Should there be a limit on the number of tests people can take?

cymatty

cymatty

cymatty

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I was listening to the radio today whilst at work and the discussion turned onto driving tests and theory tests.

Now some people phoned/text/emailed in saying that they had failed their theory test 20 times and others their driving test 10+ times.

Now to me if someone takes 10+ times to pass (what is in all honesty) a simple test then I am worried about them being on the road.

So my question is, should there be a limit to the number of times these tests can be taken either in a time period (3 a year say) or a set limit (eg 10 times in total)?
 
I don't think there should be a certain number and you can't take anymore as some people I expect do get genuinely unlucky come test day, 3 or 4 tests allowed per year I think would be a realistic amount.
 
[TW]Fox said:
3 strikes and you're out.
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Sounds good to me. Do you really want someone who cannot get the basics of driving right so many times for a small period of examination in charge of a motor vehicle for the next 50 odd years? :)
 
Yes, definitely yes, yes so much I can't tell you.

3 times sounds ok, then that accommodates people who failed because someone pulled out on them or something silly.



And what about the theory test, questions section should be 1 chance only, hazard perception maybe 2 or 3.
 
No way, i passed my second time because of nerves. The first time i failed for doing something i would quite happily do now. I dont look in my mirrors as much as i was taught, i most certainly dont 2 and 10.
The test is hard, and doesnt represent real life driving tbh.
 
Depends - it took me 3 goes and I got 2 majors and 3 minors beween 3 tests. If I had been 'struck out' on 3 majors and 3 minors, that would've been VERY harsh. I have since driven without crashing (touches wood..realises it's MDF...) and have driven all sorts of cars, from a 1.3 Mk2 golf to a 350bhp GTO TT. A friend of mine passed 1st time with 22 minors (before they rought ina max for minors) and she should not be on the road! 5 goes over 2 years imho, then you must wait 3 years before trying again.
 
Yeah i listened to this on radio 1 earlier, was shocked at what some were saying. One guy said he'd took this theory 14 times and had failed, and one said their mum had 1000 lessons before her test.

I know everyone deserves a chance, and nothing wrong with trying again if you fail the first time. But failing your theory 20+ and your practical 10+, surely they must realize they aren't meant to drive.
 
Kitchster_uk said:
5 goes over 2 years imho, then you must wait 3 years before trying again.
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That'd be quite good, have a limit that when it's broken you get a time period where you have to wait x months/years before you can try again.
 
I only read half way through an old theory (3 years old) test book and took my theory and passed first time... it's all just plane common sense, people must have gone through their lives wearing blinkers the whole time to not pick up most of it and fail more than 3 times in a row. I can't see how it would take people more than 3-5 tries at most even if it is down to nerves the first couple of times. All you really gotta do is study hard and if you can;t do it on the 5 time they really need to take a break for a couple of years cos they aren't ready to even drive.

Practical is the same, I failed my practical as I had a feeling I would. Thinking about it logically I had figured I would have about a 10% chance of passing first time because I get nervous in those type of situations, driving normally I am almost 100% confident in myself and my choices, and don't like to be over confident. Next time I take it I think I'll have a 50-50 minimum chance maybe as much as 20-80 max but I do know for sure third time will be a pass. I know myself well, that I am 100% confident in.

I do actually think once people have passed their test they should have a retest... or refresher/assessment every 10 years regardless of points on their license or not.
 
hope not for the 3 strike rule... i took 5 times to pass my motorbike test (1 silly mistake everytime...) :o

now i race the damned things... :p
 
OK, if not a limit on the tests you take, how about what the italians do.

In your 1st year of driving you may not drive a car of more than 50bhp/ton, I spent my 1st 18 months in a car that matches that.

And a little addition: if you cause an accident in the 1st x years, you must do an advanced driving course.
 
No i don't think there should be a limit at all. Maybe if the pupil got a very serious fault on every test, that was due to them not being able to judge if its safe to move off etc. But people who fail quite a few times could be failing due to test day nerves.
 
Mark A said:
No i don't think there should be a limit at all. Maybe if the pupil got a very serious fault on every test, that was due to them not being able to judge if its safe to move off etc. But people who fail quite a few times could be failing due to test day nerves.
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..and as such are going to be more nervous in general. Too many toilets around who are terrified to pull out of junctions, drive over 40mph in a 60 zone or move out of the ****ing middle lane of the motorway even when the inside is clear.
 
A timed limit maybe, but not an overall one.

If the test is good enough, it shouldn't matter. After all, whether you pass the first time, or the 50th time, after 1 lesson, or 100, you still had to achieve the same level.
 
No. As long as someone is at the required standard when they do pass I have no problem how long it takes them to get there.

I do think there should be a minimum time limit between retests though.
 
extend the time limit between tests so that they actually go away and learn how to drive not just re-test re-test re-test etc, if they still suck, revive britains worst driver and make them contestents on that....should straighten them up, and give us all a laugh at the same time
 
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