Thursday 1st November 2001

Learners Scared by UK's Roads

...and so they should be!

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[afox]

This issue is only aggravated by the governments attitude to speed camera's, which I believe to be one of prevention and not cure. Why not adopt a similar tack to Germany, making driving test more thorough and require more discipline and skill. The focus should be on educating the driver to drive better rather than penalising for speeding on an empty B road. Yes, speeding increases the risk of error and in the event of an accident can turn an injury into a fatality, however, instiling respect for speed and driving as a skill is the root of the problem. Maybe an advanced driving test or similar should be compulsory after an initial driving period and driving 'reassessments' should be enforced every ten years?

[Nick M (nmilton)]

People with no experience of driving are bound to feel worried on the roads - because we don't teach them how to drive, simply how to complete a simple set of manouvers !!

Teach them properly and they'll be better prepared to cope with today's road conditions and will be less of a danger to themselves and others.

[Saturn 5]

I think people who can allready drive should be taught how to do it properly, some people have not got a clue what their doing. Im no Angel mind but im a lot safer than most.

[domster]

It doesn't help when some performance car motorists act like t0ssers.

I had some tw@t in a 360 Modena come steaming past me this morning without a care in the world in busy M40 traffic - I wasn't exactly hanging about, doing a smidgeon under a licence-friendly 95mph. He must have been doing about a ton fifteen - would have scared me L-plates off if I was a learner.

I've been known to do double the speed limit on the M40, but I try to make sure I'm not whipping past slower cars just one lane away.

[mr_tony]

I'm origionally from the westcountry (nr plymouth). Lots of my mates deliberately learned to drive in small provincial towns as they figured it would be easier than driving round a city like Plymouth(!).

As a result 10 years later some of them will still not drive in cities / on motorways.

IMHO, the test drastically needs updating to force learners to gain the skills required to cope in these situations. Its ridiculous that the test surrently turns out drivers who don't need any more experience than having driven for 3 months on deserted B roads.

[reg]

as far as im concerned learner car drivers should have to take a compulsery basic training test as motorcyclists have for the past 11 years. maybe then thay would have a better understanding of how to corner, excellarate and brake, and therefore be more confident when out on the highway.

[Steve _T]

I agree that more training can only be a good thing, the standard has to be raised for all road users in terms of safety and courtesy. All the genuine bikers that I know have good road skills and this does transfer to their car driving. However this comment certainly does not apply to the plague of scooters that infest the roads today. Would anyone else here enjoy the ability to summon thunderbolts to wipe these irritating gnats from the road?

Steve

[anonymous-user]

all uk drivers should ride pillion for a day with a biker to see how crappy we are to bikers!. I went on the back of a friends bike and my driving has totally changed, i leave them MUCH more room and also pass with more care and caution. Obviously we should do this anyway but its funny how secure we are inside the boxes and we do not realise just how vulnerable bikes are.

"If I'm not looking out of the rear window, I think I can save it"