Adult Learning to Driving (Seattle, Bellevue: neighborhoods, schools, living in) - Washington (WA) -Seattle and King County Suburbs - City-Data Forum

firehawk · 08-09-2015, 01:13 AM

For my relocation to, hopefully, Seattle - I need to obviously learn to drive. It's not so bad in comparison to TX but still you need to drive to get around Seattle/surrounding areas, right?
I don't drive and have only done some practice/lessons in the UK but never seen it through to sit the test and get a license for one reason or another.

my question is, what is the best way to learn to drive in WA and where should I go to get lessons and pass the test(s)?

what can I read *now* to get started on learning to drive in WA and be prepared for lessons as well as the tests?
how difficult are the tests? What is involved?

thank you!

IslandCityGirl · 08-09-2015, 05:35 PM

I highly recommend Bellevue's defensive driving school: https://www.driving-school.com

They will supply you with all of the materials you need to learn it all. Good luck!!

CrazyDonkey · 08-09-2015, 08:38 PM

Actually, if living in Seattle's core neighborhoods (Belltown, Uptown, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, First Hill, ID, N. Beacon Hill, Admiral, U-District, Wallingford, Fremont, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Ballard, etc.) or some outlying areas (downtown Bellevue, Factoria, Northgate, Columbia City), you can get along just fine without a car or not knowing how to drive.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't learn how to drive - when applying for a job, it looks better if you have a driver's license, rather than just an ID card.

Driving Schools in Seattle - Yelp

firehawk · 08-10-2015, 12:49 AM

thank you very much!

can somebody learn to drive/take tests without having a residency in the US? or do you *have* to be a resident in the state/city before learning to drive and taking the tests?

CrazyDonkey · 08-10-2015, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firehawk

thank you very much!

can somebody learn to drive/take tests without having a residency in the US? or do you *have* to be a resident in the state/city before learning to drive and taking the tests?

Washington is one of three states that do not require proof of citizenship or legal residency to get a learner's permit, a driver's license, or ID card. That's not true for an "enhanced" ID or driver's license.

WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Proof of identity required to get a driver license

lostsoul2015 · 08-10-2015, 10:16 AM

excellent. thanks !

Ruth4Truth · 08-10-2015, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firehawk

For my relocation to, hopefully, Seattle - I need to obviously learn to drive. It's not so bad in comparison to TX but still you need to drive to get around Seattle/surrounding areas, right?
I don't drive and have only done some practice/lessons in the UK but never seen it through to sit the test and get a license for one reason or another.

my question is, what is the best way to learn to drive in WA and where should I go to get lessons and pass the test(s)?

what can I read *now* to get started on learning to drive in WA and be prepared for lessons as well as the tests?
how difficult are the tests? What is involved?

thank you!

I lived in Seattle for 20 years, and didn't have a driver's license. As I was getting ready to relocate to a more rural area in another state, I got professional driving instruction, and got my license before leaving. It's pretty cheap: about $35/hr., maybe a little more, now. You first read the WA state driver's handbook and take the written exam (pretty easy) to get your learner's permit. From there, it's up to you as to how many hours of practice you want/need, in order to have the basic skills to pass the exam.

Warning: parallel parking is part of the driving exam, but most driving schools don't teach it, bizarrely. They tell you to figure it out on your own.

CrazyDonkey · 08-10-2015, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Warning: parallel parking is part of the driving exam, but most driving schools don't teach it, bizarrely. They tell you to figure it out on your own.

Which is probably the major reason why people fail, unless examiners are now going easier on that.

I also learned to drive as an adult - went through a driving school up by Northgate. Passed first time.

I'd say that the instructor is more important than the school. Make sure they teach defensive driving, and expose you to a variety of driving conditions. If not learning, get another instructor. If going through instructors like tissue paper, open up to the idea that you might be the problem.

Ruth4Truth · 08-10-2015, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Which is probably the major reason why people fail, unless examiners are now going easier on that.

I also learned to drive as an adult - went through a driving school up by Northgate. Passed first time.

I'd say that the instructor is more important than the school. Make sure they teach defensive driving, and expose you to a variety of driving conditions. If not learning, get another instructor. If going through instructors like tissue paper, open up to the idea that you might be the problem.

There was a guy who was a one-man driving school. He had a foolproof method for parallel parking. He was the only instructor I ever worked with who taught it. I also noticed that with the big driving school in town (I no longer recall the name), there's no consistency from one instructor to the next as to some of the principles taught. One guy would teach me one thing, and the next guy would be horrified, and would say, "You're not supposed to do that!"

lostsoul2015 · 08-10-2015, 12:34 PM

so, that's interesting. you need to have a test to get a permit? over in the UK you do not..you just apply for one (pay a fee) and that is your provisional driving license. I have mine and have been doing some lessons but stopped for around a month or more due to me being pretty busy.