Learner Drivers to be alowed on the Motorways?

[Erichalfbee]

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.

Hear hear!!!!!

I have had the odd stand off in the lanes around here, faced with a large shiny and clean 4x4 I once had to reverse a good two hundred yards to let one by only to find there was a perfectly adequate space ten yards round the corner!
I know the roads now


As for motorways......I passed my driving test one Friday morning then drove from Home Counties to university in Glasgow on the motorways in my little Mini an hour later. It was an interesting experience.

 

[JWF]

As for motorways......I passed my driving test one Friday morning then drove from Home Counties to university in Glasgow on the motorways in my little Mini an hour later. It was an interesting experience.

I imagine that various other people found it interesting too

 

[psafloyd]

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.

I'd like to see those P plates in the UK. Also, a speed limit sticker, like in France that also prevents a new driver carrying passengers until their probation is up.

After all, it's when these new drivers show off to their mates they will often do something stupid or have an accident.

 

[psafloyd]

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

If there are no motorways, you can't do it. You can always use dual carriageway and treat it like a motorway (road conditions allowing).

 

[Softley]

If there are no motorways, you can't do it. You can always use dual carriageway and treat it like a motorway (road conditions allowing).

Or a simulator at the test centre?

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Or a simulator at the test centre?

Yes, but where's the learner to do the training before the test?

CVB

 

[Softley]

Yes, but where's the learner to do the training before the test?

CVB

Not ideal, I know. They could use a simulator to practice the motorway element. Simulators are used in the aviation industry to practice various scenarios. It's got to be better than no experience at all.

 

[B+.]

Yes, but where's the learner to do the training before the test?

I think this is missing the point. I see it as an additional test for those who intend using a motorway. If you live miles from a motorway and never intend using one, you wouldn't need to take the test. Like having an HGV licence.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I am torn on this subject I average 70,000 miles a year 70% motorway and the standard of driving is generally appalling, I have to do a yearly annual refresher in defensive driving in work and if everyone had to do something similar every few years it might improve the overall standard. How is a learner going to cope with a hgv sitting two feet from their rear without bottling out I think the motorway should be another test after passing the car test once a bit of experience and confidence is gained

 

[B+.]

I think the motorway should be another test after passing the car test once a bit of experience and confidence is gained

This is how I saw it working too.
There you go TJ, we should contract to the government as advisers! ;-)

 

[Softley]

I think this is missing the point. I see it as an additional test for those who intend using a motorway. If you live miles from a motorway and never intend using one, you wouldn't need to take the test. Like having an HGV licence.

I think this would lead to thousands of people not bothering to take the motorway test but using the motorways anyway. Just back to square one with unskilled drivers on the motorway. How could this be effectively policed?

 

[B+.]

I think this would lead to thousands of people not bothering to take the motorway test but using the motorways anyway. Just back to square one with unskilled drivers on the motorway. How could this be effectively policed?

Simple: a plate on the vehicle and an electronic note on the drivers license just as hgv works now

 

[Softley]

Simple: a plate on the vehicle and an electronic note on the drivers license just as hgv works now

I suppose that works. Yeah, you and TJ should give the government a quick call

 

[pargyle]

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.

Far too easy ... make them do it with a trailer, horse box or a caravan on the back !!

 

[JWF]

Far too easy ... make them do it with a trailer, horse box or a caravan on the back !!

I learnt to drive in a tractor - and can still reverse big trailers easily after all these years

 

[domino]

Simple: a plate on the vehicle and an electronic note on the drivers license just as hgv works now

How is that less simple than just making people prove they can drive on a motorway?

 

[B+.]

How is that less simple than just making people prove they can drive on a motorway?

Faced with a stupid idea, something has to be done

 

[ShinySideUp]

As a car driver for forty seven years, a motorcyclist for twenty three years and an LGV C+E (HGV Class 1) for twenty years and having a wife who passed her test some ten years ago I feel I am well-placed to comment on the driving test; it's not tough enough by far.

The theory test is a joke and only an imbecile should fail it. Before I am attacked from all sides allow me to post a couple of sample questions taken from the DVLA website:

1) You are driving on a motorway. You have to slow down quickly due to a hazard. You should:

a Switch on your hazard lights
b Sound your horn
c Switch on your headlights
d Flash your headlights

2) You are driving behind a large goods vehicle. It signals left but steers to the right. You should:

a slow down and let the vehicle turn
b overtake on the right of it
c drive on, keeping to the left
d hold your speed and sound your horn

Surely no one needs to even look up the answers because if the taker of the exam can't work out the correct answer to these two questions then I put it to you that they shouldn't be leaving the house, let alone driving a lethal weapon at national speeds. (For those people, the answers are both 'a').

The actual test has been shortened in as much as the candidate need only carry out one of the three basic manouvers instead of all three as was the case in times gone by. The test is forty minutes long but the actual driving is only thirty minutes which has not changed for many years.

The extended test which previously disqualified drivers may need to take is seventy minutes long and I put it to you that this should be the baseline test time for all new drivers. In addition, as has been mentioned by others, no passengers for at least a year after passing a test to avoid the 'showing off' phase of a new driver, A 'P' plate to be displayed for a year with a speed limit of 50 miles per hour during that year and no access to motorways for at least six months after passing the test.

Driving conditions these days are much trickier than they were when I first passed and I have seen them change through my two subsequent tests, plus I have had driving assessments as part of my employment so I have seen how things have become more difficult over time.

I would quite happily retake my theory and practical test every, say, ten years. Not going to happen though and under twenty-fives will continue to be the bane of responsible people's lives because they have a new toy and want to show it off to their mates...and people will die because of it.

 

[Softley]

In addition, as has been mentioned by others, no passengers for at least a year after passing a test to avoid the 'showing off' phase of a new driver, A 'P' plate to be displayed for a year with a speed limit of 50 miles per hour during that year and no access to motorways for at least six months after passing the test.

I still don't know how any of this is enforceable and not all new drivers show-off to their mates. Some people learn to drive later in life and not all youngsters are idiots. It's unfair to penalise those drivers because of the behaviours of other drivers. Say, you share a car with someone else that is eligible to drive on motorways, is this P plate removed every time they want to drive?

New drivers that want to drive on motorways will just remove the plate and do it. New drivers that want to show off to their mates will remove the plate. New drivers that want to speed, will remove the plate and speed. There are plenty of drivers without licences, tax, insurance, or all three and the police have a hard enough time dealing with them alone.

 

[domino]

I love how people who took the test prior to it beginning to become harder in the late 90s moan how easy it is these days.

In fact, it has never been harder to pass your driving test for a car or indeed a bike.

The pass rate for the theory test is 65%, mainly dragged down by the hazard perception scores.