Podcast: Story in the Story (1/14/2019 Mon)
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From the People's Daily app.

And this is Story in the Story.

According to a 2018 year-end report from the Ministry of Public Security, by the end of 2018, there were just over 400 million licensed drivers in China operating some 325 million automobiles across the nation’s highways, bridges, and city streets. 

The same report also found that China is home to 61 cities with over 1 million registered automobiles and eight cities with over 3 million registered cars.

Before one can legally get behind the wheel, they first need a driver’s license.  

Unlicensed drivers can face fines ranging from $1,500 to $4,500.

For those just starting out and who do not have a license, they must pass two tests. The first one involves driving a vehicle, which most people usually pass on their first attempt.  

The second part is a written exam consisting of 100 multiple choice questions that cover China’s driving laws and regulations.  

It’s this second part that has a reputation all by itself, as many people do not pass it on their first attempt.  Out of fear of failing multiple times, some have gone to great lengths just to avoid taking the exam.

Today’s Story in the Story looks at how getting a driver’s license in China is no easy task as many throughout the country struggle just to pass the notorious written exam.  

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Chinese applicants look at TV screen showing sample questions for a driver's license test, written in Chinese, at a driving school in Siheung March 27, 2014. (Photo:Agencies)

In Shanghai, it takes on average three months and costs around $1,600 to obtain a driver's license, and that’s only if a person passes both exams on their first attempt. 

China implemented a new regulation that prevented Chinese from going to South Korea to obtain a driver’s license, as it was cheaper and less time consuming than to go through the proper channels at home.

The number of Chinese obtaining driver's licenses in South Korea jumped from 7,000 to 25,000 in two years. 

An officer from the Shanghai Minhang district's vehicle administration, which is part of the police system, said police recently learned from the South Korean traffic department that foreigners must show a landing certificate, which works as a temporary ID, to sign up for driving tests.

"Only foreigners holding visas for 90 days or longer are eligible to apply for the certificate. In other words, travelers with tourist visas, which usually grant a 15-or 30-day stay, cannot register for driving tests in Korea," said the officer

"Thus, such applications without a landing certificate have all been suspended in Shanghai," he said.

Shanghai travel agents providing services for Chinese citizens to go to South Korea for driver's licenses said the business was a huge revenue source.

One agent provided a five-day travel package for $1,100, tailor-made for the aspiring driver, which covered the driving school, interpreter fees, accommodations

"The tests there are much easier compared to those in China," the travel agent said.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to follow the rules, especially when it comes to driving.  

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A man in Suqian, East China's Jiangsu Province finally gets his driving license after 11 years of attempts. (Photo: The Beijing News)

A recent video took social media by storm that featured Chen, a 29-year-old man from Suqian, Jiangsu Province, smiling while holding his new driver’s license.  

Although it was hard to tell from the video, the road to Chen’s driver’s license was an 11-year journey.

Friends were on hand to mark the long-awaited occasion with fireworks, a banner, and a bit of sarcasm. 

"Congratulations to Boss Chen on taking 11 years to get his driving license," one banner read.

Chen said he first took the test in 2007 when he was only 18. 

Consisting of 100 questions from a possible 1,000, test takers are given 45 minutes to score 90 percent or above.  

Despite changing driving schools four times, Chen said it was the written test that proved to be the real roadblock. 

By the time he did pass the exam, he had spent $6,000.  

"My friends joked that getting a driver’s license was harder for me than getting into college," Chen said.

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Lance Crayon, Brian Lowe, and Chelle Wenqian Zeng. Music by: bensound.com. Text from China Daily and Global Times.)