$ 130 to get a motorcycle driving license (up to 175 cc)?

hs0zfe wrote:

A travel agency is offering to help obtain a Vietnamese DL. Would there be a less expensive alternative?

Cheers!
Chris

More info, do you already have any licence, ( car , Bike? ).

The risk in these deals is whether it is a 'local' deal or whether it is a 'hot' card but properly registered on the Licence computer.

This is important. If you are stopped by CGST they will likely authenticate your licence. If someone has just faked/forged a licence or are selling unregistered copies of the genuine document you will be in deep trouble - whereas if you have a genuine article/document but registered on the computer you will authenticate OK.

I presume this is NOT a licence 'exchange' (with your home country licence) - these are far cheaper to do the proper way but require you to drive a standard shift motorcycle around the Figure 8 test.

130 USD sounds like making a Vietnamese Driving Licence/ Driving Test, not converting a existing foreign one.

Well, I have both, a national and an International DL for large motorcycles.
Not sure if it's permitted t post alink to another forum? GT-Rider in Thailand. A ompany called Flamingo Travel offer this service. No test taking requred.

Here is someone who would let me use his motrcycle, provided I have a Vietnamese DL.

Does anyone know the cost of the test / an exchange?

Thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated!

Chris

The legal way - 'exchanging' your present licence is simple and cheap - they supply a crappy manual bike and you have to drive a Figure '8' + braking on the straight test.

Licence might expire with your visa.

Jaitch wrote:

The legal way - 'exchanging' your present licence is simple and cheap - they supply a crappy manual bike and you have to drive a Figure '8' + braking on the straight test.

Licence might expire with your visa.

Do you still have to do the practical test, even though you have a Foreign m/b iicence?
I was told that if I STILL had my m/b licence , I didn't have to do the practical test, ( maybe something lost in translation again? ), I'd already changed my car licence to a VN licence.

Up here , you use your own bike, which is just as well, because I think they only do m/b tests every month, there was well over 100 people waiting, I was in the last bunch, after 3 hours of waiting, they never called my name out, and hassled my wife about helping fill in the Viet form, ( she wasn't allowed to translate anything for me ), then it started raining, I was getting pretty pissed off by then, A VN got in my way as I started the fig 8, in my frustration, I actually went round the Fig 8 the wrong way, ( got a few laughs from the many VN's spectators ), but I still passed?.

I think the cost was about $10 --$15, plus application fee , about $2 , paid when applying weeks before, along with the usual, photo's, licence translation, and photocopies of everything, ( passport/Visa etc ).

bluenz wrote:

Do you still have to do the practical test, even though you have a Foreign m/b iicence?
I was told that if I STILL had my m/b licence , I didn't have to do the practical test, ( maybe something lost in translation again? ), I'd already changed my car licence to a VN licence.

Seems that at some test centres they accept that almost any Foreign driver is a better driver than most VN and they waive a practical.

bluenz wrote:

Up here , you use your own bike, which is just as well, because I think they only do m/b tests every month, there was well over 100 people waiting, I was in the last bunch, after 3 hours of waiting, they never called my name out, and hassled my wife about helping fill in the Viet form, ( she wasn't allowed to translate anything for me ), then it started raining, I was getting pretty pissed off by then, A VN got in my way as I started the fig 8, in my frustration, I actually went round the Fig 8 the wrong way, (got a few laughs from the many VN's spectators ), but I still passed?.

I think the pass/fail criterion is whether or not you fall off your motorcycle during the test AND manage to stop when he blows his whistle.

Oh, okay. Thanks for sharing!

My DL has symbols, showing that I am allowed to drive a lorry, too etc. But would I need to get the DL "translated" by some official translator?

The ratty Honda Wave used by every one at this center needs mirrors. What's up with this, removing mirrors?! Had a (mostly non-verbal) discussion with some Hill Tribe rider who hated mirrors. ** As for driving, not all bicycles have cats' eye brake lights 

While I understand why buses constantly overtake, seeing my boss do it  n e e d l e s s l y (neither in a hurry nor would the gain amount to more than 30 meters or 4 seconds) shocked me. He drove on the other lane and endangered a motorcyclist who was overtaking another car but still in his own bloody lane. The guy had to swerve wildly - or it would have been a head-on collision. WE WERE NOT IN A HURRY. And that kind of attitude amounts to waving a loaded gun in people's faces.

In the mountains near Moc Chau, small lorries would just honk and cross a busy street. Get outta my way - or you will slam into my 8 tons truck. Your choice!

More traffic lights would be bad for traffic in HCMC, IMHO.


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hs0zfe wrote:

Oh, okay. Thanks for sharing!

My DL has symbols, showing that I am allowed to drive a lorry, too etc. But would I need to get the DL "translated" by some official translator?

The ratty Honda Wave used by every one at this center needs mirrors. What's up with this, removing mirrors?! Had a (mostly non-verbal) discussion with some Hill Tribe rider who hated mirrors. ** As for driving, not all bicycles have cats' eye brake lights 

While I understand why buses constantly overtake, seeing my boss do it  n e e d l e s s l y (neither in a hurry nor would the gain amount to more than 30 meters or 4 seconds) shocked me. He drove on the other lane and endangered a motorcyclist who was overtaking another car but still in his own bloody lane. The guy had to swerve wildly - or it would have been a head-on collision. WE WERE NOT IN A HURRY. And that kind of attitude amounts to waving a loaded gun in people's faces.

In the mountains near Moc Chau, small lorries would just honk and cross a busy street. Get outta my way - or you will slam into my 8 tons truck. Your choice!

More traffic lights would be bad for traffic in HCMC, IMHO.


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Haha, mirrors are only so vain VN's can look at themselves while riding, ( or you often see Vn boys looking in them as they squeeze the pimples on their faces ).
  Lights , no need , they know the roads very well.
Brake lights, also no need when the brakes don't work.
  Overtaking, it's the VN way, ( as with the lack of queues ), they have to be in front of very one else, ( I think this comes from the survival of the fitness syndrome , from the good old days, 68 ----75 ), once in front of you on the road, they usually make a sudden turn, slow down, or most importantly, answer their phones.
  Size has the right of way, ( as does commonsense )
Any side of the road is ok, ( after all, it is THEIR road ).
White lines are for drunks, and truck drivers to follow, so they can stay on the road.

I also have a Semi licence, and was told I could also drive a Bus, and truck when I converted my Licence to a VN one, but after seeing my Surname missing on the new plastic licence, I decided not bother with the hassles of trying to sort it out, and I'd long since given up any desire to drive a car on a VN road, let alone a SEMI, fortunately for VN's, I was taught manners and respect by my parents, and courtesy on the road came naturally, so it would take me 3 times longer to go anywhere, if I was driving a car here.

hs0zfe wrote:

My DL has symbols, showing that I am allowed to drive a lorry, too etc. But would I need to get the DL "translated" by some official translator?

Given the number of Thai drivers (in convoys) who visit VN the VN authorities are most likely conversant with the symbols.

hs0zfe wrote:

The ratty Honda Wave used by every one at this centre needs mirrors. What's up with this, removing mirrors?! Had a (mostly non-verbal) discussion with some Hill Tribe rider who hated mirrors. As for driving, not all bicycles have cats' eye brake lights

The Honda Wave is slapped together in VN (for Import Duty benefits) and is the standard freight and pig-carrier for the country.

Mirrors are redundant in VietNam, as they never look who's coming. The principle is that people look out for others rather than the offender. Women often have mirrors turned so that they can only see themselves when driving. This is for make-up, etc.

Bicycles appear to be beyond the law - except when you hit them. Those large 'balloons' of trash you see moving/floating along the streets usually have a bicycle underneath.

hs0zfe wrote:

While I understand why buses constantly overtake, seeing my boss do it  n e e d l e s s l y (neither in a hurry nor would the gain amount to more than 30 metres or 4 seconds) shocked me. He drove on the other lane and endangered a motorcyclist who was overtaking another car but still in his own bloody lane.

VNese bus drivers seem to be trained in England, or HongKong, where they drive on the other side of the road.

They are experts at overloading buses, and testing how fast they can go before toppling the bus over the edge of a road. One bus, on the Buon Ma Thuot highway, tested this trick as he went over a bridge. Unfortunately he misjudged his passenger count. 34 dead and 21 injured ... just another day in VietNam.

Bus plunges off a bridge, 34 dead and 21 injured

The bridge, missing it's 'railing' and pedestrian walkway, continued in use for sometime until it was repaired.

When I am towing my motorcycle trailer I use a marker light at night, mounted on a rigid rubber tube, that over hangs the side, so oncoming vehicles think I am wider than I am. They give you more respect.

VNese drivers practice 'dare you' strategies. If someone wants to turn they stick the nose of their vehicle in your lane. The first sign of hesitation on your part and they are in your lane. My stainless steel front point (bumper?) allows me to play 'dare you', too, except I do damage.

VNese drivers always overtake you, just before taking a sharp right on to the sidewalk. See if you can hit their front wheel as they try it.

VNese motorcycle drivers use sidewalks as a way to beat back-ups at traffic lights. They zip down the sidewalk and then try to re-enter the traffic lane (remember - priorite adroit here). Only lawful roads and hiems/hems have priorite adroit according to the Highway Rules (copy on my Samsung Note). They sure have a funny look on their face when you don't give way.

My pointy front end works wonders on a line of cars stick crossing my lane. I just get between two cars and I am through. Car owners are very, very, careful of their paintwork - taxi drivers less so.

hs0zfe wrote:

In the mountains near Moc Chau, small lorries would just honk and cross a busy street. Get outta my way - or you will slam into my 8 tons truck.

Trucks, and some buses, are the only vehicles that are truly unpredictable - I always exercise care around them and make sure I have an escape route.

Trucks frequently have inoperative lights and indicators - use the front tires/tyres to guess where they are headed.

Long distance truck drivers, when tired, in the hours of darkness have a trick. They position the steering wheel over the dividing line (many roads are one lane each way PLUS motorcycle hard shoulders). This enables them to drive whilst drowsy - even half-asleep drovers can manage this. The problem occurs, frequently, when two trucks BOTH using the same technique, are travelling in opposite directions.

You will see many trucks sporting modified cabs (driver side) where this has happened. Usually both drivers are killed - instantly.

Taxi drivers think they are a superior class of driver and have right of way regardless of whether they do or not. I love them - when they scrape their vehicle on my front point.

hs0zfe wrote:

More traffic lights would be bad for traffic in HCMC, IMHO..

Wouldn't make one iota of difference. Vietnamese think traffic lights are purely for decoration ... or meant for other people.