IcyBerry

Indeed. After all, they're generally the ones who might worry for your safety the most and have the least reason to be polite about mistakes (you're not paying them after all )

soundsgood

You'll do it Jane, don't worry. Like the others say, just take your time to built confidence

WeBuiltThePyramids

I had to take three lessons with the driving school before I got my initial learner permit, which was just being able to drive if a parent or legal guardian was in the car and NO ONE else. After six lessons and passing a written test, I had my full learner's permit and as long as a parent or guardian was in the car I could drive with passengers (like my sister). Then after X many hours behind the wheel and Y many months, I could take the second segment which was videos and written examinations, then I could take my road test.

My mom and I both refused to have my dad in the car when I was first learning.

smoguntia

Until about 10 years ago, you had to been 18 to get a driving licence. Now you can be 17, but you have to drive with a guardian until you are 18. The guardian has to be over 30, has to have a licence for more than 5 years, and has to be registered as your guardian. And he isn't allowed to drink (or has to be under the allowed legal alcohol limit - which is 0,05% BAC).
My friend's answer, when asked if she wants another drink, always was "I can't my daughter is driving"

*luminous*

Ah! Driving school! It's been more than 20 years that I got my driving licence.

soundsgood

It's something like that in France too. I think you can start the whole thing at 15, with driving lessons (20h) at the driving school while you pass the code test (the rules, I don't know how to say it). Then, and if the instructor agrees, you can drive with a guardian. You have to drive a minimum of 3000 kms in a year before to be allowed to pass the test for the license at 18.

IcyBerry

In my little Canadian province, minimum driving age is 16, and you first do a written test/vision test to get your learners', which is valid for 2 years. After that's done, you can sign up with a driving school and get 25hrs worth of theory lessons and 10hrs worth of actual driving lessons (not nearly enough ). There's a year-long waiting period between the learners' license and the road test, but going to a driving school shortens that to 9 months (also gives you a discount on car insurance).

WeBuiltThePyramids

What province are you in?

IcyBerry

Nova Scotia

WeBuiltThePyramids

I've actually wanted to go there since I was a little little girl. (Because when I was five I found out that's where Anne Murray is from.)

IcyBerry

Oh cool I hope you'll get come here someday then!

On my end, while I've grown accustomed to living here, I still wanna return to Montreal some day. I was just discussing this with some friends the other day. Even though I'm very introverted, I prefer living in big cities. I guess it makes sense in a way because then it's easier to blend in, unlike in NS where when I transferred in during 5th grade, the principal announced me as the new kid over the intercom to the whole school (to my great mortification >.<) and I was known as the "new kid" till like 7th grade.

But yeah, I think overall, I just thrive better in big, diverse places better

WeBuiltThePyramids

I like the rural, quiet ambiance of small towns, but they are pretty much without fail racist and not diverse at all. Cities, like you say, are easier to blend in to, and they tend to be more diverse and less conservative. I wish I could find me a diverse, liberal small town, but those don't really exist. Which sucks because I get anxious in big cities. Even living in Louisville, I lived on the outskirts.

IcyBerry

The city I currently live (Halifax, the capital) is actually not too bad. For one, it's noted for being very LGBT-friendly, and while the local population is still rather homogeneously white, it's still an improvement over where I lived before (Sydney, which was even smaller, less diverse and abounded in ignorant people who annoyed me very much >.<)

smoguntia

I'm leaving for Madeira on Thursday but my journey seems to be ill-fated. 2 weeks ago they had a windstorm and all flight had to be cancelled for some days. The weather is better now, but it seems Madeira is well know for windy weather and flight cancellings (the airport has a small landing and is located directly at the coast).
To make it worse, my airline is a no-frills airline, and sometimes they have to cancel or delay flights because their plane is in the check-up and there is no replacement.
And today 11 people died in Madeira during a procession because a rotten tree crashed on them...

soundsgood

Good luck from Vicky Suzanne!
Everything will be ok, the bad things will be done before your arrival 😉

Vicky and I are actually in line for the taping
Vicky is telling me to tell you that we are number one and number two