A few months ago, just after turning 18, Russell went to get his driver's license. Russell speaks fluent Spanish, and is very well known and liked around town, because of his outgoing personality and his soccer skills. He went into the police station, was told to pay 900 lempiras to the person at the desk (around $45), had his photo taken, and received his license. The entire process took about half an hour.
Yesterday Kirstin went to get her license. Because Kirstin's Spanish isn't fluent, Russell went with her, to help out. For Kirstin, the cost was 1200 Lempiras, and they had to go to the bank, stand in line for the teller, pay the fee, and come back with a receipt. She was told that she would have to study a booklet of driving laws, and take a test on this, in Spanish. However, somehow the fact that our good friend, the mayor, was in the office at the same time seemed to make this requirement go away.
Kirstin was given a short driving test, which Russell wasn't given. She had to show competence in a few basic skills, like stopping and starting her manual transmission vehicle on hills. (I was given a Honduras driver's license a couple of years ago without a driving test . . . good thing, too, as I couldn't have passed that particular skill test.)
She was also sent to another office, to get a "constancia," which is a document declaring that her vision is good enough for driving. When she and Russell went into the constancia office, they were asked, "Do you need a vision test, or just the constancia?" Uncertain, they told her they had been sent to get a constancia. So, she filled out the form, saying that Kirstin had 20/20 vision, without actually testing Kirstin's eyes!
Upon their return to the license office with the constancia, Kirstin was told to purchase the booklet of driving laws, which she did. After she'd had the obligatory unflattering photo taken, she was presented with her new Honduran license.
For Kirstin, the process of getting her driver's license took about four hours. Not too bad, for Honduras.
7 comments:
Is Russell all healthy now?
Yeah, that's a bit like how it was for me. My dad is very respected in La Ceiba, so when we wenty to get my license, they just asked him if I could drive well, and he said yes. No test neccesary.
In Teguz, the law is enforced though. When I went to get it renewed, I did have to get my eyes checked. But, fortunately, I didn't have to take any driving tests, as I already had a license.
Thanks for asking about Russell, Becky. He is doing fine now, doesn't seem to have any lasting problems from the injury. He is back on the soccer field, playing with a third division team which has a good chance to move up to second division. So, he's training and playing hard. We're praising God that the situation seems to be resolved.
Aaron, I got my license in La Ceiba too. I already had a US license, but they never asked me about that. They did require an eye exam, and they took my BP, but no written or driving test for me!
Hmmm, thats interesting. I wonder what I am going to have to do to get my drivers license once I get there. I know that when Lale went back in 03, they asked him if he drove here in the US, and he said yes, and he was moved to the front of the line and was given the license with no more questions asked. His dad is also very well known and respected in the area where they live, so I don't know if that had anything to do with the whole thing or not.
Trish - its good to know that Russell is back to normal now, with no lasting problems.
~Jennifer
Way To Go Kirstin, Way To Go ! !
So does this make me more or less confident than I was the last time I rode on the Honduran highways?
Ha Ha! Congratulations Kirsten!
Love Beth Webb
excellente! Kirstin!
Yongito
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