DMV driving testers...is this a prerequisite

[ProudGrandma]

I have just successfully had my 3rd and last kid get their drivers license as of this morning.  But I must ask this question because I am not sure if it's just me, or my kids or the area that we live in (rural Nebraska), but all 3 have had a different person take them out for their test (over the course of about 4 years) and each time the person was grumpy, not friendly, didn't put my nervous kids at ease at all.  Now, I know that driving is a HUGE responsibility and it's not their job to be friends with my kids, but really?  The way these people have acted and talked (both male and female) have done nothing to help my kids relax and enjoy the experience.  So, maybe I am missing something here....but I just had to ask.  Do you have to be a grump, not friendly person to have this job? Just asking. Thanks 

[fairfarmhand]

One dd got a grump. Second dd got a very nice man who put her at ease.

[alisoncooks]

Haha, IDK. My brother does driving tests for the DMV.  In general, he's a funny/young/friendly guy.  But maybe working at the DMV is so soul-sucking that they all turn into grumps, LOL.

[cjzimmer1]

While waiting for eldest DS to get called for his road test, we heard 2 different testors come back and give the report/verdict to their testees.  Let's just say that was not a pleasant experience.  One of the testor was actually yelling (like heads in the waiting room turning to hear the yelling, "i told you to turn left, I don't know how many different ways you expect me to tell you but when I say turn left, I expect you to turn left".  The other testor wasn't quite a vocal but DS also said she was clearly pretty upset with her person as well.  All this left poor DS (who is a highly anxious person to begin with), completed rattled and he hadn't even started yet.  Of course DS got the yelling turn left testor.  But DS said the guy was fine, never yelled at him once, didn't make any small talk (but that was good because it would have distracted DS), just gave basic directions with no comments.  We got back and the testor actually told DS that he did a really good job and these were areas he could work on etc.  Completely different person. I suspect the testor was as rattled by his previous person as we were hearing about it.  

But in general from what I've seen around here, the testors are basic non-nonsense people.  They will give the directions but they don't really talk much.  I get it would be nice if they tried to soothe fears but honestly don't think that's a great idea for them to say much at all once the test starts.  The last thing they want is to have a testee make a mistake or complain because the testor distracted them with extra talk. 

[ProudGrandma]

I totally get the small talk DURING the test is not a good thing...but friendliness before and after the test would have been nice.   Oh well, it's all over and he passed....but I was just curious. 

[Carrie12345]

The DMV has its reputation for a reason.

[sassenach]

I just licensed my last driver, too! My kids all got friendly people but we also chose the DMV with the best reputation. There's one DMV in my area with an infamous proctor who has made more than one kid cry.

[ktgrok]

Well.....lets say that I have experience with multiple testers, as it took me..um...a few tries to pass. Some were nice, some were not. 

[Miss Tick]

A few people have told me that they drive to the next town with a DMV, 45 minutes away, because our local one has an angry reputation. Alternatively, there are apparently driving schools that can teach you and for an extra fee give you the driving test. That might be nice and familiar, although it doesn't seem terribly objective.

[Corraleno]

4 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Alternatively, there are apparently driving schools that can teach you and for an extra fee give you the driving test. That might be nice and familiar, although it doesn't seem terribly objective.

Both of my kids went this route. The instructors who do the testing have some special certification from the DMV, and they require that the instructor who gives the test is different from the one who did the lessons (but generally the one who does the lessons won't even let you schedule the test unless they're pretty certain you'll pass). Two big benefits of the system are that the student gets to do a practice drive that is just like the exam (with their usual instructor), and then they take the test in the same car they do the lessons in, so they know exactly how it will handle, what the turning radius is, etc.

(I learned to drive in an ancient, beat-up Toyota with a stick shift and hardly any brakes, so for the test I borrowed my step-father's nice new Oldsmobile, which I had never driven before. I was NOT used to a car with brakes, so when the guy said to stop at the stop sign, I mashed the brake, expecting to coast to a stop like I was used to. Instead we stopped VERY abruptly 20' from the stop sign and the poor guy nearly went through the windshield. 😂 )

[Bambam]

In Texas now we have private companies that are approved to do the behind-the-wheel driving test. So much nicer. So much easier. So much faster. These people are pleasant. 

[freesia]

We are half way through. My kids haven’t said grumpy—more non communicative non-relational. My ds just got his and at the end the guy handed him the result, said—we don’t discuss results and walked away. He passed, but you wouldn’t have known from that. 

I think it must be a really stressful job!

[Loowit]

My two that are drivers took the test with a teacher from their driving school, who is certified.  The teacher warns the parents and students ahead of time that during the drive they will not be very talkative or friendly like they usually are.  I would not say they were grumpy though.

[Starr]

My dd about had a nervous breakdown when her grumpy tester started tapping his pen loudly and rhythmically on his clip board. So many grumps. 

[katilac]

7 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Well.....lets say that I have experience with multiple testers, as it took me..um...a few tries to pass. Some were nice, some were not. 

Oh, hello! So nice to meet another person who didn't pass the driving test on the first try 😄

[mom2scouts]

Yes, I think it's in the list of job requirements. We avoid a certain DMV because the testers have such a bad reputation, but I think the "nice" ones are only a slight improvement.

[klmama]

Our DMV has done a huge turn-around in recent years.  It used to be the way you all describe, but going there is actually a good experience now (or at least it was pre-Covid).  All my teens had pleasant testers.  I overheard test follow-up discussions with several other teens who failed and their parents; they were very specific about the problems, but they were also very encouraging to the students about practicing those things and retesting.  

[ProudGrandma]

7 hours ago, klmama said:

Our DMV has done a huge turn-around in recent years.  It used to be the way you all describe, but going there is actually a good experience now (or at least it was pre-Covid).  All my teens had pleasant testers.  I overheard test follow-up discussions with several other teens who failed and their parents; they were very specific about the problems, but they were also very encouraging to the students about practicing those things and retesting.  

this is how is should be.  In most cases the kids are very nervous and a grumpy tester does not help that.   Our testers didn't even tell the kids if they passed or failed until they got out of their car, walked back to the building and were given their paper work...or not.   The paperwork told the kids what they did wrong, not the grumpy tester.

This almost wants to make me do this job some day just so I can allow some kids to have a better experience than my kids (and many of your kids) did .  I am sure there is a level of stress...but I would think most of that is being produced from the tester themselves. 

Thanks for making me feel like I am not alone in my experience. 

[Soror]

I've just had one through so far. His tester was fine, she told us afterwards things he should work on (he passed). She wasn't angry or mean. Ds didn't mention anything about her but he is pretty oblivious, they would have had to be over the top mean for him to notice or care.

[Kalmia]

My son got the same woman twice. He said that from the moment she got in the car her vibe was condescending and negative. He failed the first time (he was making a three point turn and someone came out of their driveway and drove right behind him as he was turning), and came home really shaken, more about the attitude of the tester than the "mistake". The next time he went up, he got the same tester! He immediately got flustered and made a small mistake before getting out of the parking lot. The driving instructor told us that this woman had a bad reputation with the driving schools and she failed many more kids than other testers, so we should go to another town to avoid any chance of getting that same woman again. We drove 30 minutes to another town and the guy put him immediately at ease and he passed the test. My son said the woman had so reminded him of the discouraging, condescending, angry math teacher he had once had and that he would have never passed if she was the only driving instructor in the state.

[alisoncooks]

This thread reminds me of the driver's test scene from "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". 

(Great movie but nothing like the book...)

 

[ProudGrandma]

so all of these less than positive experiences make me wonder...are there just not enough people willing to take this job that they hire anybody?  And why these people (especially if their reputation is poor) even keep this job.  Wow....so sad. 

[RootAnn]

There are two regulars in our DMV (only open on Wednesdays!). They are grumpy. Buuut! They have always tried to small talk/set my DDs at ease when they were there. Both DDs took their actual driving test as part of Driver's Ed (with equally grumpy instructors one of whom is the public high school English teacher) so the DMV is just for getting the physical license.

[matrips]

I don’t know- could a subtle part of the testing be seeing if they can pass while rattled or upset?  I guess I don’t see it as a bad thing to focus on driving no matter what kind of distractions or attitudes are around.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

My dd is here, so I asked her. Apparently, the tester wasn't grumpy, but was matter-of-fact, pleasant, and efficient. "Do this, now do that. Okay, do this, and that."

[Pippen]

On 9/10/2020 at 3:21 PM, Bambam said:

In Texas now we have private companies that are approved to do the behind-the-wheel driving test. So much nicer. So much easier. So much faster. These people are pleasant. 

Because it's a business that depends on good customer service to keep the doors open. Not so with the DMV.

[G5052]

One of mine was tested by the driving instructor, a nice man who was very picky nonetheless (fine with me).

I didn't have the money for the driving instructor the second time, so I taught her myself. I had been encouraging her to go get tested because driving her several times a week to the college and elsewhere was getting really hard for me. Then one afternoon she decided this was it.

She got an older lady who barked at me, barked at her, and then off they went. DD said she was strict but nice and complementary at the end. When they came back in, the lady said that I had taught my daughter well and that she had passed. DD said she was completely nice near the end. 

I guess it was all a show to get it done. 

Edited September 12, 2020 by G5052