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[Bigron]

Dr. Opti, I rather think it would help if a new driving test every 5 years, to account for changing conditions - both road and driver - were compulsory. I would be happy to be re-tested and have it confirmed that I was safe on the roads.
In my job at college, I often took students on trips (silly me, a glutton for punishment!) and therefore had to pass a stringent test to drive the college mini-bus: rightly so, considering the responsibility I had for the safety of 17 young people.

Ron.

[2boxerdogs]

Just seen this on the news, for once it seems someone has had a sensible idea .

[Sir Tigger KC]

Are motorway lessons to be compulsory then? 

What happens if you live in the arse end of Cornwall or Narfick where the nearest motorway is miles away? 

[Nick W]

In my travels yesterday the number of young people I found driving like idiots on the motorway was zero.

Number of middle aged idiots sitting in the middle lane on a quiet motorway, two.

Number of lorries taking up all three lanes (yes, on a three lane motorway.. is that legal now?) doing their four mile drag race.. eight. All on UK plates.

I don't think 18 year olds are the problem...

They're certainly not the only problem.


And what's all the fuss about new drivers on motorways where all there is no oncoming traffic, few junctions(that's what defines them as motorways, and not dual carriageways), clear signposting etc, etc. Those are all things that make motorways the easiest and safest roads to drive on. The biggest problem is a potentially large speed differential than they're used to, which will affect nervous and indecisive drivers worse the most. And they're the ones that are dangerous whenever they drive a car.

[Rods2]

Is it compulsory to pass a driving test these days?. Before 1935 there was no need.

If so I must look into this.

It is still optional in some Eastern European countries. The cheaper and quicker route there is to slip the full license issuing officer a suitably filled brown envelope. They can then migrate to the UK never having had a driving lesson in their life.

[Doctor Gollum]

As for first time on a motorway alone etc... Shame on those parents who allow this to happen without bothering to take the time to get them used to it.

I guess this can't apply to everyone though. Many of my mates at the time of learning to drive were from single parent families whose mums didn't drive themselves. Although I agree they should in those circs maybe arrange alternative instruction.

Although I also guess some people don't learn to drive until their 30s and beyond. Can't really hold their parents accountable 

Being from a single parent family is not an excuse. The number of people raised in broken homes outweighs those from stable homes something like four or five to one... Maybe I was lucky* growing up, but three of my four uncles went out of their way to make up for my Dads failings. Any one of them would have taken me on a motorway lesson, but that onerous task fell to the uncle who happened to be a Traffic Inspector at the local RPU

I understand how lifestyle can prevent people from learning to drive. If you haven't learnt before university you might never learn as you'll most likely end up living in a city. But if and when the need/desire arises, you'll obviously take every step to learn properly. At that stage in life you don't waste time with half arsed attempts... either do it or don't bother. Aunt, wife of said uncle, has never driven. Ever. But she was adamant that both their daughters took their tests. Not sure what they will do when he has to give up driving though

I only know one of my school mates who doesn't drive. Yes he comes from a broken home, but that has absolutely nothing to do with not learning. He basically didn't see the point or have the need. His previous girlfriends all drove, as does his wife... ergo, he still doesn't need to

* I know I was lucky, so no need to answer that point

[Kevin Wood]

The way I see it, they won't make motorway driving part of the test and driving instructors are there to get people through the test, at the end of the day. Will they insist on wasting a (not cheap) pre-test lesson or two practising on the motorway? I doubt it very much, unless the punter particularly wants to.

I suspect instructors will concentrate on covering the requirements of the driving test until that is behind the student, and then offer them a motorway lesson* to introduce them to the additional requirements of motorways, which is exactly the same scenario as when I did it 30 years ago.

* - not in East Anglia or Cornwall, of course.

[aaronjb]

I suspect instructors will concentrate on covering the requirements of the driving test until that is behind the student, and then offer them a motorway lesson* to introduce them to the additional requirements of motorways, which is exactly the same scenario as when I did it 30 years ago.

I was never offered any motorway lessons by my instructor (then again, the nearest motorway was some distance away from the arse end of nowhere, North Yorkshire.. I mean, Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire ) but every lesson did involve heading up the dual-carriageway section of the A19 to Northallerton (where I eventually did my test) and woe betide me if I did not merge from the slip-road doing the same speed as the surrounding traffic..

..in fact, woe betide me if I didn't keep up with the flow of traffic wherever I was going. Which, if any of you have driven around North Yorkshire, tends to be one of two things: "We're stuck behind a bloody tractor" or "The man in front thinks he's Colin McRae"

[VXL V6]

I remember when I passed my test (27 years ago  ) taking the old mans spare car out and thraping the nads off it up the motorway within an hour of leaving the test centre.   

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Motorways were different / better roads to drive on 27 years ago though. 
They are crammed beyond capacity with vehicles driven by the brain dead now, and adding learners, with the possibility of their fear and panic into that mix is just stupid imo.
I would like to add something which my driving instructor told me 40 years ago, but I never had an instructor. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I doubt that any learner driver will be taken onto a motorway until their instructor feels they are competent enough. 

There are plenty of drivers who have had their licences for years who go into a state of fear and panic at the thought of going on a motorway and we've all seen people gripping the wheel so hard that their knuckles are white, staring straight ahead going along at 40mph in the middle lane!     

[Kevin Wood]

Motorways were different / better roads to drive on 27 years ago though. 
They are crammed beyond capacity with vehicles driven by the brain dead now, and adding learners, with the possibility of their fear and panic into that mix is just stupid imo.
I would like to add something which my driving instructor told me 40 years ago, but I never had an instructor. 

Yep, lunch time from 6th form was down the M3 to Mc'Ds in Fleet services at 125 MPH in my mate's MG Montego then back home via the service road.

You'd struggle to achieve half that progress now.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Ah, the days before speed cameras, and half empty roads. I'm welling up with tears of nostalgia here Kevin.   

[Andy B]

it was in those halcyon days before speed cameras that I managed 6 & a half hours from Pompey Hard to Rosyth  ...... 

it was in one of the fastest cars on the road though .... a hired Sierra 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I managed Liverpool docks to Halstead, north Essex in 3 hours 20 minutes in 1980. The route left the M1 at junction 12 (iirc) and it was all single carriageway roads for (almost) the last 100 miles. I got chased by a panda car somewhere in Bedfordshire but I lost him.
Those were the days my friend, we thought they,d never end.