Best Maryland MVA location for driver's test?

[Anonymous]

This urban legend about going to Frederick, Hagerstown, and even to Easton is pure bull. If you can park and drive you will pass anywhere.

MVA has no policy to fail kids the first time for "nit picking" reasons. If you violate the law during the test you fail.

[Anonymous]

Way way back in the early 90s, I took my test at the Bel Air MVA. There was no on the road test. It was all in the parking/testing area and it was the easiest test ever. Everyone took the test there. I am sure it is different now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't agree with shopping around for easy tests. Practice with your kids until they can drive safely enough to pass the most stringent test!! This is a public safety issue, and it doesn't do any of us any favors to have unprepared teens on the road.

+1. All four of our kids took it at White Oak - the closest one to us.

I was not going from this place to that place trying to make it easier for them. Of course they whined that White Oak was the hardest because of what their friends were saying and doing. But I told them that driving is a very serious responsibility and they needed to prepare and practice to pass the test at White Oak. We were not going to take short cuts or make it easy. We told them that if the White Oak was the "hardest" and they passed that one, then were probably more equipped then the folks who forum shopped for the easy pass. Kids are going to want the easy way - parents should be the voice of reason.

[Anonymous]

We tested in Westminster and it was the most painless trip I've ever taken to the MVA. We took the earliest appointment they had on a weekday, got in, DD took her test, got her license and we we're out in time to enjoy lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don't agree with shopping around for easy tests. Practice with your kids until they can drive safely enough to pass the most stringent test!! This is a public safety issue, and it doesn't do any of us any favors to have unprepared teens on the road.

+1. All four of our kids took it at White Oak - the closest one to us.

I was not going from this place to that place trying to make it easier for them. Of course they whined that White Oak was the hardest because of what their friends were saying and doing. But I told them that driving is a very serious responsibility and they needed to prepare and practice to pass the test at White Oak. We were not going to take short cuts or make it easy. We told them that if the White Oak was the "hardest" and they passed that one, then were probably more equipped then the folks who forum shopped for the easy pass. Kids are going to want the easy way - parents should be the voice of reason.

The rule of thumb is to believe only half of what you hear in high school. When it comes to drivers tests believe only 25% of what you hear from your kids.

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP. DD finally did her test in Frederick today and passed just fine. But we did have to wait 90 minutes and the tester was downright nasty. At the end of the test he didn't even tell her if she passed, just told her to go inside and strode away without another word. Glad to be done with the MVA for a while! Now the scary part really begins...for me at any rate.

[Anonymous]

The test changed about 5 years ago. At that time, White Oak was known as the worst. We went there (not sure why), and D failed because the "witch on wheels" driving examiner told her to change lanes and then turn right; she checked that it was safe and changed lanes. The examiner said that she had cut someone off, and she failed. Then she added that D would have passed if she had taken the test somewhere else. She passed in Gaithersburg literally the next day (there was a cancellation or something).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The test changed about 5 years ago. At that time, White Oak was known as the worst. We went there (not sure why), and D failed because the "witch on wheels" driving examiner told her to change lanes and then turn right; she checked that it was safe and changed lanes. The examiner said that she had cut someone off, and she failed. Then she added that D would have passed if she had taken the test somewhere else. She passed in Gaithersburg literally the next day (there was a cancellation or something).

You cannot take a test the next day if you fail. You have to wait 2 weeks to schedule another test.

[Anonymous]

For what it is worth many, many years ago when I took drivers ed and the road test in another state, they did not have you parallel park and thus I never was taught it. In a way since it was not required back then, I can't fault my parents who were busy as I was the oldest of eight. And I have never parallel parked a car in my life which is not good, but too old now to change. Fortunately we live in area where it is not necessary. But it is an important everyday life skills that any teen needs to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both our kids failed in White Oak and passed in GBurg. I do no think there was any real science to it.

On that note, I will say what I heard from her driving instructor. Parallel parking is the "weed-out" skill. If you fail that part, you do not even get to take the road test. So he asserts that when they are backed up or extremely busy, they are extra strict on the parallel parking part. That is how they manage the backlog and get through appointments quicker. They nitpick the parellel parking. His words, not mine.

This is spot on true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, tell her daughter the only time when I was younger I got the parking right was during my test so give it a try. Every practice time I could not get it. But, do get some cones and sticks and let her do it over and over again. I can kinda do it now. Or, can you borrow a car with back up cameras for the test?

I am pretty sure you aren't allowed to have the backup cameras on for the test.

You are able to have back up camera..husband used them and passed P.P with out a hitch

[Anonymous]

I am taking mine today at Beltsville and hopefully I do well...took my drivers test the first time at white oak...I did well on parallel parking but messed up on reversing into a parking spot...hopefully I get it this...fingers crossed and with God's help...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't agree with shopping around for easy tests. Practice with your kids until they can drive safely enough to pass the most stringent test!! This is a public safety issue, and it doesn't do any of us any favors to have unprepared teens on the road.

+1.

[Anonymous]

I'd definitely not recommend Westminster for anyone with a disability. Although that's where I went back in the '80s when I was 16. The test was much different you had to do a parallel park and a3 point turn and back up straight for some set distance. Now they have this screwy 2 point turn and an actual road portion in real life situation.

[Anonymous]

To continue I had a very good experience at the Reisterstown Road location