According to this new Taipei Times article, ( taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003583106 ) , a new driver will need to take a 3 day course for $3000nt before they can do the test and that the test will be made more difficult 
Why shaking your head? At least in theory, it means people will be more prepared before saddling up. Now, whether that actually gets reflected on the roads…
But in practice, especially for non-Chinese speakers, I’m betting it’ll be trial-by-Chinglogic, with an institutionalised bribe underpinning.
Same-same with new improved worseness, IOW.
If it wasn’t, why would they be doing it?
Luckily the Western nations are so much more advanced than the dunces here and offer most driving tests in your selection of the worlds most popular 15 languages, right Ducked?
You mean like this?
usenglish.org/inc/official/f … db_drv.asp
Some xenophobic nutbag organization has compiled a nice list of states that offer the test in furrin languages.
Who’d a thunk Alabama would offer the test in 13 languages?
ALABAMA: (13) Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese.
Or cripes, Kentucky?? WTF? 23 languages?
KENTUCKY: (23) Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, Cambodian, Chinese, Croatian, English, Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Persian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese.
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I was genuinely unaware of that.
On the other hand a quick google shows the UK is regressing…?
gov.uk/government/news/end- … ving-tests
I’m generally against ultra-globalization oriented changes in society. I still think its reasonable that if you’re in a country foreign to yourself, and committed enough to your lifestyle to test for a local driver’s license, its probably a reasonable request that you speak the local language enough to be able to decipher basic logic used in say, a driver’s license test.
I’ve read the Chinese version of Taiwan’s test (because the Chinglish version was barely comprehensible), and the logic of much of it is still
For example, it showed a policeman pointing in a certain direction, and the answer as to what direction it was was from the policeman’s point of view rather than the driver’s point of view. And some questions had nothing to do with driving: “A good citizen should be: a) moral and upstanding; b) irresponsible and murderous; c) unfilial and disobedient”. Also, taxi driver questions along the lines of “You are a taxi driver. A pregnant woman needs a ride to the hospital. You a) refuse to take her, b) take her but charge her double, c) rape and murder her, d) Take her and charge her the standard fare or less.” Kookoo, kookoo.
Sound like easy questions to me!
[quote=“holajr”]I was genuinely unaware of that.
On the other hand a quick google shows the UK is regressing…?
gov.uk/government/news/end- … ving-tests
I’m generally against ultra-globalization oriented changes in society. I still think its reasonable that if you’re in a country foreign to yourself, and committed enough to your lifestyle to test for a local driver’s license, its probably a reasonable request that you speak the local language enough to be able to decipher basic logic used in say, a driver’s license test.[/quote]
What logic? There are few linguistic problems in Taiwan’s various language driving tests; and little logic.
Eg: [quote]The white diagonal lines(which are actually horizonal) are: (1) Zebra crossing lines (2)
longitudinal crossing
lines (3) Stop lines[/quote]
Answer: ?
I thought the answers were posted online along with the practice tests which use both use the same question pool?
There is logic in the Connecticut license test which I strongly disagree with but as soon as I realized the right answers weren’t necessarily the most logical or the most correct I ace’d the test (the first time).
[quote=“holajr”]I thought the answers were posted online along with the practice tests which use both use the same question pool?
There is logic in the Connecticut license test which I strongly disagree with but as soon as I realized the right answers weren’t necessarily the most logical or the most correct I ace’d the test (the first time).[/quote]
Memorization will get you everywhere, despite logic.
Making it harder to get a license! Wow, it is already made purposely hard to pass both written and driving tests for reasons I cannot figure out! Believe they think that making everyone work harder to get their license will reduce the traffic violations and accidents. Theoretically drivers education will help, however MAYBE TAIWAN SHOULD CONSIDER ENFORCEMENT OF THEIR OWN LAWS as the first step. All the meticulously written laws have no effect on public safety when there is no enforcement/penalty. It is my opinion that the present test are made difficult for one reason, they do not want people passing without going to driving school. This sounds like a good idea (studying and practice) except the way they make if difficult to pass has nothing to do with promoting public safety. The written test (from a pool of 400 that can be downloaded on the computer) have a lot of questions regarding Taiwan specific detailed punishment. Not sure knowing that a fine is $3000 vs $1500 NT for an offense is something I need to memorize, but if you do know study and know these types of answers you will likely not pass (yes, I also know learned that I can honk my horn for <= 0.5 seconds but if I honk it for 0.6 seconds or more I can get a fine, I assume the policeman’s ears have all been calibrated and measured to be accurate to +/- .1 sec). Both the car driving test and the motorcycle test are mainly maneuvering tests with NO on a REAL ROAD tests. The car driving test is mainly a REVERSE driving maneuvering test. I am a really old guy and have driven all over the world (on an International License), everywhere I have been, including Taiwan, they drive in the forward direction. You could not legally build a road or driveway to those S dimensions, they are cheating just to make it hard. If you do not have access to a test track and practice these reverse maneuvers, you likely will not pass. Further what is the reason for the 1 try/pass for everything? Even in the US for parallel parking you pull back then forward. In my opinion they cheat here too, just to make it hard. This is not real world and is not improving public safety. So why do they make it so hard? FORCE PEOPLE TO GO TO DRIVING SCHOOL and practice the maneuvers for 4 weeks. Same with the motorcycle test. They put an unrealistic stability maneuvering test just so the average, and likely above average rider will not pass without practice (even guys like me who have had a US motorcycle license for 40 years had difficulty passing, have driven MCs all my life and still do).
So my point, if Taiwan wants to improve traffic public safety, look to enforcement, do not make the already painful test process even more difficult. Whats the purpose? The innumerable traffic violations in Taiwan are to point of being ridiculous. Stand at any traffic corner in Taichung and within seconds will witness: not stopping behind the white line (an instant failure during the test), 5-10 cars or scooters going through each and every red light (forget the yellow), multiple cars illegally parked or double parked (often obstructing passing traffic), several scooters driving on the wrong side of the road, cars wandering from lane to lane, driving on the shoulders, going straight when in the turning lane… (all immediate failures during the test). Drive on any expressway you will witness everyone speeding, no one using turn signals, the crazies in the blue trucks driving recklessly (and often a little blue truck accident).
[quote=“holajr”]I was genuinely unaware of that.
On the other hand a quick google shows the UK is regressing…?
gov.uk/government/news/end- … ving-tests
I’m generally against ultra-globalization oriented changes in society. I still think its reasonable that if you’re in a country foreign to yourself, and committed enough to your lifestyle to test for a local driver’s license, its probably a reasonable request that you speak the local language enough to be able to decipher basic logic used in say, a driver’s license test.[/quote]
I don’t. If you’re in a new country, you need to be able to get around long before you are fluent enough in the language to deal with the driving test in ancient Farsi. And it’s not as if people are asking Taiwan to offer the test in 50 languages: just English would be fine. With the tests translated by an English speaker, rather than a donkey.
It would be nice to see taiwan actually test by driving a car on the roads, in real traffic, and not perform a pointless dressage exercise.
It would be even nicer to see Taiwan actually teach people how to drive skilfully and respectfully, rather than pass a test. But this is Taiwan, so that ain’t gonna happen…
Follow the money.
It’s fantastic that it’ll be harder for locals to get licenses. Hopefully one day a driving test on actual streets will be introduced, instead of the ridiculous one around the parking lot that I took. Really, almost anyone can drive when there are no other vehicles, pedestrians or stray dogs running around the road.
Hopefully they’ll also update the written tests. I only passed the English written tests because of my charm. Seriously. Middle-aged female employee at the testing center wanted to practice her English and I knew that a smiley and friendly foreigner always has a better chance of getting things done with public officials. She was in the testing room to chat me up and make sure all was working well. “Um, Miss, I don’t understand the question,” never failed to elicit the correct answer from her. I doubt that this would have happened in Taipei city. I took my test in Cidu, where there are very few Caucasians.