Quote:
Originally Posted by RickOShay
What are you talking about??? I am talking about a how overpriced drivers school is in Japan and how the public duped into paying for it?? Not university exams...
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Think of it this way.
The test is extremely difficult. Very hard to pass without extensive studying and practice. In Japan, you cannot practice on public roads - only in vehicles with specific markings and override controls, and with a specially licensed driving instructor. Smaller streets, less room for error - it`s a safety issue.
Driving school isn`t a few hours and a wad of cash to bribe people. It`s an actual school. There are extensive classes, and they actually test you on close to ALL the laws (Not just a handful sample of important ones) on the paper test.
You actually need to spend a huge amount of time studying to pass it. A lot easier with a teacher diagramming things out, etc.
I thought it was way overpriced too, until I actually enrolled and went. 30 something hours of classroom time, and 30 something hours of one on one driving practice - more than half on public roads with the insurance surcharge that must be paid in order to do so. Oh, and a 6 hour scooter/motorbike course... And a 4 hour first aid certification course... A 2 hour car insurance seminar thing (how to choose your insurance, and how to exchange insurance information, with discussion of how "fault" is decided) On top of that, provided lunches and all the gasoline and expressway fees included. Oh, and the bus to come and pick the students up all over town.
There is a need for classes to pass the test - so someone fills that need.
ETA; I am just going to end this and say that I do not agree that the test and the like is pointless. I am of the belief that it SHOULD be hard to get a license, and that you shouldn`t be able to get one if you can`t put in the time and effort to learn the things necessary. In the US, having a car is linked directly to the ability to have an income as it is a car based society - so I suppose that the ease in getting a license in those circumstances can sort of be forgiven... But Japan is not. There are terrible drivers everywhere, but at least you can weed some of them out with strict testing.