tlrnhi

Ok, I'm already there, so I guess I'm going crazier!
I finally got down to a driving school to get ALL the CORRECT info for Courtney to FINALLY get her drivers license. OH MY GOSH! You won't believe it!
This is how it goes for ANY first time driver on Guam.
1. Take driving course. This can be with ANY of the more than 25 DMV approved places on island. Cost runs between $120 and $300 just for the classroom instruction.
2. Take permit test. This test is $25.
3. Permit is then used for 6 months...no less. Permit holder at this time (6 month duration) learns how to drive.
4. Make appointment AFTER the 4 month mark for driving test. Appointment is made at 4 month mark because it takes at least 3 months to get an appointment for road test.
5. Before road test by DMV is done, permit holder goes BACK to driving school, pays $60 for a "pre-road test" to make sure they are going to pass test by DMV.
6. Once appointment date comes, then permit holder goes to assigned location, usually Univ of Guam for road test. Cost $15.
7. Once test is passed, license is given, BUT new license holder STILL cannot drive ALONE for another 30 days when they go BACK to DMV to take a follow up test. Cost $15. Once complete, another license is given and they are allowed to drive alone, BUT, if under age 18, cannot drive between 10pm and 6am. (doesn't matter if they have a job at night or not). If over 18, they cannot drive between the hours of midnight and 6am. (doesn't matter if they have a job or not).
8. After 1 year of holding the license, they can THEN go and get a PERMANENT license with NO restrictions on it.

So, if we were to start now, Courtney would still be in the process of getting her license when we were leaving here. Oh yea....it doesn't transfer to any other state either. She'd have to go thru whatever process the state we move to has for obtaining a license. ARGH!

Our only alternative is to buy a moped. So, we went and looked at them. Found a really nice one. On sale for $1199. With helmet, lock and rack, $1300 total. Not bad. Actually cheaper than the moped I bought in Hawaii. And no...she doesn't need a license to ride/drive it. The moped HAS to be registered by a licensed GUAM driver. That would be me. I have a Guam Drivers License. Oh, yea, have to show proof of insurance too...not a problem.
The drawback? Hmm...let's see. Courtney doesn't know how to ride a moped. She doesn't know how to ride a bike either. DON'T ASK! Long story.....
So, IF we buy a moped, I'm going to be spending A LOT of time teaching her how to ride it.

I'm telling ya...if it's not one stupid law here, it's another!!!

sandpat

:lol: :lol: :lol: What kinda pebble are you living on???? Why wouldn't it transfer to the mainland US? And it sounds like they need to spend some of that $$$$ on the library air conditioner!!

If it worked that way around here...well, lets just say there would be LOTS of unlicensed drivers on the road. I'm thinking that whole thing is just a bunch of B**L...:roll:

Piedmont Quilter

Boy - that is crazy. Not only the time spent running around taking this test and that test - but how much is all that going to cost? I didn't think to add up all the test costs - did you :?: Get the moped!!! Riding a bike requires balance AND peddeling. At least with the moped all she will have to learn is the balance. Let her go round and round in the yard!!

PQ

Bevanger

Good Lord..... That's terrible :(

tlrnhi

I forgot to add....once she goes for the PERMANENT license, that costs $25. Total in all is about $400 at the driving school I talked to. They were the CHEAPEST on island.

It doesn't transfer because they say it's not a "REAL" license and Guam is a territory, NOT a state. Yes, Guam runs under Federal Law, but doesn't have to adhere to ALL Federal Laws. Guam residents CANNOT vote in ANY elections having to do with the President/Vice President, but they do have Senators and Congressmen that they vote for.
It's really crazy living here. One reason why I don't work here. If I did, they would pretty much take ALL our money for taxes.
Have I mentioned how much I want to leave????

Hubby is worried about her riding the roads here. The roads are VERY bad, bumpy and full of potholes. They are slick when it rains. They aren't tar, they are actually cement, tar and crushed coral on the roads. When the roads are wet, they are very slick. I've even slid around corners at times just rounding a corner going REALLY slow when the roads have been wet.
I'm sure she will be careful once she gets the hang of riding it. I'm looking at the money aspect of it. The moped will pay for itself in about 6 months. It costs me about $60 to tank my van each week to drive her back and forth to work. Not to mention that 3 days of the week, I stay in town because she only works 3 hours and it's not worth me making the 30 min drive back home, only to turn around 2 hours later and drive back to get her.
It just all depends on what hubby says. Unless he lets me get the BIG scooter that is there. OMG! It's pretty, but they want $4000 for it! But, I don't need it...it's a want, not a need. The moped for Courtney is a need.
I've learned to distinguish between wants and needs and realizing when the WANTS stay at the store, money gets put in the savings. :) :)

kwhite

Well it isn't really out of line with the driving requirements here in Pa. There are a few extra steps but it sounds pretty typical. Getting a drivers license is a long drawn out process. It makes the licencend drivers better but like SANDPAT said there are a lot of unlicensed drivers out there.

Good luck with this.

tlrnhi

I don't mind the fact that she has to attend driving school.
I just don't think that they have to take ALL that time for them to drive.
My oldest got her license in CT. She took her permit test, then had to wait 90 days to take the permanent test. There were no restrictions put on her license except the underage thing.

What kills me is....the permit is only valid for 6 months. If they call for an appointment for driving test and they are told it's 3 months away, they have to go back to DMV and RETAKE permit test again. Pay for the permit test, because they cannot take the driving test with an expired permit. So...there's more money added to it. I just don't understand WHY it takes a minimum of 3 months to get an appointment for the driving test. Oh yea...forgot to mention....you CANNOT call for an appt EARLIER than the 4 month mark on your permit. If you do, they won't schedule you....so, either way, you are screwed (pardon my french) and have to pay and retake permit test again. Which, you have to make an appointment for.

It just makes NO sense!!!

PrettyKitty

Goodness, what a pain! And to think, when I got my California drivers license, all I had to do was the theory test (passed it without having to read the book) and drove round the block a few times.

Alaskan lady

Wow Terri, I'd say that the DMV must need job security to have all those user fees for a DL. Our behind the wheel is offered only through the college so we pay like tuition. $375. We only pay $25 for the permit though and $25 for the license. Hope the Moped works out for now. Is Courtney still looking into the Coast Guard?

azdesertrat

When I went to high school in Calif.driving instruction was given automatically by the school,usually one of the coaches was the instructor,we had like 4 students in the car and we took turns driving.When my son started to learn to rive here in Arizona,none of the schools here in Tucson offer drivers Ed,You have to teach them yourselves or hire a company at the cost of a couple hundred dollars to train your student,or they can wait till they are 18 and just apply for their license.Of course if they have had the training ,they can get a discount on insurance with good grades included also