TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Due to the ability of quite a few drivers (like the merc driver who nearly went into the back of my mondeo today cos he was tailgating me) i feel that the quality of driving has "deteriorated".
I mean, they even mark out roundabouts now so you keep in the right lane and people still cant do it (go round one) correctly [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]
I saw last week, a ford transit van "bully" a nissan micra out of the way at night in heavy rain because the nissan was "only" doing 30mph in a 30mph limit, he was flashing his lights so he could get past them (and he still got stuck at the lights ).
So what do people acutally think about it?
Would you agree that people need a refresher course every 3 years, even if its to remind some of the drivers that seatbelts are there to be worn and not as a part of the "interior decoration" so to speak.

Tony

Chris L

It's a thought. I also think they should introduce compulsory eye tests for all drivers - even for those that don't need glasses all the time - on a similar time scale.

But I guess that real initatives to improve road safety cost money and take real organisation (that's this government screwed then). It's much easier to use Gatso's and collect revenue from drivers for bugger all effort.

Sorry for sounding so negative

Chris

akshay67

although I am a better driver that the day I passed, I reckon I'd fail because I can no longer do the 'push and pull' steering - I usually have one hand on the gear stick and one hand on the steering wheel (like in the films).

I reckon people who get caught driving like ***** (like the one you mention) should be sent for a retest.

VinceW

Are you joking.....I'd never pass now, can you imagine having to feed the steering wheel through your hands.....don't teach racing drivers that technique or advanced drivers.

I do agree the standard of driving can be deploreable but a driving test is only a spot check to prove you are safe to other road users. Better policing I think is the answer. Get the coppers on the road and tackle the real problems not just get revenue from speeding (eg gatso and speed traps) although speed in the wrong place is just as dangerous (God I must be getting old!)

P1Fanatic

Never gonna happen. Besides even if it does whats to say they wont behave for the test and then go back to their normal crap driving as soon as they have passed?

Plus you watch some of these driving proggies and see the people who get passes with utterly bo11ocks driving and you suddenly realise how these drivers pass their tests.

Simon.

chrisp

I think they should follow the bikers lead and introduce a second test for drivers of high powered cars. Anything up to 1300cc 60bhp say on a standard test and an advanced test to drive anything over that. 6 points limit for the first 5 years of driving after passing first test. Should be at least 1 year between first test and second test.

I know personally I wasnt good enough to handle a 300bhp scoob at 17 passing my test. Given that peice of paper at 17 and never driven on a motorway or parked in a multistorey car park, yes scarey isnt it. I know people who have been driving 10 years and never been on a motorway (driving that is).

jaf01uk

Kinda difficult to do motorway driving up here, nearest one is about 150 miles away! but totally agree that there is a need for further training. I also believe that when stuck behind the "drive at 45 club" outings on a cr@p road with no overtaking opportunities that there should be a purge on these idiots, as they cause frustration and accidents as a result, I would rather be behind someone speeding slightly as they are far more likely to have at least part of their wits about them rather than looking at fields,
PS. Dont even get me started on Safeway and Tesco lorries on the A9 - Well driven? plate on the back! I dont think so!!

MooseRacer

Would that be the ones doing approx. 90mph, overtaking on blind crests, around corners by any chance?

jaf01uk

Aye If only!! 40mph not 1 mph faster with a 5 mile queue behind them and signs everywhere saying "Please allow overtaking - Frustration causes accidents"!
PS. I know their limit is 40 but they will not pull over to allow queues to clear!!

David_Wallis

Yes...

It wont be a problem for us as we all think we can drive, as Im banned I get a lot of taxi's... You would think if you were doing something everyday, you would get good at it wouldnt you??

I also think MOTS should be compulsary on any age car and done every 6months... I used to mend my car once a year..

David

Alas

Eye test yearly - definitely
Driving Tests every 3 years - no way. I don't fancy driving my mother about when she lost her licence

I live in the wilds also and you forgot to mention the camper vans, caravans and Rovers (usually) that do 25mph on the twisties and speed up on the (few) straights so you can't get past safely.
AAaaarrrggghhh.
Alas

Sheepsplitter

I think there would be too much overhead and admin to do this.
However I do think it would be a good idea to force people to take a second advanced test within 2-3 years of passing their original test. If they failed the test they should be forced to take training (at their expense) until they achieve an appropriate level of skill to let them back on the roads.
Why should we have such a low standard of driving? After all the car in the wrong hands is a killing machine, we don't easily give out gun licences (well not since Hungerford).
The biggest problem as I see it, is that people do not anticipate well, this is the big thing that an Advanced driving course teaches, 'anticipation and reading the road ahead'.
This would be as good a way as any of reducing road congestion as many people would fail to achieve the level required (let's face it, you either have the anticipation and other skills or you don't, and once aquired you are unlikely to forget or not use).

Jen

Mmm, interesting point about the test for more powerful cars...I'd say the majority of dangerous drivers I see are not in the more powerful ones, but cutting up/driving at 35 in a 60/driving at 95 in a 60 in a 1 litre micra or car of that sort... (notice how I say "majority" not "all"

Maybe a cut down/shorter test is the answer? Even just a drive with an instructor and a force to take another test if demed crap?

Sparky1066

Sod doing another driving test! Remember how scary the first one was! I'm glad I passed first time coz I was so glad when it was over!

Redkop

Quite categorically .... NO!

dan4

I think a 3 or 5 year re-test is essential. I also believe that if you cannot pass your test within 3 attempts you should be banned for life. I mean 3 attempts is more than enough, on the road you don't get 3 attempts to try not to kill the little kid who just ran out in front of you!
As well, I believe that if you in your entire driving life accumulate more than 22 points you should be banned for life (I had 11 until a while ago and now they are all off, I am free to drive like a **** and get more - have I learnt my lesson?)
Driver standards are generally awful these days and I am sure I am not the worlds best, so don't read this as "I am the king of the road" sort of nag please!
Drive safe and remember it is not a race!

Dan - Temporarily the holder of a clean licence

Sparky1066

I've only had 3 points in my life, which have been gone for a long time now, but I still say sod doing another driving test! Who do you expect to pay for this? It's expensive enough already being a driver, and soon there are gonna be London charges and 9p extra per litre and tolls!!!! F.ucking government are W.ankers, what the F.uck are all these extra charges for, when we already pay road tax!

chrisj1260

I aggree with the eye test thing my in laws both drive (in there70s)buth ware glasses untill they get in the car as a passenger they scare me to death wrong lanes on rbs and so on .......................... chris

4wdrifta

Remember what happened to the motorbike test a few years back!!! IMO a re-structured car test should be brought in. First teach the basic controls of a car off of the public highway (just like CBT for a bike) this would save countless hours of on-road training to complete novices having to learn to handle a car whilst also coping with the general traffic!!! Then have the test structured by way of BHP say for example up to 100 BHP, then up to 150 BHP and lastly unlimited. They did it with the bikes in a similar way so why not the cars.

Thats my 2p's worth anyway.

BOB.T

I'm deffo up for re tests, I can't believe you can be judged fit for summat aged 17 and expect to be fine all the to 70?ish?

I also think it would be reasonble to be expected to pay for the test too, you pay for an MOT. If folk don't want to pay, fine, more room on the road for me

Why would you be afraid of a re test? Surely, by saying you don't think you'd pass again is admitting you're not fit to be in control of a car?

With regards to "feeding the wheel", I think this part of the test is just wrong! I think as long as you have a good control of the wheel, ie two hands on it most of the time, then that's fine, you shouldn't force a stlye upon someone. As mentioned, race drivers don't "feed" like wise you wouldn't fail someone on a spelling test cos they wrote left handed!

DEEDEE

I drive HGVs for a living, car and motorbike for pleasure. If this idea was taken up who would pay for the tests every 3 years. There is a vast short fall of HGV class 1 drivers as it is. I paid for my own test 9 years ago straight from car to Articulated lorry, a cost to me of around £800. I would expect this kind of idea from a goverment minister.

navigator

Something has to be done and my view is education is best.
Cars are very safe nowadays or feel it. 30mph in the old bmc mini or imp felt like a 120 mph equivalent in the scoob.
you had dodgy brakes ,crap gears, slow acceleration....how things have changed even vectras,mondeos and skoda go very quick,stop well and feel safe..also the police just aren't around or able to stop people like they used to..there in is the problem.
Solution possibly
An eye test every 10 yrs definitely combined with
a defensive driver course and highway code awareness course every 10 yrs. Not a test as such just a course. Perhaps insurance companies would give people who had "passed" the course some extra ncd or if you had not taken it then your ncd drops 10 %.
think when was the last time you read the highway code?

Jerome

I think a re-test every 3 years would be unworkable. With millions of drivers taking their test each year it would be a huge undertaking which would cost a huge amount of money. It would also require the training of thousands of extra instructors and examiners.

I think the whole "speed kills" mantra is doing more harm than good. People think they are driving safely if they are within the speed limit and concentrate less on their driving.

This "government" seem to be obsessed with taxation and are picking on the motorist as an easy target. Speed cameras are blatant revenue genration and nothing less. A visit to the ABD (of whom I'm a member) website will confirm that in some areas awash with speed cameras, accident rates have gone up!

I see appalling driving in Central London every day. If the Police targeted a certain juntion for a day they would collar hundreds of bad drivers. Pick a different juntion each day and it might get through to people that they can't just drive like a maniac and get away with it. I had a guy swerve across 3 lanes to do a u-turn the other day. I only just managed to avoid hitting him, yet he stops his car to give me the evil eye for crying out loud.

Driver education is the way forward, but that costs money and doesn't generate revenue. We need to increase the amount of traffic Police, reduce their paperwork (so they spend longer on the road) and concentrate on bad driving - at any speed - rather than fixate on speed outright. Stiffer penatlies and extended re-tests for offenders exist but are rarely used for bad driving. They should be used much much more. Even a stern lecture from a traffic officer can reap rewards - far more than 3 points and a fine through the post.

Apple

A couple of months ago I took a "Driver Improvement Course" as I'd had a prang (rear end shunt @ 20mph - nothing to do with speed ) in my previous car. This was the alternative to being done for without due care & attention (but still costs 150 quid ). Some of it was tedious but we all agreed that it was better doing 1.5 days and bringing you back to a "safer" standard of driving than going through the courts, getting points etc and exagerating the "kill the pigs" attitude as per the other thread...

I've generally altered my driving (still not perfect but you definitely notice some of the tricks played by other d*ckheads (alledgedly ) on the roads - it proves to you that you're not invincible.

At least we all came out of it feeling better / calmer and there's no patronising gits running the course to make you repent on your knees - the event's over with - get on with the future rather than being eternally damned etc.

Unfortunately the legal system means that the course is only open to "sinners" and there's plenty of them to get through before joe public gets a go as it would definitely benefit a lot of people

Bob.T - one thing about feeding wheel thro your hands I was told on the course - if your airbag (if you've got one b4 you say anything ) goes off, in an incident or otherwise, when you've got your arm/hand across the wheel you're gonna get whatever's accross the bag rammed into your face at approx 500mph - your choice...
racing/rally drivers don't generally have airbags for various reasons and work in a calculated risk environment with other safety systems

not trying to be on a high horse as I still cross my hands at times but certain things make you think...

Apple

CLSII

I agree with VinceW,

Speed cameras do not detect bad driving...the roads in this country are so relatively safe thst many police forces strapped for cash are reducing and giving up on traffic cars. I hope this site is not monitored by Herr Blair and his cronies cos any government that can 'consider' charging people for rubbish removal per bag (Leading to every green lane turning into a dustbin) will no doubt decide that yearly driving tests,taxed of course, is another brilliant revenue earner....

What else can they tax...despite taxing it already..

Sorry but the nightmare has been with us for so long we are beginning to accept that paying extra makes things better...when in fact......

I love the nanny state

Sparky1066

theoretically, do camera shy plates work?

turbo2000

i dont know about taking test every 3 years what about the drivers who dont bother at all taking 1 test and still drive no tax insurance i'd say they are more of a danger !!!!!!!!!
for the good drivers that would be a added expence they can do without

richardmis

I lived and worked in the Middle East for 9 years, now there is a place to go to experience bad driving. When I cam eback to UK was looking forward to more sensible driving, what do I find, during that nine years I have been away many drivers must have been taking lessons from the residents of the Middle East. Driving standards seem to have gone down the drain. Something needs to be done. I live in a rural area and what with people driving along at 30 mph, pulling out in front of you, overtaking coming up to blind bends, etc. There is a need for friver education, how you implement it I don't know.

Leslie

I see no advantage im having a compulsory re-test at set intervals. The poor driving you are complaining about is mostly caused by selfish drivers rather than incompetent ones. I believe the answer as already stated is for drivers who are caught driving inconsiderately to be taken to court, fined and forced to take a driving course at their own expense. We already are charged excessively at every opportunity and a 3 yearly test would make our motoring even more expensive. The bad drivers would behave themselves during the test and slip straight back into character afterwards. The only real way is for those who break the rules to be adequately punished so that they think twice next time. As far as incompetent drivers are concerned, the best way is to drive defensively, you have to read the situation and expect trouble at times, in the same way that a biker will assume that someone is going to pull out of the road junction ahead into him. With our roads as crowded as they are it is the practical answer.

Les

MattW

The drivers who are being labelled as "bad", will probably know what they are doing anyway. Give em a test and they will modify their behaviour.

I know there are things that I do, that I would modify for a test (which I hope I would pass) such as feeding the wheel.

There are other things that really get on my nerves, but wouldn't be labelled as illegal or dangerous. Such as filtering down an empty right hand lane at the roundabout, signalling right, and driving 180 degrees round it and exiting the original left turn.