Don’t know if things have changed for the better in recent years, but Nottingham was always known as a particularly strict test centre back in the day. There was one examiner who would fail you on a perfect drive depending on which side of bed he’d got out of that morning.
The examiner had a "reputation"with the instructors at Livingston Test centre.They called him George McPhail.The cycling community use the term stale green,not that they stop at red lights either.
NewLad:
Talking out of your bottom me thinks!Amber means be prepared to stop.
Think that’s gonna bite you on the bum Newlad, once the heavy hitters log on. 
the maoster:
NewLad:
Talking out of your bottom me thinks!Amber means be prepared to stop.
Think that’s gonna bite you on the bum Newlad, once the heavy hitters log on.
That’s what I was taught when I first started driving over 30 years ago
Fair enough, but what’s with the “prepare to stop” bit? There’s only one light which is going to come on next, so the need for preparation is over, it’s the need to stop that requires your attention now.
“approaching a green, be prepared to stop” is what my instructor told me.
Driver-Once-More:
“approaching a green, be prepared to stop” is what my instructor told me.
Totally agree with that. Think we got our wires crossed there as it appeared that you were backing Newlads POV that an amber was “prepare to stop”.
I was always told that amber means stop unless unsafe to do so.
Back in 84 when I did my car test my instructor used to say to me regards lights ‘5 seconds’
Anytime we went near light he simply said 5 seconds
If you’ve approached lights and seen them change to green then 5 seconds later be ready to stop if your still approaching them
If you’ve not seen them change start getting ready to stop now
He drilled into me that Amber is stop unless your less than one length of your vehicle and if you can’t stop in that distance your going too fast for the circumstances.
Mind you it was in a Datsun Sunny so one length distance was ambitious stopping .
OP post gone little tangent but I’m sure his friend will pass next time, as wish him luck
They have a 50% ish pass rate… I bet it was an afternoon test and the guy in the morning had passed!