The motorcycle license test is about to become more rigorous, with the Directorate-General of Highways’ (DGH) updated requirements to be implemented in June.
The new provisions included in the test are designed to lower the number of traffic accidents caused by motorcycles and to reduce the number of people killed or injured in them, the directorate said.
Four new criteria have been added, including the ability to perform a hook turn when making a left turn at an intersection, to change lanes, to make a right-angle turn and to stop and start, the directorate said.
To make a successful hook turn, motorcyclists have to ride on the right-hand side of the road they want to turn on and wait in a designated spot.
Failing to perform a hook turn when making a left turn at an intersection, failing to turn on indicators when changing lanes or running over the stop line would each cost test-takers 32 points under the new test.
Test-takers lose 16 points if their feet touch the ground when they are about to make a right-angle turn, or if their wheels run over the borders of the stipulated test areas.
Test-takers lose 8 points if one or both feet touch the ground while riding, rather than putting them on the footrest. Should they operate the vehicle by twisting the throttle and applying the brake at the same time, they lose 8 points for improper maneuvering.
The perfect score of the test is 100 points, with a threshold of 70 required to pass.
The directorate invited the media and some volunteers to try the test.
Agency Director-General Chao Hsing-hua (趙興華) took the test, passing on his second attempt, saying that he failed the first time because his vision was blocked by reporters when he was trying to make a right-angled turn.
A man surnamed Lee (李) volunteered to take the test. He failed the test — scoring only 50 points — having one foot dragging on the ground while he was making a right-angle turn and running over the stop line. He also lost two points for improper maneuvering of the vehicle.
The test is quite challenging, Lee said, adding that people should try to pass the current test rather than taking the new one in June.
Despite the addition of four new items, most people taking the test yesterday found that the most difficult part of it was the straight-line stability test, which is not a new item. During the stability test, people have to ride their scooter in a straight line for at least seven seconds, and they may not put their feet on the ground for balance.
Chao said that the new road test was designed to help riders establish good habits.
“The pass rate for the new road test would be low at the beginning, but it would gradually go up once people get used to it,” he said.
Statistics showed that about 400,000 people took the motorcycle road test last year, with about 70 percent passing.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS