If you've been to Taiwan before, you've probably noticed a ton of people whizzing through the streets on scooters. Especially in smaller cities with limited public transit, scootering is one of the best ways to get around. For that reason, earning a scooter license is a hallmark of the Fulbright Taiwan experience. Not every Fulbrighter wants to scooter, but I was super pumped to learn this new skill and join the hundreds of scooter riders zooming around the country.
First things first, I had to learn how to ride a scooter, hence the after school parking lot practice sessions from Blog Entry #3. My roommate, Ciashia, and I started off practicing every day, which created a packed schedule with teaching from 8:00-4:00, then scooter practice from 4:30-5:30/6:00, followed by dinner and lesson planning. Once we got used to the basic mechanics of scootering, however, we eased up to just practicing a couple times a week.
Besides figuring out how to ride, we also had to learn certain maneuvers for the scooter license road test, including a very narrow U-turn (90-degree turn) and a hook turn. The most notorious of these maneuvers is the straight line test. At the beginning of the road test, each rider must ride in a straight line (on a strip about a foot and a half wide) for at least 7 seconds. This move tests your balance because riding slowly is actually much harder than riding quickly.
A typical scooter license road test map
We practiced these moves for a few weeks before Joyce, our coordinator, took me to the local DMV to practice on the actual road test track. I've gotta admit, my first day on the track, I rode terribly, so much so that Joyce immediately scheduled another practice that afternoon and the next day, telling me, "You definitely need it." Ouch Joyce. In my defense, it was hard doing the moves all in a row. Also, the scooter I used that day was much bulkier than the one I'd previously practiced on, so I'm blaming that, in part. We swapped out the scooter for a smaller one and I did much better at DMV practice sessions #2 and #3.
At the same time as I was practicing my riding, I was also studying hard for the written test. The written scooter test has 50 multiple choice and True/False questions covering everything from traffic laws to fine dollar amounts to sign identification. About two thirds of the questions are pretty easy, such as this one:
"True or False: Using mobile devices or computers to send messages while riding on a motorcycle or waiting for the red light helps us save time and connect to the world."
or this one:
"True or False: There is a traffic accident and someone is injured. Since no one is around, it is ok to just leave the agonizing victim behind and keep going because you are in a hurry."
Hmm, I wonder what the right answers could be...
HOWEVER, the last third of the questions will get you because that's when they ask super specific things like:
"The steps to follow when pressing the red emergency button on the pole by the level crossing are
(1) 1. push; 2. press; 3. run
(2) 1. run; 2. push; 3. press
(3) 1. press; 2. push; 3. run"
"When someone is driving with alcohol concentration level exceeding the standard limit, in addition to having the motorcycle impounded and the license suspended for a year, the driver will be fined for
(1)NT $15,000 to NT $90,000
(2)NT $10,000 to NT $30,000
(3)NT $6,000 to NT $12,000"
...which you would have no way of knowing if you don't study. Luckily, some angels have created extensive Quizlet sets covering these questions. I spent a week or two reviewing these 700-card packs in between classes and took three practice tests the day before my test.
Two days before the scooter test, Joyce took me to get my physical check. I'd heard various things about this physical, but all the doctor did was take my height and weight and check my eyesight. Maybe it varies by county, but for me, it took longer to go to a photobooth and take pictures for the paperwork than to complete the actual appointment. Well, at least they made sure I wasn't blind and had some measure of color perception.
On the day of the scooter test, Joyce took me bright and early to the DMV. As the first ETA in Yunlin to attempt the test, I felt the nerves and pressure on my shoulders. Step #1 of the test was sitting through a two hour driver safety class conducted entirely in Mandarin. Just one other woman and I sat through lectures on the road test and scooter safety, accompanied by some traffic accident videos. Even though I could understand the Mandarin content, it still wasn't the most riveting. I couldn't imagine what the two hours must be like for those who don't speak Chinese!
I must admit, however, that the safety class did prove useful in one respect. While the proctor was reviewing the imminent road test, I realized with a jolt that I'd been performing one of the maneuvers incorrectly! Startled, I immediately began peppering the proctor with questions until I was sure of the correct method. So, interesting or not, I guess it's a good thing I paid attention to the lecture!
After we finally finished the session, the proctor took us to a computer room to take the written test. As I clicked through the questions, I noticed a fair mix of easy questions along with the ones I only knew through studying. Some questions I could only answer because they'd been on the day before's practice tests. After checking my answers twice, I held my breath, clicked submit and......got a 98%!!!! Wow, I didn't expect to score that high! You only need an 85% to pass, but dang, I guess I really knew those Quizlet cards.
I exited the computer room and gave Joyce the thumbs up. If you fail the written test, you can't attempt the road test and have to wait a week to try again. Luckily, I didn't have to deal with outcome! One test down, one to go.
Joyce and I grabbed our rental scooter from the parking lot, and I drove it to the nearby road test track. Four other people were attempting the road test that morning, and the proctors let us practice going around the track for about 5-10 minutes before the test. I was so grateful for those minutes; my first two times through, I was a little wobbly, but I drove a half-dozen more loops around the track until I was nailing the steps every time.
After we warmed up, the proctors lined us up and gave us a testing order. I was Test-taker #4; I briefly remembered that 4 is an unlucky number in Chinese and Taiwanese (because it sounds like the word "death") and hoped that this wasn't a bad omen.
Joyce and I were watching the first few test-takers enter the course when suddenly, she turned to me and said, "The timer for the straight line test is slower than I expected."
Joyce, you're telling me this NOW??? I silently worried, as I watched Test-Taker #3 prepare to enter the course. No wait, it's a good thing she noticed, I reminded myself. Now I know I have to drive even slower for the straight line.
As if all that weren't enough pressure, Test-Taker #3 failed the road test right in front of us on none other than the straight line! Drivers are allowed a second chance on the straight line (that's the only test maneuver that allows it) but #3 failed both times and they made him leave the track right away. I could feel my heart pounding as the proctor motioned for me to start.
Well, here goes.
I took a deep breath and twisted the scooter's right handle. Gliding onto the straight line, I immediately took my hand off the gas, letting myself roll slowly through the line's second half. 3...4...5... I watched the seconds slip by on the timer. 7.....8.....yes, I can leave! I reached the end of the line and turned right to enter the remaining track.
My straight line test
Throughout the rest of the test, I talked myself through each maneuver, literally. While practicing, I'd found it helpful to mutter the procedures for each move under my breath. After all, I was wearing a mask and a scooter helmet, so no one would even know!
"Stop. Turn signal. Wait for the green light. Look left. Look right. Go. Okay stop. Turn signal. Wait for the light. Look left. Look right. Go." I whispered as I made my way through all eight moves. After making the last left turn and driving off of the track, I thought, I passed, right??
But it wasn't until I saw Joyce pumping her fist that my heart lifted.
"Did I pass?" I yelled.
"You did it!" she cried, and we both cheered. With my heart full and yet lighter than air, we both chattered excitedly on our way back to the DMV office to pick up my brand new driver's license!
The rest of my road test
The euphoria of getting my license was so real!
As one of Taiwan's newest scooter drivers, my next step was to purchase a scooter. So focused as I had been on passing the license tests, I hadn't spared any thought to researching scooter types or prices. But luckily for me, I didn't have to! The day after I got my license, I went to Taipei for the first weekend in my double header. During the Ying family feast, I mentioned my new license to my relatives, and to my surprise, one of my cousins offered to lend me his scooter for the year! At first, I thought he was joking, but he and the others kept repeating the offer until I knew they were serious. And just like that, I had a deal for a free scooter!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, but Taiwanese people (and my relatives especially) are the bestttttttttttt.
Getting Cousin Joe's scooter from Taipei to Yunlin also turned out easier than expected. All I had to do was find a scooter shop in Douliu and text their name and address to Joe. Then, he took the scooter to his shop in Taipei which shipped it down to Douliu. This past Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from the Douliu shop asking if I could pick up my scooter! Trembling with excitement, I took a GoShare (basically a bikeshare, but for scooters) to the shop and picked up my ride! Riding my new scooter through Douliu with the wind whipping through my hair, I felt the ultimate liberation :) I'm a scooter rider!! I can't wait to take scooter trips around Taiwan.
The last step of this saga, was of course, to name my new beauty. Knowing that I wanted to give her (yes, my scooter is a her, don't ask me why, she just is) both Western and Chinese/Taiwanese names, I thought long and hard about my different options. Ultimately, I came up with the Western name Rey (as in my fave Stars Wars character, but also for the inferences to light) and corresponding Chinese name 瑞聯 or Ruì Lián (or Sūi Liân in Taiwanese). Ruì (which sounds like Rey) means auspicious and Lián means connection or ally, and I hope to have an auspicious connection to this scooter!
Say hello to my newest friend, Rey/Ruì Lián!