driving lessons - an idea

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Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Saw this over on Velovision - a chap asked by a driving instructor if he would be a 'model' to help teach a learner safe overtaking:

http://www.velovision.co.uk/forum-new/read.php?3,2377

I think I really would be up for helping a driving school like this, if they were interested. I think it really might help to drum it into some people. I know, I lot would just forget it, like they forget most stuff except where the fast pedal is, but even if it only stuck with a few.... And maybe if a learner got a chance to chat with a cyclist, they might understand WHY to take care a little better. And find out that we're not all rljing lycra louts....

Just wondering if it's worth writing to a few driving schools? It could be kudos for them too - a kind of 'gold service'.
 
They just pass anyone out to drive anyway.Or at least it seems.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
Good idea. My short loop cycle route went past the test centre. I tended to be more concerned with not interfering with peoples' tests though.
 

Trillian

New Member
adding to this, does anyone know if you have to re-take your test after being banned from driving?

if not, surely you should have to.
 

jmaccyd

Well-Known Member
Not automatically but it can be given as part of the 'sentance' The re-test is a longer version of the standard test
 

dudi

Senior Member
Location
Ipswich, Suffolk
Well... My wife is just about to atart learning to drive... I'm sure she'll give cyclists enough room, as she always fears for my safety...

I reckon it's a good idea for instructors to teach students about cycles first hand, rather than just theory... I'd definitely be up for taking part if it made the roads a little safer.
 
IMO it would just be another thing you have to learn to pass your test, that gets completely forgotten afterwards.

I think a much better way would be to put the learner driver on a bicycle and buzz them repeatedly at 30mph, 40mph and 50mph and see how much they like it. Round these parts we should also consider getting the driving instructor to have someone riding shotgun to slap / spit / yell abuse at the cyclist as they go past. Follow that up by left-hooking the cyclist, and if they haven't got any broken bones, pull out on them.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
In answer to Trillian's question, the answer is "effectively" yes within new conditions (time). All those who rack up 6 penalty points within the first two years of driving have to redo the theory and practical test.

Getting some drivers in cyclists shoes who may not have anyone cyclists as friends/family would be a great way of education but it's probably not going to happen.
 

Trillian

New Member
i'm aware of the 6pp within the first two years

the standards of driving in my course-mates at college dropped considerably roughly two years after starting as everyone had held their licences for the two year period
 

neslon

Well-Known Member
Location
The Toon
I just had to renew my MIDAS (minibus) license today (faultless, natch), and the examiner/instructor made a point of talking about the need to make careful observations & maneuvering regarding cyclists.
 
Trillian said:
i'm aware of the 6pp within the first two years

the standards of driving in my course-mates at college dropped considerably roughly two years after starting as everyone had held their licences for the two year period

The stats for my 6th form year are horrifying.

100 students
17 crashes
13 deaths
1 paralasis

That lot happened in 2 years.
 

Trillian

New Member
Jacomus-rides-Gen said:
The stats for my 6th form year are horrifying.

100 students
17 crashes
13 deaths
1 paralasis

That lot happened in 2 years.

ours wasn't quite that bad
5 cars dead due to crashes

one wasn't the lads fault, someone pulled out into him (then tried to sue him) the car would have been repaired had they not cut the roof off to get his friend out

a car got flipped onto its side on the speed humps up to college, they were huge but sloped off to the sides sharply

I slid on ice in my dad's car setting off at lights, it got re-built

60mph up the speed humps mentioned above in a mini (it survived until the 7th run well into the second week of doing it)

two people clipped each-other when we'd got 5 cars abreast half way across a dual carageway (theres space to cross one half then wait before joining traffic, 5 cars fitted nicely, but probably wasn't intended to happen, especially with a "no speeding but last one there buys lunch"

so thats a mini (dead), a daewoo matiz(dead), a mazda demeo (re-built) another mini (used for kit car parts) Citroen saxo (dead) and Renault 5 (survived after visit to scrap yard for bumper)
(both mini's were proper ones)
 
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