The Driving School Mystery

It’s safe to assume that all our readers have learned to drive a motor car (except the very youngest of course). Nowadays getting your driver’s license is quite a procedure, but in the early days getting a license was not so difficult. Our grandfather told us that in the early 1920s he bought a motor car, went to the mayor of the town where he lived, then had to drive once around the park, while the mayor was watching from the steps of the town hall. That was enough to get a license. Learning how to drive was a different matter. From the earliest days of the motor car there have been driving schools, where not only the driving skills were practiced, but also the necessary mechanical knowledge was taught. We suppose these driving schools originated from the bicycle schools that sprang up in every country where the bike became popular and must date from before the turn of the previous century. But we are not sure. Can you tell us what could be the earliest driving school for motor cars?

(all images collection Rolf Rorik)

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martedì maggio 3rd, 2011

Sconosciuto

22 Maggio 2011, 07:06

Such a great article how the driving test has changed over the years.
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Sconosciuto

12 Maggio 2011, 00:07

According to my information the very first (car) driving school dates from short before 1900. But I could be wrong because how about a horse and cart driving school? Although I never heard about it I wouldnâ€™t be surprised some people had to learn it as well like the coach drivers from the Royal Families. Who knows, maybe there once was a 1800â€™s steam car driving school? In my collection instruction (cutaway) models used for technical and driving schools the oldest one (American made) dates from around 1900. Students had to learn about car mechanics because there was no road assistance, no workshop on every corner those days, drivers had to fix most problems by themselves. The very first German driving school dates from 1901 and still exists.
There are a lot of stories on how people got a drivers license. In Belgium for instance: if you made it for your car drivers license you automatically could drive a motorcycle or truck with your license. My brother failed for his license so many times here in Holland so he went to California for it. Asking for info how to get this done he first had to rent a car, drive 2 minutes on a parking, answer a couple of questions and ready. He went home with his CA and international license, changed it for a Dutch one and no one asked questions.
Of course we talk about many years ago and Iâ€™m glad this is no longer possible. Here in Holland we have 13 different drivers licenses, (soon 14) maybe the most worldwide?
If you have a question on old cutaway instruction models please send a message to: fahrschuleATlive.nl - AT stands for the email sign, this to prevent from spam.

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Sconosciuto

07 Maggio 2011, 02:40

In the mid-1930's my mother-in-law got her license in Illinois - living in the City of Chicago no less! - by sending 25 cents to the state. No test, written or driving.

When she finally gave up driving in her early nineties she was driving a Ford Taurus SHO and several times I was hard pressed to stay with her in traffic.

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sandy sanders

03 Maggio 2011, 23:11

I got my drivers liscence in a local restaurant. It had one pedestal seat at the end of the counter for paperwork. Finished the paper work and went out for the actual test. Examiner saw me with an Indian Chief motorcycle and told me to make a figure 8 around the two gas pumps.
Passed the test in 1947 and still driving totally accident free.
Sandy Sanders
I was 14 years old

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The Driving School Mystery

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