Colour-blind & failed the eye test for drivers licence

[louse1953]

When i did the test it was a set of traffic lights.What ever country i have been in,red is on top and green is on the bottom and guess what's in the middle.Surely colour blind people could bluff their way through,or has the test changed now.

[louse1953]

Sorry but makes no sense to me, my son is colour blind forget which combination but he has learnt to recognize the colour shade he see's and remembers them as to what they are.

Sorry that makes no sense either,the top light is stop,whatever colour it is,unless he is dyslexic with traffic lights.

[khunPer]

I’m colorblind, probably red/green, and always fear the Thai test. Not at a problem at all in my Scandinavian homeland, but here colorblindness seems to be more important. The traffic light colors are no problem at all, but at some of the colorblind test boards the colors are so bright or weak, that’s it difficult; also the side-vision test instrument (or what-ever-it’s-called in English) has very weak colors in the illuminating panels, so difficult to tell exactly what color it is. So far I managed to pass, both first time Thai DL end 2nd renewal – however at first renewal they did no tests at all, pure paperwork (lucky me ).

Some colors can be memorized, like when you are waiting in the queue for a test on a wall board, then can learn when the persons in front of you are taking the test and saying the colors – much more difficult with the side-vision instrument, where you cannot rehearse before it’s your turn.

[louse1953]

I renewed my driving licence in Pattaya last month. The colour blindness test was the red - yellow - green test, which most people had no trouble with. One western guy said blue when the woman was pointing to green. Immediate fail though he may have been given a second chance after everyone else had had their turn.

When I was at school, we were all given an Ishihara test. I came up with a different answer for one of the plates but when I showed the number, the person administering the test said she could now see my answer.

Alan

5555, blue traffic light,some mothers do have em.

[stevenl]

Please remember that if you drive with a health condition that is considered as illegal, better pray not to get involved in an accident since all odds will be against you.

I doubt it, many people are driving around half blind (glasses don't look good and are expensive) but their eyesight is NEVER tested . Not just in Thailand.

well, you can doubt it, but it will be the insurance company who will have the last word convincing you of this fact ...

Why, you think they will ask you to visit a hospital for a health check after an accident?

Scare mongering.

[Notowork]

Many people are only "colour deficient " in different degrees therefore have trouble with the dot test!

Very few are actually totally colour blind!

And really these people can still drive ,..traffic lights are all the same,..red at top,yellow & green bottom.

[giddyup]

Many people are only "colour deficient " in different degrees therefore have trouble with the dot test!

Very few are actually totally colour blind!

And really these people can still drive ,..traffic lights are all the same,..red at top,yellow & green bottom.

So, why do the Thais place so much importance on this test? Surely it would make more sense to have an eyesight chart test.

[MESmith]

Many people are only "colour deficient " in different degrees therefore have trouble with the dot test!

Very few are actually totally colour blind!

And really these people can still drive ,..traffic lights are all the same,..red at top,yellow & green bottom.

So, why do the Thais place so much importance on this test? Surely it would make more sense to have an eyesight chart test.

Or maybe even a more realistic "ability to drive in moving traffic" test.

[DiDiChok]

What the OP needs to know is something that is not that well known. That is something called "Chromagen". If you go to a good dispensing optometrist, they will arrange a 'Chromagen' test for you to identify which colours are causing you a problem. Then you get to try a soft 'Chromagen' contact lens which goes in one eye only, the non-dominant one. After a little practice, this enables you to identify the colours you need to see.

The result is often dramatic. For simple red/green colour blindness which is what 70% of people suffer from, you can then see the numbers and so on in every one of the 32 test plates in the Ishi Hara book. For red/green, the contact lens is a very specific kind of magenta filter and it looks like an ordinary lens except that it's got a coloured dot in the middle of it. It is fairly expensive, but then if you really need to be able to 'see' the colours it works. You can't then 'see' the colours but you'll be able to identify them as different colours will no longer 'look' the same to you. You won't be able to pass the tests they do for commercial airline pilots but it's good for most other uses. The best bit is that nobody can see that you're wearing an aid. It's plenty good enough for the Thai driving licence test and for the plates as well as some of the 'slit tests' they sometimes do.

These contact lenses can also help those with dyslexia, and can improve reading ability dramatically. Use 'Google' to find out more.

[Kwasaki]

Many people are only "colour deficient " in different degrees therefore have trouble with the dot test!

Very few are actually totally colour blind!

And really these people can still drive ,..traffic lights are all the same,..red at top,yellow & green bottom.

So, why do the Thais place so much importance on this test? Surely it would make more sense to have an eyesight chart test.

Maybe they think there is too many cars already on the road so tight regulations will reduce numbers, except the 1% of course.

[DiDiChok]

I fell about laughing at this reply. I suppose other reasons that you can't drive are if you haven't got a licence, are under age, are three or more on a motorbike, haven't got insurance or haven't bothered to get a registration plate for the vehicle !

I certainly wouldn't try to bribe people at the DLT. They don't take kindly to it as a few have found out.

If you've got a one year International Driving Permit (about ฿300 in England) you can drive and you don't need a Thai Licence unless you're long stay. Even then a ฿500 fine will sort out not having a licence.

[biplanebluey]

I am amazed that nobody has picked up on post #25 from Crissables. He says he is blind in one eye and still managed to get a driving license.This I think is criminal really.Being colour blind is one thing but to only see half of what is in front of you when driving has got to be 100 times more dangerous.As a test you people who have no colour problem and good eyesight--------- try driving with one eye closed------- you will only want to do it for a second or two !!!!

[Kwasaki]

I fell about laughing at this reply. I suppose other reasons that you can't drive are if you haven't got a licence, are under age, are three or more on a motorbike, haven't got insurance or haven't bothered to get a registration plate for the vehicle !

I certainly wouldn't try to bribe people at the DLT. They don't take kindly to it as a few have found out.

If you've got a one year International Driving Permit (about ฿300 in England) you can drive and you don't need a Thai Licence unless you're long stay. Even then a ฿500 fine will sort out not having a licence.

Funny yes, you don't need a IDP if you have a new photo uk licence inThailand, so you have wasted your time and money, valid for 90 days no need to pay fines.

[Kwasaki]

I am amazed that nobody has picked up on post #25 from Crissables. He says he is blind in one eye and still managed to get a driving license.This I think is criminal really.Being colour blind is one thing but to only see half of what is in front of you when driving has got to be 100 times more dangerous.As a test you people who have no colour problem and good eyesight--------- try driving with one eye closed------- you will only want to do it for a second or two !!!!

What a nasty piece of kee you are, no understanding, get your brain into gear if you have one or part of one before stating such nonsense.

[mrfaroukh]

The most stupid thing to do is to drive when you are color blind. A friend of mine is also color blind without himself knowing it. I was there when they test him, they would show him a red circle and ask him what color it is and he reply green. Now imagine when he is driving and he see the red light and think it is green how dangerous it would be to himself and others.

[StreetCowboy]

The most stupid thing to do is to drive when you are color blind. A friend of mine is also color blind without himself knowing it. I was there when they test him, they would show him a red circle and ask him what color it is and he reply green. Now imagine when he is driving and he see the red light and think it is green how dangerous it would be to himself and others.

Perhaps you should learn more about colour-blindness.

SC

[giddyup]

The most stupid thing to do is to drive when you are color blind. A friend of mine is also color blind without himself knowing it. I was there when they test him, they would show him a red circle and ask him what color it is and he reply green. Now imagine when he is driving and he see the red light and think it is green how dangerous it would be to himself and others.

What's even more stupid is talking about something you know nothing about.

[StreetCowboy]

The most stupid thing to do is to drive when you are color blind. A friend of mine is also color blind without himself knowing it. I was there when they test him, they would show him a red circle and ask him what color it is and he reply green. Now imagine when he is driving and he see the red light and think it is green how dangerous it would be to himself and others.

What's even more stupid is talking about something you know nothing about.

I view it as a learning opportunity. He's demonstrated the limits of his knowledge, and now its up to others to help him fill in the gaps.

This site might help.

http://www.colourblindawareness.org/

personally, I'm red-green colour-blind - with no red colour receptor cells.

That makes it easier to set up a projection TV. Get the yellow gun right, get the blue gun right, and sod the red gun. Not so popular with 90% of the audience though...

Remember that vision depends on rods (light and dark, with a broad spectral sensitivity) and cones (colour specific). One place I am very dangerous is a photographic dark room, where the dull far red light is as much use as trying to see by the light of an unlit candle.

Traffic lights are no problem - depending on the technology used the three colours are easily distinguishable; however, I probably perceive the contrast to the background, and to other street lights, differently from those around me.

SC

Edit: Sorry - missed out the link!

[giddyup]

The most stupid thing to do is to drive when you are color blind. A friend of mine is also color blind without himself knowing it. I was there when they test him, they would show him a red circle and ask him what color it is and he reply green. Now imagine when he is driving and he see the red light and think it is green how dangerous it would be to himself and others.

What's even more stupid is talking about something you know nothing about.

I view it as a learning opportunity. He's demonstrated the limits of his knowledge, and now its up to others to help him fill in the gaps.

This site might help.

http://www.colourblindawareness.org/

personally, I'm red-green colour-blind - with no red colour receptor cells.

That makes it easier to set up a projection TV. Get the yellow gun right, get the blue gun right, and sod the red gun. Not so popular with 90% of the audience though...

Remember that vision depends on rods (light and dark, with a broad spectral sensitivity) and cones (colour specific). One place I am very dangerous is a photographic dark room, where the dull far red light is as much use as trying to see by the light of an unlit candle.

Traffic lights are no problem - depending on the technology used the three colours are easily distinguishable; however, I probably perceive the contrast to the background, and to other street lights, differently from those around me.

SC

Edit: Sorry - missed out the link!

As I've pointed out earlier, I'm also red/green colour blind and been driving for over 50 years with one serious accident, and that was caused by a speeding teenager who lost control of his car and swerved to my side of the road. Australia doesn't ask for a colour test to obtain a driving licence, but they do ask for an eyesight test, which makes a helluva lot more sense.

[lostinisaan]

Your post might explain why people in Sisaket usually don't even have a driver's license. They drive when the traffic light's red and stop when it's green.

You might consider the Thai technique, having somebody who's not color blind, telling you in your earphone which colors there are. You're hopefully not deaf as well.

[giddyup]

Your post might explain why people in Sisaket usually don't even have a driver's license. They drive when the traffic light's red and stop when it's green.

You might consider the Thai technique, having somebody who's not color blind, telling you in your earphone which colors there are. You're hopefully not deaf as well.

Don't you think wearing an earphone into the room where they do the colour tests might raise some suspicion?

[easa]

To all you red green color deficient drivers out there check this out......not cheap ...US $300

http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/glasses-solve-color-blindness-problem-130207.htm

Available at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AColor%20Blind%20Glasses

[seedy]

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[MatteoBassini]

The test they do is just for colorblind? I got short eyesight and I cannot wear eyeglasses because the helmet is a snug fit. They make you stand like 5m away from the board is it ok if I move closer?

[JaseTheBass]

The test they do is just for colorblind? I got short eyesight and I cannot wear eyeglasses because the helmet is a snug fit. They make you stand like 5m away from the board is it ok if I move closer?

Why not? I and millions of other people manage it.

[VocalNeal]

.

I think we'll go to the Bangkok office where he originally did his test & see what happens there - can't hurt to ask.

...and?

[jacky54]

As most Thais drive as if they were half blind or trying to commit suicide I don't see what the problem is, they also routinely ignore traffic lights anyway and a monkey could learn which light is which colour,

[JaseTheBass]

a monkey could learn which light is which colour,

But seemingly, Thais can't hence another half-arsed law.