Today Old People are Really Getting on my Wick

[Profpointy]

But did you actually have to driver them to get them stamped on your license & have you driven them since?

If you actually think about it, it does make sense what they have done!

I hired a 7.5 tonner once I'll have you know. And I reversed one 50 yards on another occasion. These youngsters wouldn't be able to do that. Also it's great that I'm qualified to drive a 12 seater landrover - which is obviously so much harder than the otherwise identical modern version with only 7 seats.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I hired a 7.5 tonner once I'll have you know. And I reversed one 50 yards on another occasion. These youngsters wouldn't be able to do that.

Sorry I thought you were being serious & not an attempt at humour, FYI I bet there are a lot of people who have 7.5 ton on their license who couldn't either.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

When i took my test we where not given a choice of answers, we actually had to learn the highway code,

True, and people had a more rounded knowledge of it because of that.

But what no one outside the business knew was that examiners had been instructed not to fail test candidates if Highway Code knowledge was the only thing they went down on. On one occasion however, an examiner I knew well took me aside and told me that a pupil of mine who had done a very good drive was so bad on the Highway Code that he had altered the tick for a minor fault into a cross for a serious one because her HC was so bad. Fair enough, and she didn't make the same mistake twice.

 

[Milzy]

When did you last take a driving test?

Only 15 years ago. In that time not one cyclist has ever done anything wrong. I see bad driving every day.

 

[Profpointy]

Sorry I thought you were being serious & not an attempt at humour, FYI I bet there are a lot of people who have 7.5 ton on their license who couldn't either.

I was being half serious on my 2nd response. I really can't see the logic of making people take two vehicles to carry the same number of people because of the minibus test lark. That can't possibly improve safety given the actual vehicles are a identical apart from numbers of seats. I do have more sympathy with the towing clamp down, particularly as a cyclist, but also (selfishly) anything that discourages shed-dragging holidaymakers is a good thing

 

[Deleted member 26715]

That can't possibly improve safety given the actual vehicles are a identical apart from numbers of seats.

Apart from having 0.5 to 1 ton of extra ballast which will seriously affect the handling of the vehicle,

I do have more sympathy with the towing clamp down, particularly as a cyclist, but also (selfishly) anything that discourages shed-dragging holidaymakers is a good thing

Can't agree with you there, nothing wrong with caravans, if they are setup correctly along with the car to tow it, again it's probably the ones who have not had any experience who just shove a towbar on, buy a caravan & off they go without matching the units or think about how it's loaded.

 

[Dirk]

But what no one outside the business knew was that examiners had been instructed not to fail test candidates if Highway Code knowledge was the only thing they went down on.

Not true.

 

[Alex H]

And I really wish PEOPLE would realise when they aren’t up to an acceptable standard to drive safely on our roads.

FTFY

 

[GM]

Anyone still got their old red licence?

 

[Profpointy]

Apart from having 0.5 to 1 ton of extra ballast which will seriously affect the handling of the vehicle,

Can't agree with you there, nothing wrong with caravans, if they are setup correctly along with the car to tow it, again it's probably the ones who have not had any experience who just shove a towbar on, buy a caravan & off they go without matching the units or think about how it's loaded.

Don't think you've thought that through
An empty long wheelbase landrover weighs at least 2.5t. Add in 7 people and you're over 3t. Does it really merit an extra licence to add another 5 folk = 560kg - an extra 15%. An emty transit van is a ton or 1.5t. Is it harder to drive a tonne of bricks than a tonne of people ? And i am admittedly selfish in decrying shed draggging, but my nearest near miss as a cyclist was due to a trailer (admitedly no a caravan) pulling in beside me so the skill question there is genuinely a safety point.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Don't think you've thought that through .

TBH I have no idea what your argument was anymore, so continue your rant without me & have a good new year

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Anyone still got their old red licence?

View attachment 388377

I think mines in a drawer somewhere.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

On the contrary, the test was much more severe back than. I, a mere 55 year old was comparing driving licences with a relative youngster, and found my test covered me for 7.5 ton trucks, heavy trailers and minibuses. The lad would have to do a seperate test for all that. Shows how much it's been dumbed down eh !

I have 7.5 ton on my license, I've never driven one. The only time I was asked too I refused, I was working in a small engineering firm at the time and driving vans up to 3.5 tons, the gaffer was unimpressed, but I didn't feel confident that I could drive one safely so I refused.

 

[Dirk]

Used to drive loads of 7.5 tonners when I was with GPO Telephones. Haven't driven one for many years but I reckon I could jump straight in and still be OK. Used to have a 3.5 tonner as everyday transport - not much different.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

[QUOTE 5092278, member: 43827"]I'm having interesting conversations with my 92 yo uncle who can't understand why the DVLA stopped him driving based on medical sources info, when less than three months ago he drove from Merthyr to Aberystwyth and back via relatives in Shrewsbury, in one day. [/QUOTE]Depends on the medical reason, still think he may drive better then loads of there