Vietnam driving test

Since returning I've been warned by friends that the police are much more likely to stop you and also refuse a friendly offer of wink-wink-nudge-nudge-put-that-in-your-pocket-and-we're-alright yeah? Although I've met some who say nothing much has changed in the 12 months I was away, some are the living evidence that it has changed (just a little). So, for the effort required to get a license, I thought better to get one rather than have my bike confiscated for a month - a big inconvenience. Anyway, being a lazy sod who has had enough paperwork to deal with in this country to last a lifetime, I paid someone to do it all for me - the hanging around and getting things translated and notorized anyway. I did have to go to the British embassy and be ripped off for one stamp (over 20 quid). Once all is ready and a brief medical that a man who was actually having a heart attack at the time could pass, the application is submitted at the office on Ly Tu Trong and you recieve the date of your test.

The test location is in Q.Tan Phu heading out of the North-West of Saigon - the unsealed road leading to it is harder than the actual test. The test is notoriously easy, and here I will document the photographic evidence. The course takes about 3 minutes to complete and consists of the following.

The figure of 8, where no one I spoke to knew if you were allowed to touch the yellow lines or not, you are not meant to put your foot down during the test either.

Exiting the figure of 8, attempt the 'straight line' (I agree, if you can't do this you really shouldn't be on a bike) and then on to the slalom. I say slalom.



Then it's on to the fearsome off-road track...



And that's it.

So after practising it is then a question of waiting for the test to start on time (or not). Luckily foreigners are afforded the luxury of going first and your names are called out. Three 'judges' sit at their desk trackside. Unfortunately, and this is a big tip for anyone with an upcoming test, you are not allowed to do the test wearing shorts. 75% of the foreigners turned up wearing shorts. Fortunately, my friend Craig happened to have his test on the same day so I stepped into his jeans whilst he donned my shorts. An unlucky Frenchman trudged out of the makeshift foreigner changing rooms in baggy trousers and a shirt two sizes too big for him, much to the amusement of the locals. It was all in good humour. The judges didn't pay a blind bit of attention to what was actually happening on the track, you could have driven into the coffee shop scattering chairs and tables and ending up with motorbike on top of you and had time to get up and resume the figure of 8 without them noticing. You finish and go and stand in front of the desk and they say 'Pass - good, very good!'. Will collect the plastic in 3 weeks.