January 2013 - Getting a Chinese driving licence

Hello all,

Fay has recently passed her computer test for driving license. :thumbsup:

We have the new Excel document for the test, however, as expected, it is in Chinese. :lol8:

Looks like this, from a random selection. :deal:

873 图片题 选择题 提拉这个开关控制机动车哪个部位？ picture_439 左右转向灯 倒车灯 示廓灯 报警闪光灯
874 图片题 选择题 旋转开关这一档控制机动车哪个部位？ picture_440 近光灯 前后雾灯 远光灯 左右转向灯


(Where the above says "picture_439" there is actually a picture there.)

How about if there was a combined effort, and say make an English translation.
I could email or QQ part of the document, say 10% or whatever, to any one who has an interest, and is willing to do some translation.

If enough people put the effort in, then it could be translated in a very short time. :clap:
Then I just join all the "translated returns" back up again and it's then available to the forum for free. :scooter:


When the Excel spread sheet is done, I could think about scanning the 73 pages of the book, and may be some folk would chip in and have a go at translating that also next.
I think if you wait for an "official" English translated book, you might be a long time waiting.

Now the hitch, this was the car test, so the motorbike test is going to have a few extra questions included. :eek2:

Gra.

Great idea (not sarcasm) but I dont think its possible to take the test in English now. So even if we had the translations its still pretty damn hard to pass.

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Originally Posted by modron

Great idea (not sarcasm) but I dont think its possible to take the test in English now. So even if we had the translations its still pretty damn hard to pass.

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.
.
Why would you think the new test is not available in English?

Although Fay took her's in Chinese, she didn't ask about taking it in English.
However she seems to think the new test would also be able to be done in English.

Fay says the new test is much easier than the old test.
She has seen both tests, so I would expect her to have an opinion.

Doesn't bother me, I have passed, doesn't bother Fay, she has passed.

Gra.

It bothers me cos I passed the old test and still need to pass the new one.............but they dont have it in English, so all i can do now is wait

Dear Modron,

Why not propose that you take the new exam in Chinese, but because it's available only in Chinese you'll need a translator with you. This sounds unlikely, but it was standard procedure for many years when the test was only available in Chinese. It's worth a shot.

That said, from what we've heard from various testing centers around China, they are scrambling to resume provision of exams in English and other languages. I'm sure that many centers are feeling acute demand from expats who want and need drivers licenses or, worse yet, expats like you who are being treated very unfairly.

That said, you might go in once again and make your case that they should issue you your license on the basis of the test that you passed. You didn't break any rules, you took it in December (before the new exam was rolled out), and you passed. Ask for a supervisor, and be sympathetic to their situation (not much they can do but wait for English exams), then ask them to be sympathetic to yours. It just might work.

Oh, and, the payoff for you will be enormous, given your proximity to some of the best motorcycling in eastern China there in Zhejiang (you are in Taizhou, right?). The YBR250 will be a brilliant choice for carving through those mountains. Check out the ride posts from Bikerdoc, Felix ("Zhejiang is the shit") and others.

Keep us posted!

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Originally Posted by Graham

If enough people put the effort in, then it could be translated in a very short time. :clap:

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Not that hard, do each question in Google or Bing Translator and then tidy up the grammar and word order. We'd probably end up with a more accurate translation than the official one. I'll do some if you like. I'll PM you my email.

Hi,

Fay will do the first 100, so if you like, starting at Q200 is good.



Sent,

Gra.

I love it. Here we are crowdsourcing an English translation to China's new drivers license exam. Be careful with google translate, though!

I think we should start a new stickied thread in 'ride prep' and put all the new questions in there.

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Originally Posted by euphonius

Dear Modron,

Why not propose that you take the new exam in Chinese, but because it's available only in Chinese you'll need a translator with you. This sounds unlikely, but it was standard procedure for many years when the test was only available in Chinese. It's worth a shot.

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I didnt know that was the case before. Knowing this I definitely will go to see them after the festival and ask about it. If so, Ill bring my girl with me although Im pretty sure she wont be able to translate it well as her English is not great. I will ask her to study the Chinese questions and she might do the test for me ;)

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Originally Posted by euphonius

That said, you might go in once again and make your case that they should issue you your license on the basis of the test that you passed. You didn't break any rules, you took it in December (before the new exam was rolled out), and you passed. Ask for a supervisor, and be sympathetic to their situation (not much they can do but wait for English exams), then ask them to be sympathetic to yours. It just might work.

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I tried that but they said that for first few months after introducing new laws they had their hands tide. Too many inspections.

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Originally Posted by euphonius

Oh, and, the payoff for you will be enormous, given your proximity to some of the best motorcycling in eastern China there in Zhejiang (you are in Taizhou, right?). The YBR250 will be a brilliant choice for carving through those mountains. Check out the ride posts from Bikerdoc, Felix ("Zhejiang is the shit") and others.

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I know! cant wait!!!!!

hi,
in january i complained when a C1 computer test was started for me, but i was told no problem. they were right: i failed with 87 points:confused1:
today i made 94 points :icon10:, there was not even a special question for motorcycle in my C1D test.
i guess there is no difference between C1, C1D or C1E test recently

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ZMC888
Re: January 2013 - Getting a Chinese driving licence

I think we should start a new stickied thread in 'ride prep' and put all the new questions in there.

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i propose to focus on translating first:
- the Traffic signs related questions - most of them were new for me
- new fines and points related questions if they exist - luckily i had no any question on them
(my knowledge is based on online tests and on Subject 1 Test Question Bank for Motorized Vehicle Drivers (Motocycles))

thanks to Euphonius, ZMC888 and for all MCM members put in words in the related threads:thumbsup:

the bests, Sandor

Dear Sandor,

Congratulations on your impressive score! So what you are saying is that Shanghai, at least, has resumed offering the written exam in English? (I'm assuming it's not yet available in magyar...) That seems to be a breakthrough. Didn't someone recently, in Shanghai, get turned away because the test wasn't available? In fact, wasn't that someone who'd already passed the test in December prior to the new exam being launched in January? Wasn't that you?

Sorry, I'm in Tamil Nadu and have had too many curries...

But very happy you've gotten yourself legal!

Is there a link to the spreadsheet which contains the 2013 questions somewhere? The Chinese one I mean (English would be nice though ;-).

I've seen it referred to here and elsewhere but can't find the thing.

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Originally Posted by sandor

i propose to focus on translating first:
- the Traffic signs related questions - most of them were new for me
- new fines and points related questions if they exist - luckily i had no any question on them
(my knowledge is based on online tests and on Subject 1 Test Question Bank for Motorized Vehicle Drivers (Motocycles))

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I'd translate a few more questions, but I was hoping there would be a few other people to do a few too. :mwink:
Also I'm sure that the final English translations will have a certain 'sino-English' style to them. For example:

My translation of the new question:
243. When driving a motor vehicle down a hill you can put the vehicle in neutral and coast. Answer: No

Their translation of the old question:
4.2.2.4 When a vehicle goes downhill, it may fully use the neutral gear and slide. Answer: Wrong

I suspect it may be better to wait and learn the official Chinese translations as these are the ones any candidate will be faced with when they have their actual exam, even if they are sometimes less accurate.

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Originally Posted by sandor

today i made 94 points :icon10:,

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In English???
If so, this would be the best news so far in 2013 for me :)

/ modron: yes in English. on 20th of January i had an English computer test in Shanghai already.
it is still not clear to me why you did not get your chinese DL after passing the computer test last year. on top of it why you have to repeat the test?!
/ZMC 888: i did not mean you should translate :-), just mentioned which parts would be most useful to have in English, the rest does not really matters according to me
/ euphonius: thanks (i forgot to mention i did in English as for me it is obvious...)

I passed my test yesterday!!!!!!

still no English though so I did the Chinese one. I went there with my friend and she translated. We hit 92 points and Im overflowing with joy now :icon10:
I have the License with wrong date of birth, wrong nationality and the passport number that appears on it is the one of my old passport that got canceled last year ;)
but at least i have a license hah

Congratulations! It's significant that they allowed you to take a translator in. This is the way it was done before the advent of multiple-language testing, so I'm not entirely surprised that this was allowed.

Now please reassure us that your translator didn't help with any of the questions!

Did you get the C1E or C1D?

cheers

i got cat. E no C1 before that. I dont want to drive a car here so dont need C license.

As for the help during the exam.......hmmm....... my examiner and my translator both decided that they will do the test for me (no supervisor in the room) so the examiner dictated all the answers to me, i just clicked them and I (or rather he) failed!!!!!! 84points.
Straight after that i took another exam but this time my friend did all the translations without help and, well maybe 1 or 2 questions, and i passed ;)


btw. tomorrow ill place an order for YBR250

very surprising they allowed that type of test taking in 2013....im from a small town and they had cameras everywhere and my face was visable in the computer screen during the whole test taking process,,that was one year ago.
anyway....you got it and thats not a bad thing.....i would adjust the info on the lic. to prevent future problems....i know you feel that you have it in hand and want to run with it... if felt the same way...
another good thing about having a lic. is that it makes you a local and you can show it to get discounts in parks and amusement places....also an id in general....people will be amazed you have one!!1 have fun with it:riding: now you have to be careful with flashy cameras pointed at you...

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Originally Posted by modron

i got cat. E no C1 before that. I dont want to drive a car here so dont need C license...

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Really? I've never heard of anyone getting a motorcycle only license. Always assumed that C1 for cars is the basic license, and the D or E endorsement is an addition.

Also, did they offer any explanation for why you were obliged to take another test after passing back in December? Seems they are marching to their own drummer down there in Jiaojiang...

cheers

i also had the cameras and everything but the translator just sat a little to the side so the camera didnt see her. Cameras in the room didnt stop the examiner to "help" me ;)

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Also, did they offer any explanation for why you were obliged to take another test after passing back in December?

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This is a rule now. From the first of January everyone needs to take the written test twice. Before road exam and after, both for car licenses and motorcycle. at least thats what they told me.

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Really? I've never heard of anyone getting a motorcycle only license. Always assumed that C1 for cars is the basic license, and the D or E endorsement is an addition.

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look, its possible ;) car license is very expensive down here. For E only i paid around RMB800.

Nice! Never seen anything like it before! :goodtime: