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Neo-Rio wrote:Anyway, I made it in time, but the drivers licence from my state simply didn't have the date of issue printed on it anywhere. Expirty date was there, but since date of issue wasn't.... my application was toast. Unless I wasted more time chasing up signatures regarding my licence's date of issue from the appropriate authrities back home, I wouldn't be getting it.
Neo-Rio wrote:It's easy for Australians as well... relatively speaking.
We drive on the same side as the Japanese.
Switching a foreign driver's license to a Japanese driver's license and requirements for the procedure
A driver's license issued by a foreign administrative office can be switched to a Japanese license (a process termed "Gaimen Kirikae" in Japanese) by applying to the Driver's License Center of the prefecture in which the applicant resides, provided the applicant fulfills the conditions outlined below:
1) The applicant's overseas driver's license must be valid (expired licenses cannot be transferred).
2) The applicant must be able to prove that he or she stayed in the country, where the license was issued, for at least three months after obtaining the license.
gmb wrote:Next I have to take another written test of 115 questions. The first time failing. The questions I got wrong where about motorcycle and trucks. I like to know what the Fu*k dose getting a car license have to do with the classification of trucks and the load capacity of a motorcycle. They give you the test in English but absolutely no information of what you have to do or what to expect in English.
omae mona wrote:By the way, the reason Americans don't have the "easy" version like Australians isn't because of driving on the right side of the road, from what I understand. I believe it's because each of the 50 U.S. states has its own driving rules, so the Japanese government decided it has to certify each state independently.
Watcher wrote:I had to go through everything (kari menkyo and uten menkyo) because my Canadian license had expired.
Big Booger wrote:I didn't even study a single thing. Took the written test, passed. Driving test passed.. got license. Left smiling.
Though I will say this I think it is extremely unfair to other asians. They are expected to take the test from what I hear in Japanese even though some of them may not speak a word of it.
And all the Asians except for 1 chinese guy (who took the manual shift test) failed. That guy on the manual shift amazed me... he was driving like a pro. I think they are harder on non-westerners... but that could just be a misconception on my part.
Kanchou wrote:I'm curious: what do you have to demonstrate that you can do in the manual test compared to the AT test?
james wrote:and the drivers here do suck. while drivers in ottawa are generally rude and somewhat aggressive (not as bad as you torontonians though) the drivers here are just unskilled, at best. no concept of right of way, stopping, when to pull out or what all those pretty lines painted on the road are for.
Mike Oxlong wrote:Not to mention hardly ever bothering to signal a turn, racing up to red lights and slamming on the brakes at the last moment (no matter the weather conditions, pedestrians, how long ago the light went red...), swinging wide into the right lane before making a not-so-sharp left turn, complete inability to merge...
I'm sure I've left something out!
FG Lurker wrote:...Or park in spaces so narrow you wonder how the hell the driver got out of the car...What, did he crawl out through the sunroof??
Merging ability here really is non-existent though. WTF is it with people who *brake* at the end of a merge lane!? And it drives me nuts when people are going to make a turn but don't get over into the turning lane. Instead they straddle the line between the turning lane and the main road. Maybe they are hoping someone will rear-end them so they can collect on insurance.
And on the expressways Japan has its share of fast-lane squatters. People who refuse to move over even though there is no other traffic on the road. HELLO!!! Is anyone home??? Maybe I should buy a huge white Benz and get the windows all tinted black... That seems to keep people out of your way pretty good.
One thing I really do like about driving here is that most cars are very new. You never see some 20yo piece of shit Honda Civic billowing clouds of blue smoke out behind it. Thankfully diesel vehicles will become a lot rarer in a few years too. I think from 2007 you can't register them anymore.![]()
My lungs are thankful already.
Mike Oxlong wrote:No, they banged the shit outta the side of your car to get out! I've never had so many 'door dings' on my car as here in LaPan!
Mike Oxlong wrote:People don't believe they can make the corner, so they either staddle lanes like you mentioned, or swing out into your lane suddenly, just before they turn the corner! This in a country which produces cars with the tightest turning radius I've ever seen!!
Mike Oxlong wrote:Got my fantasies of buying a used Cima with all the windows tinted, and watching people cower in fear!
Mike Oxlong wrote:Transport & construction companies out in Central Japan (probably everywhere) mix pitch with the diesel to 'extend it', keeping their costs down and our pollution up...
FG Lurker wrote:Mike Oxlong wrote:Transport & construction companies out in Central Japan (probably everywhere) mix pitch with the diesel to 'extend it', keeping their costs down and our pollution up...
Noooo... Really? I've not heard anything about that before now. Do you have more info?
GomiGirl wrote:Well this thread has inspired me to finally get my J-Drivers licence.
Couple of things that may go against the easy route of just showing my australian licence and walking away with a japanese one:
I have been in Japan for 5 years and although I have had my licence since I was 17, I let my licence expire last year. (I simply forgot as I never drive anymore)
It was renewed last year for another 5 years without a problem. I just explained that I had been living overseas. I hope the fact that I let it expire will not stop me from getting the Japanese licence the easy way.
Taro Toporific wrote:The gaijin reporter Peter Hadfield who writes for the New Scientist Magazine has said that the amount of toxic chemicals coming out of asphault paving is staggering here in japan. The Yakuza mixes toxic waste into asphault as well as diesel fuel and heating oils.
FG Lurker wrote:Hehe! Just about any car that is huge and white will do... Or black for that matter. I guess it is a fantasy I'll never experience though -- I really prefer small sports cars or mid-size sport-sedans with powerful engines.
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