Okay; it's done! I am now an officially licensed driver in France.
The downside, unfortunately, is that I did wind up with the stupid probationary license. This means that for the next three years, instead of having 12 points available on my license, I only have 6. That's not really a big deal, since it's been something like 20 years since my last ticket. The main hassle is that I need to drive only 80kmh on rural roads instead of 90 and 110kmh on autoroutes instead of 130. That last is a real handicap if we need to go someplace far. But, I'll deal with that as it comes. I still have my California license, so that could come in handy, I suppose.
The whole system is wacky though. For example, the code specifically says that if you can't exchange your license, you are exempt from the 20 hours of accompanied driving that a new driver needs to follow, as you are NOT considered an apprentice driver. BUT, new drivers who DO those 20 hours only have a probationary period of two years, not three.
Also, if I had come from one of the U.S. states that do simply exchange licenses in France, and hadn't studied the driving code, effectively knowing less than someone who DOES study the code, I would have NO probationary period on my license.
This means that as someone with 36 years of driving experience, no accidents, no tickets, who has studied and passed the exam for the driving code as well as the practical driving exam, I am, in fact, PENALIZED. Where is the logic in that? In fact, given the age of the driving examiner yesterday, I have probably been driving for about as long as HE'S been alive!
JM and I have decided that we will write to the appropriate authorities to try to get this sorted out. It is not a good system and, although it is a minor inconvenience, it is still unjust.
I suppose it is petulant of me to take it this way, but I still feel a bit irked by the whole thing. Clearly, it would have probably been worth the money to sort out a license from Pennsylvania or another state before moving last year. I've even heard of people who took a two-week course in the UK, passed THEIR license test, then simply exchanged that license against a French license. If I'd found out about that earlier, I might have tried that myself as well.
But, it's time to move on. Given that things in the U.S. do not seem to be improving politically (is it wrong to pray for impeachment?), a probationary driving license seems a small price to pay for living in the Shire.
Ciao for now!
R
(see pictures on my personal site.)
The downside, unfortunately, is that I did wind up with the stupid probationary license. This means that for the next three years, instead of having 12 points available on my license, I only have 6. That's not really a big deal, since it's been something like 20 years since my last ticket. The main hassle is that I need to drive only 80kmh on rural roads instead of 90 and 110kmh on autoroutes instead of 130. That last is a real handicap if we need to go someplace far. But, I'll deal with that as it comes. I still have my California license, so that could come in handy, I suppose.
The whole system is wacky though. For example, the code specifically says that if you can't exchange your license, you are exempt from the 20 hours of accompanied driving that a new driver needs to follow, as you are NOT considered an apprentice driver. BUT, new drivers who DO those 20 hours only have a probationary period of two years, not three.
Also, if I had come from one of the U.S. states that do simply exchange licenses in France, and hadn't studied the driving code, effectively knowing less than someone who DOES study the code, I would have NO probationary period on my license.
This means that as someone with 36 years of driving experience, no accidents, no tickets, who has studied and passed the exam for the driving code as well as the practical driving exam, I am, in fact, PENALIZED. Where is the logic in that? In fact, given the age of the driving examiner yesterday, I have probably been driving for about as long as HE'S been alive!
JM and I have decided that we will write to the appropriate authorities to try to get this sorted out. It is not a good system and, although it is a minor inconvenience, it is still unjust.
I suppose it is petulant of me to take it this way, but I still feel a bit irked by the whole thing. Clearly, it would have probably been worth the money to sort out a license from Pennsylvania or another state before moving last year. I've even heard of people who took a two-week course in the UK, passed THEIR license test, then simply exchanged that license against a French license. If I'd found out about that earlier, I might have tried that myself as well.
But, it's time to move on. Given that things in the U.S. do not seem to be improving politically (is it wrong to pray for impeachment?), a probationary driving license seems a small price to pay for living in the Shire.
Ciao for now!
R
(see pictures on my personal site.)
3 Comments:
I agree that it IS really unfair. I remember my probation period, and you will find that the 80km/h on rural roads is very unnerving as people behind you tend to try to push you, but you don't go slowly enough that they can pass you, and sometimes you create a huge line behind you and you feel like you are driving a tractor (at least on the highway you can keep right and not bothering anybody). In my opinion it is more dangerous than helpful. I hope you can get off this soon !
By Marianne, At 9:26 AM
Since I found out about the system, Marianne, I have thought it was actually more dangerous than just letting people drive normally.
I don't see any problem with having a probationary period for the points, but to have to drive at a different speed than everyone else strikes me as the height of folly.
R
By Randy, At 10:36 AM
Small detail, big consequences...
My brother is married with an American, and they tried to live in France. Unfortanetely, she didn't bother to check this problem, or was not aware of it, albeit she was living 2 miles away from a state with exchange-valid license. Once in France, they lived in a small village, and had no money for a new french driving license from scratch, so she couldn't move and sticked to an unsatisfying halftime job right there.
We suspect it was one of the reason why they decided to go back to America.
By Anonymous, At 11:49 AM
Post a Comment
<$I18N$LinksToThisPost>:
Create a Link
<< Home