Is the pandemic cycling craze here to stay?

[snorri]

If you artificially set a limit substantially below what the traffic would naturally pace itself at, then you get all the erratic driving behaviour and blind overtakes as drivers who want to get a move on get frustrated by the goody two shoes types who are piously dawdling along at 3 mph below the already way too low limit.

There is just so much wrong with that sentence that I can't be bothered to highlight the worst points.

 

[mjr]

I spent two decades as an ADI and sat in the back seat during many a test. Believe me, in most cases the candidates version of what happened during the driving test was way different to what I witnessed with my own eyes.

Meanwhile, I failed a test for driving too slowly and my instructor said after that he expected me to fail because that examiner had a reputation for failing people who didn't get up to the limit at every opportunity.

When I exceeded the limit in my retest (35 in a 30), that was only a minor fault! What idiot set these speed criteria?

 

[DRM]

I'd suggest your daughter failed her test because the examiner thought she did not have the ability to read the road properly and was unduly hesitant when it was perfectly safe to proceed. Rather different to "Taking the racing line at 50mph". Driving test examiners have no more wish to die during the test than anyone else.

I spent two decades as an ADI and sat in the back seat during many a test. Believe me, in most cases the candidates version of what happened during the driving test was way different to what I witnessed with my own eyes.

You suggest wrong, as it is a blind humped bridge with a bend in it, slowing to 30 mph is totally prudent, and not dithering in any way, as I said on coming vehicles always stray over the white line, and it’s also narrow, then you come to a double bend and the entrance to a golf club, if someone sets off from there it’s also blind so there’s every chance a vehicle could pull out of there too as they can’t see what’s coming till it’s upon them, NSL is totally inappropriate and if the examiner thinks so I will gladly prove it isn’t.
Secondly you learn to “read the road” properly once you get driving on your own, not during lessons, it comes with many miles of experience, a driving test only shows you have the basics.
It’s common knowledge that only a certain percentage pass first time despite how well they perform

 

[DRM]

I technically jumped a light earlier this morning. What surprised me was that the light actually changed for me, it never detects me on the carbon bike. I was on the steel commuter this morning, but even then it's quite unlikely.

I was past the stop line when it changed.
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When you get used to a traffic light not detecting you, you often ignore said traffic light. When you get used to traffic lights in general failing in this manner, you end up showing disdain for them all.

They can’t detect a carbon bike, they are useless, yet steel or aluminium is no problem, due to the wire loop set into the road

 

[Archie_tect]

You suggest wrong, as it is a blind humped bridge with a bend in it, slowing to 30 mph is totally prudent, and not dithering in any way, as I said on coming vehicles always stray over the white line, and it’s also narrow, then you come to a double bend and the entrance to a golf club, if someone sets off from there it’s also blind so there’s every chance a vehicle could pull out of there too as they can’t see what’s coming till it’s upon them, NSL is totally inappropriate and if the examiner thinks so I will gladly prove it isn’t.
Secondly you learn to “read the road” properly once you get driving on your own, not during lessons, it comes with many miles of experience, a driving test only shows you have the basics.
It’s common knowledge that only a certain percentage pass first time despite how well they perform

It won't do your daughter any harm in the long run to perhaps have more time with an instructor than you think she needs- it's frustrating for her and expensive but she'll get there.

Took my son and daughter 4 and 3 tests respectively to pass, for different reasons but they came out of it as good drivers as a result.

 

[DRM]

It won't do your daughter any harm in the long run to perhaps have more time with an instructor than you think she needs- it's frustrating for her and expensive but she'll get there.

Took my son and daughter 4 and 3 tests respectively to pass, for different reasons but they came out of it as good drivers as a result.

She passed second time nearly six years ago, which was a relief as the bus journey to work was horrendous, with two buses and literally 2 minutes to get from one to the other.

 

[Smokin Joe]

It’s common knowledge that only a certain percentage pass first time despite how well they perform

It might be "Common knowledge" but it is also absolute rubbish. If you sat in on driving tests you'd realise how fair the driving test is. Examiners do not set out to fail a certain percentage - over 50% of test candidates are perfectly capable of failing themselves, even very good ones who crack under pressure.

And no offence to your daughter, but a failed candidates version of the test bears little or no resemblance to what actually happened out there. I saw it all enough times to know that.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Meanwhile, I failed a test for driving too slowly and my instructor said after that he expected me to fail because that examiner had a reputation for failing people who didn't get up to the limit at every opportunity.

When I exceeded the limit in my retest (35 in a 30), that was only a minor fault! What idiot set these speed criteria?

If your instructor expected you to fail he wasn't doing his job properly as he should have made sure you were ready. Poor instructors have a habit of blaming the examiner to make up for their own failings.

I don't know how long ago you tool your test, but 10% + 2mph was generally accepted as ok back in the day by everyone including police and courts and if the rest of the drive was considered to be safe and you didn't do it throughout the test it would mostly have been let go. That would not be the case today.

 

[Solocle]

Meanwhile, I failed a test for driving too slowly and my instructor said after that he expected me to fail because that examiner had a reputation for failing people who didn't get up to the limit at every opportunity.

When I exceeded the limit in my retest (35 in a 30), that was only a minor fault! What idiot set these speed criteria?

I passed first time, with no faults. I did actually hit 35 in a 30, but it was momentary (accelerating away from some lights on an urban dual carriageway). Then I had to slow down naturally for some traffic ahead, so I don't think the examiner necessarily noticed.

Incidentally last time I remember speeding on that road was on my bike, overtaking a lorry

 

[Smokin Joe]

They can't win with the driving test. If you took a survey from the public about whether the test should be made more difficult (Which it has done by some margin over the last three decades) nearly everybody would say yes.

Then when son or daughter fails because they didn't drive like an experienced driver people start complaining about fussy examiners and fixed pass rates.

 

[classic33]

They can't win with the driving test. If you took a survey from the public about whether the test should be made more difficult (Which it has done by some margin over the last three decades) nearly everybody would say yes.

Then when son or daughter fails because they didn't drive like an experienced driver people start complaining about fussy examiners and fixed pass rates.

I don't drive, but I'd like to see instructors having a yearly test/retest in order to keep their instructor status. They are making money from it in the first place.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I don't drive, but I'd like to see instructors having a yearly test/retest in order to keep their instructor status. They are making money from it in the first place.

Instructors take a test of Ability and Fitness at least every four years which means giving a lesson while a senior examiner from the DVSA sits in the back of the car. This is no picnic, believe me as they can be very critical and sub standard instructors lose their registration.

The frequency of these "Check tests" as they are known depends on the grade an ADI gets from the examiner. Highest grade means another check in four years, below that anything from one month (Which means if you haven't seriously upped your game you are out on your ear) to two or three years.

I believe pass rates are now monitored as well, which they weren't in my time.

 

[sheddy]

Off topic, but how are motor students taught to overtake cyclists.

Mirror, signal, manoeuvre with a 2 meter space - or just blat past and hope for the best ?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Off topic, but how are motor students taught to overtake cyclists.

Mirror, signal, manoeuvre with a 2 meter space - or just blat past and hope for the best ?

I used to teach mine to blast through on the inside with an inch to spare while screaming abuse through the window.

For a serious answer, look in the Highway Code. That's what instructors teach.

 

[mjr]

If your instructor expected you to fail he wasn't doing his job properly as he should have made sure you were ready. Poor instructors have a habit of blaming the examiner to make up for their own failings.

That instructor was excellent - believe me, I went through a few! He was a former examiner himself. He expected me to pass until he saw who the examiner assigned was.

It was a fair few years ago, but I still hear of more being failed for "not making progress" than for speeding. The criteria is farked.