Law Humor

Quest for Driver's License Stretches Into Fourth Year

By Kevin Underhill

Reuters News reported on Monday that Cha Sa-soon, a 68-year-old grandmother from South Korea, had failed her driver's test.

Why is that news?  Because she has now failed it 775 times.

I guess it isn't news if you knew about No. 774, or any of her past several hundred attempts, but otherwise, it is.  Personally, I first learned about Ms. Cha back when she failed test No. 771, which seems like only yesterday and in fact was only about two weeks ago.  At that time, a police sergeant was quoted as saying that Cha's "record-breaking" streak was due to trouble with the written section of the test, which she has never been able to pass.  According to Sgt. Choi Yong-cheol, Ms. Cha's scores have ranged anywhere from 30 to 50 percent, not really heartbreakingly close to a passing score even though only 60 percent is required.

"I wonder if she will try it again for a 772nd time," said Choi.  She did.  And if the figures in the reports are correct, she has been trying it on average every 1.8 days for the last four years, and has been not succeeding 100.0 percent of the time.

"I feel sorry everytime I see Cha fail," said another officer.  "When she passes, I'll make a commemorative tablet myself and give it to her."  Great -- maybe she can sell that on eBay to recover her test-taking expenses, which by now are reportedly in the neighborhood of five to ten million won (about $6,800).

But Cha has reason to believe success is just around the corner.  "I've looked up some guidebooks," she said, "and they were saying it takes at most five years to get this.  It's already been four years, so I might pass the test next time.  That's what I hope for."  Here's a thought -- in these "guidebooks" you speak of, in addition to the five-year thing, which doesn't mean what you think it means, did they possibly include any info about how to drive?  Don't forget to read that as well.

Ms. Cha, to her credit, remains optimistic.  "I believe you can achieve your goal if you persistently pursue it," she said, despite the solid evidence to the contrary.  "So don't give up your dream."  Honestly, I'm pulling for Ms. Cha on No. 776, but for now, could someone please give this woman a ride to wherever it is she wants to go?

Link: Reuters via Yahoo! News

Full post as published by Lowering the Bar on February 24, 2009 (boomark / email).