Driving School

I (David) started driving school in November to get my Spanish driver license. After three hours of class each week, numerous practice tests, and a doctor's exam, I am now scheduled to take the written test February 17. If I pass, I will begin driving lessons in a car with an instructor.

It has been an interesting process to say the least. After getting my book, I read the first chapter and then took a practice test over the chapter. I missed over half the questions. The first chapter included numerous definitions, including:


(if you're wondering, I have yet to see any cultivators driving down the road in Spain...)

Wonder what it's like to get a license in Spain? Here are some sample practice questions to prepare for the test. If you're bored and have a few minutes, try these ten questions. If you just want to read the questions with their answers, scroll down.

1. On a road with one lane in each direction with a paved hard shoulder of one metre wide, at what speed is a truck permitted to drive?

a. 80 kph
b. 70 kph
c. 90 kph

2. In a four wheel drive vehicle, the driving wheels are...

a. the front wheels
b. the rear wheels
c. the four wheels

3. Whitish-blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipe is a sign of...

a. a lack of oil
b. an excess of grease
c. an oil leak

4. How much can a solid load project from the ground projection of a 7 metre long truck?

a. it can't project
b. a third of the length of the vehicle, both in front and behind
c. two metres in front and three metres behind

5. A bus and a truck meet at a narrow stretch of road without signs which give priority. If we don't know which entered first, the vehicle that must reverse is...

a. that which has the greater maximum authorized mass
b. the truck
c. the bus

6. How can you warn the driver in front of your intention to overtake?

a. by means of your directional indicators
b. by means of appropriate acoustic signs, outside a built-up area, or optical signs both inside and outide a built-up area
c. by means of appropriate acoustic or optical signs, both inside and outside built-up areas

7. Is a private car towing a light trailer considered to be a group of vehicles?

a. yes, it is an articulated vehicle
b. yes, it is a road train
c. no, because the trailer is light

8. Are you permitted to drive a farm tractor weighing over 3,500 kg of MAM (maximum authorized mass) with a class B driving license? (this is the license that I will have)

a. no, because it exceeds the 3,500 kg of MAM
b. yes, if the maximum authorized speed does not exceed 40 kilometers per hour
c. yes, if it is carrying fewer than nine people, including the driver

9. An automobile especially designed for the transport, simultaneous or not, of merchandise and people, up to a maximum of nine, including the driver is...

a. a private car
b. an adaptable mixed vehicle
c. a van



10. In the situation above, what must you do if you want to continue driving straight ahead and the vehicle behind you wants to turn right?

a. I must wait for the main traffic light to change to green
b. I must turn right
c. I must continue straight ahead without waiting for the main traffic light to change to green

And the answers:

1. On a road with one lane in each direction with a paved hard shoulder of one metre wide, at what speed is a truck permitted to drive?
a. 80 kph
*b. 70 kph
c. 90 kph

The posted speed limit in Europe is only for private cars and motorcycles. There are four classes of roads and eleven classes of vehicles with different speed limits on each type of road. I must know them all for the test.

2. In a four wheel drive vehicle, the driving wheels are...
*a. the font wheels
b. the rear wheels
c. the four wheels

3. Whitsh-blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipe is a sign of...
a. a lack of oil
*b. an excess of grease
c. an oil leak

4. How much can a solid load project from the ground projection of a 7 metre long truck?
a. it can't project
b. a third of the length of the vehicle, both in front and behind
*c. two metres in front and three metres behind

5. A bus and a truck meet at a narrow stretch of road without signs which give priority. If we don't know which entered first, the vehicle that must reverse is...
a. that which has the greater maximum authorized mass
*b. the truck
c. the bus

6. How can you warn the driver in front of your intention to overtake?
a. by means of your directional indicators
*b. by means of appropriate acoustic signs, outside a built-up area, or optical signs both inside and outide a built-up area
c. by means of appropriate acoustic or optical signs, both inside and outside built-up areas

7. Is a private car towing a light trailer considered to be a group of vehicles?
a. yes, it is an articulated vehicle
*b. yes, it is a road train
c. no, because the trailer is light

8. Are you permitted to drive a farm tractor weighing over 3,500 kg of MAM (maximum authorized mass) with a class B driving license? (this is the license that I will have)
a. no, because it exceeds the 3,500 kg of MAM
b. yes, if the maximum authorized speed does not exceed 40 kilometers per hour
*c. yes, if it is carrying fewer than nine people, including the driver

9. An automobile especially designed for the transport, simultaneous or not, of merchandise and people, up to a maximum of nine, including the driver is...
a. a private car
*b. an adaptable mixed vehicle
c. a van

The car that we drive for the dorm is an adaptable mixed vehicle, though it looks like a van to me.



10. In the situation above, what must you do if you want to continue driving straight ahead and the vehicle behind you wants to turn right?
a. I must wait for the main traffic light to change to green
*b. I must turn right
c. I must continue straight ahead without waiting for the main traffic light to change to green

It doesn't matter what direction you want to go. If there is a green arrow and the person behind you wants to turn right, you must go right. Then you get to find a place to turn around to get back where you wanted to go.

How did you do? You must make at least 90% to pass the written exam. Needless to say, it quite common to have to take the test a few times before passing.