Korean Driver's License

OK, you know that I have an INTERNATIONAL driver's license, right?  Well, that was all well and fine, until the guys in our front office found out that while I can drive in Korea, I can't be insured in Korea, and that threw a little wrench into the whole going to Costco thing.  I mean, as soon as you know you have no insurance you start swerving at pedestrians, and having suicidal bridge thoughts, just because you have no insurance.  So, to alleviate the swerving and danger, Gary and I had to get our Korean driver's license, he went first, last week, but I brought the camera, so I get to tell the story :)


The Department of Motor  Vehicles is really a fun place, it is a lot nicer in Korea than in the US, and the customers look a lot less deranged.  I still didn't want to take too many pictures of them, just in case any of them were also having dangerous thoughts or suffering from driver's test nerves. 



Because we have NH licenses, if we wanted to drive regular cars (you know, 4 door, 4 wheels, 4 passenger) all we would have to do is turn in our NH license, take a vision test, pay, and submit 2 photos.  Of course it can't be that easy for us... why not???  Well, our school purchased two 12 passenger vehicles, really, big mini-vans (oxymoron), and for those you need a special license.  Of course.  One that requires a driving test.  With a stick shift.  In korean.

OK, I am getting ahead of myself.  First the vision test.  The test is a standard screen with numbers on it, and you hold up a thing infront of your eye, first right, then left, and say the numbers the optometrist lady points to.  Except I can only say the numbers in English.  So I said, "2" and she looks at me strangely, (now I am sure it was a 2 because it was on the 20/5 line... it was HUGE).  So she just started pointing to other numbers, randomly, until she got to the microscopic numbers at the bottom that I couldn't even see, but I was still guessing, and at the end, she says, "OK!"  So, not real sure of the vision of the drivers in Korea, if I can guess random numbers and pass.   

After the vision test, more paperwork, and then a hilarious video about safety and scoring on the course.  Luckily it was subtitled because it had some helpful information...   



such as... you will be disqualified if you cause an accident on the course.  Hmmm... good to know....

 For the driving test you start with 100 points, and then as you make mistakes they deduct points, 5 at a time, and you need a score of 80 to pass.  Can't start the car?  Minus 5.  Don't know how to turn on the lights?  Minus 5.  Forgot how to signal a left turn?  Minus 5.  So basically you can NOT know how to operate a car and still pass.    

The course is about 400 feet long, and during that time you can swerve over the median and outside lines TWO times, and still pass.  It is only minus 15 points.  Not feeling really good about my fellow motorists...

  

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When they call your name (which I am  not actually sure they did, it was in Korean) you climb the stairs up to this window, place your hand on the white hand print and peer into the window.  They then annouce the number of your vehicle over the loudspeaker, in Korean, and you are supposed to walk confidently down to your vehicle, wave to the audience in the grandstand, and begin the test.  Of course, all of this hinges on you undertanding the instructions.  If you don't understand them, you stand there grinning and sweating like an idiot, until the guy takes pity on you and points down to the trucks and gives you the double "V" fingers, for 22. 

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Since we want a Class 2 Chauffer license we have to take a test driving those white trucks.  There are other potential drivers taking the test at the same time, so it is a little strange.  Also, behind those green railings is stadium seating for 50 people, friends and relatives of the testees, to watch, mock and ridicule... ahem... I mean support... the drivers.    





 

 

So there it is.... lucky 22... and let me tell you, whoever took the test before me had SHORT legs.  I could barely get behind the wheel to adjust the seat.  Then the instructions start, in loud korean, with English subtitles.  Start the car... phew... pass.  Put the car into second gear and back to neutral (thank you Jetta, it all came right back to me)... pass.  Turn on the right directional... MINUS 5 ( I wanted to go left).  Turn on the windshield wipers... MINUS 5 (I only put them on low)... Starting to get scared... but that part ends, and it is on to the 400 ft track test. 

 

I had to include a picture of the bus that Gary had to drive.  THIS IS NOW GARY TYPING... I have a CDL in the US, and they don't honor any license other than a regular license.  I had to take the entire two day course which included a driving class all taught in Korean and a written exam.  On the second day they gave me an oppurtunity take the regular truck for a road test around the town or I could go ahead and take the bus.  That was a no brainer.  When would I ever have a chance to drive a bus in Korea.  I really wished I could have taken several pictures of the Koreans looking into the bus and laughing at this white guy driving this bus around town.  Anyways I passed and now I am a legally licensed to drive a bus in Korea.  I am actually the first white guy to get a CDL license from that town.  After being in Korea I think I have to be the only one. 



OK, back to me... the road test goes fine.  Except, see that stop sign?  With the pedestrian crossing sign above it?  Apparently I am the only driver in Korea that would actually stop at a STOP sign during the driving exam.  Every other driver blew through it, and I got some strange looks for stopping.  Guess I'll remember that lesson next time I am crossing the street.    Luckily, they do not deduct points for stopping at a stop sign. 

Ahhhh.... finally a true Korean! 

WooBang Land

Yesterday we went with another family of friends to WooBang Land, an amusement park located right here in Daegu.  The park is relatively inexpensive... coming from the sunshine state, where a one day pass can be upwards of 80$, the 26,000 won per person is fairly cheap. 

of course, if you want to save even more money, there is the annual mambership :)



If you liked that last slide, you are in for a treat!  This park was filled with typos, konglish, and just plain hilarious straightforwardness in it's signs.  Also, very little in the way of handicap accessibility, which is always funny.  Here are the stairs at the entrance to the park.







This is the notice to get on the SkyRide... you know, the gondola type ride.  But drunken people and inflammables are not allowed.







Here, the kids are on the ride climbing up to the tower.

  

WooBang Tower is, from what I have heard (from a sort of reliable source), the tallest tower like this in Asia.  At the top is a restaruant, observation deck, and of course, bungee jumping. 

Pretty simple.

This is the view from the observation deck.

What observation deck is complete without a SKY TOILET?



Really, who hasn't had a nightmare JUST like this before... a city of millions... watching...



If you are going to bungee jump you have to wear these jump suits and harnesses... unfortunately blue and yellow are not my colors, so no jumping for me...

The view of the amusement park.

R-Man wanted to ride the space ship. Notice the KOR on the shuttle.  That felt weird.





Hungry?  It's NEW!



Of course this place is decked out with tons of flowers and shrubs.  It was really pretty and smelled good... well, not the squid.

Instead we decide to get ice cream stuffed waffles.  This is pure genius.  Make a waffle.  Fold it in half.  Stuff it with ice cream.  DUH!  Why didn't we think of this???

This train drives right through the middle of the street, and you'd better move. 

OK, back to the ice cream waffle. 

There is also a zoo in the park... only not exactly a real zoo.



First exhibit... rabbits you can throw carrots at... ahem... I mean, to.



I had to add this picture because I just can not get over the grossness of everyone in the zoo using the same bar of soap to wash their hands.  That blue nub is the bar, and it screws onto a mount in the wall.  You wet your hands, then rub them on the bar of soap that is suspended from the wall, and then rinse.  The soap is worn down because about 1000 people have used it in just this morning.  To me it is right up there with those cloth towels that wrap back up around into themselves...  you know, like they still have in Canada... YUCK, germ fest!

anyway, the zoo has obscure creatures like chipmunks,

mice

more mice, hamsters,

and this smiling pig.

After we dragged the kids out of there (with clean hands) we came upon this display, so if we don't see you... "Happy Halloween!"

The next ride was, ok, imagine this... you take some leftover roller coaster track, only the flat part, and connect it in a big loop.  What might you ride on that, you ask?  You ride a bicycle...



...built for two... complete with pedaling.



And you had better not carry glasses, camera, and personal to take on.

awwwww... especially for me?  This was the packaging from the candy store.



While I was getting sweet love, Pooks went on the Tambourine, which reminded me of Canobie Lake Park.  There are no seatbelts, you just hang on and get bounced around.

 

Cuttlefish is like a small squid (see next picture), and here you can get Rost Butter Cuttlefish.  No thanks.

The next ride was sledding down artificial turf that was being sprayed with water. Pooks goes first.

R-Man goes next... see the hoses on the left? 

OK, last crazy thing of the day.  Have you ever seen the BubbleBoy episode from Seinfeld?  Well, Pooks and R-Man got to be real Bubble Kids... Here you can see a pile of empty bubbles, and the guy is blowing one up.

R-Man steps inside his bubble.

Then they push him into the pool.

Pooks getting into hers.

And they are off... like hamsters.

Last was the haunted castle... with this delightful warning to not push, nor play a trick...

Of course, that only incited me to push and play a trick...  oh yeah, and it's the MOOPS!

:)  xoxoxoxo