Warning : long post and lots of whinings to follow
The topic speaks for itself, you may have guessed that it is about driving. This is my most shameful secret ever : I don't have my driver's license. I must be a rare case. I tried to get my driver's license in Québec, when I was 18 years old. Most of you know that in North America we can get a driver's license at 16 yrs old, without spending a fortune on driving courses, since we are allowed to drive with our parents and most cars come with automatic transmissions. I've learned to drive with my father but gave up quickly. My "lessons" were mostly yelling and nausea (from my father). As for my mother, she refused to assist me with my driving. I failed miserably the driving exam because of the lack of pratice.
I got by just fine without driving, as the public transportation in Outaouais and Ottawa were efficient and not too expensive. When I moved to Ottawa, my father urged me to get my driver's license before leaving the country. Thing that I completly disregarded. When I left Canada, I thought naively that I can get it in France. I didn't take the matter seriously and thought that driving with a manual transmission shouldn't be a big deal or that they teach automatic transmission too over there.
Years went by and I was still not interested in having a driver's license. I thought that I would be returning in Canada and get it there. 2 years, 3 years, I still live in France...and I really feared the manual transmission.
Last year, I finally decided to kick myself in the ass and do something about it before I get really old. When I finally went in the driving school in my village, I was mad. Not only it is costly but they only teach with a manual transmission. I reluctlantly signed the cheque and swallowed my anger. I opted for the "quickest way", driving courses with the driving school. The other option was to drive with my husband for a year, but I thought it was too long.
They asked 800 euros for the theoric exam and administration fees, which also included exams fees and 40 euros per hour for a lesson. The Préfecture demands that a candidate must drive at least 20 hours before trying for the pratical driving exam. But the catch is that nobody is completly ready with so little hours of driving. The driving school charges 40 euros to evaluate how many hours of driving you must do in order to be really for the exam. The average is 30 hours, but the guy who evaluated me said that I needed at least 45 hours. For the theoric test, it took me a few months to get it. Got it the first time but spent hours studying for it. The multiple choice exam is not too hard but the ones we do in the driving school are ridiculously hard. The questions are tricky and twisted. That was my only preview of what must be the school system in France. We had to say outloud our marks in front of everybody.
Then I got to drive. My driving courses were a pain. My instructor was a 50 something yrs old man. He was talking 80% of the time (while I was driving) on the "driving school radio" (with his colleagues and boss). He was doing his schedule the rest of the time. And when he was done with the radio talking, he would yell at me like I was a kid, while using "vous" and being formal by calling me Mrs. T. I thought that being treated like crap and being yelled at is a bad moment to endure and that I have to tough it out and wipe my tears. I thought that maybe this is how they do it in France. After 30 hours of driving, I haven't made any parking maneuver and started to worry. I felt like I was ripped off because the old instructor was "old school". I did a research on the net and learners must run away from barking driving instructors who treat their students like dogs in training.
Luckily, I had a new instructor because the old man had to teach truck driver's students and was overbooked. I wanted to complaint to the boss about the yelling and the lack of progression after the numerous hours, but I didn't have to. They hired a young person who was freshly out of driving instructor's school. She was really helpful and we got along really great but I felt like I had to learn all over again because the old man wasn't at all efficient.
After 55 hours of driving, she had to let me pass the exam. I can sense that she wasn't really convinced that I could pass the test but gave me a date for the exam. Yesterday was D-day. Naively, I thought that I could pass it. I practiced so much. Most of every French person I know passed the test 2-3 times. What was I thinking, that I could be better than them. The examiner seemed friendly. He arrived 30 minutes late, started to "bise" my instructor. I found that odd since they've never met and thought it was inappropriate. We got in the car, the 3 of us. He said you may begin. Then he started to talk to my instructor like he was an old lost friend. In 30 minutes (the duration of the exam), I got to learn that he used to be an instructor in a driving school for years and passed the "fonctionnaire" exam. He worked as an examiner 3 years in Paris, got divorced, remarried with a driving school owner and so on. Then asked about my instructor's life. With all this nonsense-crazy talking, he managed to yell at me and insulted me and said that I couldn't control the clutch and the gear. He also braked abruptly while I was already slowing down. My instructor said that when the examiner brakes, you're cooked. Even if you drive ok the rest of the exam, you're done. The guy who passed the exam before me, only got to drive 15 minutes. Even if he did a big fault, he should have had let him drive so he can experience the rest of the test. I almost cried when I finished. I knew I failed it. I admit I didn't do great but his behaviour was innapropriate, talking about his personal life and "examine" my driving skills at the same time.
While I got questionned with a quick question about the rearview mirrors outside of the car, I answered and he totally ignored my answer and continued with his personal discussion with my instructor. I didn't have a coat on and it was pouring rain. The yelling, the insults and his constant talking got the best of me. I got distracted and failed. I don't understand this kind of behaviour. How can a public servant can act like terror and get away with it. The fonctionnaires are on their own and can act like jerks without ever fear to lose their jobs. What a constrast with the Canadian public servants who are most of the time helpful and polite. Of course, I had to search on the net again and checked if I was the only one treated like a piece of crap. Apparently this is common behaviour. Terrorizing the driving candidates and testing their stress level is part of the game. They are also protected by their union and the Interior Ministry.
The Interior ministry instructed to the examiners to only give out 57% of the driving lincense to candidates. 1,5 millions candidates try to pass the exam every year in France and only 1 out of 2 gets it. At the same time, the Interior minister prides himself that a lot of lives are saved because of his politics on tough driving permits. His theory : less drivers, less potential deaths on the French roads. Getting the "papier rose", pink paper, (that's how French people like to call their driving license), is a uphill battle. You gotta sweat it, empty your wallet to have the priviledge to drive. A lot of middle class or poorer people are unable to drive because of this stupid mentality. Not being able to drive is another obstacle to get out of poverty. This is another example of lack of common sense of this country.
I got my exam's result today by mail. They have decided not to give the result right away, because some candidates got aggressive on the examiners. Too bad I didn't get the courage to punch my examiner too. (will I be deported if I did it? lol).
After speaking with my instructor, she insisted that I continue with "la conduite supervisée", which allows the candidates who failed their exam, to drive with a family member for 3 months and drive 1000 km before passing another time the driving test. I have made a few calls at the préfecture and another driving school. My instructor told me that the examiner said that I was made to drive with an automatic transmission and that I should try to pass another exam with this kind of car. Why fight it, I'm not made for manual transmission. A very few driving schools offer this service. My best bet is to try this conduite supervisée with my automatic transmission car and have a few more lessons with a new driving school. It is a shame that I have the coolest car, a toyota hybrid, with automatic transmission and I can't drive it. I would have to be patient again. To be continued.
The topic speaks for itself, you may have guessed that it is about driving. This is my most shameful secret ever : I don't have my driver's license. I must be a rare case. I tried to get my driver's license in Québec, when I was 18 years old. Most of you know that in North America we can get a driver's license at 16 yrs old, without spending a fortune on driving courses, since we are allowed to drive with our parents and most cars come with automatic transmissions. I've learned to drive with my father but gave up quickly. My "lessons" were mostly yelling and nausea (from my father). As for my mother, she refused to assist me with my driving. I failed miserably the driving exam because of the lack of pratice.
I got by just fine without driving, as the public transportation in Outaouais and Ottawa were efficient and not too expensive. When I moved to Ottawa, my father urged me to get my driver's license before leaving the country. Thing that I completly disregarded. When I left Canada, I thought naively that I can get it in France. I didn't take the matter seriously and thought that driving with a manual transmission shouldn't be a big deal or that they teach automatic transmission too over there.
Years went by and I was still not interested in having a driver's license. I thought that I would be returning in Canada and get it there. 2 years, 3 years, I still live in France...and I really feared the manual transmission.
Last year, I finally decided to kick myself in the ass and do something about it before I get really old. When I finally went in the driving school in my village, I was mad. Not only it is costly but they only teach with a manual transmission. I reluctlantly signed the cheque and swallowed my anger. I opted for the "quickest way", driving courses with the driving school. The other option was to drive with my husband for a year, but I thought it was too long.
They asked 800 euros for the theoric exam and administration fees, which also included exams fees and 40 euros per hour for a lesson. The Préfecture demands that a candidate must drive at least 20 hours before trying for the pratical driving exam. But the catch is that nobody is completly ready with so little hours of driving. The driving school charges 40 euros to evaluate how many hours of driving you must do in order to be really for the exam. The average is 30 hours, but the guy who evaluated me said that I needed at least 45 hours. For the theoric test, it took me a few months to get it. Got it the first time but spent hours studying for it. The multiple choice exam is not too hard but the ones we do in the driving school are ridiculously hard. The questions are tricky and twisted. That was my only preview of what must be the school system in France. We had to say outloud our marks in front of everybody.
Then I got to drive. My driving courses were a pain. My instructor was a 50 something yrs old man. He was talking 80% of the time (while I was driving) on the "driving school radio" (with his colleagues and boss). He was doing his schedule the rest of the time. And when he was done with the radio talking, he would yell at me like I was a kid, while using "vous" and being formal by calling me Mrs. T. I thought that being treated like crap and being yelled at is a bad moment to endure and that I have to tough it out and wipe my tears. I thought that maybe this is how they do it in France. After 30 hours of driving, I haven't made any parking maneuver and started to worry. I felt like I was ripped off because the old instructor was "old school". I did a research on the net and learners must run away from barking driving instructors who treat their students like dogs in training.
Luckily, I had a new instructor because the old man had to teach truck driver's students and was overbooked. I wanted to complaint to the boss about the yelling and the lack of progression after the numerous hours, but I didn't have to. They hired a young person who was freshly out of driving instructor's school. She was really helpful and we got along really great but I felt like I had to learn all over again because the old man wasn't at all efficient.
After 55 hours of driving, she had to let me pass the exam. I can sense that she wasn't really convinced that I could pass the test but gave me a date for the exam. Yesterday was D-day. Naively, I thought that I could pass it. I practiced so much. Most of every French person I know passed the test 2-3 times. What was I thinking, that I could be better than them. The examiner seemed friendly. He arrived 30 minutes late, started to "bise" my instructor. I found that odd since they've never met and thought it was inappropriate. We got in the car, the 3 of us. He said you may begin. Then he started to talk to my instructor like he was an old lost friend. In 30 minutes (the duration of the exam), I got to learn that he used to be an instructor in a driving school for years and passed the "fonctionnaire" exam. He worked as an examiner 3 years in Paris, got divorced, remarried with a driving school owner and so on. Then asked about my instructor's life. With all this nonsense-crazy talking, he managed to yell at me and insulted me and said that I couldn't control the clutch and the gear. He also braked abruptly while I was already slowing down. My instructor said that when the examiner brakes, you're cooked. Even if you drive ok the rest of the exam, you're done. The guy who passed the exam before me, only got to drive 15 minutes. Even if he did a big fault, he should have had let him drive so he can experience the rest of the test. I almost cried when I finished. I knew I failed it. I admit I didn't do great but his behaviour was innapropriate, talking about his personal life and "examine" my driving skills at the same time.
While I got questionned with a quick question about the rearview mirrors outside of the car, I answered and he totally ignored my answer and continued with his personal discussion with my instructor. I didn't have a coat on and it was pouring rain. The yelling, the insults and his constant talking got the best of me. I got distracted and failed. I don't understand this kind of behaviour. How can a public servant can act like terror and get away with it. The fonctionnaires are on their own and can act like jerks without ever fear to lose their jobs. What a constrast with the Canadian public servants who are most of the time helpful and polite. Of course, I had to search on the net again and checked if I was the only one treated like a piece of crap. Apparently this is common behaviour. Terrorizing the driving candidates and testing their stress level is part of the game. They are also protected by their union and the Interior Ministry.
The Interior ministry instructed to the examiners to only give out 57% of the driving lincense to candidates. 1,5 millions candidates try to pass the exam every year in France and only 1 out of 2 gets it. At the same time, the Interior minister prides himself that a lot of lives are saved because of his politics on tough driving permits. His theory : less drivers, less potential deaths on the French roads. Getting the "papier rose", pink paper, (that's how French people like to call their driving license), is a uphill battle. You gotta sweat it, empty your wallet to have the priviledge to drive. A lot of middle class or poorer people are unable to drive because of this stupid mentality. Not being able to drive is another obstacle to get out of poverty. This is another example of lack of common sense of this country.
I got my exam's result today by mail. They have decided not to give the result right away, because some candidates got aggressive on the examiners. Too bad I didn't get the courage to punch my examiner too. (will I be deported if I did it? lol).
After speaking with my instructor, she insisted that I continue with "la conduite supervisée", which allows the candidates who failed their exam, to drive with a family member for 3 months and drive 1000 km before passing another time the driving test. I have made a few calls at the préfecture and another driving school. My instructor told me that the examiner said that I was made to drive with an automatic transmission and that I should try to pass another exam with this kind of car. Why fight it, I'm not made for manual transmission. A very few driving schools offer this service. My best bet is to try this conduite supervisée with my automatic transmission car and have a few more lessons with a new driving school. It is a shame that I have the coolest car, a toyota hybrid, with automatic transmission and I can't drive it. I would have to be patient again. To be continued.
Good luck on this.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have to go through this as I had exchanged my Malaysian driver license with a French one.
I had tried to buy an auto car but all my French family was against it. I finally gave it and now I'm fine with driving a manual car.
Thanks for your encouragement. It is still not a common thing to own an automatic but more and more French are buying them. My husband enjoys his automatic car but he says he's bored sometimes. At least he can drink (water) while driving. Such a North american habit (eating, drinking while driving....
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I know all about being a "bad" driver. I remember when I was 16 and still in Canada I was so excited to finally be able to learn how to drive. And then I didn't do it and I can't remember why. When I was 18 and knew I wanted to move to Europe and I just told myself that it would be better just to learn here because it's more difficult to drive here.
ReplyDeleteWell, difficult it was. It took my 93 hours of driving lessons plus 20 hours of driving with my husband to pass. Yes, you read that right. I'm really ashamed to admit it, but well, I like to bond with other "bad" drivers. I remember the disappointment of failing the test as well.
That was a few years ago and I am just as nervous driving as when I started. No, maybe it's even worse now. My husband tells me I just need to practice, but I know better. It's not learning to walk, where if you just practice you do it without thinking. Driving requires a lot of careful reflection and snap decisions. I guess I was always meant to just be a passenger.
Thank you for your comment Den.
DeleteFrance must democratize driving. They say it's not a right but a priviledge. Ironically I feel like they drive like more dangerously.. I don't recall this kind of behaviour in Canada.
I hope that my plan will pan out, switching to automatic is my only solution. Not only do I have to deal with the 3 pedals, and shifting gears, but the roads here are complicated, with their "priorité à droite" et lack of indications. If they let people drive with a family member without instructors, driving schools will all be in bankruptcy, that is why government will not change anything.
If we were driving in Canada, we would have laughed. The roads are so much larger and safer.
I've read some randoms forums on learners in France, they seemed in distress, because they failed so many times and ran out of money. I also read my examination sheet, on the back it says that you need to stay courtecious with the examiner and can be sued if you try to bribe him. The rule didn't apply to the examiner, as he got shockinly aggressive on me.
oops, I have realized that I wrote "examinator", instead of examiner. Please forgive the francophone.
ReplyDeleteWell, actually in Ontario an unlicensed driver can also drive with a family member or friend in lieu of an instructor. If you go though a proper driving school, though, you pay cheaper insurance rates once you are licensed. I remember when I was a teenager in Ontario, most of my friends would complete the required time with the school to get the discount (something like 10 hours) and then they drove with their parents. How does it work in Québec?
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree, driving is much easier in Canada. Another confession from my hall of shame: I have never driven alone in France. The only place I have dared to drive alone was in Canada.
Yeah, I know all about being yelled at in the car. And crying in the car in front of the instructor. Sigh. If I had known how bad I was going to be and how long I was going to take to learn and how much it would cost me, I would have never done it. We just don't get life rehearsals, though. At first I didn't know I was that bad and my instructors didn't tell me. Then I was in denial and once I finally realised the truth I was already at 45 hours of lessons so I figured that I had to keep going and finish. Well, I somehow made it through, so please don't give up. If I could do it, I know you can too.
I don't remember how it worked in Québec, I took a few hours with driving school but thought I can do without it.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how it is normal to be yelled at and stress us out. The driving schools always try to milk out the most from of us. I paid the highest fee. There was another option, "pay a fixed price until you pass". Something that the instructor "forgot" to tell me. Conduite accompagnée is so much cheaper, I was foolish to think that I can get the permit with 45 hours.