New driving test

[najaB]

They should make the driving tests substantially harder
So many maniacs on the road it's a danger to drive

A harder test wouldn't fix that - what's needed is a system a bit more like the USA where Driver's Ed forms part of the curriculum, but start it even earlier so that young people have a greater appreciation of just how dangerous cars can be from a young age.

 

[GB]

They should make the driving tests substantially harder
So many maniacs on the road it's a danger to drive

I don’t think that will make much of a difference. You can drive perfectly during the test then like an a88hole the rest of the time. Bit like the MOT meaning your car is fit for purpose but only at the time of testing.

 

[trainmania100]

I don’t think that will make much of a difference. You can drive perfectly during the test then like an a88hole the rest of the time. Bit like the MOT meaning your car is fit for purpose but only at the time of testing.

Theory could definitely made harder, it's all common sense. What does a red light mean etc.
Without cheating does everyone here know what a flashing amber light at a crossing means?

 

[GB]

On a traffic light? Proceed only when safe to do so and give way to pedestrians.

But knowing the Highway Code and associated rules, there is nothing stopping me driving like a twit once I’ve done the test.

 

[FQ]

I'm not old enough to drive on main roads yet but thought that I'd give my opinion on the matter. When in the car with dad over the past few years he's taught me rules of the road and what to look out for etc. With the knowledge that I have (including how to operate and drive a car thanks to a privately owned lane) I'm able to pick out where other road users are going wrong (correctly). The test doesn't need to be made any harder in my opinion but a driver should have to retake the test every 5 years or so to make sure that they are still fit to drive and if not then suspend their licence until such time as the skills have been learned again.

Regarding the new test I don't see the reason for a Sat-Nav test for people who don't intend to use them. I detest the things (if someone wants to get to where we live then, by putting it a sat-nav they'll end up at the pub half a mile to a mile away), as does dad. They should really just be verbal in my opinion as having to check a screen and take it in while driving just sounds dangerous.

 

[najaB]

Regarding the new test I don't see the reason for a Sat-Nav test for people who don't intend to use them.

Because many (most?) cars come with them fitted and as such drivers should show that they can use them, even if they don't 'intend' to use them.

 

[johntea]

I actually think driving is 'easier' in America in the sense that most cars are automatic, and more importantly the roads are actually 'designed' for cars on the whole. In the UK we've sort of had to adopt over the decades and these days it can be more of an obstacle course than a drive trying to navigate narrow side streets etc with cars plonked on each side!

I did also like in America how we got a hire car one year that had a sat nav button, where it connected you to a live operator who could send you directions to anywhere you wanted to go, it was the ultimate in laziness!

 

[J-2739]

Can wait till I start paying more to earn my license to drive!!

Is learning to use a sat-nav really of any added difficulty?

 

[ComUtoR]

Is learning to use a sat-nav really of any added difficulty?

Yes.

Sat-Navs are a direct cause of accidents and some insane motoring incidents. It is understandable why its been added to the test. It is a distraction and a pretty big one.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I'd rather go wizzing round on my 125cc moped than learn how to drive, I don't see any point with the sat nav added to the test apart from trying to kill the occupants through a potential distraction and that being the made in china thing stuck to the windscreen.

Since the new test is unlikley to ever change, I'm sticking with me 125cc 'hairdryer'.

 

[dgl]

Plenty of POI's in the Nissan Connect 2 system that is in my sisters car, also has TMC functionality so can even know about road closure/traffic/road works without needing an internet connection (uses data transmitted via Classic FM which is free and requires no subscription).

Updates are ridiculously expensive for what is some maps/ancillary data on a user replaceable SD card, i.e. not something that has to incur the expense of a technician yet still costs well over £100 iirc esp. given that Here Drive on my windows phone is free, has downloadable maps (so it's not reliant on a data connection) and covers pretty much the whole world.

I also had a 125cc bike (a maxi scooter) and that gave me a lot of road knowledge so when I did have a go in my Gran's car I picked it up quite quickly (although doing 60 on you first time on a real road and not doing a couple of car park laps scared my gran a bit!), too bad I don't have the confidence to properly learn to drive, despite, the whole family AND my boss trying to talk me into it.

 

[cactustwirly]

I passed my driving test in January before the new test was brought in, the sat nav part does seem like a waste of time tbh. I suppose it's very similar to the "independent driving" part. The manoeuvre on the day was reverse round the corner, which I preferred over the parallel parking or reversing into a parking space.

 

[TheNewNo2]

They should make the driving tests substantially harder
So many maniacs on the road it's a danger to drive

In my experience the worst drivers are those who passed first time.

 

[cactustwirly]

In my experience the worst drivers are those who passed first time.

Or Audi drivers...

 

[tsr]

I beg to differ on both of the above points (and I don’t even own an Audi, though I thought about it...). Surrey’s cohort of BMW drivers, on the other hand, are apparently loathed by almost all local driving instructors...

 

[Macwomble]

Or Audi drivers...

Applies to me....and doesn't reflect reality.

 

[cactustwirly]

Applies to me....and doesn't reflect reality.

Speaking from personal experience, almost all the cars that have cut me up are Audi's.
Range Rover drivers are the second worst, who disobey rules at mini roundabouts!

 

[GB]

I think if you do enough driving and cover enough geography you can probably attach the "worst driver" tag to most group of drivers or makes of cars if you tried. I have driven an Audi since 2008 having passed my test in 2004. I have zero points, only one "fault" accident where I hit a deer in the dark in the middle of the road. I have only been pulled over twice, once for a tail light out and once for a blinking side light due to a poor connection and both those were pre 2008 in a Vauxhall.

 

[90019]

Surrey’s cohort of BMW drivers, on the other hand, are apparently loathed by almost all local driving instructors...

In my experience, driving instructors are generally some of the worst drivers out there.

 

[Macwomble]

So, to sum up.

AUDI drivers are the worst on the road....as are those who passed first time...as are driving instructors.

Where does that put me?..........as all three of the above apply.

Sweeping generalisations springs to mind.

 

[TheNewNo2]

So, to sum up.

AUDI drivers are the worst on the road....as are those who passed first time...as are driving instructors.

Where does that put me?

A strong contender for "Worst driver in history" alongside Richard Hammond.

 

[Macwomble]

A strong contender for "Worst driver in history" alongside Richard Hammond.

Thank God I don't live in your neck of the woods.

 

[BluePenguin]

I hate driving so much. I have had two driving instructors each give me a block of 10 hours and have to say that driving is the hard task I have ever done. Revising and passing my GCSE Maths and English was so much easier in comparison than putting myself through hours of mirror checking, gear changing, parking and reversing.

I was thinking about doing some more lessons but changed my mind. Now that the test has changed I feel like the goal posts have moved even further away and I wonder whether I will ever be able to pass.

It seems that driving is an important part of "growing up" as much as getting up a job. Whilst most of my friends were spending their money on learning to drive a car and buying their first car, I spent my money instead on a brand new Surface Pro

The driving part is actually rather easy. It is the high level of spacial awareness that gets me along with the gear changes. I can usually drive for 30 minutes or so before I start forgetting to check the mirrors and watch out for unexpected changes. After 1 hour I am so exhausted that I have to stop. How people drive long distances ranging from 2 to 10 hours in one go is completely beyond me.

In fact, my interest in railways comes from my hatred of driving. Being able to jump on a train and be taken anywhere I want to go (within reason) is the biggest blessing ever. Most of the time I can reach my destination quicker than it would take to drive anyway. The only disadvantage really is the cost of tickets and their flexibility - which this forum helps a lot with! What I will do when I am not eligible for a railcard anymore I don't know what I will do.

Car sharing apps and websites like blablacar are great for summoning a chauffeur for when trains fail me. What do other people think? I am interested in hearing about everyone's experiences with driving.

 

[Howardh]

I've never used satnav and don't intend to. Maps are so much better for a variety of reasons, planning ahead, planning escape routes in heavy traffic, identifying nice lanes to go along for fun, judging the landscape etc. The only thing against is if you are following one on the move then it takes your eyes off the road.
But then again I'm biased, if there's anything I could consider to be an "expert" at it's map reading and I was due to take a job at the OS in Southampton until the Tory government under Thatcher slashed the budget! So it pretty much depresses me that little boxes will take over from the joy of staring at Explorer OL 24 for hours on end, or that wee bairns won't know that there's a tiny outcrop you can play around at 231845 because they can't read a map to find it.

EDIT, just a thought though, if you are on delivery and you can put in 20 postcodes and that finds the quickest way around then yes, I'd have a satnav for that, so hand's-up on that one.

 

[furnessvale]

Thank God I don't live in your neck of the woods.

I was just about to post the same about you, but I see you beat me to it!

 

[Domh245]

planning escape routes in heavy traffic,

I fail to see how a paper map is better for finding an alternative route than a smartphone based navigation system. They know how busy all of the alternative routes are and can find the quickest one (or might even suggest sticking it out if it's quicker than the detours). Driving back from Nottingham to south London a few weeks ago, the M1 was spannered (more so than usual) but rather than A42/M42/M40 which is the first relief route that comes to mind and that I've done in the past, it sent me down the M69 and onto the M40 before Warwick - presumably because of traffic around Birmingham

 

[Howardh]

I fail to see how a paper map is better for finding an alternative route than a smartphone based navigation system. They know how busy all of the alternative routes are and can find the quickest one (or might even suggest sticking it out if it's quicker than the detours). Driving back from Nottingham to south London a few weeks ago, the M1 was spannered (more so than usual) but rather than A42/M42/M40 which is the first relief route that comes to mind and that I've done in the past, it sent me down the M69 and onto the M40 before Warwick - presumably because of traffic around Birmingham

Can't argue with you on that one as I have no idea how smart satnav is.
But, somehting that happens frequently (too frequently when I worked that route) if the M6 is blocked south of Lancaster and you haven't yet reached Lancaster,
(a) would a satnav know it's blocked
(b) would the satnav redirect you via the trough of Bowland rather than the A6 which would also, no doubt, be blocked with traffic avoiding the M6?
Fair play if they do!

 

[Domh245]

Can't argue with you on that one as I have no idea how smart satnav is.
But, somehting that happens frequently (too frequently when I worked that route) if the M6 is blocked south of Lancaster and you haven't yet reached Lancaster,
(a) would a satnav know it's blocked
(b) would the satnav redirect you via the trough of Bowland rather than the A6 which would also, no doubt, be blocked with traffic avoiding the M6?
Fair play if they do!

Certainly if you are using your phone as a sat nav it'll be able to tell when roads are closed, blocked, slow moving, etc. If you go to Google maps and activate the traffic layer you'll be able to see how busy all of the roads are or if they are closed, and it updates in fairly real time.

As for directing you one way or the other, it'll usually send you whatever way is quickest at that moment in time, but it'll be constantly monitoring it and can divert you from the diversion if it also slows down. I've been diverted down all manner of small roads on diversions before now (occasionally you'll be part of a small convoy of cars going down some side street or quiet residential road making it easy to spot those who have all got Google maps on!) so if the A6 was slow moving it probably would send you on some alternative route.

More conventional sat navs don't tend to have live traffic by default - it's typically an additional subscription. But given the versatility of a smartphone and the tendency of people to already have one I can't see traditional stand alone sat navs lasting that much longer.

 

[ainsworth74]

It is the high level of spacial awareness that gets me along with the gear changes. I can usually drive for 30 minutes or so before I start forgetting to check the mirrors and watch out for unexpected changes. After 1 hour I am so exhausted that I have to stop. How people drive long distances ranging from 2 to 10 hours in one go is completely beyond me.

Yes the actual mechanics of driving a car are very simple to be quite honest. It's dealing with all the other ruddy road users that makes it hard

I suspect you'll be struggling with gear changes possibly due to lack of experience. I remember them being a pain when I was learning but at this point nine years removed from passing my test I almost don't think about it and gear changes are basically automatic. The only time I do tend to have to think about it/struggle a bit is when driving a new car as my brain learns the right gears again but that only lasts a week or two.

Of course you could always get an automatic!

As for driving long distances it is knackering. I can go for about three hours in one go before I need to rest and, preferably, hand over to someone else to take over. This can be grately reduced if you're dealing with heavy traffic. I remember one time driving home from Derbyshire and we hit heavy traffic on the M1. I had to swap out after about an hour and half as the concentration of driving in bumper to bumper traffic was so draining.

Again though I think the 'stamina' when it comes to driving is something that develops with experience. As more and more things become automatic (so you're not thinking about gear changes for example) then I found that your endurance increases as you're only focusing on situation awareness rather than everything else as well!

Maps are so much better for a variety of reasons, planning ahead, planning escape routes in heavy traffic, identifying nice lanes to go along for fun, judging the landscape etc. The only thing against is if you are following one on the move then it takes your eyes off the road.

I do both! I'll have good look at Google Maps before a journey to somewhere new to get an idea of the route and what options are available and things to be aware of (I'll also use street view to have a look at some larger junctions to get a feel for them). However when I actually set off I'll use Google Maps navigation on my phone to direct me so I don't have to either a) memorise the whole route or b) pull over regularly to check the map.

Blending map reading (I can also use proper OS maps thanks to the Scouts ) with satnav I think is the best way to go.