The modern driving test.

[Slick]

I drove a van with no rear window for years so only side mirrors and no rear warning signals either when reversing.
My current car has a rear window and mirror but I hardly ever use the inside mirror so am always aware of anything like a cyclist in my passenger side.
The motorhomes I had later had virtually no rear window either nor reversing sensors or camera.

This exactly.

 

[cyberknight]

Many are leds now - smaller, as bright as the law allows and easily as visible, if not more so, than 'traditional' rear lights.

Same with led headlights, our car has two tiny projectors. The difference they make is stunning. Bright white not dingy yellow, and with very defined edges to the beam instead of fuzzy.

The only downside is they make our car's cornering lights, which have old fashioned bulbs in, look murky in comparison.

I beg to differ they were so small as to be nearly pointless

 

[mustang1]

I can assure you that the emergency stop was a complete waste of time (And tyres and brakes). You were given a warning that the instrutor / examiner was going to tap on the dashboard and you should stop as quickly and safely as possible. That is NOT a real emergency nor is it anything like it. An emergency jumps at you out of the blue and is dealt with by the speed of your reactions. It is something that can never really be taught.

But an emergency stop should also be taught so the pupil can understand that there is nothing wrong with slamming on the brakes, REALLY HARD. I think people are very scared of pressing the brakes too hard when they really need to. They should be familiar with anti-lock brakes and the judderring that could occur when the brakes are applied, but don't be scared, keep the brakes slammed hard!

 

[Alex321]

But an emergency stop should also be taught so the pupil can understand that there is nothing wrong with slamming on the brakes, REALLY HARD. I think people are very scared of pressing the brakes too hard when they really need to. They should be familiar with anti-lock brakes and the judderring that could occur when the brakes are applied, but don't be scared, keep the brakes slammed hard!

When I took my test, ABS was something that could only be dreamed of.

It was important then that you could bring the car to a halt as quickly as possible without skidding. Either by using cadence braking, or by applying just enough pressure to avoid locking the wheels. This was actually the most important part of the emergency stop bit of the test.

Now, as you say, it is just a case of mashing the pedal as hard as you can and the ABS will take care of that aspect.

 

[Jody]

Many are leds now - smaller, as bright as the law allows and easily as visible, if not more so, than 'traditional' rear lights.

Same with led headlights, our car has two tiny projectors. The difference they make is stunning. Bright white not dingy yellow, and with very defined edges to the beam instead of fuzzy.

Be nice if lights were limited to an output. As far as I know they only have to conform to beam patterns and can be as bright as the manufacturer wants.

Lights are too bright now.

 

[Jody]

I beg to differ they were so small as to be nearly pointless

New Evoque at a guess.

 

[Cycleops]

The most changes must be with motorcycle test though. Can't believe all the written and practical stuff they have to do now.
Back in 1971 all I had to do was drive around the block a couple of times. For the emergency stop the examiner hid behind a parked car and jumped out on front of me.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

The most changes must be with motorcycle test though. Can't believe all the written and practical stuff they have to do now.
Back in 1971 all I had to do was drive around the block a couple of times. For the emergency stop the examiner hid behind a parked car and jumped out on front of me.

Same as my motorbike test in 1972, I haven't ridden one since 1979.

 

[BoldonLad]

The most changes must be with motorcycle test though. Can't believe all the written and practical stuff they have to do now.
Back in 1971 all I had to do was drive around the block a couple of times. For the emergency stop the examiner hid behind a parked car and jumped out on front of me.

Yes, I took my motorbike test, 2012, at age 65. It was quite a marathon.

 

[mustang1]

I do think indicators are harder to see than they used to be ?

Yeah! I'm looking at you Vauxhall Astra (rear indicators) and Nissan Qashqai (front indicators, too close to the daytime lights).
And talking of daytime running lights, why have them as LED and then cheap-out on the headlights with halogen bulbs? Why not just have DRL and headlights as one unit, using LEDs for both purposes? My guess it's some law-related caveat. Oh, and Range Rover, please get rid of those stupid pulsing rear indictors or do them properly like Audi/VW. Oh, and Lexus RX + NX too. Ok I'm gonna shut up, those indicators are most annoying.

 

[Profpointy]

Yes, I took my motorbike test, 2012, at age 65. It was quite a marathon.

I think they've over complicated the motorbike
thing. I did read somewhere that it was intentional in order to actively discourage biking, but that could have been MCN's Daily-Mailesque rilling up their readers.

I do get that it may not be entirely sensible for a newly qualified, and young, rider to go straight on to a 150hp machine necessarily, though you can buy a 500hp supercar, though i guess that's considered perfectly OK cause it's only rich people.

But on the other people like my sensible middle aged Mrs has huge obstacles getting a licence because she's short compared to the average bloke. There's only a very small number of bikes she can get her leg over as it were. The training places don't have such machines, at least not in every category, so we'd likely have to buy and then modify two or three machines in order to learn on. And all this to be licensed for the pre-war Velocette she actually wants.

Grumble grumble

 

[Hicky]

To be fair depending on the car, namely my volvo would struggle to do a three point turn. The turning circle is awful!🫣🤣

 

[BoldonLad]

I think they've over complicated the motorbike
thing. I did read somewhere that it was intentional in order to actively discourage biking, but that could have been MCN's Daily-Mailesque rilling up their readers.

I do get that it may not be entirely sensible for a newly qualified, and young, rider to go straight on to a 150hp machine necessarily, though you can buy a 500hp supercar, though i guess that's considered perfectly OK cause it's only rich people.

But on the other people like my sensible middle aged Mrs has huge obstacles getting a licence because she's short compared to the average bloke. There's only a very small number of bikes she can get her leg over as it were. The training places don't have such machines, at least not in every category, so we'd likely have to buy and then modify two or three machines in order to learn on. And all this to be licensed for the pre-war Velocette she actually wants.

Grumble grumble

Yes, the different grades of test, allowing different sizes of bike to be ridden does appear complicated. I went for the "all bikes" version, on the advice of my bike enthusiast Son-in-Law.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I still feed steering wheel through my hands

Likewise, so do I (passed in 1983)
The only times I don't
1. reversing caravan, at points
2. when I had Land-Rovers, with a 'steering knob' on them, due to low-geared steering - even with a Tdi)

The test obviously much more thorough when I did mine as it qualified me to drive a minibus, tow a heavy trailer and drive a 7.5 tonner

7.5 tons & 750kg trailer
Or lighter tow vehicle & heavier trailer (max combined weight of 8.25 tons)

Not sure what regulations are now?

 

[Alex321]

Likewise, so do I (passed in 1983)
The only times I don't
1. reversing caravan, at points
2. when I had Land-Rovers, with a 'steering knob' on them, due to low-geared steering - even with a Tdi)

7.5 tons & 750kg trailer
Or lighter tow vehicle & heavier trailer (max combined weight of 8.25 tons)

Not sure what regulations are now?

Since 1997, Cat B allows up to 3,500Kg plus trailer of up to 750Kg, or more if the combined weight of vehicle and trailer is less than 3,500Kg.