is it possible to buy an english copy of the highway code and if so where?
Thanks
I believe Ironlady is now translating the entire traffic law now. Perhaps you could buy a copy off her? (Translators deserve to be paid, after all.) Send her a PM. 
[quote=“Dragonbones”]I believe Ironlady is now translating the entire traffic law now. Perhaps you could buy a copy off her? (Translators deserve to be paid, after all.) Send her a PM. [/quote]It depends on whether Stuart just wants to prep for the test or has a real interest in the traffic law.
If it’s just for test prep then he’d be better off borrowing or buying a copy of the English version of the test prep booklet. It has the full range of possible test questions, in the format in which they appear in the test.
I think some DMV offices may still have copies for sale. Others just have them available on loan. I did a quick search but couldn’t find the address of the DMVs in Taipei. I hope someone else can provide this information.
As Stuart is in Taipei, the online practice test may be useful:
210.241.91.246/english/english-cai.htm
It used to be the case that the limited subset of questions used in that practice test were the only questions that would come up in Taipei City. Other places use the full set of test questions. Not sure whether the situation in Taipei City is still the same.
There are also some lists of test questions here:
tmvso.gov.tw/English/download.html
There seems to be a wider range of questions here than on the link above. Not sure whether it’s the full set of potential test questions though.
[quote=“joesax”]If it’s just for test prep then he’d be better off borrowing or buying a copy of the English version of the test prep booklet. It has the full range of possible test questions, in the format in which they appear in the test.
I think some DMV offices may still have copies for sale.[/quote]
This shocked me whe I found out about it. In the US, these booklets are free. (At least they are in California, Minnesota and Iowa, where I have tested for licenses.)
Anyway, the booklets are cheap. You should be able to find one at Eslite.
As for the online test questions, the English on a few of the questions is so bad I couldn’t understand what they meant. Plus, when you complete the test, it doesn’t tell you what questions you missed, nor what the correct answers are.
I hope the actual test is in good English. Does anyone know?
[quote=“Chris”]In the US, these booklets are free. (At least they are in California, Minnesota and Iowa, where I have tested for licenses.)
Anyway, the booklets are cheap. You should be able to find one at Eslite.
As for the online test questions, the English on a few of the questions is so bad I couldn’t understand what they meant. Plus, when you complete the test, it doesn’t tell you what questions you missed, nor what the correct answers are.
I hope the actual test is in good English. Does anyone know?[/quote]In the UK, the booklets cost around a pound IIRC.
Can you find the English version booklets at Eslite? I thought that bookshops only stocked the Chinese language ones.
The English on some of the practice questions is not terribly clear, you’re right. For example, “big heavy motorcycle” seems to mean what we would term a big bike, whereas “normal heavy motorcycle” seems to be used for the up-to-250cc category.
When I did the bike test, the audio quality was adequate but not great (you listen to questions through headphones, look at road signs etc. on the screen, and input the answers with a little keypad.)
The online practice test does tell you which questions you missed and what the answers were. Just scroll back up after completing the test. Any questions that have a number or mark in the left-most column are ones that you missed. The number or mark indicates the right answer.
hi all
In many respects it’s a 2 reason question:
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I want to be able to understand street signs and tarmac signs for day to day riding (i know most Taiwanese ignore them) because my chinese isn’t so good yet.
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The other is because i do want to take my test and want a heads up on it all. Joe pretty much sums it alll up.
Cheers for the advice i’ll check it all out and post any findings.
[quote=“StuartCa”]1) I want to be able to understand street signs and tarmac signs for day to day riding (I know most Taiwanese ignore them) because my Chinese isn’t so good yet.[/quote]A useful one is
慢
man4 (slow). You’ll see it in various places and it basically means that 2-wheelers are supposed to go where it indicates. It’s used on tarmac as a lane marking, and also when you come to expressways and freeway underpasses, to show the route that motorbikes (well, sub 250cc ones, anyway) must take.
Trust me, you don’t want what I’m translating…it’s mostly stuff like the qualifications to obtain a heavy commercial vehicle license and junk like that. Won’t help you much, unless you have bad insomnia. 
I don’t want to go through the whole Code, or to start a new thread on the subject, but I do have a couple of basic vehicle questions and I wonder if anyone knows the answers for sure:
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Is it illegal to drive a motorbike on the sidewalk in Taiwan?
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Is it illegal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk in Taiwan?
Both are illegal back home and I believe they should be here, but I don’t know for sure. I’ve never actually seen the law. Has anyone actually seen the law regarding those points?
(My wife acuses me of being a dangerous bicycle rider cuz I ride in the street, not on the sidewalk, and I’ve told her I’m only following the law. I’d love to see proof of that.)
Yes, even if you’re just “parking it”. Or so said the policeman who stopped me. 
[quote=“StuartCa”]is it possible to buy an English copy of the highway code and if so where?
Thanks[/quote]
Does Taiwan have a highway code?
Yes, of course… it involves a solemn oath by all drivers that if ever they see anyone maintaining a safe following distance gap, they must immediately maneuver their car into that gap… There’s also a clause about making sure that when you encounter another vehicle in a different lane, but moving at a similar speed, you must pull up along side that vehicle and form a rolling road block… and then there’s just some common sense stuff about making sure you change lanes at least every 30 secs for no reason etc…
Yes, of course… it involves a solemn oath by all drivers that if ever they see anyone maintaining a safe following distance gap, they must immediately maneuver their car into that gap… There’s also a clause about making sure that when you encounter another vehicle in a different lane, but moving at a similar speed, you must pull up along side that vehicle and form a rolling road block… and then there’s just some common sense stuff about making sure you change lanes at least every 30 secs etc…[/quote]
Sorry, but the highways I was driving on in Taiwan seem not to obey that code. Especially in that little strip between Tanzi and Taichung there are always some very crazy speedracers that change lanes within 2 seconds or suddenly steer right when they got to take their exit. How many fellow taiwanese read that code actually, if it exists? Common sense is not Taiwanese. 