American Expat process for getting UK driving license in Scotland

Are you an American immigrant who recently moved to England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland and are now faced with the daunting task of obtaining your UK driving license? Join me in this video as I share my personal experience and valuable insights into the process of acquiring a UK driving license as an American expat living in Scotland! I do plan on uploading more in-depth videos in the future so if you have any questions please leave them in the comments! Please like and subscribe for more!
Important Links:
Uk Government website for driving license: www.gov.uk/bro...
Arnold Clark car rental for driving test:
www.arnoldclar...
If the content was helpful and you’d like to help support the channel, here's a link to buy me a coffee! ☕️
www.buymeacoff...

[@graemesaunderson4218]

Switch off the aircon and your petrol consumption will improve.

[@Chris-mh3vf]

Quoted petrol consumption figures are not the actual figure you will get , they are calculated to an international standard for all cars so that a comparison between cars can be made using the same baseline tests, you will always get less on the road, the only thing you can say with certainty is that a car with a quoted mpg of 70 will use less fuel than a car with a quoted mpg of 30, your driving style, weather conditions, tyre pressure, tyre type, speed, fuel quality, how well the car has been maintained, all these can affect mpg by up to 20% driving style being the biggest culprit usually. Of course the marketing for cars fails to mention this.

[@thistley_42]

One advantage of getting a driving instructor is that test centres have set routes they use in tests and a local instructor will know what routes they use and take you along them in advance so you are more familiar with them and common issues (like the worn road markings) that might trip you up.

[@DavidNewmanDr]

Once you and others have passed, it is worth watching dashcam videos of good and bad driving to learn how to improve your driving in UK conditions. I recommend Ashley Neal.

[@peterkonradort]

There’s also pass plus which is basically an “advanced” driving course that evidently will lower your insurance rates with some companies!

[@lawrenceglaister4364]

​@@peterkonradort, nice cap and roundabout driving, well done

[@chrislaing7153]

​ @peterkonradort For advanced driving, I would suggest you look at IAM Roadsmart, For £175, you get as many mentoring sessions as required to get you to the required standard and the Advanced Driver Test at the end. The examiner for this test is usually either a serviing or retired Roads Policing Officer. What is covered is the system of car control as used by the UK emergency services. Look for the KZbin channel of Reg Local. He is actually one of the IAM examiners and on his channel he covers all the advianced skills required. I'll give you a clue, steering the car using only the palm of one hand and letting the wheel slip through your hands (as you were at the beginning of the vid) would not get you a pass at the IAM test.

[@ourfarmhouseinspain]

Remember also Peter that the American gallon is only 3.8 litres, and the Imperial - British - measurement is 4.5 litres. Driving smoothly, braking smoothly in good time, and accelerating smoothly make a big difference to your mpg results. Good luck.

[@johnpmchappell]

Aye, as the commentor above says, the units are actually different. That said, 40+ mpg is both quite good and quite realistic for the driving you're saying you've done. In older vehicles, I considered 35 or so to be pretty decent, and that would rise to perhaps high 40s, maybe even 50 or so, with a lot of motorway driving. Remember that you'll get better as you improve your habits and that an automatic transmission is never going to be as efficient as a properly driven manual would be, in theory, though that gap continually closes as they improve. Edit: MSM is Mirror-Signal-Manoeuvre, not mirror-signal-mirror. You should always be making observations before you signal, anyway - if there is no need to signal, you don't signal, and you can only see who might need the signal by actually looking. Also, although the word used is 'mirror', you should be doing more than just glancing at mirrors, such as looking to your left or right as appropriate. One recommendation was always to slighty adjust mirrors to be off a little so you have to move your head more when looking, making it more obvious for the examiner to see. Also, it is the *examiner* not instructor who conducts the test, and will tell you if you passed or failed, and provide the proof of passing, if you did. On automatic vehicles; they are really easy to find, but only as new or newer vehicles. Most of the used market is going to be manuals, because that is the purchasing pattern for previous decades. Several manufacturers no longer even offer manual gearboxes on their vehicles. As you noted, if you pass the test in a vehicle with an automatic gearbox, you will not be able to legally drive a vehicle that has a manual gearbox (the reverse is obviously not the case).

[@NRBD2]

We Canadians were always aware of this. We felt cheated when we crossed the border to the US and bought a "gallon" of anything. Manufacturers could claim our cars went further on a gallon than identical models in the US!

[@stephenpetermay1721]

I absolutely agree about the Driving Theory test. I passed my UK driving test in '80. Since then I have had to take the theory test every time I have added a new class of vehicle ( Motorcycle, HGV(C, C+E), PSV, Agricultural). Additionally serving in the UK Military I have had to add an 'Airfield Permit' at every Station I have served at, UK, Europe,Middle East/worldwide, each one involving a theory test and familiarisation. My father voluntarily took an annual 'Older Persons Driver Assessment' when he reached 80 and gave up driving when he lost confidence in modern conditions ( about a decade ago).

[@norb0254]

I have been luckier ,i dod my car ,HGV and being in the army at the time i had to do my hgv starting at class 3 as it was then 2 then 1 ,,and that was when you could go straight to class 1 ..Though with the shortage of drivers now you can go straight to 1 again PSV and Track before the theory existed lol

[@Dunbardoddy]

Wow that was a trip down memory lane - I learned to drive (from my dad - who never pasted a test - you just bought your licence back in his day!) on that road 50 years ago - you went past my old house at 14:14 (57 Ardrossan Road) I had two lessons from an instructor from Ardrossan to go over the likely test routes (the test centre then was just in Saltcoats, next to Old Raise Road, off what is now the A738, back then it was the A78) first lesson was a week before the test and the second was a day before the test - I passed - it was April fools day (1st April). I think I must have driven about 2 million miles since then. In the US, Canada and all over Europe.

[@mproyuclan]

Really like your insights 👍 When I moved to the US in 1994 I bought a car about 3mths after arriving. Getting my PennDot licence was a dream. Booked my test before I got my car, a friend drove me up there and I had to do 10 MCQ questions and then drive my friends car with the examiner round the block outside test centre. Examiner said that will do and they issued my PennDot licence.

[@chriszigzag]

One thing I would advise during the actual test is to move your head slightly to look in the mirror so that you are physically seen to be looking. I was picked up on this in my test (1986), although I did use my mirror lots, the examiner said he couldn't see me doing it. Doesn't need to be anything dramatic, just a small movement each time. Hope this helps.

[@jimcook1161]

Another thing with the number plate starting with the car is you can do what's called an HPI check which allows you to see if there is any outstanding finance on the vehicle or if an insurer has written it off.

[@Gert-DK]

Fun fact: Here in Denmark, we now have digital driver's license. When I heard that it was available, I couldn't figure out what they would do with the photo. So I installed the app and a few seconds later I had my license on the phone. The trick they used, was using my latest passport photo.

[@peterkonradort]

That’s amazing! I think I heard they’re working on something like that here as well but I’m not 100% sure

[@Gert-DK]

@@peterkonradort It really ain't that amazing. The country has been fully digital the last 10-12 years. No public authorities are allowed to use snail mail. Everything is digital, no exceptions. We have an App to ID ourselves (MitId), it can be used with biometrics. So no snail mail from the public, banks, insurances, and things like that. The ID App also works when you have to sign something. We all have a secure electronic mailbox, where all the stuff comes. Tax papers, things like that. I believe many will find it frightening, but I can assure you all, that it is nice not have to store old papers anymore. Many foreigners get married here, mostly Germans. Because of the digital system, it takes a very short time. Just check city hall in the city want to get married and foreigners will know what papers to bring. Go to City hall, give them your papers, and they usually say "come back in two hours". When you come back after two hours, you will get married. An example, how much faster things are.

[@philipoakley5498]

UK gallon is 20% larger that US gallon, so Miles per Gallon will be 'lower' in the US by that factor of 1.2, but all the same European efficiencies are generally better, though not exactly comparable.

[@sandersson2813]

To be fair to America, their fuel is so cheap that they have zero incentive to produce efficient cars hence laughable MPG. Their standard petrol is also of a lower octane so naturally doesn't work so well in cars that require 95 RON fuel.

[@stevetaylor8698]

Yes, 40mpg uk is 33mpg US

[@odyssey8884]

​@@sandersson2813not so cheap today the price difference per litre is less than 50 cents US.

[@sandersson2813]

@@odyssey8884 Not sure how you worked that out. A US Gallon (3.8ltr) in UK currently costs $7.24 ($1.9/ltr) , in the US its $3.37 (88c/ltr, which equals a difference of $1.02 per litre. A gallon in the US costs 46.5% of the cost of the same volume in UK, LESS than HALF.

[@michellemaine2719]

Going through the application process during the horrible backlogs from COVID-19 in England was an absolute nightmare for my husband. We definitely missed the DMV loads then. Same for booking the tests. I passed on my first try for both tests, but my husband had to re-take the theory 3 times. Your recommendation is spot on regarding watching videos and doing practice tests. I have not had any problems finding automatic transmission cars, but they do cost a bit more. I felt too old to start manual now, ha.

[@peterkonradort]

I hired an automatic for my test just because I knew we would be buying an automatic (my wife doesn’t know how to drive stick) but I’m kind of regretting it now. We started having some transmission problems the first week of august, I called over 50 different garages and none of them would even look at an automatic car. Finally got it to a shop about a month later and they just finished fixing it this week. Mental

[@michellemaine2719]

@@peterkonradort interesting. I hope I don't end up with transmission problems because those can get very costly. Did you find even the car dealer wouldn't help?

[@peterkonradort]

The dealership of course would help but they charge £175 an hour for labour, and when I called them in early august they didn’t even have any availability to look at it until mid November.

[@dblissmn]

@@peterkonradort wonder what mechanics are going to do as the market shifts to CVT and EV-single-speed?

[@raymondporter2094]

​@@dblissmnA young mechanic will be a rather old mechanic when Internal Combustion Engine vehicles go out of use. The time limit will be extended then further extended.

[@williambelford9661]

I live in Scotland and in 1990 at the age of 33 I had my first ever driving lesson on a Tuesday and passed my driving test on the Friday of the same week 👍

[@BazColne]

This should be all about you.

[@williambelford9661]

@@BazColne obviously you're not wrong 😂😂

[@ChrisM541]

But you obviously did NOT have your first ever driving lesson on that Tuesday !!! --> OBVIOUSLY, your parents/other were taking you for a LOT of 'lessons' before that! - MOST folk, who have had extensive driving experience before their first 'official' driving instructor lesson will pass....after that FIRST and ONLY lesson! - MOST don't even need that 'official' lesson...clearly ;)

[@williambelford9661]

@@ChrisM541 100% wrong, my parents neither drove nor owned a car. Please never call me a liar again.

[@john_smith1471]

Interesting video, automatic transmission is much more common these days, for my last purchase automatic was a deal breaker, also many automatics have an additional semi automatic mode, no clutch but the driver can shift up when they decide to.

[@MrLunarlander]

Very true: automatics are now well over half of all new UK car sales, and 30% of the cars on the road in total are automatics. In 2020/21 42% of tests were taken in automatics, so other for enthusiasts and classic car drivers the days of the manual are probably coming to an end pretty soon!

[@Alan_Mac]

"It being summer here in Scotland now". Aye, we can tell that from the rain on the windscreen!

[@peterkonradort]

Aye, but at least that time of year the rain isn’t ice cold. Lol

[@Gert-DK]

I have borrowed my friend's Peugeot several times now. I noticed that, exceeding 120 km/h on the motorway, is quite expensive. The gasoline is pouring into the engine. The break is very noticeable at 120 km/h. Keep it at 110 km/h and the economy is fine. On a very windy day, with headwind, you will also use quite a lot more fuel.

[@epmorris]

Great video, I'm sure this will be really useful for people moving over. The published MPGs here do seem to be rather exaggerated; they are basically not attainable. You could probably find a small-medium hatchback that will do 70 MPG on a mix of city/motorway driving. One tip on insurance - the legal minimum is third part liability only, but weirdly it is often cheaper or hardly any more to get fully comprehensive which covers fire, damage to your own vehicle, etc. The weird thing about not being able to drive the hire car after the test happens when driving an instructor's car too (or at least did when I took mine). Typically, if you pass the instructor will drive you home, if you fail, you drive home 😄

[@peterkonradort]

Thank you! Yeah I didn’t fully expect to get those exact figures but I was surprised it was so far off. But, I also barely even get on a dual carriageway and pretty much never a motorway so it’s lots of stopping and starting for me.

[@NathanEllisBodi-bf5zo]

Websites such as ' Honest John ' have tables of real world MPG figures, collated from owners reviews. Often quite an eye opener and useful to draw up a list of vehicles that are very close to the publicised figures.

[@DerrickWhittle-mm7jz]

From the UK took me 3 times, my exwife lived in the UK for 12y who is an excellent driver, except sometimes slow in the UK took her British test 2 times failed. Just allways updated her US license, go to France for the weekend get another 6m.

[@adamgill3320]

Good summation and I think helpful for new drivers within the UK. 😁

[@KellyS_77]

Very helpful video! There are several countries (Canada is one) that can actually exchange the license from their home country for a UK license without taking any of the tests (lucky them!) It seems the best option for immigrants that cannot exchange their license is to try their best to pass the UK test before the 12 months that they can use the license from their home country ends.

[@peterkonradort]

Interestingly enough, Oklahoma does have a reciprocal agreement with Germany. Technically we could have briefly moved to Germany, exchanged our licenses for German licenses, and then moved to Scotland and exchanged the German license to a UK license to avoid retesting. Lol

[@chrisvowell2890]

Not so, Kelly! Having driven on a UK licence for over 40 years, I still had to take the BC driving test when we moved to Vancouver. However, I believe that some countries' residents don't have to - Korea and Japan which is bizarre, especially as Japan drives on the left like the UK!

[@KellyS_77]

@@chrisvowell2890 I looked it up on the Gov UK website. Also, read what I wrote. I never said the exchange worked both ways.

[@ScragNath]

Don't know if you covered this but in the UK, if you pass a driving test in an automatic, you are only licensed to drive an automatic. If you pass with a manual gearbox, you can drive both.

[@alexshapley8331]

Interesting and informative - I have already forwarded the link for this video to an American friend who is thinking of getting a UK licence (and car). One point - I believe that it is generally harder to drive in big UK cities than in smaller towns and rural areas - so maybe book a test out of town... (UK cities aren't nicely designed for driving like many US cities).

[@peterkonradort]

Thank you! And yes if your able to do the test in a smaller town it might be easier. In General I think Scotland has higher pass rates than England but I’m not sure of the exact numbers.

[@normanwallace7658]

You can pay road tax monthly by Direct Debit from your bank account. Some Insurance company's have the same set up.

[@peterkonradort]

Yes! If your vehicle is a higher class of road tax it might make more sense because some of them can be around £400 a year or more. Mine is £20 a year so I figured I’d just pay once and get it over with lol

[@comeconcon569]

Peter, the Brits spell "License" with a "C" instead of an "S" as we do in America. Driver License (AmE), Driving Licence (BrE).

[@alanthomas2064]

License and licence are different things,first is a verb to license,second is a noun.

[@comeconcon569]

@@alanthomas2064 In British,the noun is Licence with a "C".

[@sandersson2813]

It's not British English, it's just English.

[@bencodykirk]

@@sandersson2813 It's British English. There are many versions of English around the world. I have lived in the UK, the USA and Australia, I consider myself tri-lingual, lol.

[@sandersson2813]

@@bencodykirk No, it's just English, any other version simply bastardised it.

[@EwanMarshall]

We did used to have local DVLA offices, they all got closed in 2013. Generally I prefer online, no waiting in queues or anything, unfortunately there has been terrible backlogs since COVID-19, I doubt local offices would have helped with that. Even with them, the information was sent off and mailed back with license. It really just meant you had to hand the forms over at a desk to a clerk and wait in line.

[@JohnWatkinsUK]

"with it being summer here in Scotland now..." - Yep, seems right.

[@peterkonradort]

I love Scottish summer! So much better than Oklahoma summers.

[@a.barbarasanchez6993]

Great video. I wonder if you could write in words the step by step process and websites. Thank you.

[@icatjam]

Welcome to Largs. Haha we're neighbours or were. I was startled when you started driving and I recognised my old hometown imediately having lived Gogo St for 20 yrs or so. Good vid. Hope your still driving safely.

[@ROCKINGMAN]

Peugeot is a top brand in France. A lot of the french do buy their own tried, tested models, which are reliable and well maintained.

[@gwaptiva]

The biggest trouble I had in getting my licence in Scotland in the late 90s was to get the test appointment in Saltcoats, not Salford. Twice I got the wrong appointment because some bint at the DVLA typed SAL into her system, gets a hit and types Enter. The rest of the process was a doozy.

[@scottishsithphotoygraphy]

As someone who lives in Ayrshire I was trying to follow your journey. Was that Largs to Ardrossan you drove?

[@peterkonradort]

Yes! Started in Largs, went through ardrossan and ultimately ended up in stevenston!

[@ID3driver]

Don't forget that us gallons are different to imperial gallons so us mpg compared to uk will be exactly the same in real terms

[@adZHARRISON]

How are you finding the weather in Scotland ? - i lived in So Cal for 28 years and im now in west Cumbria and love it

[@peterkonradort]

Hiya! The weather here is fantastic! I just talked about your comment a bit in my latest video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5PRZ4Vum66qfJo

[@adZHARRISON]

Road tax is like registration , it is amazing how small or electric cars pay so very little in the UK but an older SUV pays a fortune - MOT is an in depth inspection - all i had in the states was SMOG every other year and waayyy cheaper fuel

[@JustinPratt1]

I got my uk license back in 2000 and was there for about a year after. It is a paper and card in one plastic sleeve. Anyone know if i can now just exchange that for a new license card?

[@bigmeltie1]

Spotted Largs right away! Happy days doon the water.

[@birtybonkers8918]

Remember that the Imperial gallon is 25 percent larger than the US gallon - the pint is 20 fluid ounces as opposed to 16 in the US. The US pint makes more sense, I think, because then a pint of water weighs 1 pound, but that’s how it is.

[@Drew-Dastardly]

Blasphemy! A UK pint is 568ml. Not a single 1ml less. This is established fact at every single pub in the country, with weights & measures inspectors to make sure that the froth or foam on the top is above the Crown labelled line when served. The reason a UK pint is 568ml is because it takes 8 pints to make an imperial gallon. It is also larger than any US measure which coming from imperial measures just shows how the hucksters in the USA debased the measurement system to their own unique one which favours the purveyors over the customers. Nickle and diming I think it's known as.

[@mikefletcher4222]

Excellent info, covered everything I needed

[@peterkonradort]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ninecatsmagee8384]

It's the same process as for anybody else in the UK. Get a couple lessons with a licenced trainer. Read the book.

[@mmigesh4735]

In the U.K. you have a driving licence, not a license.

[@alec1113]

If you driving test is in an automatic, then your license is only for automatic. Cars in the UK are in far better condition than in the USA .Second hand car market in the USA is kept artificially high .

[@aucourant9998]

Why are you using air-con? You don't need it in the UK (especially in Scotland) and it uses a ton of fuel. If you're in town and not travelling at speed or you are stuck in traffic, roll down your window like everyone else.

[@sandersson2813]

It hardly uses any fuel in the UK because it barely has to work. However it is worth having to keep the air in your car dry and reduce condensation in your car.

[@PeterBellefleur]

Yeah it's more for humidity removal, especially in Scotland. It really doesnt use that much fuel.

[@nicolad8822]

You do need it to be comfortable in the summer when it’s high 20s or into the 30s celsius. Stuck in traffic in a tin can on a motorway with heat coming off the tarmac and car fumes all round. Hell no.

[@Salfordian]

You should try getting a UK driving 'licence'

[@domramsey]

One funny thing you didn't mention; If you had touched that coffee at any time, it would have been an offence. Drinking (anything) while in control of the car - even when stopped - is classified as careless driving.

[@peterkonradort]

There is no law against drinking coffee while driving. If you get into an accident because of it then yes, you could get hit with careless driving; however, it is legal to drink a non alcoholic beverage while driving!

[@domramsey]

@@peterkonradort Yes there is. It's called careless driving, whether or not you get into an accident, because you are distracted and holding an object. The police can, and will pull you over.

[@chrisaskin6144]

Which only goes to reinforce the police's attitude of "do as I say, not as I do." I have seen the police physically drinking coffee behind the wheel, whilst the vehicle is in motion. Usually having just left McDonald's.

[@johnpmchappell]

No. As Peter said, you absolutely can drink a non-intoxicating beverage whilst driving. What you may not do is needlessly hold it whilst steering one-handed, or reach for it when performing a manoeuvre. As long as you are driving in straight line, at a steady speed, and otherwise safe, you can reach for, drink some and replace with no issues, on the test or out on the road with a full licence. *Any* act that takes your attention or ability to control the vehicle away is a potential "careless driving" charge, it has nothing to do with drinking your coffee.

[@DeanB1980]

if you do more a road and motorway driving you will get more also using the air con makes your mpg go down

[@stevekenilworth]

due to test standards so low in usa, sorta feel 12 months free rain is crazy without a even a small driving test and questions uk road rules, even in New York ive heard people as little as 10 hours learning can pass test that scary and that was from a driving school teacher. do feel on holiday here for few weeks at most small test to make sure your safe should be mandatory just the basics, but soon as you move here that's it your taken of road till you pass uk test, not just the usa, china/india/russia list goes on for bad test standards, plus feel all left hand drive trucks should be banned from uk roads, nearly lost life countless times when younger and they do not do roundabout how you not meant to do them they do like how country they from what is wrong here and dangerous. your case a tad different you have experience driving driving in many places that dose count but you really should challenged self and gone manual you for sure get better mpg and way more fun to drive, passing in auto limits you to only being able to drive an auto you would need to do a manual test to drive manual and auto, cheaper maintenance too as the modern auto they go wrong what seems common and esp if a double clutch auto they cost thousands to fix, my mate had the golf with a double clutch it went wrong and cost over have value car to fix, mine car clutch went its a £300-400 job to do far less than if that was a complicated auto. in the comments people mentioned some good uk driving test / learning channels, more north you go the more easy the test, far north it just drive from one town to another and back its just a easy road with very little traffic, more south or next to bigger citys tests get harder, my test was next to 2nd biggest ciity, going through castle walls and medieval narrow streets with health issues in manual the test covered every place near me, city driving, motorway junctions, big / small towns, country roads inc single track roads the test went on forever 55 mins long, longest test my teacher had seen in many years the 1 hour tests are usually reserved for people who got banned and need to re sit test but passed first time 2 minors, sure would not want to do that test again, but very lucky for the next test as all over tests were already out and next test was waiting outside for over 10 mins for us to get back so that lad if examiner wants to finish before 10pm will have a very short test route and easy pass, my test they thrown it all at me trying to catch me out time we should been heading back he still taking me further and further away, the extra lessons paid off for my stress was ready was before but nerves were not and un expected extended test im sure glad i had extra teaching but pushed much further as i was ready so more challenging places than on test so on test it be easy so not to worry about that i could focus on keep nerves in check, worked well for me but never want to do that again

[@fasteddie406]

Ref mileage to gallon you do know that a UK gallon is larger than an American gallon??

[@PointNemo9]

Most Americans don't know, they always comment on British videos about how amazing the fuel economy sounds 😂

[@faithlesshound5621]

Divide the number of US gallons by 1.201 to get the number of Imperial gallons. Or multiply by 0.832674. The US gallon is what used to be Queen Anne's Wine Gallon, which was abolished in the UK long ago.

[@eattherich9215]

Petrol is sold by the litre, so the gallon is redundant as a comparison.

[@davidforman6191]

Efficiency of a vehicle likely to reduce as it ages. Similar to bhp.

[@ganjiblobflankis6581]

What they claim for mileage is really only for comparison purposes between cars, not a claim for what you will experience.

[@gordon767]

Nice wee informative video and a nice wee drive from Largs to Stevenston. Did you drive all that way for a McDonald’s?

[@peterkonradort]

If memory serves me right I ultimately ended up in the B&M next door but I don’t remember what it was for lol

[@TheGiff7]

Really good video with guidance for international drivers switching to U.K. licensing. A few nitty gritty things though. There is no such thing as Road Tax. It was scrapped in 1937 to remove a sense of entitlement to the roads from motorists. It was known for a while as car tax and is now known as Vehicle Emissions Duty (VED). It is a contentious phrase as it is one directed at cyclists regarding road use when the reality is motorists have been granted permission to use public roads rather than a right given to pedestrians, cyclists and horse users. The MOT technically certifies the vehicle’s roadworthiness for that point in time. The registered keeper is responsible for the upkeep of the vehicle and if a mechanical fault develops and the police stop you, you can be charged for using an unroadworthy vehicle. As an aside you can pickup driving licence application forms for provisional and renewal licenses from your post office.

[@CamMcCutchen]

I was shocked at how easy the test was in the US, I got my parellel park wrong and passed, which is an instant fail in the UK, I thought the instructor was high when he passed me O_O I moved from Scotland to WA, USA and couldn't believe it.

[@texbankuk]

Something you may not be aware of on the UK Driving Lenience is what's listed in section 9 on the Front of the Card which on my full Motorcycle License reads: AM/A/B1/k/l/p/q which on the Reverse of the Card is "explained" in pictographs for dating how long the vehicle you can drive for (Until your 70th birthday) …No date and mostly you are no eligible for that type of Vehicle. Note: Acts as Good ID But the Pink Provisional card still is still not Good . and the further down the List the More bigger vehicles groups are listed as Group C/ C1E & CE as Heavy Goods Vehicles AKA HGV's winch were previously grouped as HGV group 1,2 and 3 and this was If I remember goods Lorries and Van Carrying Weight capacity (unladen) The DVLA used to publish a List of the Groups you could drive in the Early day of the Grouping system and then it got reorganized with My driving Group being originally Group D to 4 different "A" class specs. due to driving Test changes And, with Electric Vehicles starting to appear I think these could be made into a new group very soon as in the bottom section of the Licience It allowed me to drive and Electric vehicle but there is No information . I did drive a stacker pallet truck in a warehouse and that was ok for the Companies insurance . More information ex the UK Government DVLA website and this still confuses me slightly in its requirements www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories Somebody somewhere should go through the Groups list with a fine toothcomb on a You Tube Video ASAP and B) what about the Overseas equivalent licensing codes? And I Know nothing about the driving offence endorsement codes which was "dated" on my ( Pink) Learner Provisional license but not carried over to my full Licence . as the offence was "spent"

[@AurochsHorn]

FYI your seat is reclined too far back and your headrest is way too low. If you have a crash you’re going to get whiplash at least.

[@andrewwhite3793]

Your driving an automatic drive model so getting a UK license is a bit easier as the majority of vehicles in the UK is a gear/clutch change or a stick change in the US. So automatic and AC uses a lot more fuel. You do have to do the UK test to familiarize yourself with UK road signage. The reason the UK and Japan drives on the left goes back to medievil times when you passed someone on the road so your fighting hand is free to defend yourself as most people are left handed

[@mickylee82]

No, we travel on the left because the majority of people are RIGHT handed, fun fact, the reason mainland Europe drives on the right is because Napoleon was a lefty so, when he conquered Europe he made everyone travel on the right so he could defend himself

[@andrewwhite3793]

@@mickylee82 The UK and Japan drive on the left because the majority of the population is right handed. So in medievil and Samuri times when you passed someone on the road you would be on the left leaving your sword hand free when passing.If on the right then you are leaning over your horse. Not sure ? get a couple of rulers or sticks and try it .

[@Vteccer666]

also the gallon of fuel you get here in Scotland is more than you get for a US gallon as US gallon is nearly 1 litre less than ours

[@worthington3637]

Did you pass your test holding the steering wheel at 3-o-clock as you did for much of the vid?

[@andygarrett1502]

neither the 10-2 or quarter to 3 or hand positions nor pull push are tested any more like the olden days. Its maintaining safe control of the vehicle

[@worthington3637]

@@andygarrett1502 Yes, but with a hand at 12-o-clock you are blocking the airbag.

[@davidebacchi9030]

US or Imperial gallon? 1 Imp gal is roughly 1/5th bigger than Us Gal hence the better mileage

[@peterkonradort]

After filming this I realised that my tracker app was actually set to US gallons, not UK gallons. So in actuality my 40mpg was more like 48mpg which is a little bit closer to what the manufacturer promises. With that being said, as much as I griped about only getting 40mpg, that is significantly better than what this size car would get in the US regardless of if you’re using US or UK gallons.

[@ianbrant1013]

Don’t forget US gallon is smaller than uk gallon so mpg will always appear better in uk

[@Hugh_de_Mortimer]

The roads are very different to the USA, so maybe going through the UK test is worthwhile even if you do have many years of driving experience under your belt.

[@katiemcdonald5988]

Largs is a lovely wee town. ❤️

[@helenwood8482]

RoadvTax was abolkshed in 1936. What we pay now is Vehicle Excise Duty.

[@fizzyridertoo]

Something to note about buying a used car in the UK vs the USA. Both countries have annual checks. In the USA it's a very basic and simple test, mostly to see that the car passes emissions and some basic safety stuff. In the UK the test is much more rigorous and lots of cars fail the MOT. If you buy a car with an MOT you can be fairly sure that it's safe at least.

[@peterkonradort]

Unfortunately that’s only half accurate. Only some states in the US have annual tests, and typically they’re pretty much worthless. Oklahoma, where we lived, is one of the states that doesn’t have a test.

[@fizzyridertoo]

@@peterkonradort I live in Texas now and Oregon before that. The Texas test is a joke and really doesn't tell you anything. The Oregon one is mostly about emissions and they don't really care about safety. As you say though, some states have nothing at all.

[@johnpmchappell]

@@fizzyridertoo Depending on county, Texas checks emissions, aside from that the test is basic safety features - brakes work to a minimum standard, all lamps illuminate and do so appropriately, wiper blades are effective, nothing falling off the vehicle.

[@tonyeden2944]

Peter, I am new to your excellant channel. Have you talked about Post Codes compared to ZIP codes? Chalk and cheeze! Tony

[@peterkonradort]

Hiya! I know it's been a long time since you left this comment but I just talked about it in my new video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5PRZ4Vum66qfJo

[@bricktop7803]

You are driving a 'Pug' that is what we call it over here, and yes the WLTP figures for a Pug are waaaay off. I have a Pug 2008, 2 years old and Peugeot advertise 47mpg and I average 33 mpg. Yes, that is bad. Its a 1.2 petrol, its a fine car. Yours must be a Diesel if you are getting these figures for fuel economy. A US gallon is about 3.5 litres and a UK gallon is 4.5 litres, and that is why in the US the MPG figures are so bad. But yup, welcome the the UK, there is a reason US citizens must take a UK driving test, as the US driving test is a joke in some states. A lot of good info on there for Expats wishing to live abroad. Not much point talking about how you miss the DMV though, different country, different system. But having an MOT system ensures the cars are maintained correctly and its all about safety.

[@sybo64]

Good video athough I spent most of the time trying to work out where you were driving. It’s all looked very familiar, but I still can’t place it.

[@peterkonradort]

Thank you! I started in Largs and ended in Stevenston

[@sybo64]

👍 I recognise it all now!

[@papalaz4444244]

This looks very familiar. Did you start this in Helensburgh? EDIT: I see you in Saltcoats now so it might have been Largs :)

[@peterkonradort]

Yes! Started in Largs and ended up in Stevenston

[@papalaz4444244]

@@peterkonradort All familar to me. I'm in Paisley right now lol

[@howardchambers9679]

Roundabouts, signal right till just before you reach your turn then signal left. Only exception is if you're turning immediate left. Then you signal left. Tbf most British drivers don't do this and it drives me mad! I drive for a living and virtually no one signals correctly at a roundabout

[@peterkonradort]

You’re right! But, I would say that a higher percentage of people here signal correctly than people in the US. Which is not a high bar 😂

[@iallso1]

When I left the UK to move to NZ I didn't wait the full year, I continued driving on my UK driving licence until I had sorted out my NZ licence. In that way I was not required to sit a test or go through the experience of having to drive with L plates and the restrictions that brings. I wonder if as a US licence holder if you had applied for your UK licence within that first year, would you have had a more straight forward transition process? I did have to go through the whole process, from theory test, to achieve a motorcycle licence in NZ.

[@peterkonradort]

If I had done it my first year the only difference would have been that I could have driven my own car to the testing place without L plates, and if I would have failed, driven home by myself still on my American license. Unfortunately the biggest thing I’ve lost at this point is my motorcycle license so at some point I do plan on doing the direct access course to get a full motorcycle license again.

[@Mathemagical55]

You could have hired a driving instructor for just a mock test where they'll pinpoint any issues the examiner might fail you on.

[@peterkonradort]

Yes! I tried to do that but none in my area had any availability sooner than 3 months away

[@frglee]

Nice drive down the Clyde coast 🙂

[@crouqetoo2]

Thanks, I am east coast and thought it was the west coast, kept freezing the video , in an attempt to read the road signs, unsuccessfiully

[@sydmichel]

The MPG figures between US and the UK are not equal. This is because the American Gallon is quite a bit smaller than a British one, hence the American MPG figures are smaller. There are still 8 Pints in a Gallon but the US pint is somewhat smaller. Hence the popular myth that Americans cant hold their beer.

[@JohnResalb]

When I hear that kind of comparison, I always ask myself "why". And my first suspicion is always "underhand collusion" in this case, with the petroleum industry. Another point - is there some kind of difference between the American gallon and the British gallon.?

[@nesyut]

Yep. The US Gallon is smaller than the UK Gallon.

[@alanmon2690]

mainly UK government tax!

[@gar6446]

I have my doubts that start/,stop tech saves mpg. Had it on a truck doing around 1500 miles pw mixed roads, switched it off after a couple of months and the mpg marginally improved, could be coincidental but i think the effect was negligable either way on mpg.

[@peterkonradort]

This is the first vehicle I’ve owned with start stop. My biggest gripe is that it’s super sensitive, the engine turns off before I even come to a stop and any time I parallel park, the engine cuts off at least 3 or 4 times just in the process of parking.

[@gar6446]

@@peterkonradort It's a Peugeot, the anti-car car company. You can't expect it to be any good.

[@douglaspage6239]

I get 40 to the gallon around town and unto 67 on a run which is what the blurb said in a Mazda 6 2010 nice car

[@Samson1]

Are you taking into account that UK/european gallons are twenty per cent larger than the american gallon?

[@davidfisher9026]

I'm pretty sure European car companies cannot mix and match to falsify mpg.

[@garfieldtait5584]

1 US Gallon - 3.8 Litres. 1UK Gallon - 4.546 Litres

[@kierans1159]

US uses something called the Queen Anne wine Gallon, not the measurement now known as an Imperial Gallon.

[@alicefish8348]

just be aware at 18:17 you say "if youre in your one year you can drive to test centre on US licence and drive home on british if you pass" - kind of true but if you pass ensure to get insurance immediately like before you leave test centre as provisional insurance wont cover a full licence. so most ppl dont drive back as not insured fully also easy to say "i could take the test again in 10 days if failed" when most ppl cannot book again that quickly, several months wait now!

[@peterkonradort]

Yes! I’ll have to clarify that on a follow up video. And for the test yes there is a wait but if you’re flexible with the testing location, and keep checking for cancellations you can most likely move it up sooner!

[@DaChaGee]

Don't forget British gallons are bigger than US gallon so it will sound like a lot more.

[@ds1868]

It may help if you could spell the word LICENCE correctly.

[@geoffbuckley8637]

Automatic cars are very easy to find and all big dealers will have a selection. I've been driving them for 40+ years! That's in southern England so it might be different in the north of the UK.

[@faithlesshound5621]

It can be difficult to find a hire car with an automatic gearbox in a hurry if your car breaks down. You'll have much less choice, or none. It's the same if you need a loan car from the garage while your own is being serviced: you will need to book in advance. Also if you need to hire a van for any reason. Having a full driving licence gives you more choice.

[@TrevM0nkey]

definitely not difficult in the North West (Lancashire)

[@adZHARRISON]

The good old days , there was no traffic lights on roundabouts (thats the whole idea of roundabouts)

[@davidfisher9026]

No. Traffic lights are a God send on major roundabouts. I know a major r/bout in Clydebank where if you were approaching north/south you were screwed due to the higher frequency of vehicles going east/west.

[@robertkirk4387]

Turn off the aircon, more MPG

[@peterkonradort]

Yes but even though Scottish summers are very brief, I’m not driving around in summer heat without aircon. Lol

[@jca111]

Be aware that a UK gallon is nearly a litre more than a us gallon. The wonders of Imperial and customary units! Go metric

[@wrd777]

A UK gallon is 1.2US gallons so the consumption figures are not quite so impressive!

[@peckelhaze6934]

Sadly, a lot of drivers do not indicate on roundabouts. One of my pet hates.

[@peterkonradort]

Same here! But, a much higher percentage of drivers indicate here than back in the US. So it is at least an improvement lol

[@keith6400]

22:25 The American system of signalling first, then looking in the mirror can give rise to a very close motorcycle in process of overtaking being somewhat startled. Never heard of mirror signal mirror.

[@MrBcsack]

mirror signal manoeuvre - is was what he was hinting at - we were taught - look in the mirror - if it's clear signal,then, only if it's clear, manoeuvre

[@hendy643]

Doing my car lessons, it was Mirror Signal Manoeuvre. Doing my Cat C+E, I was taught Mirror, Signal, Mirror, Speed, Mirror, Manoeuvre. It may just be how different instructors teach it, it may be category specific, I dunno.

[@crouqetoo2]

@@MrBcsack Briish Army, mirror, signal ,mirror, manoeuvre. or it was in 1967

[@johnpmchappell]

@@hendy643 Aye, its MSM And then the final M (manoeuvre) breaks down into 'mirror, speed, manoeuvre', as in 'manoeuvre' is always actually "perform observations" (mirror), "signal as needed, and appropriately" (signal), "perform manoeuvre if safe to do so, and in a safe and predictable manner" (manoeuvre). Simply braking because a vehicle ahead has slowed is a manoeuvre, for example, requiring you to at least check your rear view, assess the speed you need to reduce to, then perform the manoeuvre, including selecting a lower gear if the new road speed dictates it. Once past the learner stage, most of us have internalized a lot of this and don't break it down into steps that way, but sometimes it is worth going back to basics, because it's easy to get sloppy.

[@pittarak1]

What’s the difference between an Expat and immigrant?

[@john_smith1471]

Expats are temporarily working away from their home country, you have British expats working in the Middle East, or American expats working in uk universities, could be long or short term, can affect taxation status as well, but they haven’t emigrated or applied for citizenship to their host country.

[@lemming9984]

3 inches?

[@MrGraeme]

Flashed up on my trending and I thought yeah you will live some where remote up north with stunning views. Nope your 30 mins away from me. What a small world. Don't expect your MPG to go any higher those MPG ratings have been done in Lab Conditions with no wind resistance or weight & only the best fuel.

[@robinknox3569]

Haha…..this video came up as a suggested watch for me……probably because you drive right past my front door in it! 😀😀

[@peterkonradort]

The algorithm knows everything…. 😂😂😂

[@tonyeden2944]

Peter, Peugeot is Pear Shjow and Citroen is Sit rhow En ... Well, about that anyway! But it is definitly not Sitron as that is the lazy British way.

[@sapphyx26]

What is the logic behind checking the mirror BEFORE you turn a turn signal on? It is understandable why one checks the mirror AFTER the signal and BEFORE making a turn, but there is no reason to have to check it before you turn it on, assuming you turn the signal on a proper distance before you must make your maneuver (to give time for other drivers). It makes no sense. If you check first, it doesn't change anything. You either 1) have a car in the immediate vicinity that would prevent an immediate turn or otherwise prevent you from making your turn at the proper time without you slowing down (or speeding up), 2) you have no car that applies in that scenario. In the first, why in the world aren't you already looking BEFORE you turn your turn signal on to make sure you can lane change, for instance? In the case of coming up to an intersection in which you need to turn, this also makes no sense, as turning on the signal is all the intent you need to show - so I assume you are talking about lane changing. But again, it's pointless to look into a mirror just before turning on a signal when you still need to look before making the maneuver.

[@peterkonradort]

From my understanding it’s so that you don’t startle a motorist or cyclist unnecessarily if they’re in the way.

[@sapphyx26]

@@peterkonradort ok. :) Is that a "thing" in Scotland? People get "startled" and just fall off bikes? lol

[@peterkonradort]

@@sapphyx26 not really a thing here, because in general people here are much better drivers and actually follow the rules of the road 😂

[@stevehartley7504]

Do you think its a good thing that the European driving test requirements are better for road safety? I look at the US test and I'm horrified at how easy it seems to be! You have been driving in Europe for some years so would be accustomed to European driving standards.

[@dblissmn]

There are big variations between states, but yes, some states are grossly inadequate. One interesting quirk I've just became aware of us that Japan has reciprocity/transferability with some of the stricter states including Oregon and Washington, but the Alaska test is so primitive, basically just starting the car, moving it in and out of a parking spot and stopping it again, Japan won't even give a grace period allowing you to drive on it while you're waiting to get a test.

[@sandersson2813]

Plus in Europe, if you don't pass in a manual car, you can't drive a manual. In America you can pass in an automatic and still drove a manual. That is mental

[@GeotheScot]

Unless you learn to drive properly with a manual, automatics are traditionally for the handicapped, or go carting, anybody with 1 arm ~ 1 leg can drive automatics

[@peterkonradort]

Not necessarily lol. My partner can’t drive a manual which is why we bought a semi-automatic. My first car was a manual, and in most circumstances I prefer a manual. I will be upgrading my licence to a manual licence at some point to make it easier if I ever need to rent a car in the UK, etc. however since ICE cars are going out of production, pretty soon automatics will be the only kind of vehicle around anyways

[@GeotheScot]

@@peterkonradort manuals aren’t going out of production any time soon in Europe , as I said traditionally over here in Scotland- uk automatics have been for the handicapped, although larger cars have both options

[@johnpmchappell]

@@GeotheScot They are going out of production worldwide, for a variety of reasons. Several manufacturers no longer offer manual gearboxes in any of their vehicles, across all markets.

[@GeotheScot]

@@johnpmchappell in Europe 2035 is the recommended date to stop production of manual cars due to the EU and electric cars, that aside Europe us prominently manual, manual cars will still be produced during the 30s meaning there will still be millions manual cars on the roads in the 2040 -50s

[@johnpmchappell]

@@GeotheScot Recommendations are irrelevant. There has been a steady increase in the availability of automatics since I was a teen, by the time I was leaving for the USA they were easy to find but typically more expensive, and by no means uncommon. As of now, they are even more common than that, newer vehicles typically defaulting to automatic transmissions, and several manufacturers don't offer manuals. Old cars will continue to exist, of course, but you're kidding yourself if you imagine they will be a common thing on British roads in 2050! I suspect they'll be approaching novelty status for many by the end of this decade.

[@JohnMitch]

The way you hold the steering wheel in the early part of your video would be a fail for the UK driving test

[@peterkonradort]

Maybe in the past. There isn’t a specific hand placement they’re looking for, they’re looking to make sure you have control over the vehicle.

[@johnpmchappell]

Historically, but not for a while now. It might get a minor for not being symmetrical placement, but that's about it, as long as he maintains full and safe control.

[@spike5den]

Largs nice wee town

[@paulmidsussex3409]

"With it being Summer here in Scotland now" - are you sure, look out the window!

[@peterkonradort]

Scottish summers are amazing. It can get a bit too hot, but in general they’re great!

[@ElLowEl]

UK Gallons are not the same as US gallons. That is why the miles per gallon figures seem really high to you.

[@alistairthow1384]

Largs to Stevenston?😅

[@peterkonradort]

Yes!

[@IamOllytech]

But.. you're go-karting not driving 😔

[@williamorchard16]

It may be a license in the USA but it's a licence in the UK