Driving License Colour Test

[paddy]

Hi Guys,

 

Today I went to renew my Driving License (this would be my third) and was asked to do some tests, the colour vision one today was not the same as last time.

 

Anyway I have a slight (mild Deutan) colour problem, nothing serious that would prevent one from driving, in fact I believe a large percentage of the male population have this condition. Never a problem for me in the past, getting licenses here or in Europe, I have been driving for over 25 years without any issues related to it. I reckon I have renewed 5 or 6 driving permits in that time in several different countries. 

 

Long story short I passed the traffic light test but failed the colour peripheral vision test, the lady told me she can't pass me and I have to get tested at a hospital - they won't accept a private doctor. She was very negative and reckoned that a colour test fail means I can't drive in Thailand. Now I am concerned that the doctor will certify me as having a green / red colour issue (one that is NOT a problem for driving) and the folks at the DLT will not issue me with a license. Anyone have any experience with this? Any advice?

 

Many thanks,

 

Paddy 

[Ace of Pop]

Try another Area like Thais do when they have your prob

[impulse]

I pretty much flunked it a couple of years ago, too.    But I apparently had a different tester.  She passed me.  Or, maybe I guessed right, but I doubt it.

Between the peripheral color test and the depth perception test, they have put together the most useless series of tests I have ever encountered.  (Okay, the reaction time test was fun, and probably valid)   I suspect a lot of the testers know it and cut people some slack if you dressed okay and were polite.  

 

You did dress okay, and you were polite, right?

 

BTW, I suspect the reason I flunked is because the rim of my glasses happened to be at exactly the same spot as the little dot.  Under normal driving conditions, I just turn my head a few degrees- eezy peezy. That's not allowed during the test.

Edited September 26, 2016 by impulse

[paddy]

Thanks guys,  I was very polite, in fact I think I was too polite and should have asked for another chance.

 

The problem is you have dozens of Thais standing around you scrutinising everything you're doing so you feel the pressure to move along.

 

The test is a joke to be honest, I've never in over two decades driving not been able to tell the difference between a red or green light, I completely understand they have a job to do but if I am unable to get a license here because of this it is taking it to the extreme. A vision test is completely acceptable but there has to be some allowances for this. 

 

Thanks, Paddy 

[paddy]

Just thought I'd update this topic for those who may have some colour vision problems and are due to sit the driving test.

 

As mentioned in my first post, after failing the peripheral colour test the driving centre instructed me to go and complete a full eye examination at a local hospital. I went off and a number of vision tests were carried out and I passed them all, I did fail (as expected) some of the colour card tests. The doc gave me a great letter recommending me for driving and that my vision and physical health was perfect etc. He stated I had mild colour blindness that was not relevant to driving and stated how many of the colour cards I failed etc. 

 

Went back with my letter to the Driving centre and was still refused a license, they claim that any colour issue no matter how slight excludes me ! I wasn't rude in my dealings with them or anything like that, they were adamant that this is the law and they wouldn't sign off on a test as that is the criteria. Thailand is one of very few countries in the world who do this test and as far as I know the ONLY one who sees it as a failing criteria. 

 

Anyway I went off to a neighbouring province (you can sit your test anywhere) and tried again. This time I passed and received my license, I did have a slight problem with the peripheral colour vision test again but manged to get through it using some creative pre-practiced techniques.... After the test I spoke with examiner and the other staff and they all said the same that colour is taken very seriously and if you have any problems with any of the tests they will not issue a license. There is a minim that you must achieve before they will sign off. 

 

Long story short - Thailand's driving test does not make allowances for people who suffer any form of colour blindness and I would suggest that anyone that has colour problems to get a few sample runs in before sitting the exam and be prepared for it. It's a pain in the ass.  

 

Thanks,

 

Paddy 

 

 

[giddyup]

3 hours ago, paddy said:

Just thought I'd update this topic for those who may have some colour vision problems and are due to sit the driving test.

 

As mentioned in my first post, after failing the peripheral colour test the driving centre instructed me to go and complete a full eye examination at a local hospital. I went off and a number of vision tests were carried out and I passed them all, I did fail (as expected) some of the colour card tests. The doc gave me a great letter recommending me for driving and that my vision and physical health was perfect etc. He stated I had mild colour blindness that was not relevant to driving and stated how many of the colour cards I failed etc. 

 

Went back with my letter to the Driving centre and was still refused a license, they claim that any colour issue no matter how slight excludes me ! I wasn't rude in my dealings with them or anything like that, they were adamant that this is the law and they wouldn't sign off on a test as that is the criteria. Thailand is one of very few countries in the world who do this test and as far as I know the ONLY one who sees it as a failing criteria. 

 

Anyway I went off to a neighbouring province (you can sit your test anywhere) and tried again. This time I passed and received my license, I did have a slight problem with the peripheral colour vision test again but manged to get through it using some creative pre-practiced techniques.... After the test I spoke with examiner and the other staff and they all said the same that colour is taken very seriously and if you have any problems with any of the tests they will not issue a license. There is a minim that you must achieve before they will sign off. 

 

Long story short - Thailand's driving test does not make allowances for people who suffer any form of colour blindness and I would suggest that anyone that has colour problems to get a few sample runs in before sitting the exam and be prepared for it. It's a pain in the ass.  

 

Thanks,

 

Paddy 

 

 

It only leaves 3 options for those who are colour blind (like myself), 1) Don't drive, 2) Drive with no licence, or 3) Cheat with the test. I chose option 3.

[paddy]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

It only leaves 3 options for those who are colour blind (like myself), 1) Don't drive, 2) Drive with no licence, or 3) Cheat with the test. I chose option 3.

I hear you Giddyup. So is this a common problem? Would like to know just how common, I take it scores of farangs are doing like we do and what a mockery that makes of the test. 

 

I hope they ditch this colour test like everywhere else and start doing proper and effective driving tests - like actually taking the applicant out on the road. Paddy 

[giddyup]

18 minutes ago, paddy said:

I hear you Giddyup. So is this a common problem? Would like to know just how common, I take it scores of farangs are doing like we do and what a mockery that makes of the test. 

 

I hope they ditch this colour test like everywhere else and start doing proper and effective driving tests - like actually taking the applicant out on the road. Paddy 

I had been driving for more than 50 years before coming to Thailand, never had to do a colour test for a licence, did eyesight tests, which make a lot more sense, then suddenly they tell me I'm not fit to drive a car in Thailand because I can't pass a colour blindness test!  Makes you wonder how I got through those 50 years don't it? Not to mention the last 7 years of driving in Thailand with no accidents.

[transam]

I knew a guy that had an RAC motor racing license, he was colour blind...He just memorised the colours he saw and attached the correct colour name....

[giddyup]

16 minutes ago, transam said:

I knew a guy that had an RAC motor racing license, he was colour blind...He just memorised the colours he saw and attached the correct colour name....

Pretty hard to do that with the colour chart they have at Pattaya Motor Transport, there's probably 200 dots of red, yellow and green colours on it.

[manfredtillmann]

some 5 - 10% of males on this planet have a red - green perception deficiency.

in some countries this excludes you from commercial driving licenses and nautical patents.

however, in most cases the real problem is differentiating between red and yellow/amber, which makes little sense in vehicular traffic situations as both mean 'stop'!

for all practical purposes traffic lights really only need two colours.

 

i failed a series of colour vision tests in my life - always makes you feel second rate, somehow.

the worst are the ones with the dots... you know.

i was massively apprehensive when i went for my thai license a few months ago but i had the benefit of observing many others doing the test before me. and a lot of them had NO idea about colours.

i knew the tester did not speak english so my first reply to the, what turned out to be yellow but was by me, having no comparison, seen as red, was something like: 'yheap'. that worked but i could see it annoyed him. so, when the peripheral test came up, and it took me by surprise as i had never done one of them before, wearing glasses i just had to turn my head a little. and anything that wasn't green was daenglueang (one word, no spaces, and slurred...)

it got me through, no bribes, but i don't know how i go next time when my 2 - year runs out.

 

given that thailand has got one of the highest road death tolls on this planet, it appears that their licence testing regime fails to achieve the desired results. perhaps someone should have a look at this...

 

 

[manfredtillmann]

29 minutes ago, transam said:

I knew a guy that had an RAC motor racing license, he was colour blind...He just memorised the colours he saw and attached the correct colour name....

that seems like not very realistic - to me.

if you can't tell a wolf from a german sheppard - what is there to remember?

and when it comes to the 'PseudoIsochromatic Plate (PIP) Color Vision Test', memory will not even be remotely helpful.

try it, it works both ways...

http://colorvisiontesting.com/ishihara.htm

cheers

mft

[transam]

1 hour ago, manfredtillmann said:

that seems like not very realistic - to me.

if you can't tell a wolf from a german sheppard - what is there to remember?

and when it comes to the 'PseudoIsochromatic Plate (PIP) Color Vision Test', memory will not even be remotely helpful.

try it, it works both ways...

http://colorvisiontesting.com/ishihara.htm

cheers

mft

It's true.....

 

If red looks blue to your brain you call blue red....

 

But I am not going to argue the point as I know it was done....