When I was 16 I aced my driving test in Pennsylvania

[PCIntern]

Last edited Wed Jul 16, 2025, 08:49 AM - Edit history (1)

The six foot six inch state trooper who accompanied me in my tiny Triumph Herald 1200 with tears in his eyes said, “Sir, if I may have the temerity to call you Sir at such an age which you are, I have never ever seen anyone manipulate a motor vehicle with the dexterity and outstanding judgement which you have shown. It is my privilege and honor to bestow upon you the privilege of driving a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth.”

Yep…that’s exactly how it happened.

Except that I failed my first test because I was so nervous I couldn’t process his directions and what he actually said was, “Kid, you need more practice in control of your vehicle as well as listening to what people in authority are telling you to do during a test. Maybe you’ll do better next time.” With that, he exited the “vehicle”.

Of course the point here is that the truth of what happened differs markedly, actually ENTIRELY from the “story”, just like someone we know

[yellowcanine]

1. Ha, the trooper said, "go the stop sign and turn left,"

And so I did, never bothering to actually stop at the stop sign. Oops.

[Vinca]

2. LOL - when I was 16 my driving instructor had a heart attack. Seriously. My parallel parking was that bad.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Mine, also in PA...

I was so nervous and I don’t recall specifics of the driving test itself. What I do recall is when it ended the gentleman (not a trooper) said “I would never ride with you.”

So I assumed I failed. I was shocked to see that he passed me. 😂😂😂

[livetohike]

4. Also in PA. Failed the first time because the

officer said I did a “California roll” at the stop sign. Must have been prescient because I ended up living in CA for 13 years 🙂.

[Borogove]

5. I failed my first PA driver's test too.

Don’t remember why, but I do remember that the state police officer accompanying me was pretty intimidating.

[rickford66]

6. I passed my PA test first time but

it was on a laid out course in a big lot, at the State Police Barracks, not like a real road which would be easy. The "road" was a maze of concrete curbs so I had to drive looking down instead of ahead. Not a real test of driving skill. Anyway when I got home I asked my Dad if I could borrow the car. He said OK and gave me my own set of keys. (63 years ago)

[PCIntern]

12. Same

[PJMcK]

7. Actually, I aced it

In Connecticut, at that time, you could take the written and road tests 30 days after your 16th birthday.

I was in line before the DMV opened on day 31. Took the written test and got 100%. Took the road test and nailed the parallel parking and other “feats.” I even made the trooper laugh at an observation.

The license meant freedom. Freedom for me to stretch my ambitions and freedom for my folks who didn’t have to drive me everywhere anymore!

[hunter]

21. No freedom for me.

As soon as I got my driver's license it was my job to run family errands and chauffeur my younger siblings around. Worse, my grandma started hounding me and bribing me to buy her cigarettes and bourbon, and she had the connections to do that, treating me like a kid smuggling alcohol during Prohibition.

It wasn't all bad. When my dad would send me out to buy fertilizer and other supplies for our small orchard I'd buy some extra on a separate receipt for my experiments with rockets and explosives.

[Djuiceman]

8. I scared the sh4 out of the Examiner

My first U.S. driver’s license was in the great state of Florida (and no, I swear..I’m not Florida Man).

When the examiner saw my Jamaican license, he gave me a long look, quietly got in the passenger seat, buckled up like we were about to launch into orbit, and said, “Please… for the love of God… just stay on the right side of the road.”

He was so focused on surviving the ride that he didn’t even notice I forgot to buckle my seatbelt

[Marthe48]

18. Welcome to DU

Good story!

[twodogsbarking]

9. Also in Pa. I knew a kid whose mother took the test in a Jeep. Went around a turn too fast.

The Trooper conducting the test fell out and broke his arm. She failed but passed the next time. Not long after seat belts were used more often.

[DownriverDem]

10. My Dad

taught me to drive so I wouldn't look dumb during drivers training. Then when it came time for my drivers test he backed the car in so I wouldn't have to back out. Really miss my Dad.

[cate94]

11. The man doing my test did not want to be there.

He was not nice. I was going through the motions even though I thought he was going to fail me no matter what I did. When I finished parallel parking he told me to back up and when I didn’t do it immediately he yelled at me. “I told you to back up!” When I explained there was someone behind the car, he told me to drive back to the DMV. I passed.

[OldBaldy1701E]

13. I passed the driving test with ease.

I had been driving vehicles around the farm and (yes) on the roads around the farm for years before I took the test.

Now, the written one... I ended up taking that three times because the first two times I got it, most of the questions were about drinking and driving. They were also requiring math to get your answer. (How many shots equals 'over the limit'? Well, that depends on the person's ability to drink now doesn't it? They did not agree with my answer.)

No one said there would be math. I suck at math.

[lonely bird]

14. Failed parallel parking the first time too

Passed it later without practicing.

On a related note my first time behind the wheel in Driver’s Ed was in Winter. Got in behind the wheel, stepped on the gas as instructed (we were in a big parking lot with snow on the ground) then the instructor hit the brakes. The lesson was learning to steer out of a skid.

[Historic NY]

15. Sir , sir, sir....

I had a truck blocking the street. I pulled up behind it, put my left turn signal on and when nothing was coming I then proceeded around it and back into the right lane. I heard the Driving Examiner clear his throat, and it was my ah shit moment. So young man why did you just do that. Well, I exclaimed I could have stayed in position until the moving van finish unloading the furniture, but I figured the sensible thing to do was make the maneuver when it was safe to do. Besides I there the other people waiting for you for their test. Pass, I was just glad my brother's POS 67 Buick had working turn signals.

[NBachers]

16. Teaching my son to drive, I made sure he had good parallel parking skills. Here in the city, guerrilla parking is a

survival skill. But it seems like parallel parking is a dying art. All day long, I drive past people parking next to open spaces, sitting in the driving lane with their flashers on. Lazy, incompetent, dangerous, inconsiderate, and whatever other pejorative comments I can make.

My son, however, tells stories of how he amazes his passengers with his parking skills.

[NoMoreRepugs]

17. My grandmother in her late 60's and into her 70's ALWAYS took a fresh baked coffee cake to

to give to the examiner. Yep, she NEVER failed.

[orangecrush]

19. Reading this

With ters in my eyes

[Marthe48]

20. Enjoying the post

I was 26 when I finally got my driver's license. I didn't really need to drive myself before that. I think I failed my first driving exam, but I don't remember what I did wrong. Coming up on 50 years with no accidents, knock wood!

I ended up teaching several people to drive. I was really proud to help a Japanese student we mentored while she attended college as an international student. She got her license, and had a couple of adventures with cars while she lived here. When she graduated, she and a friend rented a U Haul truck and drove to her new life in NYC. I was so proud of her!

[hunter]

22. Has our fuckwit king ever passed a driving test?