Spot on, my Dad never took a test, he learnt to drive in a bakers van at 16 with the baker riding shotgun. Because he could 'drive' he was give the job of ferrying troops around in India using Willys Jeep's.

Post war, he was given a licence because of his war time duties. He died in 1996 and had driven for 56 years test free. I have to add he was probably the best driver I knew, he drove lorries post war and then became a rep covering 30,000+ miles per year with a new company Ford Escort Mk1,2 or 3 every year.

Edited by A3 A4 on 18/10/2013 at 13:10

it was a simpler time.

I recall a time when Jimmy Saville was a respected guardian of Child safety telling us to clunk click.

Strange times indeed.

Pre 1934 if remember rightly(I'm not that old),there was no such thing as a test and and people driving before that were given a licence-as for Army service,the Forces issued a "Certificate of Proficiency" which could be exchanged for a civilian licence.

Watch out for middle aged folk with red number plates as well.

Other countries in Europe also introduced driving tests during the twentieth century, the last of them being Belgium where, until 1977, it was possible to purchase and hold a license without having to undergo a driving test