Originally Posted by Typhoid

I hate the system we have here.

Step one: you turn 16 your able to take your "L" (learners) test.(Written) Which means you have to have someone with a valid drivers license.

Step two: Wait 1 ( or 2) years before you can take your "N" ( 1st road test) this allows you to have one passanger in your car.

Step three: wait 1 ( or 2 ) years after that and you can finally go for your real license.

Its a long and strenuous system. So i havent even gone for my 'L" yet.

Originally Posted by Jason1

Not sure how they do it in other States and other Countries, but here in IL, if you do good enough in your drivers training class at school you actually dont have to take the actual written or BTW test. This is of course assuming you actually take the class that the school offers, some kids dont because if they did they would have to wait some time before they actually could get their liscense, many times well after they turn 16. This was the case for me, I had to wait over 6 months after I turned 16 before I finally got my liscense, but my parents werent about to pay the several hundred bucks it would have costed to get it earlier, not through the school. But anyways, assuming you take the class in school and get a B- or better average in both the classroom and BTW portions of the class, you dont have to take either the BTW or Written tests that they would normally make you take in the place where you get your liscense. For me it was basically walk in, show them my papers, get my picture taken, walk out with my liscense.

Originally Posted by Jason1

Not sure how they do it in other States and other Countries, but here in IL, if you do good enough in your drivers training class at school you actually dont have to take the actual written or BTW test. This is of course assuming you actually take the class that the school offers, some kids dont because if they did they would have to wait some time before they actually could get their liscense, many times well after they turn 16. This was the case for me, I had to wait over 6 months after I turned 16 before I finally got my liscense, but my parents werent about to pay the several hundred bucks it would have costed to get it earlier, not through the school. But anyways, assuming you take the class in school and get a B- or better average in both the classroom and BTW portions of the class, you dont have to take either the BTW or Written tests that they would normally make you take in the place where you get your liscense. For me it was basically walk in, show them my papers, get my picture taken, walk out with my liscense.

Originally Posted by quiet mike

I also got my license in Chicago and I want to clear up something. You get Drivers Ed for free trough school, but that doesen't mean you don't take the tests. You take the real written test at the end of the class courses. That test you took with only 9 misses alowed was not for a note but for the police. If you pass that you don't have to take it when you go to pick up your driver license. Then, if you do well with the instructors in the city (less than 28 points lost) you get the "Blue slip" which basically sais to the officers there that you are not worth testing since there are other, worse drivers, that need to be tested :P. So if you'r lucky and there is not a lot of people there at the time you go, you can walk in and walk out in 30 min with your drivers license in your wallet.
That was my case. Ofcourse I only lost 11 points because I went screeching on a entrance ramp that had a 25Mph limit and I was at 40Mph :D

Originally Posted by Jason1

Yea that makes sense. I remember takint tests like that, but I thought they were just to get me my permit.