> > Anyway, congrats on getting your Japanese driver's license. I have already
> > regaled the group with my experiences. I even managed to explain each and
> > every detail of the driving test experience because, as you so correctly
> > pointed out, it has to be memorized.
> 
> I remembered your account, and I wanted to get in some time at the driving
> school before making my attempt. But my wife talked me out of it, saying
> "try it once, maybe you'll pass -- if not, then you can go to driving
> school." She was obviously forgetting how hard it was when she took the
> test.

Yeah I'm not looking forward to this.  I passed the written test on
Monday and now have to go back Thursday for the driving portion.  I'm
working on memorizing the map and all the little "get into this lane
and put on your turn signals" since I won't be able to understand what
the hell the guy sitting next to me is saying (ok I can understand
left right turn stop next corner etc. but if he starts trying to do
anything more complicated I'm screwed).  The most fun was my wife got
to listen to the guy who gave the written test (then showed all us
foriegners which window to go to on driving test day) give her a 10
minute lecture/tirade on why foriegners shouldn't be allowed to drive
if they can't understand Japanese and it's not thier fault that the
foriegners keep failing the test.  (strangely 3 of the 7 other folks I
took the test with managed to fail the written test!)  Of course her
pointing out that I'd been driving here for a year didn't make him any
happier...
 
> > What really got me was how easy it was to pass the written and physical
> > exams. The written test questions were like "If a car is passing you on
>  the
> > right, which side should your vehicle be on?", while the physical test had
> > me trying to identify an orange color that had turned slightly brown over
> > the years. I said "orange?... kana". I passed both tests with flying
> colors.
> 
> True or false:
> 1. If there is an emergency vehicle behind you with its siren flashing, it
> is OK to not pull over if you are in a hurry
> 2. It is always OK to turn right at a red light.
> 3. It is OK to drink and drive if you have only had a little bit to drink.
> 4. If there is a policeman in the intersection giving hand signals, you
> should ignore his instructions and follow the traffic light.
> 
> I hope the DMV folks don't see this and arrest me for giving away the test
> answers.

I swear they need a native english speaker to fix the bad english on
thier test - I would bet the reason the folks who failed it failed was
they didn't read/write Japanese or they couldn't understand the
terrible translations.

I had #1 and #3
also had:

On a two lane road moving in the direction shown mopeds and vehicles
should stay to the right and light vehicles should stay to the extreme
left (the english on this one was just horrible - I can't do it
justice from memory).

If there is a red light with a green arrow underneath it it is ok to
turn left even though the light is red.

When you come to an intersection and want to turn right you should
move to the right side of the lane then enter the intersection, before
half way you should turn (if there are arrows directing you you should
follow them).  (again can't give the bad english justice)

On a 2 lane road the driver should not drive in the right lane unless
overtaking a car in front of them.

A street sign question something like it's ok to turn right here when
it had a circular sign with an arrow to the right with a big red
circle and a line through it.

It is ok to overtake and pass a car within 30 meters of an
intersection or pedestrian crossing.

If you do not have a garage to park in it is ok to park your car
everyday on a street with little traffic.

Can't remember the last one - that was one EASY written test.