Driving lessons these days

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4058875, member: 9609"]I was just looking at improvements to the driving test - the following is apparently being trialled "drive in to and reverse out of a parking bay" What is the idea here ? contrary to the highway code lets get them into the habit of reversing out onto main roads. stuff just seems to get stupider and stupider.[/QUOTE]
Where do the proposals mention reversing into a main road? It's an off road exercise.
I would have thought 'reversing out of a parking bay' was a 'real world' exercise that needs teaching properly, judging by the number of near misses I see at our local Tescos.

 

[Smokin Joe]

[QUOTE 4058992, member: 45"]Drivers should be taught to reverse into spaces by default. Unfortunately our worship of the god of retail means that people can't then get their shopping into the boot.[/QUOTE]
It isn't always possible to drive out of a parking bay. If the way forward has been blocked your only option is to reverse out.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4058988, member: 45"]Except perhaps speed limits.[/QUOTE]
Except that even the police allow some leeway, so it's not as cut and dried as you are trying to make out.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059027, member: 45"]A speed limit is a speed limit. 70 doesn't mean 80.

I think I preferred it when all you did was like the posts of other numpties.[/QUOTE]
Think I hit a nerve.....getting personal now.
You obviously know little about this subject.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059092, member: 45"]Don't worry, you've not hit anything.[/QUOTE]
Phew, I'm so glad............what with me reversing out of a parking bay, an' all.

 

[mjr]

[QUOTE 4058992, member: 45"]Drivers should be taught to reverse into spaces by default. Unfortunately our worship of the god of retail means that people can't then get their shopping into the boot.[/QUOTE]
Better retail parks put walkways between the rows of cars to avoid both limiting the amount of shopping and having needless crashing in their car parks.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059110, member: 9609"]so, for instance, what is the maximum speed that you are allowed to go in a 50 zone ?[/QUOTE]
I would have thought it would be 50mph - wouldn't you?
Whether the police use their discretion to prosecute, for going slightly over the limit, is entirely up to them.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059124, member: 9609"].........The default should always be to reverse park from the public highway.[/QUOTE]
Why?

 

[Smokin Joe]

[QUOTE 4059124, member: 9609"]what is the point of an "Off road exercise" I thought the test was to see if someone was ready for the road. The default should always be to reverse park from the public highway.[/QUOTE]
In busy towns and cities it's rarely possible. Examiners have only a limited time to conduct a test and it is difficult to find somewhere within striking distance of each test centre that will allow the manoeuvre, particularly when there may be six or eight other tests taking place simultaneously.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059200, member: 9609"]as reversing onto the highway carries more dangers than driving onto - and is class as a "Should not" in the highway code.

and well done on the speeding question - you did seem to be struggling with the concept earlier.[/QUOTE]
Nobody is advocating reversing out onto a highway - I certainly am not. I thought we were talking about reverse parking manoeuvres on the road.
I can assure you I am crystal clear on the subject of speeding, and always have been.
You seem to be struggling with the concept that the police may sometimes use their discretion to prosecute, for going slightly over the limit.

 

[Crackle]

Can you put your own thread on ignore. Oh yes you can. Good.

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059383, member: 45"]So speed limits are black and white then. Well done.[/QUOTE]

I have said that a 50mph limit means that you should not exceed 50mph.
However, back to the real world........
If speed limits were absolutely black and white, as you insist, then everyone would be prosecuted for going less than 1 mph over them.
This generally does not happen.
Therefore there is obviously an element of discretion used by law enforcement with regards to limits.
Generally speaking it used to be 10% for speedo error + 2mph. This would mean up to 57mph allowed in a 50 limit before it became actionable.
This would imply a certain smudging between the 'black' and the 'white' ie. it is not an absolute distinction in reality.
Is that too difficult a concept to understand?

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059369, member: 9609"]ignoring parallel parking for a moment, if you drive into a parking place from the public highway, how do you get back onto the public highway?[/QUOTE]
Why.......... are you lost?

 

[Smurfy]

4 lessons and I passed my test first go... that was 1989 (I didn't need to drive until I was 22).

Really?
I'm surprised it took you that long.

Looks like Reg has some competition!

North Korean school textbook claims leader Kim Jong-un learned to drive aged 3
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/north-korean-school-textbook-claims-5487598

 

[Dirk]

[QUOTE 4059474, member: 9609"]No, but I think you have [/QUOTE]

Ooh look everyone - User9609 wins the Internet!