Early Sunday morning I fulfilled an old dream of mine, I took driver's licence for motorcycle. The test took about ten seconds, however since we were about 150 people taking the test, the whole procedure took about 2 hours. I was told to be there at 6.30 and when we got there the line was already very long. The test consist of driving slalom between 5 cones to show that you can handle the bike, no more no less! they started with the men , because when it was the women's turn, the last cone was moved slightly to make it easier... While we were waiting for our turn on the bike, taxis started to line up around us. After finishing the test for bikes, it's the turn of cars. This test too takes place here, far from traffic or natural situations. They are also supposed to drive, also reversing! through a series of cones, and since a taxi is the smallest car available, this is of course the best car to use for the test!
My practice before taking the test consisted of driving at a field, practicing with cones in the office's parking lot, and practicing in the traffic of Kathmandu - alone! Driving in the field was an interesting experience. Whatever vehicle people in Nepal are learning to drive, from bicycle and motorcycle to bus or truck, the practicing takes place in this field. This you would think of course means that there's a system in place for where of how to drive, when to come, etc. to make it safe and efficient. But no, not at all. The field is at any given time full of different vehicles driving around in circles at random, onlookers, football and cricket players, animals, and occasional drunks that could not find a better place to sleep. And of course potholes everywhere. The logic is that when you know how to drive here, it will be easy to be on the road. True enough, it is easier to drive on a proper road, but this does not give any practice on how to behave in the traffic. Therefore, given the combination of the practice, and the test, the daily chaos on the streets of Kathmandu is no longer a surprise.
Early Sunday morning I fulfilled an old dream of mine, I took driver's licence for motorcycle. The test took about ten seconds, however since we were about 150 people taking the test, the whole procedure took about 2 hours. I was told to be there at 6.30 and when we got there the line was already very long. The test consist of driving slalom between 5 cones to show that you can handle the bike, no more no less! they started with the men , because when it was the women's turn, the last cone was moved slightly to make it easier... While we were waiting for our turn on the bike, taxis started to line up around us. After finishing the test for bikes, it's the turn of cars. This test too takes place here, far from traffic or natural situations. They are also supposed to drive, also reversing! through a series of cones, and since a taxi is the smallest car available, this is of course the best car to use for the test!
My practice before taking the test consisted of driving at a field, practicing with cones in the office's parking lot, and practicing in the traffic of Kathmandu - alone! Driving in the field was an interesting experience. Whatever vehicle people in Nepal are learning to drive, from bicycle and motorcycle to bus or truck, the practicing takes place in this field. This you would think of course means that there's a system in place for where of how to drive, when to come, etc. to make it safe and efficient. But no, not at all. The field is at any given time full of different vehicles driving around in circles at random, onlookers, football and cricket players, animals, and occasional drunks that could not find a better place to sleep. And of course potholes everywhere. The logic is that when you know how to drive here, it will be easy to be on the road. True enough, it is easier to drive on a proper road, but this does not give any practice on how to behave in the traffic. Therefore, given the combination of the practice, and the test, the daily chaos on the streets of Kathmandu is no longer a surprise.
