Getting on the road in Skagit County
Driving test, beginners mind and being delighted
It’s just getting light here in Skagit County. Pre dawn, one of my favourite times of day. The solstice past, and little by little the days are lengthening. The coloured lights of our little Christmas tree, dwarfed by the giant cedars just outside, glow merrily in the dimly lit living room. Only the foothills are showing this morning in faint smudges of shadow, ghostly in the early morning grey.
The New Year approaches and with it the prospect of taking my driving test. Having wheels and the freedom of the road again takes me back to my seventeen year old self in Worcester, UK. To get a driving license back then was a rite of passage, opening up the world around me, beyond where the bus and rail network could take me. STOP PRESS: I passed my Driving Test on New Year's Day!
I named my first car Sharon the Chevy. It was a blue Vauxhall Chevette. Check out Andrew 2.8i’s great shot on Flickr, taken at the July Classic Car meet in Bristol in 2017. My brother inherited the car from our grandma when she gave up driving. As he moved onto bigger and better things, the little blue Vauxhall Chevette or ShoveIt, came to me. I remember it had tweed panels in the seat fabric. It was unusual to have a car at university in those days, but I navigated the many motorways between Worcester and York, feeling very grown up and independent. My Mum bought me AA breakdown recovery cover for those 3.5 hour drives.
On previous trips to the US I have driven a little, getting the hang of driving on the other side of the road (they drive on the right hand side here), but mostly on open highways in quiet areas. I did once drive into San Francisco Bay Area at 9pm one night, navigating a freeway with six lanes either side, twelve in all. A great sense of satisfaction.
Arriving here in Skagit County in the Summer, I discovered, as a permanent resident, my British driving licence was only good for 30 days; as a visitor it’s good for a year in this state. After that, I required a Washington driving license. With a Learner’s Permit, I can drive under the supervision of a licensed driver, over 25 years old and with 5 years driving experience. To qualify for the Learner’s Permit, you need to pass the Driver Knowledge exam and have a simple eye test.
In the UK the DVLA issues licences for Scotland, Wales and England. Northern Ireland has its own office, the DVA.
Writing this post, I wondered about the correct spelling of licence (you’ll see I have varied the spelling). This is what I found:-
American English: The correct spelling is "license" for both the noun and the verb.
British English: The correct spelling is "licence" for the noun and "license" for the verb.
I remember the little Highway Code booklet we studied all those years ago, but there was no theory test back then. A little side investigation reveals the UK Highway Code is over 90 years old. This article shows the changing covers. The 1978 version I used still looks ultra cool in my mind!
We went to the Driver Licensing Office here in Skagit County. Both Mount Vernon and Anacortes have offices. I procured a booklet and found out about booking the test. Here, private driver instruction schools can offer the test. Back to school! Online mock tests proved very helpful. It took me back to my daughter studying for her driving theory test in Wales, and taking her to sit her exam in Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, the only place we could get a slot.
I’m glad I studied. There are some unexpected differences:-
You can turn right on a red light if it is clear and there are no signs saying you can’t.
At a junction with a Stop Sign you are meant to come to a complete stop even if there is nothing coming.
At a four way cross roads, the person who gets there first, has right of way (after coming to a complete stop). If two cars arrive at the same time, the one to the right has the right of way.
Young drivers who’ve passed their test cannot carry passengers under the age of 21 years unless they are family members.
Drivers can get a learner permit at 15 years old and as long as they complete an approved driver training programme and pass the driving test, they can apply for a license at 16 years old!
I thought I would get on the road quickly, take my test and get wheels but it turned out differently. It took a while to get my head round it and so it is only now, I’m ready to book a driving test.
In those early weeks and months, there was so much adjustment and navigating the admin of being a new resident was slow, both the system and the internal pace I was able to move at.
I’ve gone from driving pretty much on auto-pilot, knowing the routes and country lanes around Ferryside and west Wales like the back of my hand, to being in a different car, in unfamiliar territory with new road furniture (or traffic control devices as they are known here, which includes all types of road signs: Regulatory, warning, guide, street name signs, etc and encompasses traffic signals). The lane layouts are different and traffic rules vary state to state let alone US to UK and to top it all off, they insist on driving on the wrong side of the road here!
In recent weeks, I’ve had intensive practice driving Paul to appointments. We live in a small community with the nearest town, La Conner, just 10 minutes away. Within half an hour’s drive are Anacortes, Mount Vernon and Burlington where we run errands and go for live music and appointments. Further out is Bellingham, about 45 minutes away where we go for bigger stores, cinema (movie theatre) and other services. These settlements are linked by highways and the I5 freeway. The towns are mostly built on a grid pattern and road markings are generally pretty clear.
Navigating the urban and suburban streets during foggy wet dark evenings in a large vehicle has been a challenge. I’ve always loved driving and prided myself on being able to jump into any vehicle and hit the road, from Transit Vans to LandRovers. I’ve driven in different countries and never thought much about it. Turns out here, I had a lot of thinking about it even though I’ve driven in the US before.
I was surprised to notice how much I needed to concentrate and what an effort that’s felt. Some days, I didn’t feel I had capacity for that level of concentration so I opted not to drive.
It’s getting more instinctive now. Most cars here have automatic transmission and speeds are generally lower than in the UK: 25 mph in built up areas, 50 mph on country roads and 55 or 60 mph on freeways, occasionally 70 mph. So in many ways it’s easier to drive here. It’s rare to come across any roadway where two cars cannot pass alongside each other. Narrow lanes are a feature of parts of West Wales and I’ve driven them for 20 odd years so they present no problem for me.
The biggest difference is the size of the vehicles. Monster pick up trucks pass you on the freeway dwarfing what would be considered a large vehicle in the UK. I love the incongruity of seeing a petite woman, sometimes in high heels disembarking from a monster truck to run an errand in a store.
The wonderful thing about learning any new skill is the transformation that happens when suddenly something you’ve had to apply concentration to, becomes effortless. I suspect that this can happen quicker than we might imagine. I can feel the shift in my approach to driving is already happening. Inspired by the podcast below, I wonder what would happen if I found driving delightful again?
It’s the end of year on Tuesday, so happy new year to you all. Wishing delightedness and curiosity good growth for you this year.
Gratitude
A delightful invitation to share Christmas dinner arrived in the morning and we spent happy hours sharing stories and getting to know new friends. Thank you Cesca and Lee. No plans so often leads to wonderful surprises. I’m a fan!
To everyone here and back in the UK who has offered friendship, love, support, outings, fun, conversation, a shoulder to cry on and good company to me as I adapt to my new life, deep and heartfelt thanks to you all. Wishing you big blessings for 2025.
Links
Take a tour of Highway Code covers in this wonderful nostalgia article.
Threads that pull me
Ross Gay’s name has come up a few times in the last few years. He wrote the Book of Delights which I’ve just borrowed through the Libby Library app after listening to the opening half hour of this episode from the On Being podcast with Krista Tippet. ‘Practicing delight’ - now isn’t that a radical and welcome shift from all the self improvement and focus on what’s wrong with ourselves or the world? Enjoy and be inspired. You can find the episode on any podcast platform.
Music: Chanticleer. Friends reminded me of this all male a Capella choir known for their renditions of Renaissance and medieval music. Thank you Cesca and Lee.