The modern driving test.

[sheddy]

Have students been introduced to the hierarchy of road users ?

 

[Drago]

However it is quite easy for an inexperienced and / or foolish person to lose control of a high powered vehicle (rear wheel drive especially) at a modest speed just by booting it.

I have witnessed a Morgan driven at a sub-30mph town-appropriate speed spinning the rear wheels on a wet road and going up the pavement arse first. I don't known if he was showing off or if he just slightly overdid it in an unforgiving car, as he was pootling along quite sensibly up to that point. There are a plethora of videos of people clearly showing off but at modest speeds spinning Ferraris / Lambos and various muscle cars.

Thwt is true, but that's an issue of driver behaviour or lack of ability rather than an inherent problem with the bikes themselves. I'm no Barry Sheene - in fact I'm a crap bike rider, I'm a far better car driver having been trained to it but dislike driving with a passion - but I've not done the same on my V-Max because I very quickly figured out that strange things happen if you mistreat the twist grip in much the same way its better to stroke a rottweiler imstead of kicking it.

I've also had the misfortune have to ride a CG125 back from Leeds and quickly discovered nothing happens when you yank on the throttle, haul on the brakes or try to take a corner in the wet while remaining at the same speed as the traffic flow, leaving the rider at the mercy of other road users. I'd sooner have the tools and use them wisely, than not have them when I need them to rescue me from Mr Reaper. Anyone stupid enough to spin out a powerful vehicle will likely be inclined to do something stupid in a Fiesta, the inadvised overtake that takes half an hour to execute being the favourite.

It's a d***head problem, not a vehicular one, which is why the collision rate for high performance vehicles is actually little different (indeed, its ever so slightly lower) than it is for humble ones.

 

[Profpointy]

Thwt is true, but that's an issue of driver behaviour or lack of ability rather than an inherent problem with the bikes themselves. I'm no Barry Sheene - in fact I'm a crap bike rider, I'm a far better car driver having been trained to it but dislike driving with a passion - but I've not done the same on my V-Max because I very quickly figured out that strange things happen if you mistreat the twist grip in much the same way its better to stroke a rottweiler imstead of kicking it.

I've also had the misfortune have to ride a CG125 back from Leeds and quickly discovered nothing happens when you yank on the throttle, haul on the brakes or try to take a corner in the wet while remaining at the same speed as the traffic flow, leaving the rider at the mercy of other road users. I'd sooner have the tools and use them wisely, than not have them when I need them to rescue me from Mr Reaper. Anyone stupid enough to spin out a powerful vehicle will likely be inclined to do something stupid in a Fiesta, the inadvised overtake that takes half an hour to execute being the favourite.

It's a d***head problem, not a vehicular one, which is why the collision rate for high performance vehicles is actually little different (indeed, its ever so slightly lower) than it is for humble ones.

Whilst that's true enough, an inexperienced or irresponsible person is more likely to come a cropper in an overpowered vehicle surely?. That's why insurance premiums are huge for youngsters wanting a Porsche whilst old farts like you and I can get cheap enough insurance for pretty much anything. Our sense to skill ratio is better, particularly we have a better grasp of how skilled we are or aren't

 

[Electric_Andy]

I was driving tractors aged 10. I drove cars, motorbikes, diggers and Bobcats on the farm too. On my 17th birthday I took the family car out with my mum, but I still had a lot to learn. It actually took me 3 months and 2 tests to pass, with lessons from an instructor. I did pass my motorcycle A tests first time but still would not have done without the training, for me it was all about road positioning and lanes on large roundabouts.

My DAS instructor even said to me "I bet you grew up in the country". I said yes I did, how could you tell? "Because your slow control is the best I've ever seen, but you're not used to roundabouts".

I still see people, nearly daily, who can't even manage a mini roundabout. They give way when they don't need to, and more commonly don't give way to traffic on the right, but seem to think that if their lane is wider then they are on the "major" road and can drive straight through.

So I'd agree with both posts, yes you are teaching people to pass the test AND be safe enough to drive on public highways once your test is passed. Sadly there's no way of stopping stupidity in those that have passed the test. At least 2 people at my 6th form had rolled or wrapped a 1L fiesta round a tree within a year of passing due to excessive speed. But also one lad who was insured on his parents car (with likely double the horsepower) had no issues because he was sensible.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Have students been introduced to the hierarchy of road users ?

I wonder that too.

As a side note I saw my first accident that affected a driver complying with one part of the 'new' rules.

VW golf stopped on the 'main' road to turn left into the 'minor' road to allow some schoolchildren to cross the minor road itself.

LR Defender plus trailer load of sheep in-tow went into the back of him causing quite a lot of damage but no injuries AFAIK.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I think it is slowly working into people's consciousness I'm seeing wider passes & cars prepared to follow rather than push on through

 

[Alex321]

I think it is slowly working into people's consciousness I'm seeing wider passes & cars prepared to follow rather than push on through

Yes.

And I had one today on the way in to work, came past me indicating left (with the turn only about 10 yards ahead), then instead of left-hooking me, paused to let me past before they actually made the turn.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I wonder that too.

As a side note I saw my first accident that affected a driver complying with one part of the 'new' rules.

VW golf stopped on the 'main' road to turn left into the 'minor' road to allow some schoolchildren to cross the minor road itself.

LR Defender plus trailer load of sheep in-tow went into the back of him causing quite a lot of damage but no injuries AFAIK.

Early this year I was in the car and nearly got rear ended, I'd started to turn off Wheelright lane into Nunts Lane then seen the pensioner half way across the road so stopped and nearly got rear ended by the car that had followed me round.

 

[gbb]

I have always found it very hard to judge just how close to something behind me I am when reversing, whether using mirror or looking over my shoulder. I don't have a reversing camera in any of our vehicles, but do have the "beep" type reversing sensors in both my car and the camper van, and find them invaluable.

A camera also gives you a better chance of seeing a small child or animal behind you.

I do have a reversing camera but don't use it for a fair proportion of any reverse manoever.
Look in it as I start, make sure nothing small is directly behind me, reverse using eyes and mirrors, then use the camera and particually its distance markers to fine tune the stop position, like you perhaps, I always found it hard to judge distance looking behind....so I find the cam really useful

 

[Electric_Andy]

I use my parking sensors a lot (actually they're on all the time) and they are invaluable as the visibility in my Passat is not great. I always use my eyes and mirrors though, as sometimes I just don't trust that the sensors are going to go off

 

[rogerzilla]

Fast cars in the hands of poor drivers?

View: https://youtu.be/9GdwTI477gk


I don't think you'd manage to do that in a Metro.