Driving Tests Getting Harder

[I'm With Stupid]

I'm glad I've already done mine now, because according to the news on Radio 1, they might be about to get a lot harder. Measures suggested include compulsory night and motorway lessons, and a required number of formal lessons before you can take your test (if I heard it correctly, they said possibly up to 100 hours!!!). Your thoughts? I personally think that if you saved enough on the insurance to cover the costs, far more people would do the Pass Plus. I did it, and I'm not sure whether it'll save me money, but I definitely thought it was a worthwhile course, and I'd definitely be in favour of more people being given training in driving on the motorway.

[Dear Wendy]

Sounds like good news.
100 hours seems excessive. But here a certain amount of hours is required, and what you go through during those lessons is already set by whatever authority takes care of such stuff. Meaning that it was compulsary for me to have a lesson after dark and on the motorway.
I am sorry, but after coming to England I've met a few people who have no clue whatsoever about what they're doing in the car. They shouldn't be on the road in the first place. And these are friends that I am talking about.

[Renzo]

I've personally not even had a lesson and have no idea when I will start. But I've known people who have been failed for things such as 'letting the car behind get too close.' I'm sure Driving instructors and test centres are relishing any change, as they will be able to fleece even more money out of people. On the other hand however there are a lot of morons on the road...but i still feel as if they are just trying to extort as much as possible.

[AmsyBamsy]

I bloody hope it's not true, I've got mine on the 24th (the day before my eighteenth, no less-such stellar planning on my part). I think motorway driving should be compulsory, you're travelling at such a high speed that any slip up could be fatal. I think the required number of formal lessons is ridiculous. Some people learn faster than others, AND its £180 for ten lessons down here. I'd end up spending nearly £2000 on lessons, two thirds of which i wouldn;t need.

[minimi38]

whats the point, britains roads are already the safest in europe

[foxysoxy]

I'm all for it, I definately would want the night and motorway lessons, but It's a bit much....especially as you have to fork out for the car itself, insurance and road tax and congestion charge and petrol ect...

[Deep Fathom]

whats the point, britains roads are already the safest in europe

dismissing improvement because of that? Sounds strange to me.

Not sure whether it would help, but i've always wondered how the hell certain people pass their tests, it's like everything they learned goes in one ear and out the other.

But i sure don't want to take my driving test under more difficult circumstances than today, partly because i'm a lazy bastard. ;)

[minimi38]

i doubt the returns from more restrictions would be worth the costs incurred on individuals. investing in infrastructure would probably have more cost effective benefits.

[Ballerina]

I'm going to be starting driving lessons at some point, it already sounds hard enough. But i was gonna do pass plus anyway. It's already expensive so having to do even more isn't going to help. I do think you should be made to take a 2nd exam on motorway driving after you've passed though.

But they say you don't learn to drive til after you pass anyway.

[*Snow White Queen*]

I'm all for the motorway and night time lessons but the formal lessons? Nah.

I've failed my driving test 5 times. I've never failed on one specific thing. Its something lame I do in my test each time. Like, in my last one, they changed the car on the day of the test due to something being wrong with the brakes on the other. I was failed for accidently slipping into 2nd gear from 3rd when I was meant to go into 4th. Its been stupid little things like that each time.

I'm a bit of a nervous thing so when I'm being tested, I do silly little things like that. I've practically given up.

My theory test has ran out which I need to do again and I can't afford anymore lessons, tests, etc. It costs a fortune.

[Territt]

[QUOTE]100 hours!!! [QUOTE]



fuck that, you only need 45 Hours to get a Private Pilots License.

[Click to see more]

I think any extra compulsory tuition is a good thing, especially if it covers the essential elements of road use that aren't taught.

100 hours is probably too much for many people, especially at £20-odd per hour. But 100 hours of tuition is going to be far better than 20 - new road users will have seen far more circumstances and conditions, and have had the supervision and teachings required to allow them to deal with so much more on the road.

Means Stace will never pass her test, which is probably a good thing :D ;). Just kidding... I think ;).

[Click to see more]

fuck that, you only need 45 Hours to get a Private Pilots License.

Maybe, but you'll have problems parking your plane down the high street...

[*Snow White Queen*]

I think any extra compulsory tuition is a good thing, especially if it covers the essential elements of road use that aren't taught.

100 hours is probably too much for many people, especially at £20-odd per hour. But 100 hours of tuition is going to be far better than 20 - new road users will have seen far more circumstances and conditions, and have had the supervision and teachings required to allow them to deal with so much more on the road.

Means Stace will never pass her test, which is probably a good thing :D ;). Just kidding... I think ;).
Oi!

I've probably already had that many lessons tbh.

[I'm With Stupid]

100 hours is probably too much for many people, especially at £20-odd per hour. But 100 hours of tuition is going to be far better than 20 - new road users will have seen far more circumstances and conditions, and have had the supervision and teachings required to allow them to deal with so much more on the road.
I did somewhere between 20 and 30 before my test, and I seemed to drive through every road condition known to man. I think snow was the only one I missed, but then that's the Lake District for you. I was shocked that I passed. I think I'm actually a pretty good driver generally, and in about the ten lessons leading up to my test, I made hardly any mistakes, and only ever made my instructor intervene once. But on my test, I was shit. Nothing dangerous, but I wouldn't trust someone who drives like that regularly on the road. But in my pass plus, I was pretty awesome, except for the bit where I didn't park close enough to the parking meter and had to lean miles out of the window to get the car park barrier to go up. Should be buying my first car this week. :yippe: Can't wait.

[Click to see more]

^Woohoo! It's awesome when you get your first car :).

Oi!

I've probably already had that many lessons tbh.

You'll be well equipped for when the new laws come into effect then ;) :p.

Sorry, I shouldn't be having a dig at you. I actually think you'd be a rea... erm... goo... erm... avera... erm... driver of comparable quality to most other road users :).

[*Snow White Queen*]

I'm a good driver!

Also, how would they know how many lessons you've had?

I mean, I've probably done that but I've given up for the time being. Would they make me take 100 lessons again?!

[migpilot]

As far as driving on the motorway and at night, I don't get it how it was not taught so far!!! So that's a logical thing to introduce.
However, the artificial minimum hours required before a test is nothing but a money making scheme, if indeed it is true.

Also what happend with all these EU people coming over that can just go and exchange their license for a british one? Will they be forced to take theory tests, as they should be and 100 hrs before they can drive here?

[Nikki*]

Oi!

I've probably already had that many lessons tbh.
And me. And I've failed five times too, on stupid little things.

Tbh, if I don't pass on my next one I never will if they make it any harder. My instructors adamant that there's no reason I should be failing, so god knows what happens to me out there - I dont feel like I'm driving any different.

Make them harder and I'm screwed.

[Doomsday]

bugger

I hope not, its already expensive enough as it is, and 100 complusory hours to way to much.

just more ways to rob your money if you ask me.

[BumbleBee]

Driving is a choice. What's with all the talk of them robbing you blind etc? Surely everyone knows before they choose to drive that they will have to (usually!) pay for some lessons, pay for at least one test (or many, many more as seems to be the trend on these boards!), buy a car, tax and insure it, pay for petrol and services etc. Everyone knows that, but the convenience far outweighs the cost if you ask me.

[kangoo]

I've got mine on the 24th

Me too! I hope I pass if they're going to make it harder

[I'm With Stupid]

Driving is a choice. What's with all the talk of them robbing you blind etc? Surely everyone knows before they choose to drive that they will have to (usually!) pay for some lessons, pay for at least one test (or many, many more as seems to be the trend on these boards!), buy a car, tax and insure it, pay for petrol and services etc. Everyone knows that, but the convenience far outweighs the cost if you ask me.
Yes but everyone also knows that the amount they pay doesn't all go towards keeping the roads intact, or making sure there's enough traffic police, or any number of other measures that actually have something to do with transport. If it went towards subsidising a succeeding public transport system, I wouldn't mind so much, but we all know that that isn't the case. So it's natural to question whether any additional costs incurred are actually going towards making the transport system better, improving safety, or whatever other justification they have for it, or just another way for the government to add a tap to your bank account for whatever purposes they feel like that day. Interestingly though, I heard the other week that taking inflation into account, the cost of owning a car has actually gone down under labour.

[Scary Monster]

Bollocks the cost of owning a car has gone down, look at the tax on petrol.

Back to driving test, if they run many like my first one then I can see why they need making harder. I did two laps of practically the same block (in opposite directions) in stop go traffic. Shiny daylight but no glare. Max speed (if we're lucky) would have been 25 mph. This is what happens when you put a test centre between a highstreet and a school. It was a complete joke of a test, which I failed.

I had two faults, a major for not giving way to a car which had right of way because the nice lady let me out of the side road, and waved at me to confirm this is what she meant when she was stationary and back from the junction. The minor was for gears. It makes a complete mockery of the test system that they run ones like that, it made no assesment of my driving ability what so ever.

The one I passed I took somewhere else (much shorter rebook time). It was near the dual carriage way (one of those ones that's just like a motorway) and was a true assesment of my ability.

[I'm With Stupid]

Bollocks the cost of owning a car has gone down, look at the tax on petrol.
Yeah, but as a percentage of people's wages, I can believe that it's true.

[Dear Wendy]

Yes but everyone also knows that the amount they pay doesn't all go towards keeping the roads intact, or making sure there's enough traffic police, or any number of other measures that actually have something to do with transport.

It goes towards training more efficient drivers. What more could you want?
As said 100 hours seems excessive, but quite a few people on the English roads do not know how to drive - regardless of them having passed their driving test.

[Renzo]

It goes towards training more efficient drivers. What more could you want?
As said 100 hours seems excessive, but quite a few people on the English roads do not know how to drive - regardless of them having passed their driving test.

And i'm sure thats the case in every other nation on Earth too.

[I'm With Stupid]

It goes towards training more efficient drivers. What more could you want?
As said 100 hours seems excessive, but quite a few people on the English roads do not know how to drive - regardless of them having passed their driving test.
I don't think the standard of driving on the roads is that bad really, even though I might complain about twats not indicating and stuff like that. In fact, i find that the people that tend to complain most about other peoples driving tend to be pretty shit drivers themselves, because they tend to be the ones that have absolutely no patience for anyone who might make a mistake. I remember when we were driving home from Manchester one time, and my cousin accidentally cut across someone. A simple mistake, that he held his hands up for. And what does the other guy do? Doesn't drop back to a safe distance, speeds past us at over 80 sounding his horn, no doubt complaining about how everyone else is a shit driver. Call me a cynic, but I think that anyone who has that big of a chip on their shoulder about everyone elses driving, is probably pretty shit at driving themselves, because being stressed doesn't make you a good driver.

But I get your main point. But it's just a question of keeping in proportional. You can only increase the cost of motoring so much (whilst often spending the proceeds on other things) before people start to complain that you're using them as a blank chequebook.

[Man Of Kent]

Re-test every ten years would be better IMHO

[I'm With Stupid]

Re-test every ten years would be better IMHO
At least a theory, I agree.

[Man Of Kent]

Theory is the easy part. We all have a damned good idea of how we should drive. We just don't put it into practice. Attitude for example cannot be measured in a theory test...

[Fiend_85]

100hrs is excessive I think 24hrs is probably the minimum you'd need unless you had a natural talent for it. I'm lucky, near me there are a few handy dual carriageways so my instructor had me practice slip roads and my dad took me out at night and I'd driven in all kinds of conditions, along side that, my sister took me out for my first go on the motorway talking me through it which was nice of her. But I think night and motorway lessons would be an improvement on the current system, not everyone has all that available.

[purplebutterfly]

And i'm sure thats the case in every other nation on Earth too.

Ever been to France? They drive like nutters over there, God knows how time me or my mum nearly got knocked over on holiday.

I've all but given up trying to learn at the moment, after five fails, and a grand later, its just not worth it when I wouldnt use it to get to work anyway.

[buzz]

100hrs is excessive I think 24hrs is probably the minimum you'd need unless you had a natural talent for it. I'm lucky, near me there are a few handy dual carriageways so my instructor had me practice slip roads and my dad took me out at night and I'd driven in all kinds of conditions, along side that, my sister took me out for my first go on the motorway talking me through it which was nice of her. But I think night and motorway lessons would be an improvement on the current system, not everyone has all that available.


See i think you've benefited from actually going out and driving. Though i don't think learners are allowed on the motorways! Actually getting experience spending time behind the wheel, regardless of whether it's with an instructor. I think i had about 20ish hours of actual lessons but i was always going out with my mum, occasionally on some long-ish drives on roads i didn't know. I think it counts for a lot how much you do beyond your lessons.

Driving lessons teach you how to pass the driving test i think anyway. Who honestly drives like they did in their test?

[ShyBoy]

I will be starting driving lessons soon, but after riding a motorbike for a year my instructor feels confident I shouldn't need too many lessons. We're looking at up to 20 hours really. I've already passed my theory, imagine how long it would take to do 100 hours. A 2 hour lesson a week for a year! That's just ridiculous, especially for those in my situation who have road experience already but just need to get to grips with a car and learn the hoops to jump through to pass the test.

As for the cost of driving now, I don't have a source but it's relatively more expensive now than for a long time (as in, proportionally to your income). I *think* the 70s were the cheapest, but since then it's just gone up. Also, driving at night and on the motorways, I don't think it's all that different to in the day / on other roads. Adjust your driving for the conditions etc.

[Skive]

That many hours shouldn't be required, it's too much and too expensive.
I passed after only 12 I think, though I had driving experience already.

[wildchild]

IAlso, driving at night and on the motorways, I don't think it's all that different to in the day / on other roads.

Driving at night is definitely different to driving in the daytime. Doesn't take you long to get into it, but I think for people who learn with an instructor and don't get a chance to go out with anyone else (so they don't get a chance to try out driving at night) are at a disadvantage for not having had the experience. Motorways aren't particularly different from dual carriageways, but again not everyone gets the chance to practise on them before they take their test. Dual carriageway driving practice should be compulsory, but motorways are just that little bit faster and I don't really see a reason to lift the ban on learner drivers - or to force people to take pass plus.

[Namaste]

Sounds expensive, but then with a development disorder I'd probably have to go to a disabled driving school anyway.

[clementine_the_tangerine]

As if it wasn't scary enough!

[Fiend_85]

See i think you've benefited from actually going out and driving. Though i don't think learners are allowed on the motorways!

Worry not, it was just after I'd passed.

[Ilora-Danon]

I had 20 hours tuition about 10 months ago - it got too expensive and I had to stop. 100 hours is ridiculous and I honestly can't believe they'd seriously make that a rule. It's preposterous.

I did night driving and dual carriageways after about 10 lessons....

[I'm With Stupid]

I did night driving quite a lot. Mainly because it gets dark early. Bear in mind that the report did say that it was up to 100 lessons. I doubt that it'll be that much. But do people think that there should at least be a minimum amount of lessons by a qualified driving instructor?

[ShyBoy]

No.

:)

If you can pass the test then you can drive on the road, nothing left for an instructor to teach you. The only thing thats going to go wrong is where you slip up from lack of experience. But you should just as well have that with your parents or on your own rather than paying £24 an hour (AA hourly charge in Leicester).

[Ilora-Danon]

I think there should be a minimum, or an 'average' number of professional lessons. They recommend 40 hours, and tbh I think that's fair. I've had 20 hours so far and expect to have another 20 before taking my test....

[O_o]

pass plus should be compulsary imo. and maybe learning the theory behind the theory tests at school (as part of pse or whatever) would have some affect.

[I'm With Stupid]

pass plus should be compulsary imo. and maybe learning the theory behind the theory tests at school (as part of pse or whatever) would have some affect.
I think learning the theory is pretty pointless until you're actually out there driving, because other than road signs, there's not much you can learn by itself imo. Plus if they're gonna teach kids anything about roads, they should start by teaching them to fucking cross one properly.

Agreed on the Pass Plus, but perhaps a cut down version of it, because I'm not sure it's practical. If you live in North West Wales, it's quite a trek to the nearest motorway. And I don't know about anyone else, but when I did mine, there was a 1 month waiting list for a test. Imagine if everyone that was doing their test also had to do a full day course. I know you don't need an examiner for the Pass Plus, but I would guess you'd be risking a shortage of instructors.

I think 40 lessons is still a bit excessive myself, but perhaps, if you have to take into account the person that takes the longest to learn. Personally, I think more of a problem is learning a new car after you've passed your test. When I was learning, my instructor got a new car, and I was making a lot of mistakes in the first few lessons in the new car, that I didn't make previously, just as I was getting used to it. I think a lot of people tend to have crashes soon after they pass, not because they are not up to the standard required, but because they aren't as careful as they should be as they get used to not having someone next to them, along with a new car, which is often not going to be as good as the one they've learned in. I think a lot of the battle is somehow getting people to take it easy in the first few months after their test. There's already the 6 points and you're banned thing in place, which I think is good, but I can't think of anything off the tp of my head that would make people be more careful (and you'd think they'd be more careful in their own car than their instructors really, because they have to pay if it breaks).

[Scary Monster]

Compulsory pass plus, or further testing to pass plus level seems a good idea to me.

A minimum number of hours of professional lessons I'm less sure about, plenty of people don't need them, plenty of people need a lot lot more than any limit could prescribe.

I spent a year as a learner, my brother spent about 6 months and my parents, our accident records, our instructor, pretty much everyone agrees I'm the better driver because I got so much experience under supervision, and was more mature when I passed. Maybe keep the age to learn at 17 but take the age for a full license up to 18.

[mrbox99]

Sounds like good news.
100 hours seems excessive. But here a certain amount of hours is required, and what you go through during those lessons is already set by whatever authority takes care of such stuff. Meaning that it was compulsary for me to have a lesson after dark and on the motorway.
I am sorry, but after coming to England I've met a few people who have no clue whatsoever about what they're doing in the car. They shouldn't be on the road in the first place. And these are friends that I am talking about.

Where is it your from?

[StrubbleS]

In Austria you have to make one hour of night drive and one hour of motorway. they usually stick it together and you drive at night on the motorway.
Right now, you need 18 hours of driving before you are allowed to the exam. there are exceptions tho.

If you have someone who drove for about 5 or 6 years (verifiable) [in my case, my father], and you let the car have a check-up in a car repair shop, you only need 4 mandatory hours of driving in the driving school and you can do the rest in your private car without driving instructor, just your father (for example). It was pretty cool, because my father has a car that's easier to drive than ... dunno, it almost drives for itself.

So I could even drive that private car for the practical examination.

because I did ALL 18 hours AND the private driving thingy, and failed the theoretical exam 2 times :blush: , it costed me around 2000€ :crying: , which was and still is a lot for me.

the private driving thingy costs 50€ ONCE! and you are allowed to drive until judgement day before your exam (a double-hour 2x45 minutes costs 73€ in the morning -> cheapest), so it was a really good option.

[lowmoral1]

Well the test seems that it will be getting harder.

I have my 3rd testing coming up very soon now the other 2 test's i failed the first for not using a bus lane and the 2nd a car pulled out on me, and i had to swerve to avoid the car and i got a serious for steering. So close, i will pass my 3rd test i aint going through any of these bazzar idea's of all these extra hours of driving.

The pressure is on. Big Time - I'll never givin no matter what.

[Skive]

Well I've been a few places and have to say that in general I think we're not too bad at driving. The French and Italians have to be the worst.

[Gemmzie]

I don't think the actual number of hours should be set in stone, as it does vary from person to person.

However, I do agree with the staggered testing.

Quite a few friends of mine passed in under 20 lessons within a couple of months and then ended up smashing up their cars because the season changed and they weren't used to the differing road conditions.
One had passed her test but wouldn't drive in the rain because she never had in a lesson and was scared!

I think you should have to learn over a certain period of time, and that your instructor should sign off when he/she is happy that you are compentant in that skill in that condition.

The actual test is a lottery. The 14 minors rule is ridiculous, as is the failing on manovuers.
I passed fifth time, but never once got more than 2 minors for my driving, one examiner even said my driving was damn near perfect. But I panicked on the manovuers and made silly but not dangerous mistakes (slightly too wide on a reverse round a corner - that sort of thing).

I definitely agree with the US method of the ten year re-test too.