Rob K:
thecoder0:
My point is that for someone who says the test is a walk in the park…but can not do the basics…surely he would be able to do the basics…what other checks are not doneAh yes I’m so sorry Mr. Perfect. Of course you’ve never made a mistake in your lifetime or overlooked anything. I oh so wish I was as good at everything as you are.
Made plenty in my time and will make some more along the way 
Rob just a case of …People Glass houses etc …you will learn give it time
Rob K:
The driving test for both car and wagon are a piece of [zb] and yes I would fancy my chances at passing both of them on first attempt if I was required to go for a re-test.
The problem is Rob, it doesn’t matter how hard the test is, it still only lasts an hour. My sister failed her car test 6 times and somehow scraped a pass on the seventh. She’s a bad driver but only had to prove herself the once.
Mike-C:
CM:
The thorny subject of Driving standards has always been a soapbox item for me, just [zb]'d off at the standard of driving in the UK.Believe it or not i actually think the driving standards are quite good. When you consider the amount of traffic on the roads and most of us still manage to get about without any problems, a bit conjested maybe but we all still get about. Sure you could highlight loads of daft scenarios from all drivers but you could always highligh some where someone has maybe made things a little easier for you. I know on retail work, sometimes unless someone shows you some consideration and helps you out you may not get into some places. I’m guilty of saying things like there’s loads of idiots on the road myself but of the (just a guess) several thousand cars you would share the roads with in a day it only takes one or two to upset you and hate them all!!
I’m sorry Mike but they are not good, the volume of traffic does not excuse bad or inconsiderate driving, it’s the me first, I can get in front and [zb] you mentality, rush, rush, rush, etc. If I experience considerate driving or help from others then I make a point of acknowledging that and saying thanks and I always have and always will drive with consideration for other road users. When I say driving standards I mean things like poor lane discipline, not indicating, pushing in, thinking you have a god given right to be there, driving too fast for the conditions, not reading the signs/road markings, etc. The list is endless.
Its all about education and unfortunately its something thats overlooked. I do think some efforts have been made to make new drivers a tiny bit more qualified - theory tests and so on, but it still doesn’t answer all the problems.
My favourite moan is that once your test is passed you are allowed to launch yourself onto the motorway network - a whole new environment - with no requirement for any further formal training. Motorways seem to me to show up poor driving more than anywhere else - we all know about lane hoggers and you can put it on adverts and wherever else you want, but until some form of proper motorway driving training is part of the test it won’t change - motorway techniques need to be instilled into people from the off - not just as an afterthought by some half assed advertising campaign - I mean, they advertise tampax on telly but I don’t buy them, so why should I take notice cos that knob head off Police Camera Action tells me what lane to use ■■?
Continuous assesment would also improve standards, but then someone has to pay for it and who wants to shell out £75 - £100 every few years when we’ve never had to before. It doesn’t mean that new drivers can’t be subjected to it though and be made aware that they face a re-test in 5 years or whatever.
My fork lift license has expired and I’ve been told that I have to do the test again(not sure if its true - maybe someone will tell me). If it is the case, it should definitely apply to other forms of vocational licensing.
There’s a lot more traffic on the roads now, and it will get busier, but from what I see I don’t think the accident rate has increased the same.
It’s ok for numnuts on the radio to pass comment about the number of trucks involved in RTA’s and the anti-truck brigade can quote statistics all day long - it would be nice to hear how many of them are actually attributed to being the truck drivers fault.
Coming back to the original topic - one of Mendoza’s regulars, Chris from Liverpool, was also on promoting another truckers web-site at about 3.30 a.m. My hands free is for company calls only, so I couldn’t phone and point out that it is not the only trucker’s web site on the net!
Driver education is my favourite topic - I’m heavily imvolved with the IAM http://www.iam.org.ukand training people for thier advanced test and I’m convinced that the standard of driving in this country is appaling.
well i dont class myself as a proffesional and i passed my hgv 10 year ago .if you look at any list showing proffessions hgv driver isnt one of em .why are so many people intent on being seen as a professional if your a good driver your a good driver if your a bad driver becoming proffesional aint gonna change ya .supermarket drivers are no better or worse from any other driver on the road .to be honest i dont really care what the public think of trucks cuz its always been the same and it always will be .why should we have to make the public like us .the cold hard facts are this country stops without trucks so until they can figure a way of magically moving the stuff we do ,then i aint gonna worry and let the truck haters moan till there blue in the face cuz while theyre moaning i,ll be smiling cuz im happy in my life and maybe one day they,ll get a life and stop moaning about trucks.but i wont hold me breath on that one 
I listened to the 2 pricks on Sunday night complaining about the Poles, and the job and the state of the universe and global warming.
Well, Bollockbrain. I enjoy driving my truck, visiting different places without sat nav and a nursemaid.
I tramp, but I am not a tramp. I chose my lifestyle lots of years ago.
Carl:
well i dont class myself as a proffesional and i passed my hgv 10 year ago .if you look at any list showing proffessions hgv driver isnt one of em .why are so many people intent on being seen as a professional if your a good driver your a good driver if your a bad driver becoming proffesional aint gonna change ya .supermarket drivers are no better or worse from any other driver on the road .to be honest i dont really care what the public think of trucks cuz its always been the same and it always will be .why should we have to make the public like us .the cold hard facts are this country stops without trucks so until they can figure a way of magically moving the stuff we do ,then i aint gonna worry and let the truck haters moan till there blue in the face cuz while theyre moaning i,ll be smiling cuz im happy in my life and maybe one day they,ll get a life and stop moaning about trucks.but i wont hold me breath on that one
Spot on Carl.
Wheel Nut:
I listened to the 2 pricks on Sunday night complaining about the Poles, and the job and the state of the universe and global warming..
They’ll be the two i was sat with in Tescos Dav, a while back!
Rob K:
thecoder0:
My point is that for someone who says the test is a walk in the park…but can not do the basics…surely he would be able to do the basics…what other checks are not doneAh yes I’m so sorry Mr. Perfect. Of course you’ve never made a mistake in your lifetime or overlooked anything. I oh so wish I was as good at everything as you are.
What???I thought you were good at EVERYTHING Rob
