For people who have overseas driving license and wish to drive in Hong Kong, a valid driving license may be attained via either apply for a complete driving license by direct issue without test or apply for a temporary driving license.
The heartening news is that if you possess a driving license from a country authorized by the Hong Kong Transport Department, it will be useful when you apply for a Hong Kong license. You will not be required to go through a driving test. And the enjoyable thing is that a Hong Kong license is valid for 10 years. If you are able to avoid the driving test there will be nothing better than that. You will have spent a considerable amount of time for it, and the complete process is a travesty.
'Driving', in the point of view of the examiners here, consists of precisely three skills: performing a three-point turn, parallel parking, and staying away from ever, ever, EVER performing a hand-over-hand turn of the steering wheel. You have to alternate your hands across the wheel to pass!.
In Hong Kong people travel on the left in right hand drive cars. This is exactly what you can see in Britain as well. Besides this the traffic lights, road signs, markings, etc. are exactly similar to those in the UK. In China people drive on the right in right hand drive cars and this is similar to that in the US, which makes cross border traffic extremely interesting.
Here switching sides of the road while you are driving is not that difficult. People who learn driving in the States think that they might have to encounter a heap of trouble driving in HK. In reality this is not the case at all. Your brain adapts to the changes quite automatically. Some people even find it tougher to adapt to being a pedestrian here than to being a driver, because when you are walking along the street, you tend to forget which way you are required to check first for oncoming traffic.
The following are some tips on driving in Hong Kong for fresh arrivals in the Territory and wishing to acclimatize with the new surroundings. You should not use the turn indicator in any kind of situations. It is there for no specific purpose other than just display. Fit a fat exhaust in your car. In doing so, you may try to drive in an imaginative fashion. Even if such driving is risky it is always advisable to have fat exhaust in your car because with it you can be better than anyone else.
The hazard lights have to be considered as a multipurpose accessory and not something which should be used only under an emergency situation. You can access them whenever you need them. They can convey that: "you are turning; you are braking; you are altering the CD; you are a human; you are puzzled" among other things.
If you happen to be a part of a prang with another car, never resign to the side of the road to permit free passage of other traffic. What you have to do is, leave your cars on the accident location and communicate the issue of the microscopic scratch on the bumper with the owner of the other car, even though HK laws require you to move to the side of the road.
If you are circumspect and a little bit cunning you can enjoy a pleasant and comfortable driving experience in the roads of Hong Kong.
Everybody loves to visit a foreign place. For the jetsetters, flying from one country to another for a vacation is just a hobby. But during the vacation planning stages, you might ask yourself, is it better to ride the public transport or just get a car from a rental company while there? If you know about the international driving law, then you shouldn't have a problem. Every person residing in one country can drive in another, for as long as that person is a holder of an international driver's permit. Depending upon which country you intend to drive, the permit can be obtained from the embassy. For some countries, you have to apply for it upon arrival.
To obtain an international driver's permit, all you really have to show is your national driver's license and other valid identification cards. It may take some time before your permit is granted, so you might want to apply a month or two before your travel date. In some places, your national driver's license and your passport are already acceptable even if you don't have an international driver's permit. However, you can only use it for several days. If you intend to stay longer, you really have to apply for the international permit. On this note, it is easy to see that driving in a foreign land can be very simple. But would you do it given the circumstances?
First, you have to know that if you intend to drive on your own, you have to learn how to read a map. Unless you know the land's native language to effectively ask for directions, you have to stick to your map to know which street you're at. It is quite hard to follow directions ? more so if you're in an entirely different place. You can easily get lost or run out of fuel. These are the important things you should be wary about when out there driving.
Also, you have to be aware that in some countries, cars are on a right-hand drive configuration. So if you come from some place where cars are controlled from the left side of the seat, you're going to have some problem getting used to the new setting. The same is true on the road. In some places, you have to keep left instead of keeping right. And so those who are on the left hand side of the road have priority. If you're not used to that, you better have a clear mind when driving.
Traffic laws differ in every country. You can observe these in some states. So you can also expect that some traffic laws are not applicable at a certain place. Before you get yourself on the driver's seat, it is best that you learn all the existing traffic laws in the land. You have to know what to do in case of accidents. In some places, you have to file for a report with the nearest traffic enforcer or traffic agency in cases of accidents. Else, you might be accused of something else and be imprisoned. Come to think of it, driving abroad may not be all worth it.
If you don't like to ride the public transport or take a cab during your vacation, you better rent a car with an English speaking driver instead. This way, you will be able to instruct him where to go and get to that place safely. After all, you're going to spend just a few days or weeks on your vacation place. Your safety both in and out of the road should be your primary priority to keep your fun-filled vacation transforming into a disaster.
Both Gregory Smyth & Jay Sander are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gregory Smyth has sinced written about articles on various topics from Types of Cancer, Luxury Hotels and Family Travel. As one of the world's most exciting and prestigious brand, offers. Gregory Smyth's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.
Jay Sander has sinced written about articles on various topics from Parental Care, Nissan and Pets. Visit us at Pacific Nissan and find the best ,. Jay Sander's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.