Hiring Scooter on Rarotonga & Cook Islands Driver License

Hello.

I'd like to hire a scooter whilst in Raro. I have never driven one and do not have a motorcycle license (I'm from the US). My question is, what is the "test" like? Will they give me a chance to get used to stopping/starting/turning before I do the test? Can I get away with "practicing" at the scooter hire shop before they give me a temporary license?

Thanks!

yes.

I hired one at a depot near my accommodation in Muri. The temporary licence that the hireplace issues was valid until 10:00am (or midday?) the next morning. At that point - if you want to ride for longer - you were supposed to have got yourself down to the police station to sit your test.

My experience getting the temporary licence and first riding a scooter - which is roughly what other people I knew experienced
I was asked if I had ridden a scooter before. I told them no.

They do check whether you feel confident about riding one but then sent me basically up a really long driveway as practice! I rode around up and down the driveway and a back road for a bit. Perhaps 5 minutes? It was to get a bit of practice stopping, starting, turning etc. After I got the hang of that (and technically already had my temporary licence on me!) I rode up and down the road a bit.

The road was nearly empty, flat, and very easy to practice on.

I found it extremely easy to get used to. I normally have the coordination of a drunk teenager but found it fine riding a scooter.

Thank you so much! That is exactly the information I was looking for!

Yeah getting a Raro licence is real easy - just go down to the police station in town (main street), fill in a form, pay $20 and then you do a practical which consists of riding down the street on your scooter (which you hired yourself). if you dont fall off the policeman then takes you inside, they take your photo and 10 minutes later you have a Licence to Drive a Motor Vehicle class A (Motor Cycle) which is good for 12 months. Easy! Also remember dont park your scooter (or sleep) under a coconut tree, or it (or you) might get damaged from falling coconuts!!!

Just be aware of a few things. The roads are bad with lots of potholes. Have just got back from my umpteenth visit. Read that the week before I arrived a guy, on his honeymoon, fell off his bike and suffered brain injury. Luckily he had medical insurance as the cost to medivac him back to NZ was $89,000. Last I heard he was on life support.

So, if you hire a bike be aware. You can travel up to 40K without a helmet. 50k with a helmet. Chances of an accident are pretty high so make sure you have travel insurance. And you will be travelling on the opposite side of the road.

Have fun.

Actually on that note, get a helmet. I hired one because I am not using to going on any bike without one.

I felt like a bit of a nerd at first (because very few people wore them) but I realised that for my own piece of mind I wanted to wear one.

As stated above, you can "test drive" the scooter all the way around the island before going to the police station to get your license if you'd like. They'd never know the difference prob wouldn't care anyway as long as you eventually made your way to the station.

Drew

There are many things to watch out for while driving a scooter on Raro...

#1 Drunk drivers... anytime after dark and especially Fri & Sat nights, estimates are 50% of night drivers on Raro are impaired.
#2 Other tourists... left-side driving problems inexperience + drinking + not paying attention ++
#3 Potholes, slippery spots (like wet grass) and coconuts on the road at night
#4 Overestimating your ability to operate the scooter safely

More Raro holidays are marred by scooter accidents than by any other means.

After my second trip to Raro, and numerous close calls, I now rent only cars on there. At $50-60NZD a day a car isn't that much more and is much safer. I think scooters are a safe mode of transportation on the outer islands but Aitutaki is rapidly changing and it won't be long before it's a bad risk too. For the same reasons.

Hello!

Just wondering if anyone knows whether you can obtain a cook islands driver license if you do not have any other form of license?

Thanks

Looks like it .. see CI Police site

It says:
"For applicants that have not held a drivers license previously, you must purchase a Road Code booklet ($15) and sit a theoretic test ($5). Requirements for passing this the test is 23 of 25 correct answers. If you pass, you are then required to undertake a practical test for one type of vehicle at no additional cost. If you do not pass the practical test, a $5 fee will apply each time you sit the test."

But I don't remember them asking me (50+ old guy talking.)

Cheers... and be careful... esp. at night