Driving test

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Phil Fouracre
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Driving test

Post by Phil Fouracre »

Anyone have any thoughts on the 'plans' to revise the test? Heard on the radio that the idea is to dispense with the 'three point turn', and include more sat nav use!! So are we going to get more idiots not looking where they're going, then being unable to turn round when they get lost? Not what I'd call progress.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity
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gaz
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Re: Driving test

Post by gaz »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30249249
"We are carrying out initial research to explore how the driving test could better reflect real-life driving," said a DVSA spokesman.

Real-life driving? :roll:

Examiner: "At no point during the test did you exceed the speed limit. You didn't make use of your hand held mobile to take a call or send a text message. You gave a cyclist the amount of room indicated in the Highway Code. You did not park on the pavement when the test had ended. I'm sorry you've failed to meet the required real-life driving standard."
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beardy
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Re: Driving test

Post by beardy »

The driving test isnt the problem, the problem is that people think they are allowed or even supposed to drive differently once they have safely passed it.

I did a three point turn in a rather tight place not long ago and thought how rare it was that you got a bit of road quiet enough to have a go at it, normally you have to drive on to somewhere more out of the way.
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NUKe
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Re: Driving test

Post by NUKe »

gaz wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30249249
"We are carrying out initial research to explore how the driving test could better reflect real-life driving," said a DVSA spokesman.

Real-life driving? :roll:

Examiner: "At no point during the test did you exceed the speed limit. You didn't make use of your hand held mobile to take a call or send a text message. You gave a cyclist the amount of room indicated in the Highway Code. You did not park on the pavement when the test had ended. I'm sorry you've failed to meet the required real-life driving standard."

:lol:
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661-Pete
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Re: Driving test

Post by 661-Pete »

gaz wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30249249
"We are carrying out initial research to explore how the driving test could better reflect real-life driving," said a DVSA spokesman.

Real-life driving? :roll:

Examiner: "At no point during the test did you exceed the speed limit. You didn't make use of your hand held mobile to take a call or send a text message. You gave a cyclist the amount of room indicated in the Highway Code. You did not park on the pavement when the test had ended. I'm sorry you've failed to meet the required real-life driving standard."

You forgot to mention that your candidate failed to drive through an amber/red light. Definitely an imaginary driver! :mrgreen:
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661-Pete
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Re: Driving test

Post by 661-Pete »

My take. The 3-point turn (actually I don't recall the list of Driving Test requirements ever calling it a "3-point turn", but no matter) and the Reverse-around-corner trick are a PITA - because they always take place in my street! I live on a corner, and it's such a favourite spot for practicing the reversing manoeuvre, that sometimes you see L-drivers and their instructors queueing up through the day to take their turn on 'my' corner. Sometimes, if I'm in a particularly bloody-minded mood, I glare at them through the kitchen window - this possibly puts them off! At any rate most of the L-drivers haven't a clue, they steer so wide of the kerb that they often miss the side road altogether...

I could probably count on my fingers the number of times I've had to do a 3-point turn in the road, in over 40 years of driving. Like most motorists I prefer to look for a convenient side road or drive to reverse into.

Cyclist - and other road user - awareness? An absolute must. I advocate bringing in a cyclist to deliberately set up encounters which the candidate has to handle correctly. If this item were included in the test, my feeling is the cyclist casualty rate would be dramatically reduced. Possibly the same could be done for pedestrian-awareness.

And what about hand signals? When I took the test I had to give hand signals while actually driving, but they've fallen off the radar. Are candidates expected nowadays to demonstrate them or merely to show knowledge of them? After all, they are the only means that cyclists have of signalling to other road users...
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Bicycler
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Re: Driving test

Post by Bicycler »

661-Pete wrote:And what about hand signals? When I took the test I had to give hand signals while actually driving, but they've fallen off the radar. Are candidates expected nowadays to demonstrate them or merely to show knowledge of them? After all, they are the only means that cyclists have of signalling to other road users...

Drivers' and cyclists' hand signals are still in the Highway Code. They are not tested in the driving test. I can't recall if there is a theory test question including them.

In any case the two signals cyclists actually commonly use(left and right) are fairly obvious. Things like cyclists' stopping signals, drivers' left turning and stopping hand signals and car semaphore signals are slowly slipping into history.

Anybody remember the "overtake me" signal or have I imagined that?
snibgo
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Re: Driving test

Post by snibgo »

"I am ready to be overtaken", from HC 1954:
overtaken.jpg

Of course, this absolutely does not mean, "Overtake me."
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661-Pete
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Re: Driving test

Post by 661-Pete »

It was dropped from the HC (and the test) soon after then. Probably due to obvious risk of misinterpretation. I prefer to just give the following driver a slight nod (having pulled into a safe position first). It's, of course, up to the overtaker to ensure it's safe to do so.

Remember the scene in the movie Duel (fairly early on)?
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
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Vantage
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Re: Driving test

Post by Vantage »

There's a driving test?
People have actually passed it?
:shock:
Bill


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Tonyf33
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Re: Driving test

Post by Tonyf33 »

snibgo wrote:"I am ready to be overtaken", from HC 1954:
overtaken.jpg

Of course, this absolutely does not mean, "Overtake me."

I've used this often whilst on the bike, sometimes it's just easier to have the vehicle past than behind you and you have no idea what idiocy they might be conjuring up.

I've also used the hand signal to overtake whilst driving when I'm in the process of slowing, earlier this year I think was the last time a did it. It avoids confusion and gives a clear indication the same as a left or right turn. It should never be removed from the HC

As for the changes, high up on the agenda must be re-inforcing hazard perception and making drivers actually thinking why you do X rather than just automatically doing something because a scenario is similar to last time. Additionally putting in 'real world' interaction with vulnerable road users, surely this is more real world than using a sat-nav and far more important for the safety of others. Sat nav is just a convenience and a distraction :twisted: this won't end well for cyclists in the long run.
Psamathe
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Re: Driving test

Post by Psamathe »

gaz wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30249249
"We are carrying out initial research to explore how the driving test could better reflect real-life driving," said a DVSA spokesman.

I'm unsure about the changes they are "evaluating" (I suspect people do sometimes go the wrong way and 3 point turn; and reversing round a bend is not dissimilar to reversing out of a parking space).

But, any changes to the test will apparently go through a full consultation first - which is really good news. I hope the CTC and other bodies are already in preparation and will be canvasing members and the cycling community for ideas about how the test could be "adjusted" to ensure drivers understand the rules, needs and limitations, etc. of vulnerable road users. Maybe a few mandatory questions about aspects of Highway Code that apply to non-motorised road users. Must be loads of possibilities that can be input to "tweak" the test - if only to ensure that driver training includes a bit of non car stuff (appreciation of non motorised road users).

Ian
Ben@Forest
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Re: Driving test

Post by Ben@Forest »

Vantage wrote:There's a driving test?
People have actually passed it?


This reminds of an exchange that you used to hear in the Army occasionally when talking about the 'hardest courses'. A whole range used to come up from P Company (Parachute Regiment) to learning how to ride and control a horse for mounted duties (The Household Cavalry).

Someone would then say 'Of course trade training in the Catering Corps is most difficult course'
'Really is that true?'
'Well no bu99er has passed it yet...'

Apologies to any former slop jockeys out there....
Tonyf33
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Re: Driving test

Post by Tonyf33 »

Ben@Forest wrote:
Vantage wrote:There's a driving test?
People have actually passed it?


This reminds of an exchange that you used to hear in the Army occasionally when talking about the 'hardest courses'. A whole range used to come up from P Company (Parachute Regiment) to learning how to ride and control a horse for mounted duties (The Household Cavalry).

Someone would then say 'Of course trade training in the Catering Corps is most difficult course'
'Really is that true?'
'Well no bu99er has passed it yet...'

Apologies to any former slop jockeys out there....

OI.. :lol:
That said, I did 2 years at college first based on hotel std food 8) The first lot of food I ever encountered at basic training was diabolical..poached eggs were something else!! :shock:
Bonefishblues
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Re: Driving test

Post by Bonefishblues »

beardy wrote:The driving test isn't the problem, the problem is that people are allowed to drive differently once they have safely passed it.

A bit of selective editing on my part.
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