How to make a proper left-hand turn in Japan

aka... my EPIC fail of the Japanese driver's test.

Yesterday, I went and took the Japanese driver's test! Actually we (Kim and I) made an appointment to just do paperwork and the written test, but somehow there was time, so Kim and I got to get our first fails in, too, so as not to have wasted an entire day. Yes, I say first fails because it was completely expected. At least at the driving center we have to go to, foreigners NEVER pass on the first time. I also would not have deserved to pass on the first time, and I will tell you why soon (after which you will never want to get in a car with me again!)

Let's start with the fact that our appointment was at 1 and we did not leave the driving center until 4:30 or so (VA DMV, anyone?) so I will say now that there was a lot of waiting involved. When we got to the driving center, we were directed to window 16 which had the lovely title "Foreign License Reception Desk." Perfect. And when the worker opened the window at 1 after her lunch break, she scanned the room, found us, made eye contact and beckoned us over. Yep, only foreigners in the place (keep in mind...only 2 of us who needed licenses... 3.5 hours...hmmm). There were actually three of us there because Alaina came too to serve as our translator (and it is a good thing she did). Alright, so let's move on to us going up to the window. We gave her our passports, foreign ID cards, US driver's licenses, translated version of US driver's licenses, and a piece of paper that proves we have foreign ID cards, and in my case, a copy of my DMV drving record to prove I had been driving in the US for more than 3 months before coming to Japan (because I got a new license on May 12, 2009...do the math). whew! Then we filled out a few things and she disappeared to process and we waited. For about an hour. I crocheted. Ok, so she reopened the window and started asking questions and taking notes on our answers. The notes she took were in pencil on just blank letter paper. She wrote in the middle of the paper. Definitely raised some eyebrows, but anyway she wanted to know about the driving tests in our respective states: did we take classes? how long were the classes? when we practiced driving was it with school or a private instructor? did we drive on a course or on actual roads? did we learn in the school's car or our own, etc etc etc. I think the questions she asked made sense, but I am pretty sure that the paper she wrote the answers on will be tomorrow's scrap paper. Oh well. She also asked me questions about my passport because I have been to many places and I guess she had to make sure I was in the US long enough before I came to Japan. She was analyzing the stamps and asked me if I had gone anywhere between March 19,2008 (stamp from returning from Egypt) and when I left for Japan. wow.

Ok, next... we had to go to a different window to pay and to do pictures and then back to her, and then, she went to process some more! And we waited. I crocheted (I'm making a blanket!)

Next, the eye test. STRESSSSSSSSSSSSS! I almost did not pass, I will mention right now. If you are unaware, I am legally blind in my right eye. It is not correctable except by brain surgery. Maybe a little brain surgery would be good for me, but anyway, my left eye passed, and I could see colors fine but my right eye... I could only see the biggest ones. I should also mention that I was answering in Japanese... extra level of thinking because rather than saying up or down, I had to say ue and shita, and for right and left, it's migi and hidari and in my silly not-fluent-in-Japanese-ness, I sometimes confuse the words for right and left... potentially problematic. Anyway, I did ok with directions, but since my right eye failed, I had to then move on and do a peripheral vision test, which I did twice. After the first time, she was like "hmm, let's try once more..." and after the second she said "passu...giri giri deshita ne" (meaning, pass, but only just). AH!

Next, the written! 10 questions... true or false. Seems easy, right? Well, add in the factor that the questions were not written in English but were translated (BADLY) from Japanese. For example "Mopeds and automobiles must stay to the right of a lane on a road headed in a direction and light vehicles must stay to the extreme left." Ok, you get the idea (maybe) but I never managed to figure out what "A road headed in a direction is" Don't all roads head in a direction?! I hope so because I don't think we would ever get anywhere otherwise. Unfortunately that phrase appeared in more than half of the questions, but I guess I understood because I did not fail (THAT would have been embarrassing).

Next... the ROAD TEST! the dreaded, awful, not-enjoyable road test. Kim and I did not think we would get to do the road test today. But, after the written (and more waiting...and crocheting!) we were given maps, told to memorize the course and that we had about 30 minutes to do so before taking the test. Say WHAT?!

So, the course…it was relatively small, but lots of twists and turns, and then the "S-curve" and the infamous "crank." (see Figure 1) The S-curve is exactly what you think it is… a curve shaped like an S. The crank, however, is like two right angles, first a sharp left turn immediately followed by a sharp right. On the crank, if you hit the curb, it`s ok and you are allowed to back up up to 3 times. If you run over the curb… instant fail. Also, it`s always entertaining to hear the Japanese instructor say the word "crank" because it comes out sound like "clank." Instructor (in Japanese, but "clank" is a borrowed word): "Ok, Ms. Robinson, please make a right turn into the clank." Me: smile, hold the chuckle in, "Ok."

Anyway, the course pretty much tests what you would expect… stop lights, stop signs, turns, pulling out, clanks, obstructions in the road, speed, curves, the usual. So what did I do wrong? Well, for one thing, I misunderstood the markings on the course. (see Figure 2) I thought that the solid line with random diamonds marked what would be the sidewalk, so for my very first left turn, I stopped before it, checked for pedestrians and stray cats, then pulled out and stopped again to check the road, then I pulled out. Then the car stopped (the instructor had a brake, too) and he said to me "um, you are in Japan, not America, we drive on the left!" Me (oh crap!) "oh, I did not understand the markings on the road, I am very sorry." Instant fail, right there, but he said since it was my first time driving the course, he would let me finish it and then go over everything I did wrong at the end. Other things I did wrong: the curve (too fast), braking (too smooth), I turned right from the far left lane several times, and just turns in general.

Let me tell you about turns. If you were making a left turn, you would need to follow this procedure (at least while taking the test):

1. Look in your review mirror

2. Blinker on (or as they call it here, "winker")

3.Count to three (gives other cars, people, bikers, children, cats and dinosaurs time to see your blinker and get out of your way)

4. Look in the left side mirror

5. Look over the left shoulder

6. Move slightly more to the left of the lane (prevents bikers from squeezing in between your car and the edge of the road which would put them in danger when you actually go to make the turn)

7. Pump the brakes before the turn (really, pump the brakes, a smooth stop is bad)

8. Before actually turning, repeat steps 1, 3 and 4. (make sure no bikers tried to squeeze in there anyway)

9. Turn.

K, so you are supposed to do all of that in about 30 meters before the turn you intend to make. But again, it is all for the stupid driver`s test, so if I just take the whole course really slow(ly?), I should be able to get all 9 steps in every time. I think merging has a similar process, but I never had to merge because I just turned right from the far left lane! Oooooops!

One other strange thing, which is just plain strange, but we confirmed it with the instructor. When making a right turn (across traffic) you are supposed to turn into the far left lane. Except, if you will be making a right hand turn soon, and then you turn into the closer left lane. I wonder if that is just for the driver`s test, or if that is what they teach new Japanese drivers to do… If so, what a bad plan!

Alright, so after finishing the course, we went back to the building and Kim and I were shown our mistakes using little model cars and bikes and then we scheduled our next tests (next Tuesday) and went on our merry way.

It is really a pain. I hope I can pass next week, because I feel bad taking so many days off from school! If I do not pass, then I will need to wait until after golden week to retake.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

Note 1: Figure 1 and Figure 2 are NOT official images provided by Nagano prefecture.

Note 2: Trees and cat are not present on course.