I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

Thats some scary stuff right there, right out of the Excorcist or something.

Mirrors have blind spots, you should always do a quick turn around and look before switching lanes!!! :coffee:

Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

Yes, my daughter just went through this recently and the driver will be marked down if they rely soley on mirrors without the head check.

Mirrors have blind spots, you should always do a quick turn around and look before switching lanes!!! :coffee:

Yep. We were told to turn around. The other thing was when passing someone, that car had to be visible in your rear view mirror before changing lanes in front of them.

I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

I don't know about turning COMPLETELY around (that sounds dangerous, and nearly impossible in the drivers seat), but I always glance over both shoulders before changing lanes because of blind spots.

I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

No, they are no told to use the mirrors only and not to turn their heads. My daughter is novice driver as she as only had her license two years. I was shocked that she only used mirrors but that it what they teach in driving school now. She also still uses blinkers to pull out our driveway.lol.

I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?
I don't know the answer to your question, but when I started Driving 41 years ago, cars only had one side-view mirror if I remember correctly. I always looked back, but when I was learning how to Drive a Fire Truck, I had no choice but to use the mirrors. That's a good question though, and when you find the answer, let us know. I'm curious.

Mirrors have blind spots, you should always do a quick turn around and look before switching lanes!!! :coffee:

Agreed, but that's not the real question. It's whether or not you'll get flunked for doing it / not doing it.


When I took my test, the law and the handbook stated to use hand signals. So I used hand signals. 2 seconds into the test the tester told me to close the window. I don't think being January with a 30 mph icy wind had anything to do with it. :whistle:

Mirrors have blind spots, you should always do a quick turn around and look before switching lanes!!! :coffee:

Properly adjusted mirrors don't have blind spots, but that said, you still need a head check. (took me two tries and maybe six months to totally get right with proper mirror adjustment)


How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots - Feature - Car and Driver (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots)

I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

only if there is someone in the back seat they are talking to.

only if there is someone in the back seat they are talking to.

.....or trying to get at the misbehavin' kids in the back seat.

Agreed, but that's not the real question. It's whether or not you'll get flunked for doing it / not doing it.


When I took my test, the law and the handbook stated to use hand signals. So I used hand signals. 2 seconds into the test the tester told me to close the window. I don't think being January with a 30 mph icy wind had anything to do with it. :whistle:

Cars had windows then??

Agreed, but that's not the real question. It's whether or not you'll get flunked for doing it / not doing it.

Yep, this is my question. I still give a quick turn, but I just didn't know if that was a pass/fail practice.

So, I assume that during the test they have you do such maneuvers as passing, to see if you handle it properly? My son is a very deliberate person, and very cautious. I'm sure he would opt not to pass anyone, anywhere if it were up to him. However, if they are going to make sure that he does, then I want to give him a heads up.
Any other ideas about what the tester will have up his sleeve? I'm thinking that my son thinks it won't be much different than going out with the driving instructor. If he fails we are going to be in a world of hurt in our handling of all of our commutes!

Yep, this is my question. I still give a quick turn, but I just didn't know if that was a pass/fail practice.

So, I assume that during the test they have you do such maneuvers as passing, to see if you handle it properly? My son is a very deliberate person, and very cautious. I'm sure he would opt not to pass anyone, anywhere if it were up to him. However, if they are going to make sure that he does, then I want to give him a heads up.
Any other ideas about what the tester will have up his sleeve? I'm thinking that my son thinks it won't be much different than going out with the driving instructor. If he fails we are going to be in a world of hurt in our handling of all of our commutes!My daughter said the head turn was something they looked for during the "on the road" portion of the driving test. Libby, they will take your son on a normal route and as long as he displays the skills he's supposed to display (mirror checks, head turns, using signals, obeying signs, etc.) he will be just fine.

Here is a "cute" story for you... when the instructor got in the car with my daughter he told her she couldn't do much worse than the dude before her. When that teen got to the innersection in Leonardtown by the Burchmart, he treated the green light as a green left-turn arrow and turned left directly in front of oncoming traffic. Thank goodness the oncoming traffic was able to slam on breaks and no accident occurred. The teen told the instructor, "Hey, I'm not from Leonardtown so I didn't know that intersection. The instructor said, "Son, your license will be good for 50 states. You aren't expected to know all roads and intersections, but you are expected to obey the traffic laws." :doh:

One more tidbit... if you haven't already... go to the MVA website and download the document that will give your the specific guidelines as to what he will be tested on and it also gives the list as to what constitutes points off the test and what is automatic fail.

Properly adjusted mirrors don't have blind spots, but that said, you still need a head check. (took me two tries and maybe six months to totally get right with proper mirror adjustment)


How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots - Feature - Car and Driver (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots)

It may work great in most instances, however what happens when lets say you're on a 3 lane road (far left lane) and you check your rear view mirror and start moving right only to find out the car in the far right lane is moving left because he wants the middle lane also? Only a quick look in the direction you're turning could catch that potential bump! :dye:

my daughter said the head turn was something they looked for during the "on the road" portion of the driving test. Libby, they will take your son on a normal route and as long as he displays the skills he's supposed to display (mirror checks, head turns, using signals, obeying signs, etc.) he will be just fine.

Here is a "cute" story for you... When the instructor got in the car with my daughter he told her she couldn't do much worse than the dude before her. When that teen got to the innersection in leonardtown by the burchmart, he treated the green light as a green left-turn arrow and turned left directly in front of oncoming traffic. Thank goodness the oncoming traffic was able to slam on breaks and no accident occurred. The teen told the instructor, "hey, i'm not from leonardtown so i didn't know that intersection. The instructor said, "son, your license will be good for 50 states. You aren't expected to know all roads and intersections, but you are expected to obey the traffic laws." :doh:

One more tidbit... If you haven't already... go to the mva website and download the document that will give your the specific guidelines as to what he will be tested on and it also gives the list as to what constitutes points off the test and what is automatic fail.

thank you!!!

Properly adjusted mirrors don't have blind spots, but that said, you still need a head check. (took me two tries and maybe six months to totally get right with proper mirror adjustment)


How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots - Feature - Car and Driver (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots)

It may work great in most instances, however what happens when lets say you're on a 3 lane road (far left lane) and you check your rear view mirror and start moving right only to find out the car in the far right lane is moving left because he wants the middle lane also? Only a quick look in the direction you're turning could catch that potential bump! :dye:


But of course, that's why I mentioned that you still need a head check. Belt and suspenders.........

My daughter said the head turn was something they looked for during the "on the road" portion of the driving test. Libby, they will take your son on a normal route and as long as he displays the skills he's supposed to display (mirror checks, head turns, using signals, obeying signs, etc.) he will be just fine.

When I took my driving test 27 years ago, it was on the driving range behind the Tech Center in L'town, so I got pinged for not checking my blind spot mirror. :shrug: There weren't any other cars, so I didn't think to do it.
There was no actual "on the road" driving back then; at least not when I went through it.

When I took my driving test 27 years ago, it was on the driving range behind the Tech Center in L'town, so I got pinged for not checking my blind spot mirror. :shrug: There weren't any other cars, so I didn't think to do it.
There was no actual "on the road" driving back then; at least not when I went through it.
There is now.

There is now.

Hopefully, they schedule the road tests during lighter traffic.
I can't imagine having to take my driving test during the afternoon rush hour.

Hopefully, they schedule the road tests during lighter traffic.
I can't imagine having to take my driving test during the afternoon rush hour.

you don't see many "student driver" cars on the road at rush hour. wonder why. :killingme

Hopefully, they schedule the road tests during lighter traffic.
I can't imagine having to take my driving test during the afternoon rush hour.
It shouldn't matter. Keep in mind that the people taking the test are being handed legal rights to drive without supervision the moment they pass the test. If they can't handle rush hour traffic, they should remain on their learner's permit until the can do so.

I'm sure I could find the info in my son's booklet, but I'm only curious for my own sake. When I was young we were taught to actually turn around and look over our shoulders before changing lanes and such. I think, although I could be wrong, that we would have failed our driver's test if we used the mirrors.
Is it still the practice to have the kids turn completely around?

The mirror check first and its just safer too always take that quick glance to the blind spot before the final split second of chaning , mainly when there is a lot of traffic. I have seen many times it saved people on the road from a crunch. I can't see in anyway it would make the scoring lower for the drivers test.

Whatever your kid does, do not let him/her fail the test. My son bumped a cone on June 7th, automatically failing before leaving the DMV in Loveville. The next available appointment for a retest anywhere in the state except for
Cumberland was July 20th. All tests must be scheduled online. I guess there is a big backlog of illegal aliens lining up for MD drivers licenses.

Whatever your kid does, do not let him/her fail the test. My son bumped a cone on June 7th, automatically failing before leaving the DMV in Loveville. The next available appointment for a retest anywhere in the state except for
Cumberland was July 20th. All tests must be scheduled online. I guess there is a big backlog of illegal aliens lining up for MD drivers licenses.

Yeah, I know that is an automatic fail. Guess what else I learned? If you don't have at least a 1/2 tank of gas in the car, you don't get to take the test! We also have a small ding in the windshield that we brought to a repair place, but you can still see a very small...chip(?). I mean, I'm not even sure I'd call it that, but I'm worried that they're going to turn us away for it. I've also heard a rumor that it's an automatic fail if he doesn't put his seat belt on before putting the key in the ignition, although I'm not positive about this.

Do they take the kids into downtown Leonardtown? If so, I'd like to go round and round that place with him before the test. Guess I should've thought of that before, since his test is tomorrow.

With all of the boneheads on the road, I can't believe they will fail for such insignificant stuff.

It shouldn't matter. Keep in mind that the people taking the test are being handed legal rights to drive without supervision the moment they pass the test. If they can't handle rush hour traffic, they should remain on their learner's permit until the can do so.

True.....

They took my daughter through downtown, quick and confusing. But she was fine.

downtown Leonardtown

That's funny.

That's funny.

Got a better one....."Downtown Mechanicsville."
H*ll, if you blink, you've already driven THROUGH it.

Got a better one....."Downtown Mechanicsville."
H*ll, if you blink, you've already driven THROUGH it.There is a difference. Downtown Leonardtown is actually a town setting with a college and a variety of businesses all in a centralized location whereas Mechanicsvile doesn't really have a "downtown" setting. Mechanicsville is rather large but you don't know it on the short strip you drive through if you only see the Mechanicsville along route 5.

There is a difference. Downtown Leonardtown is actually a town setting with a college and a variety of businesses all in a centralized location whereas Mechanicsvile doesn't really have a "downtown" setting. Mechanicsville is rather large but you don't know it on the short strip you drive through if you only see the Mechanicsville along route 5.

I know.....just sayin' :biggrin:

I've never thought of Leonardtown as having a "downtown" area. I know there's a town square.