Any - New driving test | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Thu 9 Nov 2017 21:12

Any - New driving test - argybargy

No doubt this has been discussed here before, so apologies for raising it again, but it is due to be introduced very soon.

The new driving test, from 4th December.

No three point turn, though instructors will still be advised to teach it, no reversing around corners, though instructors will etc. 20 minutes of independent driving instead of 10, following directions from a sat nav, parallel park, reversing two car lengths on the right hand side of the road then rejoining traffic (might as well have gone the whole hog and introduced a parallel park on the right hand side of the road, a useful skill I never learned until well after my test).

Instructors are up in arms because they say the latter manoeuvre breaks the Highway Code, but for those who live on the right in residential one way streets, reversing on the right and/or parallel parking on the right would be a regular occurence.

Any further observations welcome.

www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-test-changes-4-...7

Edited by argybargy on 09/11/2017 at 21:13

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Thu 9 Nov 2017 21:59

Any - New driving test - FiestaOwner

Never felt there was any problem with the driving test.

The issues are the bad habbits picked up or learned AFTER passing the test including:

Tailgating
Impatience
Lack of awareness of others and not anticipating potential problems

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 20:07

Any - New driving test - alan1302

Never felt there was any problem with the driving test.

The issues are the bad habbits picked up or learned AFTER passing the test including:

Tailgating

Impatience

Lack of awareness of others and not anticipating potential problems

Totally agree with this - if people stuck to driving how they were taught and followed the Highway Code the roads would flow better and there would be a lot less accidents.

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Thu 9 Nov 2017 22:12

Any - New driving test - P3t3r

Instructors are up in arms because they say the latter manoeuvre breaks the Highway Code, but for those who live on the right in residential one way streets, reversing on the right and/or parallel parking on the right would be a regular occurence.

Which part of the highway code does it break?

I think stopping/driving on the wrong side of the road should generally be discouraged, but I can't see an issue with it if done during the day time.

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Thu 9 Nov 2017 23:23

Any - New driving test - argybargy

Instructors are up in arms because they say the latter manoeuvre breaks the Highway Code, but for those who live on the right in residential one way streets, reversing on the right and/or parallel parking on the right would be a regular occurence.

Which part of the highway code does it break?

I think stopping/driving on the wrong side of the road should generally be discouraged, but I can't see an issue with it if done during the day time.

Rule 239, apparently, which stipulates that you should not park facing against the traffic flow.

In reality of course, most of us do it now and again and I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for that manoeuvre.

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 15:23

Any - New driving test - movilogo

In Germany, it is illegal to park facing opposite to the traffic and there are instances of people getting tickets for doing so.

I don't know the reason though. This is normal when parking is only allowed on side of the street.

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 16:33

Any - New driving test - focussed

"Rule 239, apparently, which stipulates that you should not park facing against the traffic flow."

There was a driving test manoevre that involved pulling up (stopping) on the right hand side of the road just past a junction to the right and reversing around that corner and to carry on reversing in that side road until the examiner asks you to stop - it must be the usual 10 metre clearance form the junction at least.

In theory a learner candidate on test could be asked to do it so I used to teach it.

So it can't be illegal can it?

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 17:12

Any - New driving test - thecloser

Slightly off topic but does the Highway Code carry any legal 'clout'? There are lots of 'should nots' and also lots of 'must nots'. I would interpret 'should not' as advisory but does 'must not' mean that you break the law if you do?

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 17:39

Any - New driving test - argybargy

"Rule 239, apparently, which stipulates that you should not park facing against the traffic flow."

There was a driving test manoevre that involved pulling up (stopping) on the right hand side of the road just past a junction to the right and reversing around that corner and to carry on reversing in that side road until the examiner asks you to stop - it must be the usual 10 metre clearance form the junction at least.

In theory a learner candidate on test could be asked to do it so I used to teach it.

So it can't be illegal can it?

Maybe they're concerned that their insurers will refuse to pay up if a pupil has a bump during a manoeuvre which is flagged as a no-no by the Code.

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 18:18

Any - New driving test - P3t3r

"Rule 239, apparently, which stipulates that you should not park facing against the traffic flow."

There was a driving test manoevre that involved pulling up (stopping) on the right hand side of the road just past a junction to the right and reversing around that corner and to carry on reversing in that side road until the examiner asks you to stop - it must be the usual 10 metre clearance form the junction at least.

In theory a learner candidate on test could be asked to do it so I used to teach it.

So it can't be illegal can it?

It's not worded as a 'MUST NOT' in the Highway code, so it's not illegal. However, the Highway code does discourage it.

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 22:03

Any - New driving test - focussed

The current examiner guidance and SOP's state the following:-

1.32 Manoeuvring exercises

The candidate will be asked to carry out two set exercises.

One controlled stop see General Matters 7.35 and one of the following, which may be selected at random:

turning in the road (using reverse gear)
reversing into a junction (either to the right or left)
reverse parking (either into a bay, or on the road)

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Fri 10 Nov 2017 18:17

Any - New driving test - P3t3r

Instructors are up in arms because they say the latter manoeuvre breaks the Highway Code, but for those who live on the right in residential one way streets, reversing on the right and/or parallel parking on the right would be a regular occurence.

Which part of the highway code does it break?

I think stopping/driving on the wrong side of the road should generally be discouraged, but I can't see an issue with it if done during the day time.

Rule 239, apparently, which stipulates that you should not park facing against the traffic flow.

In reality of course, most of us do it now and again and I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for that manoeuvre.

Ah yes, it's not in the older versions of the Highway code so it must have been added in recent years.

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Thu 16 Nov 2017 17:57

Any - New driving test - RichT54

According to Auto Express, some driving examiners will be going on a 48hr strike in protest against the new driving test.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/95548/driving-examiners-to-strike-in-protest-against-2017-driving-test

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Thu 16 Nov 2017 20:52

Any - New driving test - focussed

How unusual - they used to strike for all sorts of reasons, and the first you would know about it was when you and your pupil turned up for their test booking only to find that their test was cancelled and it was re-booked for a date in three month's time.

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