m1cks:
I have though for a long time that drivers should have to pass a second test to enable them to use the motorway network. Sadly the practicalities of enforcing this mean it will never happen.
Many other countries have a 2 or 3 tier licencing system so its easily policed
Red L plates when learning basic
Amber Ls when at second stage
Green Ls at third stage
Yep, that’s ideal, but as M1cks correctly wrote the practicalities of enforcing it would mean it’s a non starter.
Again in the ideal world licences would be graded; pass your test and you get to drive unaccompanied, you want to drive after dark then another test must be passed (in the dark obviously), the same goes for motorway driving too.
Whilst we’re in this driving Utopia I’d like to see people being forced to sit retests on the say so of a qualified traffic cop if he’s witnessed bad driving by them. The retest would be Government funded, but a failure leading to extra tuition and a further test would be funded by the licence holder.
It would be a win win situation; more instructors/ examiners would be required, which in turn would contribute to the tax coffers, and more importantly bad driving would be punished far more appropriately than 3 points and a £100 fine.
have any of you lot see ■■■■■■■■■■■■ driver’s on bbc3, every single person on there, their down fall is motorway driving, the last one i saw was a cracker, the lass in lane one, pull out in to lane two (a safe distance in front of the camera car in line 2), as a 7.5 tonner pull’s in from lane three, the camera shot show her doing the blind spot check, but she didn’t see it.
Re the £100 fine - I think that money would be better used to compel the driver to pay the same for a 1 hour drive out with an appropriate assessor - maybe it would cost less than the 100 so act as a financial incentive and given as a choice
ROG:
Re the £100 fine - I think that money would be better used to compel the driver to pay the same for a 1 hour drive out with an appropriate assessor - maybe it would cost less than the 100 so act as a financial incentive and given as a choice
I’ve not done lessons for a while but I imagine it’s somewhere around £20 per hour. Why not make it £150 and you get 2 1/2 hours refresher. The problem then is who does the training. So many driving instructors hold exactly the same driving licence as you and I so how would deem who was qualified and able to do this.
m1cks:
So many driving instructors hold exactly the same driving licence as you and I so how would deem who was qualified and able to do this.
They have to do an advanced driving test which takes about twice as long and are allowed fewer minors than normal driving tests, believe me they are hard and stringent.
To become an MOT ADI you have to show teaching ability as well as driving ability ,they also have something similar to the DCPC that came in about 5 years ago.They also made a big fuss about it but they had to comply,same as us.
alamcculloch:
To become an MOT ADI you have to show teaching ability as well as driving ability ,they also have something similar to the DCPC that came in about 5 years ago.They also made a big fuss about it but they had to comply,same as us.
They also have check tests to show they are teaching in a correct manner and you then get graded and it depends on your grade to when you are checked again.
The only reason I oppose the idea is because of incompetent instruction. 30 hours driving or registered instructor and it’s fine IMO.
Several times however I’ve gone to overtake a slow learner on a DC and they’ve just sped up as you get level with them and drive off. You’d think a qualified instructor wouldn’t encourage/let a student do something like that…
I think there should be two tests, the normal driving test as it is now and a separate motorways test that can only be taken after the normal test and preferably only after about 12 months of driving experience, I also think the motorway test should be in two parts, theory and practice.
I also think that it should be possible to lose your motorway driving entitlement for offences such as tailgating on a motorway and middle lane hogging.
I don’t think more tests are the answer because those who pass will have the ‘i’ve passed the tests and now i’m an expert driver’ syndrome which will lead to increased confidence in an ability they don’t possess due to lack of solo real world experience.
Motorways should form part of the test and learners should allowed to use them.
What i do suggest is that once a learner can achieve the speeds necessary to use the motorways safely (60+) and not cause a hazard/nuisance to other road users they may learn on the motorways.
Also those who have passed must display green L plates for two years and be more closely watched by the police and be referred for more training if a poor standard of driving, vehicle maintenance is observed.
jobseeker:
Also those who have passed must display green L plates for two years and be more closely watched by the police and be referred for more training if a poor standard of driving, vehicle maintenance is observed.
Green “P” or “L” plates are a good idea and I applaud people who now use them voluntarily, but I wouldn’t want to see the police have any more power than they have now
.I would not like to see them on motorways,bad enough seeing them on normal roads,the worst place is on industrial estates when you are trying to do your job and they get in your way,i realise they have to train somewhere but nowadays the roads are too packed as it is and before anyone says you were a learner once, in my time, 1980, the roads were more or less empty,on reflection though they have to train somewhere
As an ADI, then most definitely yes. But not with mum and dad, only a professional instructor.
When I’m in a suitable area, I take “L” platers on the biggest dual carriageway I can get to within the lesson.
All my pupils have an extra lesson with me after their test. When I was working in Stevenage, it was a trip to Terminal One at Heathrow, country roads to get there, M25, M4 and right into the terminal. Quick break and back up the A1M.
And yes Rog, additional training will help.
Cheers
Paul
bald bloke:
The wife’s a driving instructor and she just said absolutely it’s ridiculous that they don’t do at least do some driving on motorway.
So what did your missus say when you pointed it out that thousands of people live with a motorway nowhere near to their location
What’s that got to do with anything? If you live in the back of beyond then you won’t need the motorway entitlement, which is fine. If you want to drive on motorways then you go do the course to permit you to do so. Simple.
Learn to drive and pass all the tests in Hastings and not even a basic dual carriageway is within range of the time limitations of a 1 hour driving test or lesson, yet within a week it would be possible to be let loose on the M25 with 44ton, that’s scarey!!
There should be a driving apprenticeship before being allowed out unsupervised, maybe 8 hours with an experienced driver which must included some motorway driving??
Quick up date had a few more goes up an down the A3 and not even an invite for coffee . Not sure about flashing in the trucks . (As I got a telling off when I did my class 1)
P S If you see an old Blue Corsa on the A3 with L plates please be kind…ha ha…
