Harder driving tests considered

[The_Dark_Side]

the situation on our roads will at best stay as it is and at worst get worse than it currently is.
when you have a group of people numbering MILLIONS the average standard is always going to be low.

 

[Dashik]

the situation on our roads will at best stay as it is and at worst get worse than it currently is.
when you have a group of people numbering MILLIONS the average standard is always going to be low.

So we should not bother trying to improve things?

 

[The_Dark_Side]

So we should not bother trying to improve things?

bad drivers fall into 2 groups, those that can't drive properly and those that choose not to.
the former is by far the larger of the two groups which is just as well because the only thing that can be done about the latter is to catch them in the act (whatever it may be ) and get them off our roads ie ban them.

 

[Dashik]

bad drivers fall into 2 groups, those that can't drive properly and those that choose not to.
the former is by far the larger of the two groups which is just as well because the only thing that can be done about the latter is to catch them in the act (whatever it may be ) and get them off our roads ie ban them.

Like you say the former could however be educated/coerced into driving better and as for the latter Ban em all permanantly lol!!

 

[[TW]Fox]

What I worry about is when you see people who are driving who just look SO gormless and stupid. You just KNOW they can't string a sentance together let alone actually drive.

 

[The_Dark_Side]

Like you say the former could however be educated/coerced into driving better and as for the latter Ban em all permanantly lol!!

some of the former could be improved, although how many is a different argument.
the fact is, as i've said on more than one occasion, to be a GOOD driver requires a mix of certain inbuilt skills and no amount of training can effectively counter this.
you got 'em or you don't...that's just one of those things.

however i do think the bulk of drivers could be at least brought upto "competant" standard.

1.minimum of 25 lessons.
2.practical test of at least one hour (preferrably more but time/money constraints forbid this really)
3.minimum of five lessons between retests.fail three times and this goes to ten lessons between tests.
4.compulsory reassessments every five years (note not a reTEST, just 15-20 mins in the car with an examiner to make sure you didn't just luckily slip through the net and pass)
5.driving tests/lessons to be conducted using mondeo sized cars, this would go some way to improving the students spatial awareness skills.
6.compulsory eye tests every ten years.
7.new drivers to be restricted both by their license AND the insurers to cars of a low power/weight ratio.
4 cylinders max, no FI, nothing larger than a nominal capacity perhaps 1400 cc.

 

[[TW]Fox]

however i do think the bulk of drivers could be at least brought upto "competant" standard.

1.minimum of 25 lessons.

Why? Forcing competent drivers to undertake dozens more pointless lessons won't do any favours. Make the test hard, therefore people will find they need more lessons anyway but those who don't won't be forced to.

I'd certainly have been mighty miffed if I was forced to take 25 lessons. I did it in 7.

 

[The_Dark_Side]

I'd certainly have been mighty miffed if I was forced to take 25 lessons. I did it in 7.

i did mine after five and, like you, i bent my first RWD car within weeks of getting behind it's wheel.
you and i learned to pass a test, not to drive.
force people to take a minimum number of lessons and they will have picked up FAR more relevant experience by the time test day comes around.

 

[Conscript]

I had 12, 24 hours worth.

2 hour lessons for the win.

I think that tuition and assessment should just cover some more advanced skills, such as motorway driving. I was lucky that I did some of my lessons on the dual carriageway nearby which is motorway sized anyway(A2), but never for extended periods; just a quick blast from junction to junction.

Pass plus covers more advanced driving as far as I know, but of course, is not compulsory.

 

[The_Dark_Side]

such as motorway driving.

i agree with you, the problem is that geographically there are a lot of people who don't live anywhere near a motorway.
this means they may never use one or if they do they'll need to travel quite a distance to do these advanced lessons.

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Prehaps the answer is put more awareness/hazard spotting into the test and make pass plus compulsory, this is much more cost effective and is an easy answer, pass plus is only around £100, prices are set by instructors AFAIK.

 

[[TW]Fox]

force people to take a minimum number of lessons and they will have picked up FAR more relevant experience by the time test day comes around.

Which would have nothing to do with RWD cars

 

[The_Dark_Side]

Which would have nothing to do with RWD cars

but everything to do with driving and reading road/traffic conditions.

accumulating hours works well for pilots and i can't see a reason why the same principle wouldn't work for drivers.