Transportation & The DMV

I live in a small town of 50,000 people outside of Taichung (the third largest city). Taichung has a lot to offer in the way of culture and shopping, but public transportation from Wuci to Taichung is limited and unreliable. So, I want to get some motorized transportation to get the necessaries and entertainment I need in Taichung. I know, I know...some of you might say, "entertainment is not a need", but in my case it IS. I need some American food (or even Italian or Mexican) and I need to talk to some native English speakers. In any case, I need some transportation and used scooters are very affordable. I can get used scooter for about $8,000-15,000 NT or $250-470 USD. However, license classification is very similar to the United States. You have automobile, motorcycle (2 types), and commercial driver's licenses in Taiwan. An international driver's license (with a automobile classification) will allow me to drive a car and a scooter up to 90cc. I've been warned that a 50-90cc scooter just won't have the power and that I will find it uncomfortable to drive. But, I need a motorcycle license to get a larger of scooter and that's the glitch.

The glitch is that there is no DMV in Wuci. Yes, a town of 50K doesn't have a DMV. Even Shalu, the next town closer to Taichung, doesn't have a DMV. I will have to take an hourly, or bi-hourly if they're running late, bus to Taichung to get to the DMV. After getting into Taichung I will have to switch buses or take a cab to the DMV. When it's all said and done the waiting and traveling will take about 2-3 hours, and I haven't stepped inside the DMV yet. To get a motorcycle license I will have to get a health check-up, take a written test, take a driving test, and pay some fees. Oh, and don't forget to bring your own photos, and make sure they're the right size (the photos I had taken for my Alien Resident Card and Health Insurance Card are too big). So, now I'm up to 3-4 hours, if I'm lucky, but I'm still not home. Add my return bus ride and I've spent the entire working day getting my license. That's assuming I pass the written and driving test. I've heard it's not uncommon for foreigners to fail the written test because the translations are not very good. But, if that happens I can come back in 7 days and try again (woohoo!). And, who knows how much it will cost? It could be NT $800 or maybe only $350. Even the Taiwanese English teachers at my school can't decipher the Chinese forms. The best part is that the DMV is open from 8-5 PM Monday through Friday. So, I would have to take a day off from school to get my license. Yeah, the Taiwan DMV is not making it easy. The state DMVs I've dealt with in the US seem like models of efficiency and convenience.

And, a quick note on driving in Taiwan. You cannot assume that anyone will follow any rules or laws at anytime. I have seen more red lights run in the few weeks I've been in Taiwan than I saw in two years back in the states. Going the wrong way down a one-way, driving in the wrong lane, crossing the center line, and double parking are also common driving habits I've seen. Speeding seems relatively rare in comparison so that's a good thing, but it's real close to anarchy on the streets.