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Roarkiller
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Registration Date: 06.03.03
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So as some have heard, I'm taking a motorbike course to get my license. That got me wondering how other countries do it.

Here in Singapore, different vehicles fall under different classes. Cars in general fall under Class 3, although there is a specific license called 3A that only allows you to drive an auto transmission. Can kinda understand though, a lot of people fail because they just can't get used to the stick.

Trucks go by weight category, Class 4 and 5, while you need a special license to drive a passenger vehicle, aka buses (can't remember the class) because it would be expected that you are ferrying more lives, so it's for safety reasons.

The one I'm taking now is 2B, the lowest in the bike category, up to 125cc. There's 2A for up to 250cc, and finally class 2 for all those huge bikes. You can't choose your category for the bikes though; it's a progressive upgrade, meaning you have to start from 2B.

The good thing about Singapore's license is that it's internationally recognised. The bad thing is that it's so goddamn expensive to actually get one, costing in the thousands just be retaking classes.

(I got my car license via the army, so it's free though, haha.)


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quote:
Originally posted by fenkashi
Screw your opinions, they are not relevant ^^.

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husky51
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Each State in the US has its own driving rules and criteria so I can only speak for California.

To drive a car, whether stick or automatic is a Class C lic. To drive as a chauffer or taxi driver, you need an chauffer endorsement on your Class C. Likewise, if you ride a motorcycle over 150cc, or something close to that, your Class C is endorsed with a M2. A larger bike requires an M1 endorsement. You can't get a motorcycle lic without first getting a car license.
For trucks and/or trailers up to a certain weight and a bus, it requires a B lic (which I used to have).

Trucks and/or trailers over the certain weight (IRK, it's 10,000 lbs) Require a Class A lic.

Now when I was driving a School Bus, I had to pass a regular written drivers test, about 50 ques, then a class B test also abt 50 ques, then a sch bus test 150 ques AND a first aid test 40 ques with a minimum of 40 hrs of instruction, driving and written. I then had to demonstrate my ability by driving with a Calif Hwy Patrol officer on board to pass or fail me. Then you had to renew every 2 yrs with 20 hrs instruction and the same written testing for school bus and first aid.

other endorsements now required are;
Hazard waste; hazardous materials (gas, explosives, etc); air brake; bulk liquid; doubles, etc.


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Roarkiller
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So it's actually about the same here then? Wow, never knew. And yeah, that final test with a real cop, never fun XD

But why would different states have different license class? Wouldn't that mean your license wouldn't be universal even within your own country?


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quote:
Originally posted by fenkashi
Screw your opinions, they are not relevant ^^.

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foreignfilmfreak
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I haven't gotten a license, but I think it's very similar to Singapore.

I'm thinking of getting my license before graduating. I'm not sure if Canadian licenses are recognized globally though. My license in my province is not the same as in other provinces, so I'm not sure how that works in other parts of the country. I do know however that a Korean license for a car is the same in the neighbouring province so those from Korea do not need to renew their license until their license expires.

My best friend has to go back to Japan to renew her license this summer because if she doesn't before it expires, it will cost her in the thousands to replace. She was hoping not to go back this summer. lol

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husky51
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Each State and Province in Canada (and I believe Mexico, because I've driven there) honors my California Drivers License. To drive in a foreign country, I believe that I would have to get an International License. It consists mainly, I think, of learning the different road signs, etc. When I was in Japan, I tested for a Japanese military drivers license. I don't remember just what I was tested on for that, but I still have mine somewhere.

The different States and Provinces have different systems and manner of levels. A Class A lic in Calif might be called a Class 3H say in Georgia, but qualifies the driver to operate the same vehicles as the Class A Calif driver. It is just that the enforcement person in Calif has to learn this or be able to look it up.

I remember one time while with the CHP, I had to get on the DMV (Dept of Motor Vehicles) computer and talk back and forth with someone in New York to try and understand just what the driver I was checking out was actually licensed for. It could get confusing. My Calif dr. Lic. has a given letter and number combination that identifies ME. In some states, the drivers United States Social Security Number is used for their Drivers License Number. While I was working at the Truck Inspection Scales, I had access to a computer to identify how a State or Province ID's Drivers and Vehicles.

The only standard number used by both Canada and the USA is the vin number. The Vehicle Identification Number is a 17 digit/letter combination identifying a vehicle. It tells the year, make, model, engine size and even color if I remember correctly. I don't know if this is used in other countries...

It used to be that a driver would have a license from different states and try to beat the system. If he was suspended in one state, he'd use the license from the other state, etc. Now they cannot do that as readily. The law now reads that if you are suspended in one State, you are suspended in all States. A company in California with certified drivers is required to be enrolled in a nationwide program. Even if I was driving my own vehicle in another state, or even a rental while on vacation, If I got ticketed or in an accident, the info is automatically relayed to California and entered into the drivers record. He/she could lose their Calif. license based on that.


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Post last edited by husky51 on 05.26.2014, 04:36 PM.

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arren18
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I don't know the names or anything, but in the UK there are different licences for different vehicle classes too. There's the standard licence for driving cars (manual or automatic - manual is very common in the UK so I guess that isn't an issue). Then there are different ones for bikes and larger vehicles, but I don't know all the kinds there are.


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