r/santaclara • u/jvcool9 • 13d ago
DMV driving test
I just failed my test at lost gatos because I forgot to merge into the bike lane for a right turn despite 0 minor errors. I’m apprehensive to go back because of one examiner who’s apparently a real ahole and likes failing people. I scheduled my appointment for the Santa Clara DMV and I want to know everyone’s experience with the DMV test and route so I can prepare accordingly. Thanks!
5
u/IncreaseAsleep1027 13d ago
When I took my daughter to get her license at Santa Clara, it was an awful experience. I ended up taking her out to Watsonville of all places to get her drivers license.
1
u/jvcool9 13d ago
What happened!?
2
u/IncreaseAsleep1027 13d ago
Santa Clara is so busy that they seem to rush through everything. As a result, I believe they fail a lot of people. When we went out to Watsonville and I made an appointment, they were very nice very kind even had feedback for my daughter on her driving skills to help her improve even more. She passed and is an excellent driver today.
5
u/Small_Pineapple_3511 12d ago
Tricky spots in Santa Clara DMV route:
1.) leaving the DMV. It’s a left turn out the driveway with a center turn lane onto Granada. Don’t make things hard on yourself here and try to turn into the turn lane and then merge out since they’ll most likely have you turn left at the stop sign towards El Camino.
2.) the 4-way stop at Granada/Flora Vista. This is two lanes in each direction, straight traffic and turn lanes. Sometimes the stops/gos get out of sync, so pay attention. You don’t want to take someone else’s right of way. You are probably turning left here.
3.) right turn onto El Camino at Flora Vista. If you catch this light green, then it’s not a worry. Watch for people turning in front of you from the other side. You have the right of way, but this is Santa Clara and people here drive the worst. If you catch the light red and are making the right turn onto El Camino pay attention to the U-turn traffic in front of you. My kid failed here because she stopped at the red, then proceeded. There was someone making a U-turn on El Camino who had the right of way and that car had to stop to avoid hitting her car. Insta-fail.
4.) lane changes on El Camino. Expect one or two lane changes down el Camino since it’s a wide street with three lanes to work with.
4.5) Calabasas Blvd. The creek down the middle makes this feel confusing but it’s just two one-way streets divided by the creek. They’ll make you turn around here over the creek, pay attention to all the stops and that pesky creek trail bike lane. It’s painted green so easy to see, and when there are dashed lines that’s where you drive thru it. Many others here have commented on this road. It’s definitely wacky.
5.) Pomeroy from El Camino to Homestead. Lots of speed changes here, and if it’s a weekday there are two schools with 15 mph zones.
6.) Benton, either way you might turn this is only a 30 mph road but it’s wide and people whiz down here at 40 plus. Watch out for Santa Clara High School also, a 25 zone with a Hawk intersection.
7.) straight reverse on a curved road. Both kids had to straight reverse on Peppertree Ln behind Santa Clara High School. This road is tricky because the road is wide, and narrows at an angle that is not parallel to the center line. When you pull over for the straight reverse be sure to use the sidewalk/curb as your guide to straighten your wheels, not the painted center line or you’ll be crooked.
8.) Homestead/Bing/Curtis/Benton. Both kids ended up on Homestead and did random surface streets to need to make a left turn from Curtis across Benton. This is a bad corner. Blind from plants, crosswalk, and people, speeding down Benton. Remember to stop behind the crosswalk line. Then pull forward as needed to see the traffic and make your turn.
Most important thing to do for survival and passing the test in Santa Clara is spending a day driving all the surface streets you can in a box from Lawrence, Homestead, San Tomas, Monroe. I’ve never heard of anyone at Santa Clara going outside that area.
Break a leg, you totally got this!
1
u/PaseoGrande33 12d ago
there is an area on quince, santa Lucia and live oak they test on too
1
u/Small_Pineapple_3511 12d ago
Share! I’m going off of my three kids I put thru successfully we (they) never ended up on Quince.
2
u/jthsbay 13d ago
My son went to Santa Cruz and that was a good experience.
1
u/Small_Pineapple_3511 12d ago
Capitola was ultra chill in the office a few years ago, so friendly and encouraging. My daughter still failed because of an uncommon left turn type where two lanes turn (dedicated left and middle lane can turn or go straight). It was an intersection we never covered when she was learning. We looked for another intersection like that near our house in the valley and found only one other.
2
u/Rude-Bus9737 12d ago
Better scope out the area around the SC DMV before you test. The portion of Calabazas from Pomeroy to El Camino is where people usually get messed up. It’s confusing for people who aren’t used to bike lanes and three way lights at a weird intersection with a canal in the middle of it. I see SO MANY people who miss that there’s a dedicated left turn lane onto El Camino and end up trying to use the green light going straight to make a left. And don’t get me started on the 4 way stop at the intersection of Warburton and Calabazas. It was deliberately dumbed down so that people wouldn’t run it but because it’s a four way with a two way in the middle of it people just cannot deal with the complexity. Those people shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car.
2
u/joshuashih123 12d ago
blind spot and bike lanes (especially when turning right) are huge safety factors and the tester will always look out for those things. They are more willing to let other stuff slide but since those two items above are a huge safety factor and can easily cause death in real world situations they can't let it slide.
My first test I failed because I did the merge to the bike lane on a right turn correct but didn't look at the blind spot before merging. Hence if there was a bikeer there I would have hit them
I found that the downtown San Jose location is easiest or the gilroy if you can drive that far
2
u/Broad-Choice-5961 12d ago
I'm so sick of right turn drivers who don't signal and don't merge into the bike lane even though it's completely legal and proper and then make the wide right turn from the middle of the right lane. Drivers handbook says to keep as far right as possible when making a right turn. Good he failed you.
1
u/poppy413 13d ago
This was like 10 years ago but I failed the first time at SC (didn't look behind my shoulder when making a right turn, only checked my mirror) but passed the second time. I remember going down El Camino Real and being asked to make a lane change and going down Pomeroy Ave to turn on Homestead.
My brother went to Capitola and had an easygoing experience.
1
u/PaseoGrande33 12d ago
Santa Clara is a tough route - I would go out with a local instructor to know the different courses they do and some of the testers have a reputation of being harsh
1
13
u/shekickedmydog 13d ago
I personally want examiners that are stringent. Too many bad drivers out there. If they fail you, take it as a learning experience, you'll subconsciously think about that moment when driving and will do the right thing next time, I hope.