Driving test

[Richardtr3a]

I am soon taking a driving test called an Assessment. This is so that my doctor will be able to report to the DVLA that I am OK  to drive..  In the summer I was  previously knocked  unconscious by a large animal, and that makes problems. My health is fine but I do not have a licence

If any one here has taken an Assessment I should be grateful for some guidance on the homework and revision needed.

Thanks for any advice 

Richard & B 

[Deggers]

Pour yourself a cuppa Richard.

Here's a 45 minute detailed description of the Driver Assessment, from the Advance Driving School.

Cheers, Deggers

Edited December 14, 2021 by Deggers

[tim hunt]

I watched this assessmnt with interest. Malcolm was generally safe, confident and generally competent at the wheel. Observance of speed limits was mostly good but I did note two occasions when he accelerated to above 30mph before passing a higher speed limit sign, other times he was travelling at an indicated 25mph when the road conditons were appropriate for him to have driven up to the 30 limit. In Sudbury he drove too fast past parked cars on his left, had an unseen small child emerged from between two of them he would have been unable to stop in time.  On several occasions he signalled unnecessarily, for example indicating to turn right at a junction when sitting in a 'right turn only' lane and with another vehicle stopped behind and another time indicating when leaving a parking space in the Asda car park!

Approaching a roundabout Malcolm would make two gear changes and possibly coast to a halt with the clutch disengaged. The correct technique is to select the appropriate lane in good time, giving a signal in advance if it could benefit another driver, adjust your speed appropriately on approach to the roundabout and 'prepare to stop but look to go if safe', selecting the appropriate gear on arrival at the give way markings if entry to the roundabout is clear. His car sympathy or observation could be improved, he took a severe speed bump in the Asda car park too fast, guaranteed to  shorten the life of ARB links or other suspension components. 

Malcolm's steering technique lacked polish, he frequently had both hands on the same side of the wheel past the 12 o'clock position but his worst fault was frequently to rest his left hand on the gear lever or his left leg rather than the steering wheel, where it should be at all times except when operating a control or giving a Highway Code recognised hand signal. I was very surprised that his assessor didn't mention this.

Tim

[Richardtr3a]

Thanks for the link. I have watched it all and there are a small number of mistakes but not important. I must keep both hands on he steering wheel.

Any other advice would be welcome.

Thanks Richard & B

[Charlie D]

I watched the film and I felt terrified. Just the idea of going through that might give me a heart attack.

I agree with the point about keeping your hands on the wheel.  I’m surprised that he wasn’t on his best behavior knowing he was being watched. I’m also not sure I would want to engage in small talk with the examiner. I’d be inclined to say “Oh for God’s sake shut up, I’m trying to concentrate!” (Although I don’t really think that would do me any favours.)

I think the biggest problem with us older drivers is not so much the inability to drive, it’s the fact that we have picked up a lot of bad habits over the years that are hard to notice and avoid.

Charlie.

[Hamish]

Poor driving habits creep in over time

i believe power steering encourages single handed use.

I also believe you can’t indicate too much. 
rather that than those that don’t bother eg roundabouts 

or motorway lane changes because there is a gap a foot bigger than their vehicle 

[HSM]

Driving with one hand on the top of the steering wheel is my personal pet hate

 

                                              Harvey

[stuart]

I would have failed him in the first five minutes, OK unfamiliar car as its obviously the instructors not his but hands all over the place and not being able to tell which gear is best isnt a good start at all.

I took my HGV test about 8 yrs after my car test and that was a very good refresher to make you be so much more aware of everything around you and your driving style and he must have been a really good instructor as even now I still remember what he taught me.

Standard of driving I see every day is appalling now. People are so out of touch with the road conditions and other road users  with the way they are cocooned in modern cars. Make them take their test in an Austin A30 that would make them a lot more aware!

Stuart.

[stillp]

1 hour ago, Hamish said:

 

I also believe you can’t indicate too much. 
rather that than those that don’t bother eg roundabouts 

or motorway lane changes because there is a gap a foot bigger than their vehicle 

I agree Hamish. I was taught that you should always indicate, even when a)there's no-one else about, or b)when your intentions seem obvious. There's always the possibility that there's someone you haven't seen or who doesn't realise what you're about to do.

Pete

[HSM]

Try taking your test in a TR 

                       Harvey

[Hamish]

Took my bike test in 1981 on a BSA Bantam D14/4

i got strange looks even then. 
 

[Harbottle]

We were taught in the Police that you should only indicate when there is someone else that needs to know your intended direction change (you should already know where your going) . This is to make sure (as Stuart says being aware) you are always paying attention to what is around you. too many people throw on an indicator and start to move before they have looked to see whats around. many accidents i attended with a driver saying but I had my indicator on like that gave them some over riding right of passage. Always be aware and indicate when it is necessary.

Paul

[stillp]

12 minutes ago, Harbottle said:

We were taught in the Police that you should only indicate when there is someone else that needs to know your intended direction change

Interesting - I was taught to always indicate by a police driving instructor!

Pete

[stuart]

41 minutes ago, Harbottle said:

We were taught in the Police that you should only indicate when there is someone else that needs to know your intended direction change (you should already know where your going) . This is to make sure (as Stuart says being aware) you are always paying attention to what is around you. too many people throw on an indicator and start to move before they have looked to see whats around. many accidents i attended with a driver saying but I had my indicator on like that gave them some over riding right of passage. Always be aware and indicate when it is necessary.

Paul

I was taught the same on both my original car test and my HGV, my Dad who passed his IAM test also did the same. Its all about being aware of whats around you not only what you can see but what you can anticipate as well (looking for reflections of oncoming cars round slight bends in shop windows or reflected in parked cars at night.)

Stuart.

[TorontoTim]

2 hours ago, Hamish said:

Took my bike test in 1981 on a BSA Bantam D14/4

i got strange looks even then. 
 

As UK licences are not recognised for automatic conversion here, I took my Canadian bike test in 2001 on my '61 Norton which was pretty funny.  The first thing the tester does is check the roadworthiness of the bike before going out on the road.  While standing next to the Norton, I was asked to show that the brake light works by pulling on the front brake; er...no, only with the rear brake.  Then asked to show working indicators...  As the tester said "put on the left indicator, please" I looked him in the eye, deadpan, and held out my left arm..."right indicator, please" again, an arm signal.  "Thank you," he said and off we went.  

Oh, and I passed no problem  

[Harbottle]

1 hour ago, stuart said:

I was taught the same on both my original car test and my HGV, my Dad who passed his IAM test also did the same. Its all about being aware of whats around you not only what you can see but what you can anticipate as well (looking for reflections of oncoming cars round slight bends in shop windows or reflected in parked cars at night.)

Stuart.

Me too exactly including HGV.

Paul

[Charlie D]

In the 1960’s all GPO apprentices who did not have full licence were sent out in a Morris Minor van for a week and were taught how to double de-clutch. That was about all the teaching we had. We didn’t even have to do an emergency stop. For some reason they thought it was a waste of time.

The following week we had the driving test, but even then the examiner was actually employed by the GPO. The kid who was being examined just before me came walking back with the examiner a few minutes after having written off his van at the first set of traffic lights. (Not actually his fault.) A new van was got from the pool and off they went for a second try. Of course he passed. (EVERBODY passed … the GPO needed drivers.)

I’m pretty certain that the verbal theory test included questions like: ” How many green vans can be parked outside a café before a member of the public complains that all the GPO engineers do all day is sit about drinking tea .”

Driving was so much easier in those days.

Charlie.

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by Charlie D

[stillp]

2 hours ago, stuart said:

Its all about being aware of whats around you not only what you can see but what you can anticipate as well (looking for reflections of oncoming cars round slight bends in shop windows or reflected in parked cars at night.)

 

I agree of course, but routine signalling is in addition to that awareness. Can you think of any circumstances in which signalling increases the risks?

Pete

[stuart]

1 hour ago, stillp said:

I agree of course, but routine signalling is in addition to that awareness. Can you think of any circumstances in which signalling increases the risks?

Pete

When its used and not cancelled for one plus as stated above by Paul (Harbottle)

Stuart.

[Hamish]

1 hour ago, stillp said:

I agree of course, but routine signalling is in addition to that awareness. Can you think of any circumstances in which signalling increases the risks?

Pete

That was the thinking on my class 1 hgv and IAM motorcycle advanced - long time after car and bike tests. 
 

it was all about observation and getting info from every little clue.  But they also said make your intentions clear to those you can’t see or may not have noticed but who can see you. Or will be able to see you when they appear and you are about to or in the process of a manoever.

[stillp]

Yes Stuart, both of those are bad driving and potentially hazardous, but neither have anything to do with signalling when there is no obvious need.

Pete

[stuart]

15 minutes ago, stillp said:

Yes Stuart, both of those are bad driving and potentially hazardous, but neither have anything to do with signalling when there is no obvious need.

Pete

Im just going by how I was taught albeit a very long time ago, and by the Police Roadcraft manual. Still all about awareness, if something suddenly appeared that you should be indicating for then you should notice it and take action accordingly.

Stuart.

[stillp]

Again, I agree, but I still can't see any reason to not indicate before making a manoeuvre. Of course you should make every effort to ensure that it will be safe to make that manoeuvre, the signal is then an extra safeguard.

Pete

[Charlie D]

I wonder what self-driving cars do. Do they always indicate, or do they only indicate if there is another vehicle or pedestrian in the vicinity who would see it?

If the other vehicle is a self driving car I wonder if it is able to communicate with the first car to know it’s intentions without the need for indicators.

I bet there are hours of arguments in the software design studios of such cars.

Charlie

[Bleednipple]

God I'm amazed people can remember what they were taught XX year back. Although I do actually recall being told: no indication required "If there is no-one who would benefit from a signal". So there I do remember after all.

My motorcycle licence as I dimly recall was eventually gained by a "test" done by the Army Qualified Testing Officer who was actually an NCO in my unit, out on a training area in a spare 15 mins one afternoon during a field exercise. He got me to ride once around a triangle of tank tracks, then stopped me and pondered what else we could do... how about a hill start? There being no gradients whatsoever within sight he asked me to "well... talk me through how you'd do that". And that was it.

Nigel