Who here, over the age of 40, thinks they'd pass a driving test?

[Bushbasher]

Well, I thought I'd be ok when I went for a taxi ticket drive around yesterday. I decided NOT to sit down and read through the learners manual, try to remember it all, then get stressed out during the test. I decided I'd be better off staying calm and relaxed so just drive the way I normally drive and just to see how I'd go. A big risk when I paid $100 for the test but I figured if I blew it at least I'd know what to focus on next time.

If I'd been a spotty youf, I'd have failed a driving test dismally, but only on 3 things, although you get a point deducted every time you don't do one of them by the book, and 5 points and you fail. I'd have failed 5 minutes into the test. Thankfully he pulled me over and explained what was expected by the taxi inspectors and I adjusted accordingly.

What would have failed me if I was 18?..... well...

Firstly, my approach to a stop. The rule is, you must check your rear view mirror and indicate your intention before you touch the brake. I tend to use my right door mirror and not my interior rear view mirror to make the check. Years of truck driving got me into this habit as your RV mirror is useless to look behind you. (I used to angle it to check my left side blind spot). This is a fail.

Secondly, right hand turns out of a junction. I tend to swing around in a nice parabolic arc into the middle of the lane, again, a legacy of having to take wide turns in a truck, but also it gives a smoother ride for everyone in the car IMO. FAIL. The rule is, you turn from hard against the centre line to hard against the centre line then drift to the left. There is no way to do this smoothly and not have to tighten the turn up at the last moment so you don't cross the centre line.

Thirdly, the shoulder check.Whenever you change lanes you are required to look over your shoulder to check your blind spot. I only did it when I knew someone was close by. 2 things here, spacial awareness of knowing who's around you at all times by having constantly checked your mirrors, again truck driving teaches you this. So unless someone has magically materialized in your blind spot from another dimension you know nobody is there plus, I can't get my head to turn that far comfortably thanks to an MVA back in 89, so I tend to lean forward while checking the door mirrors which lets me see the blind spots just to be sure. When I know someone is close I do the shoulder check but it hurts my neck.

So did I pass after all that? Well yes I did actually, but not without a couple of other things I need to adjust. The 2 second rule is now the 3 second rule, which I knew, but the instructor said a was still border line on that for him to be totally comfortable. Posture, I tend to rest my elbow on the door, and keeping both hands on the wheel at ALL times.

What saved me I think was he factored in my 35yrs of driving experience, my spacial awareness and the fact I gave him a smooth and relaxing ride that at no time made him nervous being in the car with me.



So what about the rest of you, do you really think you'd pass a driving test if it was sprung on you , or even if you had a weeks notice? Me, I think even knowing what I know now and having been through it I still don't know that I'd ace it on any given day without a complete change of mindset.

[blackf6]

Have driving tests every 6 months. Just part of my job.

[MR REKLAW]

Not a snowballs chance in hell,would I pass a current driving test,to many bad habits,picked up through years of driving and never having anybody to review my driving.

[1TUFFUTE]

don't know about myself but from basic maths I reckon over 90% would FAIL the second they came to a round about. Terrible terrible understanding of whats required at roundabouts.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Legit290

Felt like a ******** indicating leaving a straight roundabout.

What the hell is a "straight roundabout"?!

I guess I know what you mean - the wrongly-described "straight ahead/turn left/turn right at a roundabout". But you actually did the right thing, signalling left to exit the roundabout at any exit. A roundabout is a circular road, you go around it until you come to your exit, then you indicate left to leave it.

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

don't know about myself but from basic maths I reckon over 90% would FAIL the second they came to a round about. Terrible terrible understanding of whats required at roundabouts.

Australian road authorities themselves have serious trouble understanding and describing the process of using a roundabout, what hope do learning road users have?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by new2ford

I guess I know what you mean -

of course you know what is meant. everyone knows what is meant.

describing it how you suggest is just being pedantic.

if someone says, go straight at the roundabout, not one person on the planet would be confused, and not one person on the planet would drive straight over top.

the only exception is roundabouts that have more than 4 exits. they would be a minority, and most people would adapt accordingly and state, take the 1st, 2nd, 3rd exit etc etc.

given there are more accidents at intersections than roundabouts, perhaps people should brush up on those instead.

as for the topic, i'm not over 40 so doesn't apply to me i'm pretty confident i'd pass that driving parts, although i might be a bit rusty on some of the distances you can park from intersections etc. all the stuff that doesn't really matter.

if i'm going to pick on one thing from the OP though, its the one regarding indicating your intentions prior to braking. this has been a rule since adam was a boy, and its so frustrating when inconsiderate people do it back to front. indicating your intentions always comes first.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by DeJaVu GT

Have driving tests every 6 months. Just part of my job.

I would imagine anyone driving emergency services vehicles and professional drivers ferrying paying passengers, in general, would pass and I'm sure that after a few months driving a cab I'd probably pass easily too but the average driver would fail dismally I reckon.

[PHawk]

54...probably not!

[CoupeKing]

Not 40 yet. I think I'd fail miserably. Reverse parking should be banned.

[OLD BALDY]

WOT at 76 pass the drivers test!!!! will take it in my G6ET and frighten the S---T out of him and he will have to pass me!!

[Mowdit]

I would like to think that most people would pass or get close to passing the test these days, if put on the spot.
A lot of people are just complacent about their driving, ok LAZY !
It is like driving next to a police car, people "do the right thing" when they have to.....

[superyob]

Not me...

[Franco Cozzo]

I only got my license 5 years ago and I'd fail for sure

Two fingers from right hand on the steering wheel at 3 or 6, elbow on door trim, left hand for changing stations/tracks on stereo otherwise on shifter and loud music ftw

[iCat]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Two fingers from right hand on the steering wheel at 3 or 6, elbow on door trim, left hand for changing stations/tracks on stereo otherwise on shifter and loud music ftw

I thought I'd pass till I read this description of me oops! :-D

[Legit290]

Did my light truck license last year.
Felt like a ******** indicating leaving a straight roundabout.
Failed the knowledge test first time, question was can a coach driver or a driver hauling flammable goods have an alcoholic drink on his lunch/dinner break? The correct answer is yes. .02

[Express]

I’d have no chance with a knowledge test if I needed to quote distances for various manoeuvres and situations as years of driving have replaced actual knowledge with my version of common sense which wouldn’t be accurate enough to pass an exam.

As for the physical driving test I might if I concentrate hard fail poorly instead of miserably.

I tend to drive in a generally courteous manner and let myself down with occasionally aggressive overtones when confronted by inconsiderate idiots.

[JC]

Originally Posted by Express

I tend to drive in a generally courteous manner and let myself down with occasionally aggressive overtones when confronted by inconsiderate idiots.

This describes me perfectly.....

I reckon I'd pass, with a blemish or 2 though....

[ljf12]

My son got his licence a couple of years ago, my daughter is in the middle of obtaining hers now (passed the practical, another six months and required hours to go).

I do not think that anyone over the age of forty would pass if the assessor went by the book, too many things they pick you up on that most people don't know about. I think it would be very difficult for anyone of any age to pass on their first attempt unless they have had lessons with a driving school.

My daughter did her test in an automatic, have since bought her a manual so she has to do it again. She has friends failing their manual assessments (one has failed three times so far), mainly failing due to gearbox/clutch techniques. Who here sits at a set of traffic lights etc for long periods in first gear with the clutch in ?

She will have lessons with a driving school but before then I would like to know what are acceptable manual driving techniques. I emailed the transport department asking if there was any available information (I couldn't find any) their reply was basically as follows " assessors know what are safe and acceptable techniques, if you want to know what they are go to a driving school, you can find them in the yellow pages ".

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by ljf12

I do not think that anyone over the age of forty would pass if the assessor went by the book, too many things they pick you up on that most people don't know about. I think it would be very difficult for anyone of any age to pass on their first attempt unless they have had lessons with a driving school.

The young lad who went before me had just been failed and he'd had shirt loads of hours with an instructor apparently.

The bloke who took me round wasn't fudging the results and said I'd have been in all sorts of trouble if I'd have been a newby going for my license and that was after only 5 minutes and 10 corners.
Thankfully he pulled me over and basically gave me a lecture rather than fail me immediately. After that I adjusted and was ok, but he gave me the impression that he was a stickler for the rules and expected them to be followed to the letter or else.

I almost feel sorry for the kids trying to get their license these days, it's a long, tough haul to then be almost guaranteed to be failed the first time for something minor that most of us wouldn't even consider.

[jmack]

So is knowing how to pass a driving test more important than knowing how to drive.a lot of people pass the test but still dont know how to drive. The rv mirror check is irrelevant on a lot of vehicles today which is why you are allowed limo tint on back window of suv etc.but as for passing the test id have to be concentrating on not letting some of the bad habits that we all get no happen

[2011G6E]

Just turned fifty here...I'd actually enjoy the challenge of keeping up with things, especially given the way laws change with little notice.

As a train driver, we have to virtually "re-sit our licence" every two or three years, completely, from scratch. If you don't pass, you're off the tracks until you get yourself back up to the proper level of competence again, no ifs or buts.

We often wonder what the roads would look like if the same requirements were put on ordinary motorists...we don't know, but we bet the roads would be a lot emptier...

[aussiblue]

yes; I think I would.

[Legit290]

You still don't get it obviously

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Legit290

You still don't get it obviously

I would say the same but don't want to get into an argument because we all respect each other here on AFF. The bottom line with roundabouts in Australia is that it's best to be defensive and ignore any signalling (or more often none) and wait till the roundabout clears rather than being T boned. Never mind the frustrated queue behind you - better to be alive than "in the right" but dead.

Large roundabouts generally work well but I'd say it was a mistake to introduce the mini-roundabout (UK invention) to Australia. They work fine with traffic flow in the UK because the drivers are observant, competent and considerate, but here there's a yawning gap between theory and practice and the road traffic authorities carry most of the blame for that.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by new2ford

The bottom line with roundabouts in Australia is that it's best to be defensive and ignore any signalling

but isn't that the case with any intersection? i never pull out in front of a car until i know what that car is doing, regardless of signal. too many times cars drive along with indicators flashing.

we don't live in a perfect world. roundabouts have been around long before signalling on exit became a national law. everyone survived before, and are still surviving. it doesn't make it right or wrong, but it doesn't necessarily make it 'confusing' either.... unless of course you are impatient, and can't wait that extra 3 seconds.

[superfly]

I'm 45 and I reckon I'd pass. Just gotta watch the speed limits closely.

[Whitey-AMG]

What's worse is that a lot of us are teaching our kids how to drive on their L's....

[Bushbasher]

Yup, was one of the first things I got chatted on. Left hand resting on the console and right hand palming the wheel while cornering or elbow on the top of the door and right hand at 3 o'clock.


Unless you have both hands on the wheel at all times and are super alert and in a constant state of cat like readiness in case of rogue bogans or old people plowing into you, you will be failed.

[SumoDog68]

Not sure what state this taxi ticket test was in but if you observe taxi drivers in Melbourne and their driving I hope no one else passes the same test :-)