This thread will work as a place to discuss stuff about drivers license's and the DMV, along with me looking for advice.

I'm 22 and I never even applied for mine for two reasons. First I don't know if I'll even be good at driving, I'm kind of scared because I know I'll scar myself for life by crashing into something when I first practice, and the DMV here sucks so much. Took me 3 years just to get a regular ID.

What about you? How old were you when you got your drivers license? Or started learning to drive? Any funny or just dumb stories about the DMV?

First of all, what the hell is the DMV? Not sure if we have that at this side of the Atlantic.

I started getting interest around 2014 or so, but didn't really dig into it until earlier this year. I managed to get past all obstacles and now I can say I finally have my driver license.

I was also kind of scared the first practice, but soon I got the hang of it and felt quite safe the rest of the time. My teacher didn't even need to use his pedals any single time because of me. I haven't yet traveled on my own, probably next week I can have my first real drive, but I feel quite positive after all the results in the practice.

And well, to answer the main question at hand, I was 23 when I got it but will surely be 24 the first time I actually use it.

I got my driver's license October of 2015. I was 25 at the time.  I actually started the process when I was 22 I think. I got my first permit and stopped. I didn't practice at all and my permit eventually expired. At some point
I finally did decide that a license was a good thing to have seeing as public transportation is not easy to come by in the US.
I was certainly scared of driving. Mostly I was petrified of hitting another car so I started practicing by driving around my neighborhood late at night when there were few if any cars or people and I could drive at slow speeds. This helped me become comfortable just controlling the vehicle. I can't tell you the number of times I hit the curb when I made right or left turns.
Eventually I got comfortable enough to drive at higher speeds using dead end roads and country roads and even got some practice on the Interstate.

Parking was also scary for me again because of my fear of hitting another car. I used empty store parking lots (again at night) to just get used to landing inside the lines for perpendicular parking. For parallel parking I used a space between the house and the garage. I actually managed once to forget to change to reverse before trying to back up and ended up bumping into the house. That was a heart attack and a half but I was oh so lucky and managed not to break anything apart from a little dent in the front of the car.

At some point I had to stop procrastinating and actually go for my drivers exam. I failed my first exam when I tried to make a left turn into oncoming traffic because I failed to realize there were two roads separated by a little island. That was a dent to my confidence so I practiced that exact route again and again until I took the exam a second time. My second try ended up being a different route entirely but I managed to pass.

 Lucky for me the DMV here or BMV as my state likes to call it, was running smoothly the day I went to get the actual photo license so I was in and out in no more than 30 minutes. I should mention, I watched a good deal of videos on youtube about parking tips and such when I was practicing.

So yea that's my story. I don't drive much these days because I did manage to find a bus to get me to where I need to go but I do still drive from time to time to keep up my skills. It really is something you just get better at by practice. The more you drive the better you get at driving.

Also for clarity, BMV stands for Bureau of Motor Vehicles rather than DMV for Department of Motor Vehicles like in other states.

I started learning to drive when I was 18 and I think I was 19 when I got my official driver's license. Unfortunately it's been three years the last time I drove a car so I should definitely practice a bit. But I decided I'll do all the practicing I need if we ever buy a car of our own. But so far it hasn't been necessary since we get by with public transportation. What has prevented me from driving is the fact that I could only practice with my dad and that was too stressful for me. Once he started shouting "YOU'RE ALMOST DRIVING IN THE BUSHES!!!" while I was definitely not, which nearly made me have a heart attack and drive out from the road. So the next time I drive it'll be with my own car and in my own pace.

EX Palen : The DMV is the Department of Motor Vehicles... One of the most inefficient government organizations. Look up Zootopia DMV on Youtube... If you've already seen the movie, than you'll remember the sloth scene... It's a little exaggerated, but it does the job of satire. 

I learned to drive about 2 years ago, when I got my permit. LOVE driving! I didn't learn Manual in the States though. That, I got to learn while I still lived in Germany. To this day, I still prefer driving Manual. (You are actually driving, compared to the Automatic, put in drive and go.)

zander... Don't be scared! You should get your license believe me, it's the best thing you'll do. Cars are expensive, but, if you plan on going to see things it's so easy! Just get in and away you go! Stop as much or as little as you wish! Best thing ever! When I learned to drive, it was with vans. I don't drive a van now though. Since I first started, I have driven Trucks, HMMWVs (Army Hummers), Vans, Cars, and small Buses. Each car is a new and interesting thing to drive. Each handles differently, and all of them are fun to drive. (The Hummer is SO FUN to drive off road.) 

I don't know where you're at exactly, but I know that in larger cities, the lines at the DMV are TERRIBLE! I took mine in a smaller town. (The actual driver's test, not the Permit test.) The Permit was at the Twin Cities one... and even just that, took a while. I had to wait for a long time just to get the actual permit, but they gave a temporary one. 

Just find someone who will help you to learn to drive effectively... One of my brothers used to drive for FedEx and he taught me how to drive! Pro drivers'll be able to help out a LOT!

I was 18 when I got my learner's permit. I got my driver's license 3 weeks later. 

EX Palen : Lol I have to second everything darth said about Zootopia. If you have seen it, you should know the scene where the sloth is introduced. His entire character is just a parody of the DMV.

darthyoda : But if I drive a car I'lll go GTA. :C

Never seen Zootopia, but I think I know what you mean and we also have it here. Correction: in Spain it would be hard to NOT have a government organization like what you describe

Zander, you won't go GTA, trust me. I had several dreams in the past where I was at the wheel and went GTA, but then I started driving in real life and nothing happened. Just take your time to get used to the pedals and press them with more or less force. Besides, your teacher will also have pedals (don't tell me they don't do this in 'Murica) so if you go a bit off the edge they will stop you for good.

EX Palen : Nope... They don't do the passenger full control thing. Why? 'Cause 'Murica! That's why. 

To start, all you need to do is pass a written test... all of which is multiple choice... Questions like: What do you do at a Stop Sign? Or, What do you do at a Red Light? 

You then have to wait 6 mo. You can then take a street test. (That process only happens if you are over 18 when doing it though.) I'm not sure on the exact process when you are 16.

EX Palen : A DMV is a Department of Motor-vehicles.

darthyoda : Okay, then I wouldn't have attempted to get my license there. So glad I could get it here.

Yeah, here it was multiple choice as well, sometimes with ridiculous answers. Some of them even showed signs or things that aren't done or don't exist anymore, one more proof of how outdated the written test is. And they sometimes even ask for things you don't need to know.

Here you don't have to wait that much for the street tests. We have several of them throughout the month, but they are such a money making scam. Plus, some examiners are horrible, they drive worse than you yet their work consist on telling and scolding others about their mistakes.

Looks like getting a driver license isn't the greatest thing to do at any side of the Atlantic

I'm 18 and still dealing with my learner's permit. I was going to take my test at the beginning of next month, but I'm probably going to push it into January. I haven't had enough interstate driving and parallel parking experience.

But I'll for sure get it at the age of 18.

I actually don't have so much as state issue photo ID yet. We've had a little trouble with finding suitable documents and the closes place to get my license is 16 miles from here. I haven't even learned to drive yet, nor do I have anything I would be able to take the exam in, since you have to provide the vehicle. I get the gut feeling that driving will be like second nature when I start, though. Sitting behind the wheel was always something that's had a strange, comforting familiarity about it.

EDIT: Typo fix - was, not has.

m0ssb3rg935 : I remember a time where nobody knew where any of my papers were so it's was impossible to get anything done. I had to wait 2 years from when I applied to be able to see my birth cirtificate and ss card.

I got my driver's licence on my 16th birthday, which where I live is the normal age to get it.. I was like the youngest of my driving class though 

I got my permit at 16 and my license at 17. 
No GTA moments. 

The DMV in my city is actually pretty good. Its not stereo-typically slow like Hollywood likes to portray it.

I got my permit when I was 16, drove mostly around town, didn't break the law or anything, because I didn't want to lose my permit, got my license at 18, and I have only had 1 ticket, been stopped about 4 times, but just 1 ticket and that was in 2008, I was going to a orthodontist appointment, it was one of my last ones since I already had braces, and I was going 75 in a 45, which could of landed me in jail, but I didn't feel like I was going that fast. Also got pulled over by a state patrol officer that day, I got a ticket, think it was $150. Since then I have been stopped for speeding, but no tickets, it's all how you handle yourself around the cops, if you act like a dick, your chances of getting a ticket is pretty high, if you just calm down, and relax, talk to them like normal, I never got a ticket. Hell I was going 5 miles per hour over in a school zone, that's a HUGE ticket, and the cop let me go, I was just getting off work at 9AM, and I was tired, and I think he could see that. Funny enough, my patience were very thin that day, as it was just an awful day at work.

I'll be seventeen years old in a few months, and I got my learner's permit earlier this school season.
I got the learner's after two attempts (It sucks that you have to get every question right on the signs test, but only 80% on the general knowledge portion...)

I haven't gotten my license yet, because we never have enough time to practice and get my hours in-
in Virginia, you have to log 45 hours (15 of which after dark), and with all of my drama rehearsals, have only had enough time to occasionally practice a mile on the back-road to my house after practice.

I kinda feel left out, since the majority of my classmates have their licenses already,
but it's not such a big deal, since we can't afford a car for me, and I won't really have to drive at college.

Hopefully though, this Summer, I'll be able to practice and get my license at seventeen years of age, so I'll be able to say I have one!

I'm a "good boy", so hopefully, I won't have any accidents!

Never.

I know how to drive, and I've been told I'm actually a pretty good driver, for the most part (my weakness is that I love making turns on a dime, which is terrible for my grandmother's stomach).

I just hate driving with a burning passion, for several reasons:

1) It requires me to be 100% attentive, something I cannot be. I keep myself entertained by thinking about millions of things a second, and I can't drive well if I'm thinking about new worlds and the like. Nor can I think of new worlds and the like while I'm driving. It just serves as wasted time.

2) I would rather sleep or ride shotgun. It ties in with what I said above, but to me, time spent on the road is time I should be spending getting closer to myself, and thinking about what I can do, or what I should do, and how I can create to get where I need to go. I can't afford to waste time, since it means I have to take time away from other aspects of my life to get the same satisfaction I get out of the driving time.

3) If I were to get a license, all my friends would expect me to drive every now and then when we go drinking, which means no drinking for me. I like drinking, so f*** them, I'm gonna be a selfish motherf***er.