favor as a native English-speaker with clearly lots of driving experience. Indeed, I made one mistake on the test, one that Jay said in one of my lessons was an automatic fail. So I was nervous after the lesson when he said that we'd go back to his office and discuss the test. I passed - in fact, that one mistake was the only thing he marked against me. You can have up to 7 such marks and still pass.
I spent the rainy afternoon getting to and from the motor vehicle office to apply for my license. I am very excited. I don't have to keep driving the girls to school to practice my driving technique. For example, I was quite excited that I did not drive today (Monday).
I'll get my license in the mail in about 4 weeks (I have a temporary one for now). Ireland just now started using credit-card (or U.S.-like) licenses rather than bulky and annoying "books" that are more like passports (but made of flimsy paper).
I studied for another month, with FABJ's help. She quickly learned that anytime I asked her a driving question, the answer was no. For example:
Me: "FABJ, can you park on a double-yellow line?"
FABJ: "No!" (with enthusiasm and a smile)
I passed the test, missing one question (still don't know which one). At which point, I then had to get my eyes tested to show that I could see well enough to drive. That took another two weeks to get an appointment, but fortunately I passed that test as well.
Next step is to take 12 EDTs (Essential Driving Training) i.e. driving lessons, with a certified instructor. Fortunately, in June, I saw that one of the other parents at FABJ's school was a driving instructor. So I wrote down his number and called him up.
He was an excellent instructor. Jay is South African (of Indian descent) but has lived in Ireland for the past 12 or so years. He was very calm (as you'd expect from a driving instructor), and I think he enjoyed the ability to chat during the lessons. However, I must say that I learned a lot in these lessons, as I didn't have a lot of experience with a manual transmisson before. And I wasn't used to driving on the left. So, although I was very annoyed at spending so much money and time on the lessons, I learned a bunch.
I finished my 12th and final lesson at the beginning of March. I applied on-line for the test. Then, I called the number Jay gave me to ask (he suggested all sorts of potential excuses) if there had been a cancellation. Indeed, there was one for the following week. I later figured out why - it was at the time that school let out for the Easter break. Fortunately, FABJ's school had after care that day, so I didn't need to beg her grandparents to pick her up.
Test day arrived, and it was miserable. "Bucketing" rain, as they say here. And very cold - mid to high 30s (5 degrees celsius). I had hoped to take the car to a gas station to vacuum and clean it (Jay said it helps). Instead, I spent 20 minutes in the car trying to wipe it down and clean it. It does look better.
I was quite nervous for the test - the pass rate is under 50 percent. But my instructor was very nice and low key. My wife told me that the odds were in my favor as a native English-speaker with clearly lots of driving experience. Indeed, I made one mistake on the test, one that Jay said in one of my lessons was an automatic fail. So I was nervous after the lesson when he said that we'd go back to his office and discuss the test. I passed - in fact, that one mistake was the only thing he marked against me. You can have up to 7 such marks and still pass.
I spent the rainy afternoon getting to and from the motor vehicle office to apply for my license. I am very excited. I don't have to keep driving the girls to school to practice my driving technique. For example, I was quite excited that I did not drive today (Monday).
I'll get my license in the mail in about 4 weeks (I have a temporary one for now). Ireland just now started using credit-card (or U.S.-like) licenses rather than bulky and annoying "books" that are more like passports (but made of flimsy paper).
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