I had a Provisional license but it expired and now I need to rewrite for a new one.
I was glad when I stumbled upon a tweet about how from December we’ll be writing the Provisional test online. No you won’t be writing from home. At least I don’t think so. I certainly hope not.
https://twitter.com/fortunechasi/status/1059040652313485313
The first time I wrote was last year in September. I went to the Belvedere VID and waited four hours before we could have our turn in that little cramped back room. Mind you the sun was scorching like the typical African October sun. There were few chairs and no trees for shade. We just sat there frying our bodies from the heat and our brains about the test.
People would come out one by one as they fail. It was disheartening. Twenty dollars was a lot back then guys to be rewriting. This one lady was in denial, she kept paying to go back and rewrite. She was relentless.
Finally it was my turn to go in. I sat right up front as they walked us through the instructions and how the whole process works. I heard nothing. The adrenaline was high. I was on autopilot. That’s how I get before tests so nothing new here. I went through the whole paper like twas nothing. I had skipped one diagram question about which car goes last or something and saved it for last. I was done before the time ran out.
My paper was marked first, all I heard him say was, “ONE!” and like that he was finished. I had passed! I went straight to the back where the other officer was waiting to start processing my paperwork. We had wait for everyone’s paper to get marked. This took forever but I didn’t care. I had passed.
In August I started my driving lessons and completed all of them. I wanted to go to the VID before my Provisional expired. I was ready but my pockets were not. Everybody told me stories about how they paid the ‘drink money’ which is $1,50 (read $150.) I didn’t have that kinda money. I am a God fearing, law abiding citizen and also broke so the odds were stacked against me. My Provisional license expired. No surprise there.
Am I excited to write under the new system, of course not but this is the card that I have been dealt. There is no way I’ll write in November. I haven’t the time. I can’t afford to live in Harare without a license, it doesn’t work. And I absolutely will not drive with kombis without a license. Application to die or worse, go to Zimbabwean prisons.
What am I hoping for with the new system?
For one, I am hoping that it will be much faster than the archaic way we’ve been doing it. From what I have read, this will be the major benefit. The questions will be random from person to person and this is great. This means that all the paper 9, 13, 14 cramming goes out the window. Unless they still didn’t change the questions which is stupid considering we have a new Highway Code which brings about a need for new questions.
https://giphy.com/gifs/writing-excited-A7rTdPxXP9fqM
I have hope that this will address the corruption when it comes to Provisionals but Zimbabweans will always make a way to break the system. If they find a way to alleviate corruption during the practical driving test I’ll know Jesus walks. Til then we hope and pray.
Read more: http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/vid-goes-digital-provisional-licence-tests-to-be-written-online/
