Maryland DL.
Wanted to post this for some time already but was always lazy.
The process of getting this driver's license is not only a mythbuster, but it is also a very valuable learning experience. Let me tell you why. (Okay I look like crap in the photo but that is not important.)
I started the whole process on 4 Sep 2007.
In order for me to get the license, I need a car - a rental car is not allowed, and I don't dare to borrow zx's brand new SUV. Anyway I got GCS's car, went for registration, got my tags, then I realised that the car needs to be sent for inspection. So I did.
Well, I paid $400 for everything, almost - because I have to change some bearings inside the car, the engine frame, the muffler, the wipers, and goodness knows what. Great - I felt more safe driving my car and I got it properly registered.
Then I paid $35 to take an exam in order to get a certificate to prove that I know what alcohol and drugs can do to me.
In the meantime, an unfortunate accident happened: while I was parking I wasn't careful and I wrecked one of my headlights. It doesn't really matter much so I didn't bother.
On 15 Oct I went to the MVA to get the license processed. I breezed through the documentation and the law test - because I went well-prepared - but I was rejected for the practical test. They say that I have to fix my headlight first. Oh well.
I tried to get it fixed on the same day - but I couldn't. The reason was simply - my car was too old, they could not get the part that I wanted immediately. At the same time, I started to have problems starting the car - the battery didn't seem to be able to hold any energy (couldn't expect much from a GCS-bought Walmart battery, although it was only 1-year old), and there was apparently something wrong with the starter too.
I sent it down to the mechanic to get the starter changed, and got them to get rid of the 'check engine' light on my dashboard - the MVA regulations said that the test car cannot have any warning lights on. For that I paid another $200. At the same time the headlight arrived; it was $70. It was almost the end of November by the time I got all these done.
The car died again after Thanksgiving - this time, it had to be the battery. It was finals period and I didn't even have time to bother, so I waited until after finals before I went to change the battery myself. And now the car is fine.
Then, after I came back from Singapore, I went for the driving test again. I was once again rejected - because this car is only high-tech to a certain extent. The normal diagonal seat belt sets itself up automatically, but the lap belt doesn't. I was rejected because apparently I didn't even know the lap belt existed.
So, I went again the next day - and finally I got it. The driving test itself was so easy that probably one would still pass with only Daytona experience. All you need to do is: drive forward, reverse, parallel park (and the slot is humongous), three-point turn, all done in a course without any other car in it, and that's it.
So this is how I got my Maryland license. I definitely didn't have as powerful a story with my Singapore license as this one (I did that in 6 months from the beginning till the end, and in between were basically just all lessons which I got scolded almost everytime (well I am completely useless when I need to pick up a skill), and the trick to pass is to put your test date on Valentine's Day (14 Feb) 4pm (or CNY eve or Christmas eve or MAF or Hari Raya eve) when the uncles all want to go home early).
Who else wants to try to get a Maryland license from scratch - i.e. begin even without a car? I can be your advisor. Free-of-charge.
