Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

68-Year-Old Aiming for Driver�s License for 772nd Time

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/02/117_38960.html

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

A 68-year-old woman, identified as Cha and living in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, failed her driving test for the 771st time Monday, but, undeterred is applying for her 772nd attempt.

Cha made her first attempt to get a driver's license April 13, 2005, however, she failed the written exam and has since kept on failing.

Applicants can obtain a license after passing a written exam and then a practical driving test.

Cha has taken the written exam almost every day at the Driver's License Agency in the province, except for weekends and holidays. She obtained scores of 30 to 50 every time, below the 60 necessary to pass.

The agency said her number of failed attempts is a record-breaking number.

Cha, who sells living necessities door to door at apartment complexes, carrying the items in her handcart, thought she needed to drive for her job and began to apply for the license.

The agency estimates that she has spent more than four million won ($3,000) in exam fees ― 6,000 won each time ― and total costs, including expenses for traffic and food, may have reached 10 million won.

``I feel sorry every time I see Cha fail. When she passes, I'll make a memorial tablet myself and give it to her,'' said Park Jung-seok, a traffic police officer at the agency.

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[Zantetsuken]

[Xuanzang]

She blew around 10,000 bucks on failing...wow .

[Rusty Shackleford]

Huh? Since when did you need to show a minimum competence in driving abililty to operate a motor vehicle in this country? I always wondered how difficult the running red lights section of the test would be.

[Xuanzang]

[seoulsucker]

Studying for the driving test in Korea prepares you for one thing, and one thing only...the test itself.

It's pretty much the same way they study English. Once the test is finished, the skills they developed/memorized are completely useless in real-world situations.

I actually LOST POINTS on my first road test for looking over my shoulder to check the blind spot.

The instructor told me to use the mirrors, and after I explained that I did use the mirrors and was looking over my shoulder to double-check, he asked why.

When we got back to the testing center, I asked him to sit in the driver's seat while I stood in the blind spot. He was a bit taken back that he couldn't see me. I asked him why they don't teach that in the safety course, and he had no answer.

I also asked him if he thought that might have anything to do with Korea almost always being in the top 3 OECD rankings for auto fatalities.

[wylies99]

Does she even own a car?

[Bibbitybop]

[Jane]

The poor woman. She didn't know you can just pay off the instructors!! She would have saved herself at least 3,950,000won had she known.

[diver]

[diver]

I wonder which of the following offenses caused the examiner to fail her:


staying in her lane
signaling lane changes
stopping for red lights
staying within the speed limit
making her turns from the actual turning lane
checking her blind spots
staying off the sidewalk
putting her lights on in the dark
following at a safe distance
refraining from using her cell phone
not using the TV function on her nav system

[Milwaukiedave]

I feel bad for her. 773rd time is the charm?

Wait...777.

I think the government should just waive the damn fee until she passes it. It's the least they could do.

[IncognitoHFX]

[mayorgc]

I actually feel really sorry for her

[GoldMember]

Foolish woman, why doesn't she just get one from the bottom of a cereal box like everyone else does.