Amazing Thai Driving Test

[petedk]

I wrote in a previous posting about always being amazed by something new even after living in Thailand for nearly 20 years. That time it was coloured headlights.

 

I nearly fell off my chair a few minutes ago when I received a message from one of my former students.

Last week she told me that she was going to take a driving test soon. When I asked her how many lessons she had had, she replied 0 and that she had never even driven a car.

 

Today, she sent me a message that she has passed the test. She spent 5 minutes before the test getting used to the brake and accelerator.

 

No wonder Thai drivers are so bad! 

[johng]

and that she had never even driven a car.
 
Today, she sent me a message that she has passed the test. She spent 5 minutes before the test getting used to the brake and accelerator

Sorry I don't believe it, never driven a car before and with just 5 minutes training could pass even the Thai drivers test which does involve reverse parking into a confined space.... nope sorry unbelievable.

[petedk]

5 minutes ago, johng said:

 

 

Sorry I don't believe it, never driven a car before and with just 5 minutes training could pass even the Thai drivers test which does involve reverse parking into a confined space.... nope sorry unbelievable.

 

I agree with you, but that is what she told me. I know she doesn't have a car.

 

When I told her that in the UK I had to take 10 hours of lessons she laughed and said it was a waste of money.

Did she pay a small bribe? I don't know.

 

I DO know 100% that she has never had any lessons.

[watcharacters]

 

 

 

Free to believe or not believe.

 

 

[johng]

To pass the UK test its been said most poeple need at least 1 hour with a professional driving instructor per year of their age...so an 18 year old typically needs 18 hours.

Someone with just 5 minutes training legitimately passing the Thai test..is nothing short of miraculous !

Ask her for some lottery numbers.

[petedk]

3 minutes ago, johng said:

To pass the UK test its been said most poeple need at least 1 hour with a professional driving instructor per year of their age...so an 18 year old typically needs 18 hours.

Someone with just 5 minutes training legitimately passing the Thai test..is nothing short of miraculous !

Ask her for some lottery numbers.

 

Yes I have heard the idea that people need one hour of training per year of their life. I took my test when I was 17 (that is almost half a century ago).  I had 10 lessons, but lots of practice in driving with my mother.

 

I never buy lottery tickets, but maybe I should try.

[BEVUP]

1 hour ago, petedk said:

Today, she sent me a message that she has passed the test. She spent 5 minutes before the test getting used to the brake and accelerator.

Just don't go & visit her, she may be on the road. 5555

[djayz]

2 hours ago, johng said:

 

 

Sorry I don't believe it, never driven a car before and with just 5 minutes training could pass even the Thai drivers test which does involve reverse parking into a confined space.... nope sorry unbelievable.

 

Go to your local driving test center and take a peek around the back of the building (where the driving "test" is usually conducted). 

You're in for a real eye opener... 

I've been there and seen it.

[South]

27 minutes ago, djayz said:

Go to your local driving test center and take a peek around the back of the building (where the driving "test" is usually conducted). 

You're in for a real eye opener... 

I've been there and seen it.

Yes, makes for some entertaining viewing! :)

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, johng said:

To pass the UK test its been said most poeple need at least 1 hour with a professional driving instructor per year of their age

Evidence please. Does a 36 year old need twice as much tuition than an 18 yr old.

[johng]

Go to your local driving test center

Yes I have been there , to do the motorcycle test....they did fail poeple who didn't come up to the (arguably low) standards.

[johng]

Evidence please. Does a 36 year old need twice as much tuition than an 18 yr old.

It very much depends on the individual but yes (mostly) the older one gets the more training is required.
For evidence I present the widely known saying
"you can't teach an old dog new tricks"

[petedk]

Evidence please. Does a 36 year old need twice as much tuition than an 18 yr old.

There is no evidence. It isn't a rule.

Just generally speaking younger people learn fast, but of course it is up to the individual.



Sent from my SM-C710F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[mogandave]

Perhaps she took the test from the floorboard...

[cornishcarlos]

17 hours ago, johng said:

To pass the UK test its been said most poeple need at least 1 hour with a professional driving instructor per year of their age...so an 18 year old typically needs 18 hours.

Someone with just 5 minutes training legitimately passing the Thai test..is nothing short of miraculous !

 

Comparing a driving test (U.K) with the Thai (equivalent ?) is like comparing Diana and Camilla !!!

I have no doubt many Thais pass without any lessons or significant practice.. 

It's a complete waste of peoples time and money...

No.1, for road deaths, is not a title they will relinquish easily 

[johng]

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

I have no doubt many Thais pass without any lessons or significant practice.. 

I think maybe they pass  via  "other means"     it does take significant practice to reverse park a car/truck into a confined space.. someone who could do it with 5 minutes practice after never driven a car before..would be very rare ( miraculous ).

Anyway passing the practical part of the test only proves you can control the vehicle, what happens on the open roads is entirely different... the road design is often poor,maintenance poor,lighting poor,signage poor,too much visual clutter, hardly any  police enforcement of the rules, fatalistic beliefs that an amulet or tattoo will protect against anything  result = almost total anarchy.

[cornishcarlos]

2 minutes ago, johng said:

I think maybe they pass  via  "other means"     it does take significant practice to reverse park a car/truck into a confined space.. someone who could do it with 5 minutes practice after never driven a car before..would be very rare ( miraculous ).

Anyway passing the practical part of the test only proves you can control the vehicle, what happens on the open roads is entirely different... the road design is often poor,maintenance poor,lighting poor,signage poor,too much visual clutter, hardly any  police enforcement of the rules, fatalistic beliefs that an amulet or tattoo will protect against anything  result = almost total anarchy.

 

If you only quote 1 part of my post, it justifies your comment.. 

However, I did say that U.K test and Thai "test" are completely different things.. 

[johng]

Just now, cornishcarlos said:

However, I did say that U.K test and Thai "test" are completely different things.. 

I don't dispute that at all...my point is you can have a very stringent driving test...but it's useless if the real life road conditions encourage an anything goes attitude..with no real repercussions for wrong doing

they're not even afraid of having an accident because  the amulets and tattoos will protect !

[starky]

On 4/29/2018 at 6:13 PM, wgdanson said:

Evidence please. Does a 36 year old need twice as much tuition than an 18 yr old.

How's about a 9 year old?