Change to driving test
Discussion
Just saw this on the BBC website about proposed changes to the driving test to try and reduce the number of accidents involving young people - couldn't see a topic on it so.....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24485792
Some of the measures I agree with (day and night tuition, displaying P plates for new drivers etc).
However - not being able to carry passengers under 30 until the driver is at least 30.....WTF?
How can that be enforceable. What about people under 30 who have wives/partners also under 30? What about people under 30 who have kids? What about people under 30 who car share for work.
Not sure a curfew is enforceable either. People can work from the age of 16 - and many who do will work late hours or even nights. Its a little unfair to deny the a means of transport to work (especially given that public transport is often non-existent at such times).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24485792
Some of the measures I agree with (day and night tuition, displaying P plates for new drivers etc).
However - not being able to carry passengers under 30 until the driver is at least 30.....WTF?
How can that be enforceable. What about people under 30 who have wives/partners also under 30? What about people under 30 who have kids? What about people under 30 who car share for work.
Not sure a curfew is enforceable either. People can work from the age of 16 - and many who do will work late hours or even nights. Its a little unfair to deny the a means of transport to work (especially given that public transport is often non-existent at such times).
Edited by Moonhawk on Friday 11th October 15:25
julian64 said:
That isn't what is says
Just re-read it - and yes you are right I have somewhat misinterpreted it.Its only whilst in their probationary period that "all those under 30 will be banned from carrying any passengers also under 30" (it doesn't say how long the probationary period will last). But still.....30!
Its either Australia, New Zealand or both that have P plate rules for so long after a test is passed and they seem to cope well with it
From what I remember they have a zero alcohol limit for P platers and times where a full licence holder of any age has to sit with them
If countries akin to ours can do it then why cant we?
From what I remember they have a zero alcohol limit for P platers and times where a full licence holder of any age has to sit with them
If countries akin to ours can do it then why cant we?
R0G said:
Its either Australia, New Zealand or both that have P plate rules for so long after a test is passed and they seem to cope well with it
From what I remember they have a zero alcohol limit for P platers and times where a full licence holder of any age has to sit with them
If countries akin to ours can do it then why cant we?
P Plates (or green L plates) existed when I took my test over 20 years ago - although they weren't mandatory. I voluntarily displayed them for a few months.From what I remember they have a zero alcohol limit for P platers and times where a full licence holder of any age has to sit with them
If countries akin to ours can do it then why cant we?
I think a combination of more education (mandatory night driving and motorway driving) - coupled with harsh penalties if caught flouting the rules (e.g. automatic loss of licence and re-test if caught speeding, for alcohol etc) would be far more effective and easier to enforce than arbitrary curfews and passenger age restrictions.
Educate all drivers - then punish the bad ones, but dont tar all young drivers with the same brush - many are good and responsible drivers pretty much from day 1.
Moonhawk said:
Not sure a curfew is enforceable either. People can work from the age of 16 - and many who do will work late hours or even nights. Its a little unfair to deny the a means of transport to work (especially given that public transport is often non-existent at such times).
Some of this is just ideas to get the debate going.I think I am correct that you can not work nights until you are 18 anyway.
R0G said:
Its either Australia, New Zealand or both that have P plate rules for so long after a test is passed and they seem to cope well with it
From what I remember they have a zero alcohol limit for P platers and times where a full licence holder of any age has to sit with them
If countries akin to ours can do it then why cant we?
massive assumption.From what I remember they have a zero alcohol limit for P platers and times where a full licence holder of any age has to sit with them
If countries akin to ours can do it then why cant we?
in AUS they have had to put in exceptions to the P plate rules as they can be somewhat restrictive to peoples jobs.
in the early days they banned P plate drivers from cars with V8's
great, they brought Jap turbo cars
then they banned turbo cars - so that's all the diesels out - but you could still drive a 911 etc.
laughable, just laughable...
In Northern Ireland you have to display R plates for one year from the date of passing the test. The maximum permitted speed for any vehicle displaying R plates is 45 mph. This was an absolute pain in the backside especially when driving on the motorway (although the motorways in NI are more akin to a dual carriageway 
)
)From what I could make out in the daily mail article they are just trying to price a large percentage of young drivers off the road..
120+ supervised hours which I presume will have to be with an instructor at £18 an hour..
What young person has 2 and half grand to spend on lessons, then again on a car and again on insurance?
I had no choice but to pay through the nose monthly for my first years insurance because I had to drive to work.
120+ supervised hours which I presume will have to be with an instructor at £18 an hour..
What young person has 2 and half grand to spend on lessons, then again on a car and again on insurance?
I had no choice but to pay through the nose monthly for my first years insurance because I had to drive to work.
Always comes down to the individuals. I'm 20, passed my test over 2 years ago, never been in an accident, I don't drive around at 3am, I don't hang out on Mcdonalds car park, I don't ferry my drunken mates to and from town every weekend. I used my car to go to work and visit friends every other weekend on the motorway. My very first time driving alone was on dark rural roads in the pouring rain and I did fine. My first day in a car after passing my test was 150 miles up the M5 and M6.
What I'm saying is even though these changes won't effect me anymore, it's not fair to penalise every young driver for the minority in the wrong. I take my girlfriend out for a day out and then we'll maybe go to the cinema and have some food and might only be travelling back after 11pm. We don't suddenly turn into these different beasts at night that break every road rule there is though.
Honestly I blame the parents, kids who have everything paid for them are much more likely to be in an accident. I have friends who had lessons, cars, insurance, MOT's/Services, repairwork, petrol, etc etc all paid for them by relatives and they also seem to be the ones who are getting into trouble while driving. There's a few of us that have paid for it all ourselves and we actually appreciate what we've got, no way would I purposely put myself in a position to have an accident, my insurance is finally down to a suitable level and I intend to keep it that way. Compared to my friends who are still insurance fronting on their parents who couldn't care less and have crashed 2 or 3 times since they passed.
What I'm saying is even though these changes won't effect me anymore, it's not fair to penalise every young driver for the minority in the wrong. I take my girlfriend out for a day out and then we'll maybe go to the cinema and have some food and might only be travelling back after 11pm. We don't suddenly turn into these different beasts at night that break every road rule there is though.
Honestly I blame the parents, kids who have everything paid for them are much more likely to be in an accident. I have friends who had lessons, cars, insurance, MOT's/Services, repairwork, petrol, etc etc all paid for them by relatives and they also seem to be the ones who are getting into trouble while driving. There's a few of us that have paid for it all ourselves and we actually appreciate what we've got, no way would I purposely put myself in a position to have an accident, my insurance is finally down to a suitable level and I intend to keep it that way. Compared to my friends who are still insurance fronting on their parents who couldn't care less and have crashed 2 or 3 times since they passed.
Rubbish proposals which thankfully will never see the light of day for as long as teenagers can vote.
The whole premise is based around granting licence then restricting, when it should be focused on training from the start. The former is a waste of time, the latter is the best way. Restrictions on speed or power or allowed drivetrains or vehicles are a waste of time, you can cause as much havoc and damage with 10 bhp as you can with a 1000 bhp.
The only answer is training and education, and even then some people are still going to bin it like they do now - whether it's dangerous sods will be dangerous sods or someone making a mistake and learning a lesson. That can't change. I chucked my scooter down the driveway first day out on it by using the front brake cranked over on gravel, learnt my lesson, and haven't done it since. And never will do it again as it's a daft.
The number one thing that need's to change is the fact that learners, most of the time there are exceptions, are taught to the test, not to learn to drive. And there's a vast difference between the two.
The whole premise is based around granting licence then restricting, when it should be focused on training from the start. The former is a waste of time, the latter is the best way. Restrictions on speed or power or allowed drivetrains or vehicles are a waste of time, you can cause as much havoc and damage with 10 bhp as you can with a 1000 bhp.
The only answer is training and education, and even then some people are still going to bin it like they do now - whether it's dangerous sods will be dangerous sods or someone making a mistake and learning a lesson. That can't change. I chucked my scooter down the driveway first day out on it by using the front brake cranked over on gravel, learnt my lesson, and haven't done it since. And never will do it again as it's a daft.
The number one thing that need's to change is the fact that learners, most of the time there are exceptions, are taught to the test, not to learn to drive. And there's a vast difference between the two.
A few light hearted ideas of mine on how to change the standard of future drivers:
On the driving test, get the pupil to drive down a quiet country lane and unsuspectingly have a DSA member throw a manikin into the road loaded to the brim full of jam. If the pupil stops in time - pass. If the pupil hits the manikin it will scare them off driving forever.
Make pupils take all their lessons in an Austin Allegro - guaranteed most won't turn up for lesson number 2. If they come back they must really want to drive.
Show pupils £1,000 in £20 notes, neatly stacked up on the dashboard, then show them a £300 corsa with £700 of Halfords tat fitted, ask them if they would buy said car with the money. If the answer is yes, burn every single note and fail them. If no then give them the money to put towards their insurance and pass them.
It's Friday I've had a long hard week and I'm bored
On the driving test, get the pupil to drive down a quiet country lane and unsuspectingly have a DSA member throw a manikin into the road loaded to the brim full of jam. If the pupil stops in time - pass. If the pupil hits the manikin it will scare them off driving forever.
Make pupils take all their lessons in an Austin Allegro - guaranteed most won't turn up for lesson number 2. If they come back they must really want to drive.
Show pupils £1,000 in £20 notes, neatly stacked up on the dashboard, then show them a £300 corsa with £700 of Halfords tat fitted, ask them if they would buy said car with the money. If the answer is yes, burn every single note and fail them. If no then give them the money to put towards their insurance and pass them.
It's Friday I've had a long hard week and I'm bored
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