Indiana Driver's License Time

So I’ve learned that studying the Indiana Driver’s Manual makes you even MORE frustrated when you see people doing stupid stuff on your commute home. Now, you might be wondering why I’m studying the Indiana Driver’s Manual. Well, even if you aren’t, I’m going to tell you why, because this is my blog and it’s kinda what I do.

I took my original written and driving test back in 2004 after I turned 17. Yeah, I started later than most in my rural school due to an auto accident that set me back a little bit. For most people, that’s good. Just go in before your license expires and BAM! You take a vision test, get a new picture, pay your fee, and you’re good to go. However, I have a tendency to decide to move across the country on occasion.

I moved to California in 2000, and kept my Indiana license for a while, until it expired on my birthday in 2002. Then, I had to take a written test for the state of California, since I hadn’t passed their exam which is obviously VERY different from other states. So I took their test, and then promptly moved back to Indiana a few months later.

When I came back to Indiana, I went to get my Indiana Driver’s License back. I went to the office in New Castle, waited patiently for my number to be called, went to the counter, and the BMV told me that I had to take a written test again. Um, excuse me? I’ve had an Indiana Driver’s License before. I gave them my name, my former address, and my license number, which I have memorized for some reason. The person behind the counter smiled, told me that yes, I was in the system, and proceeded to slide a test over to me.

Now, what sucks about the tests is that it doesn’t just have the common sense stuff on it, which many people should fail in the first place. It has the questions like “You should signal your intention to turn at least:” and things like that. Questions that you REALLY question, because who is going to think “Two more feet before I can use my turn signal… one more foot before I can use my turn signal…” There are 16 sign identifications and 34 questions, and you can only miss 2 signs and 6 questions. So this you kind of have to study for.

Well, I passed the license test, got my Indiana License, and then turned around and moved BACK out to California in 2007, where I had to do the whole thing again. And now, here I am, back in Indiana, with a California license that’s going to expire again, so it’s time to jump through the hoops once more.

So now I’m sitting here at work, with a PDF of the manual on my desktop, browsing and studying between calls, hoping to get these distances memorized between now and Saturday morning, which is the only time I have to go get this happy little task done.

Wish me luck.

Tony