✅ 《跨越 35 年的 DMV 三州傳奇:1990 紐約中文沒過、2005 北卡又沒過、2025 加州英文三次才過》 35 Years, 3 States, and 5 DMV Attempts: NY, NC, CA — My Real American Driver’s License Journey

跨越 35 年的 DMV 三州傳奇:1990 紐約中文沒過、2005 北卡又沒過、2025 加州英文三次才過

在美國生活了這麼久,我終於承認一件事:我所有州的駕照都不是一次考過的。

1990 年在紐約,我中文沒過;2005 年在北卡,我中文又沒過;2025 年在加州,我英文連考三次才過。

這是一段長達三十五年的 DMV 旅程,也是一段「新移民 × 生活 × 真實」的血淚故事。

第一章:1990 · 紐約 —— 我第一次發現「中文題庫」比英文難

1990 年,我剛到美國不久,英文還不太習慣,所以很自然地選了 中文考題。結果一打開題目,我完全傻眼。

  • 語序怪到不像中文
  • 翻譯太直、看不懂
  • 像中國大陸系統的語氣、台灣人不會那樣講
  • 有些句子像古文加上早期翻譯機

第一次中文沒過,我當下超沮喪,但後來心一橫:我乾脆考英文吧。

然後英文竟然一次就過了。

那一天我學到第一個 DMV 教訓:在美國,有時候英文比中文更容易。

第二章:2005 · 北卡 —— 十五年後,我再次被中文題庫「擊倒」

十五年後,我搬到北卡。英文已經進步很多,但我還是想說中文比較安全,於是又選了中文。

結果:

  • 又是簡體字
  • 又是奇怪的語序
  • 又是中國翻譯邏輯

最誇張的是,我考完根本不知道我錯在哪裡。

那一次我真正意識到:「中文題庫不是我的朋友。兩個州都害過我。」

第三章:2025 · 加州 —— 英文連考三次才過,因為現場太吵、太分心

到了加州,我完全不敢再碰中文題庫,因為加州的中文也是簡體、翻得更怪。我直接選英文考題。

結果加州 DMV 是最終 Boss:

  • 大家「站著」考試,不是坐著
  • 人來人往,走來走去
  • 很吵、很分心
  • 很多 trick question

其中最毒的一題,就是 Parking on a Hill(山坡停車)

  • Uphill + 有 curb → 輪胎要往外打
  • Downhill + 有 curb → 輪胎要往內打
  • 沒有 curb → 上坡下坡都往外打

我連續三次都在這題上卡住。

最後第四次,我終於專心,也終於搞清楚輪胎到底要往哪裡打,我的人生加州駕照才正式通過。

結語:三州三十五年的 DMV 旅程,每一次都是真實人生

紐約教我:不要盲目信任中文題庫。

北卡教我:即使過了十五年,中文仍然有可能害你。

加州教我:吵、亂、站著考,也是一種考驗。

我不是什麼一次就考過的天才,但我是一個會一直考到過的人。

如果你也正在準備 DMV,記得——不是你笨,是 DMV 本來就很 drama。


35 Years, 3 States, and 5 DMV Attempts: NY, NC, CA — My Real American Driver’s License Journey

Across my 35 years in the U.S., I have never passed a single driver’s license test on the first try.

1990 in New York: failed the Chinese test.
2005 in North Carolina: failed the Chinese test again.
2025 in California: failed the English test three times.

This is the real story of a new immigrant’s DMV journey — honest, chaotic, and very American.

1990 · New York — When the Chinese Test Was Harder Than English

I had just arrived in the U.S. and naturally thought the Chinese test would be easier. I was wrong.

  • The translation was awkward
  • The wording didn’t sound like real Chinese
  • It felt like a mix of old textbook language and machine translation

I failed my first attempt.
Then I switched to English — and passed immediately.

2005 · North Carolina — 15 Years Later, Chinese Failed Me Again

I moved to NC and chose the Chinese test again, thinking it would be safer.

But once again:

  • Simplified characters
  • Strange sentence structure
  • Direct, literal translation from English

I failed and honestly had no idea which questions I got wrong.

2025 · California — Three Failed English Attempts, Thanks to the DMV Environment

I avoided the Chinese test completely and chose English.
But the California DMV was the toughest:

  • You take the test standing
  • People walk behind you constantly
  • It’s loud and distracting
  • The questions are trickier

The worst question was the classic Parking on a Hill:

  • Uphill with curb → wheels away from curb
  • Downhill with curb → wheels toward curb
  • No curb → wheels toward roadside

I kept mixing them up and failed three times because of this.

On my fourth attempt, with enough focus, I finally passed.

Conclusion

New York taught me not to blindly trust Chinese translations.

North Carolina taught me Chinese DMV tests might be harder than English.

California taught me that distractions can be harder than the test itself.

I am not someone who passes tests easily.
But I am someone who will keep trying until I pass.

If you are preparing for your DMV test, remember: it’s not you — the DMV is just dramatic.