Learner Drivers to be alowed on the Motorways?

[MartinL]

This is political correctness gone mad, first they make the driving test easier.

Now, as well as the BMW / Merc driver in "His/her" middle lane, we will have to deal with learners on the motorway too!

 

[domino]

How is the driving test easier?

When I took it the big challenge was reversing around a corner. Now there is a written exam, parallel parking etc. It is demonstrably more rigorous.

The fact that they are making motorway driving part of the driving test syllabus only shows the test is still getting harder.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

This is political correctness gone mad, first they make the driving test easier.

Now, as well as the BMW / Merc driver in "His/her" middle lane, we will have to deal with learners on the motorway too!

ML - Go on line and have a go at one of the theory sample tests - they're horrendous. For instance, at the back of the Highway Code there's a page or two about first aid. They can ask first aid questions in the theory test and you can fail if you get too many answers wrong! I have doubts that I'd pass the theory test after driving for 50 years and no accidents.

During my grandson's first driving test, the examiner said "We are approaching a roundabout. I want you to take to road to Bude" So he had to look at the advance direction signs, choose an exit and decide which lane to get in and how to negotiate the roundabout. He failed because he got in the wrong lane and tried to change lanes without signalling. The point of this story is that, in my view, the test is becoming more realistic.

As for learners driving on motorways, there are conditions attached to it. You have to have an Instructor with you and the car must be dual control. I think it's excellent that learners can be taught how to drive safely and considerately on motorways so that they don't regard the nearside lane as the slow lane, the middle lane as the cruising lane and the offside lane as the overtaking lane.

CVB

 

[MartinL]

ML - Go on line and have a go at one of the theory sample tests - they're horrendous.

CVB

If you want to learn how to drive, how can the on-line MULTIPLE CHOICE questions be unexpected or remotely difficult?

If you didn't know the correct answer all you need to do is pick out the three nonsensical ones and you have the answer.

Surely, the whole point of testing is to eliminate those who get too many things wrong and keep them OFF the roads, NOT put them on the motorways before they've proved to be competent?

As for driving on motorways, there are conditions attached to it. You have to have an Instructor with you and the car must be dual control.
CVB

I think you may find that "dual control" is just an additional brake pedal.

 

[domino]

If you want to learn how to drive, how can the on-line MULTIPLE CHOICE questions be unexpected or remotely difficult?

It's more difficult than it was prior to 1996.

 

[Anduril]

This is political correctness gone mad, first they make the driving test easier.

Now, as well as the BMW / Merc driver in "His/her" middle lane, we will have to deal with learners on the motorway too!

Not a problem with learner drivers, don't forget you have to contend with OAP's, midlife crisis drivers in their sports cars, young drivers in 1litre cars driving as though they are sports cars. That just about covers everyone, biggest tip, make sure the idiots are in front of you and not behind. Saw a case of a young driver have a blow out driving at 90mph on a space saver tyre which should be driven at 40mph.

 

[beebopper]

If you want to learn how to drive, how can the on-line MULTIPLE CHOICE questions be unexpected or remotely difficult?

If you didn't know the correct answer all you need to do is pick out the three nonsensical ones and you have the answer:

I used to hold that view until they introduced them into Alevel exams. If well written multiple choice can really test knowledge & understand by teasing out very specific points.

In addition the learner on a motorway needs to be with a qualified instructor who would not take a complete learner onto a motorway.
I would rather this that somebody just passed going onto motorway on their own for the first time.

 

[Softley]

This is political correctness gone mad, first they make the driving test easier.

Now, as well as the BMW / Merc driver in "His/her" middle lane, we will have to deal with learners on the motorway too!

As someone that has drives at least 30,000 miles a year (and has done for 18 years), I can say there's a large percentage of people that drive on the motorway who could do with being taught the basics - keep left, look what's going on ahead of the car in front, don't tailgate, etc. These drivers are not all driving expensive cars.

Under the tuition of a registered driving instructor I imagine lerner drivers will be using the motorways as they should. Far better for them to be shown how to use it correctly before they pass their test than allowing newly qualified drivers on motorways without any previous experience.

Maybe you'll be pleased to know that from December, driving under guidance of a sat nav and parking correctly in a marked bay will also form part of the test. Or maybe you think this is political correctness gone mad too?

I think they're doing away with reversing around a corner. I suppose if you park correctly in a marked bay then you should be reversing in and this is a better way to test someones ability to control their car in reverse.

 

[Softley]

I used to hold that view until they introduced them into Alevel exams. If well written multiple choice can really test knowledge & understand by teasing out very specific points.

In addition the learner on a motorway needs to be with a qualified instructor who would not take a complete learner onto a motorway.
I would rather this that somebody just passed going onto motorway on their own for the first time.

Quite right.

 

[Softley]

Not a problem with learner drivers, don't forget you have to contend with OAP's, midlife crisis drivers in their sports cars, young drivers in 1litre cars driving as though they are sports cars. That just about covers everyone, biggest tip, make sure the idiots are in front of you and not behind. Saw a case of a young driver have a blow out driving at 90mph on a space saver tyre which should be driven at 40mph.

I prefer to be in front as there's then less to dodge on the road ahead.

 

[Anduril]

How many are overtaking?

 

[B+.]

There are particular skills necessary to drive on a motorway that are quite different to driving around a town/village. So, the current situation quite clearly doesn't prepare a new driver for motorways. The question is: how should someone acquire those skills?
IMHO, only drivers who have passed their test should be allowed on a motorway, but, whats wrong with it being an additional stage in qualifying? i.e. pass your test then learn to drive on a motorway under proper supervision. Only after you pass another test on motorway driving would you be allowed to drive unsupervised on motorways.

 

[MartinL]

. . . . IMHO, only drivers who have passed their test should be allowed on a motorway, but, whats wrong with it being an additional stage in qualifying? i.e. pass your test then learn to drive on a motorway under proper supervision. Only after you pass another test on motorway driving would you be allowed to drive unsupervised on motorways.

Two part test would be good. "R" or "P" plates after passing 1st half.

Fail the second part and you only get one re-sit before starting again from scratch.

 

[Millet]

I had 13 lessons before my test which was 20mins driving and i had to answer 6 questions one of which i got wrong but i still passed, i doubt i would pass today as i personally think that written test is a bit overboard, regarding freshly passed drivers getting on the motorway with out any extended motorway driving lessons is a big NO NO to me, they will be a danger to themselves and other drivers.

 

[REDWOOD]

The one's that drive slower than your are morons and the one's that drive faster than you are idiots, think about that and you should reach a sobering conclusion

 

[Softley]

The one's that drive slower than your are morons and the one's that drive faster than you are idiots, think about that and you should reach a sobering conclusion

Only if you suffer from road rage.

 

[psafloyd]

This is political correctness gone mad, first they make the driving test easier.

Now, as well as the BMW / Merc driver in "His/her" middle lane, we will have to deal with learners on the motorway too!

It's about time, as people do not know how to drive on fast roads. Now people will sit in the middle lane for miles and miles rather than change lanes and this is really dangerous.

Perhaps we should have fewer lanes, like many foreign roads so you are compelled to return to the left lave after overtaking.

 

[pargyle]

After I passed my driving test in 1967 my Instructor took me for a run down the A1 (the only dual carriageway in the vicinity of South Yorkshire - there being no motorways in Yorkshire those days) ... he also took me for an hour on the Barnsley Corporation Bus skidpan ... He was an ex-Police driving instructor. I found both experiences invaluable and confidence building ... I wholeheartedly agree that advanced learner drivers, accompanied by an Instructor SHOULD get the opportunity to drive under motorway conditions. In these days of motorways going everywhere there are journeys I make that are 200+ miles and motorway almost from end to end. Letting a newly qualified driver onto a motorway without any tuition is, IMO, letting them loose into a very dangerous situation.

I also think that people caught middle lane hogging, driving badly or too fast on motorways should be made to do a better driving course - in a car with an instructor at their cost as well as being fined.

There are too many bad drivers on our roads generally and the motorways are probably more prone to dangerous driving than anywhere else on the roads.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

There are particular skills necessary to drive on a motorway that are quite different to driving around a town/village. So, the current situation quite clearly doesn't prepare a new driver for motorways. The question is: how should someone acquire those skills?
IMHO, only drivers who have passed their test should be allowed on a motorway, but, whats wrong with it being an additional stage in qualifying? i.e. pass your test then learn to drive on a motorway under proper supervision. Only after you pass another test on motorway driving would you be allowed to drive unsupervised on motorways.

The problem with making motorway driving compulsory for a learner is that there's a dearth of motorways in some parts of the country. Not to put too fine a point on it, in Cornwall, there are none! A learner from, say, Penzance would have to drive 110 miles to Exeter in DEVON even to find a motorway. That's going to end up as a pretty long and expensive lesson.

CVB

 

[Hivemaker.]

I also think that people caught middle lane hogging, driving badly or too fast on motorways should be made to do a better driving course - in a car with an instructor at their cost as well as being fined.

I think that all drivers old and new should be made to reverse perfectly a mile back on narrow twisty country lanes, if they cannot do it perfectly... they should be banned from driving until they can.