Self Congratulations to the New New Jersey Driver!!
Friday, January 20th, 2006 -- J. DoeI took my written test for the NJ driver license for the second time today. I only got 4 wrong out of 50. That means I passed! YEAHHY ME!
Honestly though this test seemed easier than the first one that I failed last week. It had me wondering if there is a second level NJ driving test for idiots who failed it the first time.
It is true that I studied the driving manual, like all the good 17 and 18 year olds in the room with me, but really there were only a handful of questions regarding fines for young drivers and provisional drivers which throws me for a loop. I’m just not good at learning all those rules. Perhaps a little bit of Italy has rubbed off, huh?
There were also several questions that to get wrong really would defy logic. ( such as’ Do you (a)stop at a stop sign , (b) slow down, or (c) honk the horn?’ If you don’t know the answer to that, then you really should NOT be driving.)
I even got the question about ‘highway hypnosis’ right, although I’ve never heard it referred to by that name.
I was so happy that I passed, that the girl sitting next to me (who I didn’t even know) congratulated me.
After I passed the test a clerk took my 24 dollars which is required for the license, and then asked me if I was happy with my photo or wanted to retake it, as if I were in a photography salon instead of the Motor Vehicles agency! Not that it was a bad photo, the clerk explained, but this is a service they offer their ‘clients’ who are trying to get a driver’s license. In Italy they make you bring in your own photos, and if you try to save a few Euros by going to one of those photomat machines you get what you get. Not only that, you have to pay the eyedoctor for the visit as well as pay for the written test and the actual license.
I even got some free job advice! Now, THAT is service!
Congratulations!!! Isn’t it amazing how these little things feel so big as you check them off your list of stuff to do to reorganize.
Thanks. even though I was a licensed NJ driver 20 years ago, it feels like I’ve accomplished something and it does feel good to cross of one of the many things that we have to do on our ‘To Do’ list.