Dual Control Cars and the Law?

[Futuramic]

Random question time since I don't have a dual control car!

However was thinking about this last night and have no idea what the situation is. In effect a dual control driving school car usually has a brake and clutch pedal on the passenger side, allegedly some have accelerators and obviously the gear lever and handbrake are accessible from both sides.

Now, as certain driving functions can be carried out from the passenger's seat; would anyone sitting there be assumed to be driving for legal purposes? I know there would be an actual driver on the other side of the car, but as the passenger could take over certain functions at any time would they be considered a second driver?

If they were I'd guess the law would mandate anyone in the front passenger seat would have to have a licence, be insured and sober? Perhaps they couldn't even use a mobile phone?

Maybe it doesn't apply to those however certain commercial vehicles have full dual controls ie all pedals and two steering wheels, one on each side of the cab. Would the law be different for those?

[real4star]

I can only speak from experience with the insurance

I bought the car I passed my test in (Xreg Fiesta LX TD) from my instructor 2 years after I passed my test, it had the clutch and brake pedals in the passenger well (he-man), the pedals can be unclipped just leaving the control rods quite high up in the footwell.

I declared it as a mod but the insurance company didn't care.

I scrapped the car a couple of years ago but for some reason I still have the pedals

[98elise]

Regardless of the controls, if a learner is in the drivers seat, then the person in the passenger seat is legally in control of the car and must be sober.

When I was in my late teens a mate was learning to drive, and had his own car. He was happy to drive us to the pub and not drink, just so he got more time driving. We got pulled by the police on night, and they said that the passenger had to be sober as well.

As none of us were pissed, and we were about a mile from home. They let us carry on.

[Dwight VanDriver]

Basically if you are in control of the movement and control of a vcehicle you can be classed as driver.

Some decent info:


http://www.tinyurl.com/44rm9qh

dvd

[Pontoneer]

Futuramic said:

Random question time since I don't have a dual control car!

However was thinking about this last night and have no idea what the situation is. In effect a dual control driving school car usually has a brake and clutch pedal on the passenger side, allegedly some have accelerators and obviously the gear lever and handbrake are accessible from both sides.

Now, as certain driving functions can be carried out from the passenger's seat; would anyone sitting there be assumed to be driving for legal purposes? I know there would be an actual driver on the other side of the car, but as the passenger could take over certain functions at any time would they be considered a second driver?

If they were I'd guess the law would mandate anyone in the front passenger seat would have to have a licence, be insured and sober? Perhaps they couldn't even use a mobile phone?

Maybe it doesn't apply to those however certain commercial vehicles have full dual controls ie all pedals and two steering wheels, one on each side of the cab. Would the law be different for those?

If the passenger is supervising a learner they have to be qualified ( nowadays with a certain length of driving experience ; in days gone by you could pass your test in the morning and supervise a learner later that day ) , they have to be sober and may not use a mobile phone - all of these things apply in any vehicle , dual control or not .

Oh , and not all vehicles have gears and handbrake between the seats : I have driven cars with each to the right of the driver's seat ( not both on the same car , I currently have two cars with umbrella handbrakes under the right end of the dash , another with it more central but still not easy for a passenger to reach ; and two cars with foot operated parking brakes and fly off release buttons at the right end of the dash ) , column change gears , then lots of older cars had external handbrakes .

Edited by Pontoneer on Saturday 15th June 08:14

[Slidingpillar]

Yup, my three wheeler has a right hand gear lever. But it's ok, you can't drive it as a learner any more. You have to pass a full bike licence and regardless of whether you've even driven one before, you now can get straight in and drive down the motorway etc.

[AlexiusG55]

Pontoneer said:

If the passenger is supervising a learner they have to be qualified ( nowadays with a certain length of driving experience ; in days gone by you could pass your test in the morning and supervise a learner later that day ) , they have to be sober and may not use a mobile phone - all of these things apply in any vehicle , dual control or not .

Of course, where it gets interesting is in a dual control vehicle where the driver isn't a learner- say, a driving instructor using their instructor car to give someone a lift home from the pub.

[CarTimeNow]

i know the old escort i learnt to drive in had all 3 pedals in the passenger footwell, instructor said it meant we learnt how to drive properly at the correct speeds, not just nervous nellying around at 20!

he was a good laugh and i actually enjoyed the lessons

[theshed]

With or without dual controls the person doing the teaching is legally in control of the vehicle. So they have to comply with all driving legalities as if they where in the driving seat !
I should know as an Ex-Instructor, but I am not aware of any restrictions in carrying passengers in the 'dual-controlled seat'.
Obviously I had many learners in that seat, but also my children.
But they could not reach the pedals !