View Full Version : Learning To Drive?
Vyndree
01-13-2009, 07:51 PM
Well, I blundered about the web for about an hour and couldn't find answers to some questions, so here is as good a place to ask as any.
If you are familiar with WA state laws, that's particularly useful...
I don't drive.
I'm 23.
I've never taken Driver's ed.
I have never been behind the wheel of a car in my life.
I have been told that the brake in the car is "the bigger one" of the pedals. This concludes my knowledge of cars.
I never really wanted to learn to drive, but I figure it might be useful, particularly since we're planning on moving soon and it'd be nice to get TWO cars full of stuff moved rather than just one at a time.
In any case, it would be NICE to get both a car and a license within the next couple months. If it's not possible, it's not like I'm in a hurry, but if I can learn to drive before we start moving, that would be awesome.
Ok, so here are the list of questions:
Can I buy a car without a license? Could it actually be titled to me? (Suvega will not let me TOUCH his car, particularly not for learning, so I am stuck buying my own to learn in)
Can you get insurance for a car without a license?
Can you reasonably learn to drive in 1-2 months?
Norrin
01-13-2009, 08:10 PM
Funny that this would be my first post on this forum and not a hi or someother appropriate message.
Anyway, to answer your questions.
1. No you there is no requirment of a license for the purchase of a vehicle in the state of Washington.
Quoted from http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/transfertitle.html
Information you’ll need:
The date of the sale or transfer.
Your name and address.
The name and address of the person the vehicle was sold or transferred to.
The vehicle identification number (VIN).
The vehicle license plate number.
2. Not 100% possitive but you should be able to get insurance on a vehicle without a license. You still to insure a vehicle even if you dont plan of driving it.
3. 1 month should be plenty of time to learn how to drive an automatic and feel somewhat comfortable with it. Learning the laws and the basics of the actual car is fairly easy, its the getting comfortable part that takes sometime.
I to am in Wa if you need any help.
Coltimar
01-13-2009, 08:21 PM
1) No. Because of answer 2. You can get insurance without a license and you can't buy a car without insurance.
2) No. See above.
3) Certainly. You have a few options. The first thing to do is get your learners permit. It's a written test. BE SURE TO STUDY! From everything I have seen of you on these forums you seems quite intelligent, but it isn't a common sense type of quests. Especially in WV (KY, IN and OH too), there are some odd laws that you will thinks are bizarre but they will appear on the test.
The best way to learn to drive is to be tutored. Family and friends would be a good option typically, since they are usually free ^^, but if that isn't working you can take classes. The trouble with this method obviously is cost. Once you have a learners permit you can, usually (depending on the company), get insured. The trouble is that it is generally quite expensive to go that route. Being that you are a non-traditional driver (i.e. you aren't just tacked on your parents insurance), and you don't have a vehicle that you could get added onto (I don't think you can get added onto Survega's policy) you might have to go the driving school route :/
All of this is based on personal experience with insurance companies and insuring vehicles in Kentucky, Alaska and South Dakota so it might be older information or may be slightly different in WV.
Coltimar
01-13-2009, 08:29 PM
There are a couple states that I have found that don't require a license to buy a car, but you wind up with the same net result as if they did because you have to have a license (or permit) to insure, and in most cases register, the vehicle. It all comes down to money. If you own a car without a license someone isn't getting paid.
If you have to take drivers ED it's about as hands-on as sex ED...
And for the learners permit that Coltimar mentioned, the test isn't hard at all. I live in OH one of the states mentioned and I passed without even looking at the study book thingy, but there are some really weird "why isn't that a law" type questions.
elsegundo
01-13-2009, 09:00 PM
first get your permit. this will allow you to "learn" to drive with an instructor. cheap instructors charge about $20/hr. and you will need at least 6 hours in instructor-assisted training to actually be decent in driving.
if you dont have a car by the time you take you driving test, use the instructor's car. make sure you schedule your 6th hour driving training right before your driving test so everything will be fresh in your head. if you use an instructor's car, a good one will usually have appointments lined up under fake names so you can just pick whichever time you want. there is usually a fee for using the instructors car on your test.
if you buy a car off the lot, yes, they usually will require insurance.
if you buy a car from a private seller (lil joe heading off to marines and doesnt need his car anymore) you can drive without anything. just dont get caught. make sure you know how to drive by then!!!
if you cant spend money on driving training, then im sorry but you'll have to take suvega's car while he's asleep or something. lol jk.
NevadaGuy
01-13-2009, 09:13 PM
In response:
1. Call your nearest motor vehicle office and ask them.
2. Call several insurance companies and ask them.
3. Look into the requirements for getting a learner's permit, it should be on line at your local motor vehicle department. Some states require a learners permit and a set number of hours behind the wheel with a qualified driver. Can you you learn that fast? Well, you can multibox so hopefully that takes care of being able to do more than one thing at a time and I don't mean talk on the cel, do your makeup and drive :) To feel comfortable and safe you would need to do a lot of driving. Make sure you buy an automatic. Get a friend to take you to a BIG parking lot and just drive circles to start, both directions. Look into a professional driving instruction, tho I think a friend with the correct mindset can teach you. I taught my 2 sons, but it was over the course of maybe 6 months and maybe 50 hours behind the wheel.
Good luck and stay safe.
Klamor
01-13-2009, 10:51 PM
i dono what the rules are in WA, but in MA, you can take the driver's test for your license without a permit if you are over 18... which in your case is true
-silencer-
01-13-2009, 10:57 PM
Ok, so here are the list of questions:
Can I buy a car without a license? Could it actually be titled to me? (Suvega will not let me TOUCH his car, particularly not for learning, so I am stuck buying my own to learn in)
Can you get insurance for a car without a license?
Can you reasonably learn to drive in 1-2 months?
Yes, driving is particularly useful, even if you're a city-liver.
1. You'll have to check WA-specific laws, but I know people who have bought a car without a license (one was 15 without even a permit, the other had a license suspended for a year). However, getting a loan may be an issue as you're required to have full collision insurance and some insurers want proof of the driver's history/record. If you have cash (or credit card), you can purchase a car as easy as walking into a grocery store. Then you'll just need to get insurance and take the title to the registration office for a tag. You need proof of insurance before getting the car registered. Don't buy a car with manual transmission - get an automatic since they're MUCH easier to drive. Every car I've owned has been a manual, and every car I've rented has been an automatic.
2. I'm pretty sure some companies are out there, but I know mine doesn't insure without a valid license.
3. Yes, but it'll take practice, respect, and confidence.
Practice by starting in an empty parking lot, preferably deserted with no concrete parking bumps. That's how high school driver's ed works. Practice stopping, starting acceleration, cornering, using your mirrors, etc. Use the parking space lines as if they were lanes on the road - stay between the lines. Once you're confident with that, move on to lower-speed and low-traffic roads. Pay attention to keeping the car in the middle of the lane, and be aware of how long it'll take you to stop if something jumps in front of you (like a kid!). Only when you're ready, after a couple weeks of low-speed driving, move on to the highways. Stay confident and don't suddenly change lanes. Always check your mirrors and your "blind spot" (the area just to the back left and back right of the car) by peeking out a window before changing lanes. Don't get too close to the person in front of you - you want to be able to stop in case they hit their brakes hard. If you hit them, it's your fault, regardless of how quickly they stopped. If someone gets on your ass, don't speed up - they'll eventually move around you. You can learn to drive in a week if you do it for a few hours every night. It's not hard, especially with an automatic. Brake slows you down. Accelerator speeds you up. Steering wheel turns you left and right. That's it.
Tasty
01-13-2009, 11:00 PM
Its all about the confidence :)
Coltimar
01-14-2009, 12:10 AM
Its all about the confidence :)QFT. I drove for years before I was old enough and never got caught because I lived on a farm and was comfortable driving. My first job on the farm was driving the truck pulling the hay wagon. Age 8, lol.
Vyndree
01-14-2009, 01:14 AM
The ironic thing is that I had a permit when I was 19 or 20 and never ended up using it... Just got too busy with college. So I know I can do the written test just fine and get the learner's permit (which I'd like to get, particularly since I have no clue how to drive).
My bigger concern is the "chicken and the egg" -- if you need a license to get a car, but need a car to learn to drive and get a license... which comes first?
I can try calling a few auto insurance companies and see what they say... Suvega offered to buy the car in his name and under his insurance, and then xfer the title to me after I get my license, but there's a tax for changing ownership of a car and it just seems silly to pay when it's really my car in the first place. I'm not planning on flunking any driver tests, so the "no license" thing would just be temporary... Hopefully some insurance company can work with that.
I figure if I can multibox, I can learn to drive... It's just the matter of getting a car to learn in... And I wince even imagining taking a driver's ed class with a bunch of 15-year olds.
If svegua is older than yourself than why change the ownership at all?
In australia your insurance goes down for persons aged over 25. And even moreso depending on how long they have been driving.
Just get him to put your name down as a driver of the car on the insurance paperwork. Once you get your Learners anyway.
suicidesspyder
01-14-2009, 02:04 AM
Well in connecticut i know they changed the law again. You need to have insurance now to even get behind the wheel at all. So even for student drivers they need to be on an insurance plan of their own or parents. This is to cover them incase of an accident. Yes you can buy your own car and all but need someone with a license to drive it off the lot same as a motorcycle but not sure about other states. So like said before call insurance companies and dmv and find out from them what they have to say. Always go by them not by us lol we all have different rules and statutes from state to state. So only 100 percent right answer comes from insurance companies and dmv. But with driving get your learners permit insurance on it practice to drive with your other half in the car, then get a drivers ed book to read over maybe dmv might have one. After you feel comfy goto get your training from driver instructor then take drivers written and driving portion pass= license. Then to dmv take your pic recieve your license make sure your car is there and drive it home woot.
Vyndree
01-14-2009, 02:20 AM
If svegua is older than yourself than why change the ownership at all?
We aren't married.
By owning my own car I'm building credit and equity. We already have to jump through funny hoops on our home purchase because we're not married. :P
In australia your insurance goes down for persons aged over 25. And even moreso depending on how long they have been driving.
Just get him to put your name down as a driver of the car on the insurance paperwork. Once you get your Learners anyway.
If I own a car, can Suvega insure it you think? Even if he doesn't own the title?
Although Suvega's still only 24... I'm only a year younger.
I'm not planning on driving illegally, I just want to own the car I learn on so that I'm the one responsible for any damages.
keyclone
01-14-2009, 03:55 AM
if you are looking to learn, here are a few thoughts:
o playing a driving game with a steering wheel (think old arcade, free-standing, sit-in style boxes) can help a little on hand-eye coordination and foot controls (really, i remember seeing studies on this in the 80s)
o if you are thinking of buying a car to learn with... get a 'beater'. something you don't care too much about, but will protect you and function properly. it should last 6+ months, be functional, and be safe. you should be able to find one for $500 (recommend: automatic transmission)
o put both yourself and suvega on your insurance (its not for your car repairs... more for other cars/people)
o when you get the car, have suvega drive you to a LARGE, EMPTY parking lot... put you in the middle of it... then switch seats. have fun with it.
and if you are nervous about hurting the car... remember it's a beater. if it'd make you feel better, when you get it... kick one of the quarter panels hard... dent it. then you'll be less worried about hurting it. (sounds weird, but maybe growing up in the automotive field gave me a different perspective.. either that, or i'm just a bit whacked)
oh, and since you are in the NW... the first time it snows... DO NOT DRIVE. instead, have suvega take you and the beater to the big empty lot... and practice doing donuts (this was SOP for the first snow every year growing up in Boston)
once you are feeling secure with your driving... toss the junker and get a real car
and of course... you need to get something cheesy for your first beast:
http://images.hardwareandtools.com/P/u584680.jpg or http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41dppd8BUrL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
:D
edit: oh yea... we want pictures too !
Stabface
01-14-2009, 04:58 AM
OK - this is how it works in WA. To legally drive a car by yourself you are required to have 2 things:
- A drivers license.
- Proof of insurance.
It is probably possible to legally get a license without insurance but it would be difficult and not likely to happen. Proof of insurance is asked for at the DMV when you take the driving test. This could be insurance on the vehicle itself so long as you as a driver are covered under the insurance policy. For example a company vehicle insurance policy might have blanket coverage for all employees. You can get a learner's permit without insurance, though. You will need to be covered, somehow, to drive even with the other restrictions on a learner's permit.
You can get insurance without owning a car (which is called a Non-Owner Policy). This will allow you to legally - from the DMV perspective anyhow - drive any car you are otherwise legally entitled to drive. My company specifically has some salespeople covered with such a policy, as they are constantly flying around the country and rent cars, it is cheaper than getting insurance from the rental places.
You can buy (or sell) and get insurance on a car without having a license. For example a collector's car or show car that is never going to be driven on streets will still obviously have insurance on it. You will generally need / want to list some people(s) as the driver of the vehicle, though; I do not think it is a requirement but a blanket policy is likely to be very expensive. A joint policy would probably be smart here as keyclone says, even as a passenger it can afford you some extra protection in the event of an accident. But, talk to your insurance agent about this.
The vast majority if not all lending institutions will have minimum insurance requirements above and beyond what WA requires you to have, in order to get financing on a vehicle. Not an issue if you pay cash, but this is probably not a good idea.
Anyways. Here's what I'd do.
Study for the written test and get a learner's permit. This simply requires paying $, passing the written and vision test. No insurance or vehicle or anything like that.
Get insurance - either your own policy or add yourself to someone else's. This will be expensive no matter what. Sorry.
You are now legally able to drive a vehicle on the highway with the restrictions placed on the learner's permit.
Find a friend who will let you set up keybindings... I mean, sit in the driver's seat of a vehicle and become familiar with all the controls.
Or failing that, I am sure you can go to *any* car dealership -- tell them you have your permit, you're looking to get your license soon and are shopping around for cars to purchase in 30-60 days out. They will be more than happy to let you sit behind the wheel of any vehicle on the lot, paw through the owner's manual and become familiar with the vehicle.
Sign up for and take a Driver's Education class. If you pass it with less than close-to-perfect, or don't feel comfortable driving after you're done, consider taking it again!
Find someone who will let you drive their automatic-transmission car to practice. Take it easy... avoid rush hour, major highways, unfamiliar areas, that sort of thing. If Suvega's car is an automatic and he won't let you drive it at this point -- at the very least in an empty parking lot somewhere... (I bet Microsoft has one somewhere after hours / Sunday morning?) -- dump him! Just kidding ;-)
Practice parallel parking -- it's probably what the most people struggle with and I'm almost positive you'll be asked to do it during your driving test.
When you feel you are ready, bring all the required stuff to the DMV, take the driving test and get your license. If you don't pass it, DO NOT FREAK OUT. It's fairly common. Work on whatever you had trouble with and try again (I believe there is some minimum waiting period between attempts).
Throw a party & invite your friends to celebrate -- just don't drink and drive.
Good luck - it's really not difficult, you can do it!
Jafula
01-14-2009, 06:07 AM
oh, and since you are in the NW... the first time it snows... DO NOT DRIVE. instead, have suvega take you and the beater to the big empty lot... and practice doing donuts (this was SOP for the first snow every year growing up in Boston)Yeh baby! Wooooohooooo. :D
Coltimar
01-14-2009, 08:11 AM
I figure if I can multibox, I can learn to drive... Yeah, with you being a woman IRL and all, thus possessing far superior multitasking abilities, I wouldn't be surprised to see you driving 2, 3 or even 5 cars at once soon!
elsegundo
01-14-2009, 04:48 PM
buying a beater vs paying for behind-the-wheel training...
with behind the wheel training, you dont have to worry about gas, insurance, selling the thing later. costs about $200 for lessons and usage at the dmv for your test.
with buying a beater, you can practice whenever you want. costs about $500-1000.
consider getting behind the wheel training. it might seem like a lot of money, but it saves you a lot of hassle. plus, in the end, you get a license (if you pass) and you can buy whatever car you want later on.
Knobley
01-14-2009, 05:28 PM
Here are two skills that everyone who operates a motor vehicle should aquire, and that are NOT required by any law as far as I know... but they should be.
1). You should know how to and be able to change a tire. This can be particularly tough for some, since the lug bolts can be stuck on pretty tight. Still, the ability to change a tire can save lots of time and money and can even be a matter of personal safty. I never cease to be amazed that people are allowed to operate a motor vehicle without this basic skill. It's something you'll need to do only very rarely, but when the time comes, believe me, it's worth knowing, and it's not that difficult.
2). You should be able to check your fluid levels. Technically, this means oil, radiator, transmission, and brake fluids. At the very least, you should be able to check the oil. Checking the radiator should only be done when the engine is cool. NEVER UNSCREW A RADIATOR CAP WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT... NEVER EVER EVER EVER. Everyone knows that you can't drive a vehicle without gasoline, and everyone who drives knows how to tell when they are low, and how to add more. The other fluids are just important, it's just that the effect isn't as immediate if you don't bother.
I'm not suggesting that you need to be an auto mechanic. Far from it. But changing a tire, and checking fluid levels is something you should know. All the information for doing these things should be in your owner's manual, but it's far easier to just have a friend show you how.
Knobley
Gaffy
01-14-2009, 05:30 PM
Can I buy a car without a license? Could it actually be titled to me? (Suvega will not let me TOUCH his car, particularly not for learning, so I am stuck buying my own to learn in)
Yes, vehicle ownership has nothing to having a license.
Can you get insurance for a car without a license?
Yes. Insurance =/= license to drive. Although most policies have a clause about only covering licensed drivers. Basically you would have insurance on the car, but until you had at least a learners permit, you would not be covered in an accident.
Can you reasonably learn to drive in 1-2 months?
Easily, the basic mechanics of driving are simple. Just takes time to get used to paying attention, reacting appropriately, etc.
My advice would be to go get your learners permit, buy a cheaper "beater" car (less insurance cost, and if you total it out......), get insurance, and learn to drive.
Just avoid 405, I-5, 520 and 90 during rush hour. Trust me, I drive Bellevue to Tacoma every afternoon and that is NOT the best place to learn.
Bigfish
01-14-2009, 07:05 PM
Vyn, you seem to be doing everything backwards.
Step 1: Learn to Drive. You can do this in a parking lot just fine. The requirement to have a license to operate a car typically applies to "on road" driving. You should be fine if you are on private property, aka, a parking lot.
Step 2: Get License to Drive.
Step 3: Get a Car and insure it. One doesn't necesarily come before the other. You can buy a car and they won't give a flying poop if you plan on insuring it. Financing and the law will want to make sure you get it though, although they typically don't require you have it immediately. Usually just a "Do you have insurance lined up?" question, which you can say yes to. When you get the insurance policy, you will have to report who the financer is to the insurance company anyway, and they'll take care of their end of proving your are insured.
The thing to keep in mind here is that you are insuring the car, not yourself. If you want to buy a car before you get a licence or learn to drive, insure it and put Suvega or whoever will drive it home down as the primary driver (Insurance policies will ask who primarily drives the car, as well as who occasionally drives it) on the policy until you get your licence and can add yourself to it.
So I guess to sum it up, you CAN insure your car without a license. You'll just have to list someone else as the driver. Whatever order you want to go in is your business, but personal experience tells me its best to learn how to operate something before you buy it, particularly with large purchases such as cars. Wife and I bought a stick, under her insistance that she would learn to drive stick. A year later, she still hasn't learned, not from lack of wilingness, we just don't have the time to do it.
Vyndree
01-14-2009, 08:50 PM
I am a bit backwards. ;) I'm 23, after all.
I have yet to call someone about the whole buying a car, getting it insured with Jason/Suvega as the primary driver, and still having the car titled in my name so I can update the insurance later. At this point, if I can get something like that to work, that'd be ideal.
I know I can pay someone with a driver's course so I can use their car, but I'd like the freedom of being able to practice whenever it's convenient for us (i.e. evenings and weekends). And, while driving stick shift is a skill I should learn eventually, I think I'm going to stay away from that for now...
And Fur, I may end up taking you up on that offer with the home mortgage advice. We're already doing some weird stuff with the loan when we got pre-qualified, and it's mind boggling. I'll send you an e-mail. :)
elsegundo
01-14-2009, 09:37 PM
i know im not in WA, but in CA, if you dont own the car you drive or are a dependent of the owner, most people will not insure the car.
if you both are willing to co-sign for the car (if its a beater, then it shouldnt be a major issue, right?) then that would also work.
beyond-tec
01-15-2009, 05:20 AM
seems to be very complicated in the US ...
in Germany you can buy a car, own a car, getting the car titled on your name, insure the car with your name ....
even if you don't have a drivers license. You can even drive your car as long as you're doing this on your own
ground or on streets which are private property (i.e. racing courts).
Only thing you aren't allowed to do is driving on public streets when you don't have a drivers license.
what a fun topic!
buying cars on autotrader.com , paying cash then driving them unliscensed and uninsured works for millions of americans :)
For me, I got the permit, borrowed Gparents car, got a friend to sit next to me, then
backed out of driveway into neighbors parked car for $1000 damage.
I did not learn to drive till 5 years later. :cursing:
good luck!
Frosty
01-15-2009, 10:13 AM
I'm going to throw out a couple of extra tips that I assumed where common knowledge, but apparently are not taught in NY.
1. Blinkers are way more useful if you use them BEFORE you turn or BEFORE you make a lane change.
2. If there is a shiny object on the side of the road, do not come to a complete stop in the middle of the highway to look at it.
3. If there is an emergency vehicle with it's lights on and everyone is pulling over to get out of the way, it's not the right time to sneak around people you wanted to pass.
There are more, but I need coffee.
OH Yeah... "Don't drive angry"! - Bill Murray, Groundhog Day.
Skuggomann
01-15-2009, 01:17 PM
Took me 10 hrs to lern how to drive a stick shift, its np.
btw how to solve nr.1: deny him sex until you get his car = ??? = profit.
Bigfish
01-15-2009, 02:43 PM
Took me 10 hrs to lern how to drive a stick shift, its np.
btw how to solve nr.1: deny him sex until you get his car = ??? = profit.
Relationship counseling at its finest!
Knobley
01-16-2009, 12:47 PM
Took me 10 hrs to lern how to drive a stick shift, its np.
btw how to solve nr.1: deny him sex until you get his car = ??? = profit.
Relationship counseling at its finest!
Any time Skugo's comments don't have a reference to porn/masterbation/sex, a shed a single tear.
Hachoo
01-16-2009, 06:18 PM
Methinks a lot of people have not bought a car in some time.
If you pay cash for a car, no you don't need a license. If you finance a car, the bank financing it for you requires proof of insurance, and to get insurance you have to have a license.
So in short, if you want to get a car before you get a license, you'll probably need to get one you can pay cash for. Apologies if you already stated this was your intention. I just saw a lot of people saying you don't need a license to buy a car which is only true in that case.
Bovidae
01-16-2009, 06:29 PM
Hachoo is correct, at least thats how they did my most recent car.
But, learning to drive, in the Pacific Northwest, in Winter: get a 1987 Honda. Bang it into a couple poles, slide off the road, hell, even follow the truck spreading salt/sand on the road. Your first car will always take a beating, don't make a large investment in something that will get depreciated against the side of your garage/nieghbors pickup/garbage can.
Iceorbz
01-17-2009, 02:18 AM
Vyn, if you can multi-box you can drive =p.
The same amount of attention it takes to watch 5 characters, is like watching all those idiots out on the road. Ill be honest some of the simulators for driving in like dave and busters and such are very similar to driving, just learning the rules and what not is really the *tough* part (and its not that tough). You can also be insured with a permit with most companies.
get your license girl, I did mine on the first try no studying lol.
bigp3rm
01-17-2009, 03:53 AM
Just have your boyfriend take you to a large empty parking lot. Have him put you through a few tests.
Then just goto the DMV take the written test.
This process is pretty simple. Even people at age of 16 do it! :P
Haruko
01-24-2009, 10:04 AM
I take it that the bf's car is a standard transmission. The best thing you can do is this:
a) Wide Open Parking Lot, switch seats. Learn gas & Brake. Learn to drive front and back, than turning left & right.
b) Practice turning above all else, turning is probably one of the most difficult things to learn when driving. It's something about knowing the dimension's of you're car.
c) If you can multibox the way you're videos show, driving is gonna be a walk in the park, but even people die in parks :whistling:
Btw, seattle drivers are just as bad, if not worst than Portland, OR drivers. Did you know WA & OR usually are #1 & #2 top states for best drivers. East coast being the worst.
The best advice I guess I can say is this, if you are driving & feel tired. Please pull over and either switch with whoever you're with or call a friend. Don't be like my mom in being proud the oldest got his permit. I not only had a full day of school, basketball game, & this test...Basically I ended the 1st day of my permit putting the car into the garage door. $1018 later my mom was still laughing ?(
Starbuck_Jones
01-25-2009, 02:04 AM
I agree with everything Keyclone said
valkry
01-28-2009, 10:48 PM
Man, that's just wierd how you HAVE to have insurance to buy/drive a car. Here, if we want a car, we buy it, then we go thhrough the process of figuring out if we want to insure it or not. I've been driving stick since I was 9 and finally got my liscence at 18, and with this experience I can tell you that everybody makes mistakes on the road.
Always be aware of your surroundings, you can be the best driver in the world but it only takes someone else to get you killed.
Always indicate before turning and changing lanes.
Avoid peak hours.
Your first car should not be flash, get something cheap but reliable. here in Austrlia it's pretty much a Holden Commodore.
Learn the change a tyre and always carry a spare. It's pretty easy to do actually, just jack up the car, unscrew the nuts, take the tyre off, fit on the new tyre, screw on the nuts in a star pattern, check balance, tighten the nuts. lower the jack.
Do a weekly engine check that includes fuel, oil level, power steering level, radiator fluid level, abs brakes fluid level and wind screen washer levels. These are all easy to find and easy to check. If you want to go further check the headlights, indicators brake and reverse lights while you are at it.
Have you guys thought about getting a trailer instead and using that?
Coltimar
01-29-2009, 01:51 AM
Methinks a lot of people have not bought a car in some time.
If you pay cash for a car, no you don't need a license. If you finance a car, the bank financing it for you requires proof of insurance, and to get insurance you have to have a license.
So in short, if you want to get a car before you get a license, you'll probably need to get one you can pay cash for. Apologies if you already stated this was your intention. I just saw a lot of people saying you don't need a license to buy a car which is only true in that case.That's like saying using illegal drugs isn't illegal, acquiring them is. Sure, I can buy a car from someone without a license but I can't officially own it until it's registered and I can't drive it until it's insured. The point everyone is trying to make is that you need to get at least a permit before getting a car. My uncle didn't have a license but he bought a S15 truck from a guy for $400. He planned on making cigarette runs with it. Cops and the original owner showed up later that week and took the 'stolen' car back. No bill of sale, no registration or title change, not your car
State to state is different too, but it all boils down to what the cops ask for when you are pulled over; license, registration and proof of insurance.
SilverSlice
01-29-2009, 09:17 AM
a year ago i tok the driving lisence my self. at the age of 32. never needed it before. but needed it at the tiem i tok it.
irony is that 3 months after igot it. i dont need it. still good to have however.
1 get the theory part done with a bit of theory in your head it get a bit easier.
2 have someone that is a experienced all year all weather conidition to teach you to drive.
3 start at a parking loot, move to small side roads learn learn to start, stop park your park at a predeterimied location aka next next ligtb/sign postbox or someting.
when you ave mastered the stoping starting and blinking in and out to do it on small roads, move on to country roads, and so on.
10 my aunt , her and me
we drive in all weather condition day and nigth, mastering the driving at nigth with snow and ice makes the rest of it much easier.
think of it this way. atleast you do not have to multbox driving 5 cars :) and yes you will be prepered to drive 1 car easely enough
btw unless you want a show of car to get laid, perhaps get a hybrid car or someting toyota priur nice easy to drive, or perhaps some other brand of hybrid that looks a bit more masculin
Silver
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