Porter complained that it appeared to him that a tour group from Japan brought in four people — who were ahead of him in line — but laid out four empty sleeping bags at the same time. He said they then allowed four more people who he thought were tourists to get in line at about 7 a.m., and he thought that was unfair.

"That's just not playing by the rules," Porter said.

His daughter missed the opportunity to test that day by two people.

The city's Kamimura understands Porter's frustration, but he said the city has to operate on a first-come, first-served system. "We're not going to go out there and police the lines," Kamimura said.

Porter also wondered why people who appeared to be tourists from another country would be getting licensed in the first place. "This whole thing's really a messy situation," he said.

Kamimura said this was the first he had heard of people who appeared to be tourists waiting in line in groups for licenses. To take a road test, an applicant must take a written test. To take the written test, an applicant must have a U.S. Social Security card or verification from that federal agency that they do not qualify for that card, Kamimura said. Most foreign tourists don't have Social Security cards, he said.

However, after The Advertiser got Porter's complaint, Kamimura researched the matter and found that five people from Japan did take the test in Wahiawa that day: Three passed and two failed. "All their documentation was in order," Kamimura said.

And Kamimura said line etiquette generally does allow for people holding spaces for others. While it usually may be for a short bathroom break or a food run, Kamimura said, there are no clear rules about cutting or saving space.

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