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** Poll now closed. Results here:- ****
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=28293&...e
This weeks Poll has been inspired by Imagos's thread What in and when did you pass your test?
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So, an astounding 65% of you (so far) passed your test at the first attempt.
::Hmmmm, rubs chin!::
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The national average pass rate has never exceeded 50%, at present it is about 43%.
BUT;
Those who post on here are motoring enthusiasts, and were likely to be willing and enthusiastic learner drivers, as opposed to those who just learnt because it was something they had to do to get on the road and took no interest in any aspect that wasn't nescessary. Many already had bike licences before they got behind the wheel of a car.
Both the above make a big difference, as any instructor will confirm.
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Certainly true in my case, Tom, had a bike licence and was mad keen on motor sports, particularly speedway.
Was taught to drive by the local fire brigade driving instructor who taught me to pass my test in a lucky 13 lessons and then taught me how to drive properly, or I should say, better, in another 6. Questioned the need for the extra six lessons at the time but in retrospect I learnt more from his experience in those lessons than I did from my own experience over probably the next five years!
Cockle
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Certainly true in my case, Tom, had a bike licence and was mad keen on motor sports, particularly speedway. Was taught to drive by the local fire brigade driving instructor who taught me to pass my test in a lucky 13 lessons
Certainly not true in my case.
I rode a push bike, up to 10K a year, for my experience.
I took my first test in West London after eight hours of lessons but failed it.
A further five hours of lessons and I had my licence.
There was no car in my family and I had no other practice.
In the 60s things were a little different and my how things have changed.
One year later having not driven since the test I was able to hire a Vauxhall 101 estate with a column change from Heathrow Terminal 2 and off I went. I shudder when I think what the risks were.
I eventually got lots of practice on holiday in Cyprus driving up and down the mountains in an old hire car with no hand brake.
Happy days!
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Anybody who took 1 attempt will be quite comfortable answering the question. Someone who took more may not be, probably isn't that enthusiastic about the question, and so would be less likely to answer.
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Occasionally we hear of some people who take 10, 15 and even more attempts to pass. Surely after say 5 failed attempts they have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that they were never meant to be in control of a vehicle and should be prohibited from taking any more tests.
A limit of 5 tests would give anyone time to overcome exam nerves and allow for a couple of off days. I realise this view may not be shared by many learner drivers but it seems that a driving licence is seen almost as a basic human right. Also its strange how most people will happily admit to being useless at say cooking, maths, science etc. but I have only ever met one person who admitted to being a less than good driver.
Keep upright
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I can think of no reason to limit the number of test attempts. You do not pass until you can satisfy an examiner that you can drive to a safe standard, so what does it matter how long it took you to learn? I can think of many pupils who really struggled to get to grips with driving, failed as many as five or six times but who were very good drivers when they finally mastered it. Better, in some cases than the quick learners, simply because of the amount of practise they had had. The best lessons are often the hardest learned.
I have never seen any stats that suggest those who learnt quickly had fewer accidents than those who took a long time. My own feedback from ex pupils suggests the reverse, in fact.
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I've been driven by a couple of people soon after they passed the test in one go and been scared witless. So I'd be curious about the stats regarding accidents and number of attempts to pass.
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My mum took seven tests and failed the lot. She was a perfectly competent driver who found the stress of tests just too much to cope with. She'd drive perfectly well to the test centre, fail her test (usually through problems relating to use of gears) then drive home perfectly.
She was even failed twice by a chap who lived up the road. She used to ask us to pop along, break his windows and not tell her. Fortunately we all assumed she was joking.
She gave up when her driving instructor died of a heart attack. She always claimed afterwards to have killed him off.
V
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I don't think it should be a given right that people can take unlimited tests until they pass. We already have pretty poor test standards in this country and no motorway instruction etc.
We should accept that there are some people for whom the car is just an uncontrollable machine and they lack the hand eye co-ordination to be let loose on the roads.
It matters not how long someone takes to prepare, but the number of tests should be limited.
For commercial pilots you can pass or with one or two minor mistakes "partially pass" the flying tests (General Flying Test and Instrument Rating seperately). With a partial pass, you simply retake the section that you failed. You get two attempts to retake the partial (total 3 tests). If you fail, then you have to take the complete test again, also with the limit of 2 partial retakes. Fail the partial in the second block of 3 and you are allowed only one more block to pass, ie if you don't get a complete pass within 9 tests you are forbidden forever to become a professional pilot.
The same structure applies to the written examinations (around 20 exams in two blocks).
I think the system has plenty of tolerance but makes sure applicants are confident they are ready to be tested and secondly it screens those with absolutely no aptitude for the task.
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I think people should be allowed to attempt the test as many times as they like. If a candidate drives really dangerously a tester can terminate the test on safety grounds. If a candidate has three tests terminated, then perhaps their provisional licence should be revoked.
There are many people who are prevented from having a driving licence on medical grounds, such as diabetes or epilepsy. These illnesses can be controlled in many cases and sufferers would present no more danger behind the wheel than many of our less competent 'qualified' drivers. I have long thought that it should be the norm for convicted wreckless drivers to have their licences permanently revoked.
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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The results of this weeks poll are:-
Poll 23. How many attempts did it take for you to pass your driving test?
One = 101
Two = 32
Three = 19
Four = 4
Five = nil
More than five = 1
Still learning to drive = 1
Other = 1
If you want any results from earlier polls, then mail me at mailto:dave_moderator@honestjohn.co.uk
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Other ???
What on earth is "other" ? Its clearly not number of tests and if it means "I've never taken a test" then what were you answering the question for ?
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Perhaps it's omeone who bunged the tester a hundred quid, so they never actually passed the test even though they have a driving licence.
V
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Well I didn't want it all over teh net but yes - Vin is right
;-)
--
Adam
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My ex father in law was "other". Passed a motorcycle test in the army during the war and that gave him car entitlement as well, which he kept when he returned to civvies.
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D'oh!
c'mon, who was it who took more than five?
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I did pass my car test first time, but I'll admit to needing 3 attempts at my HGV. I knew I was being entered for the HGV test before I was ready (I probably only got about 6 or 7 hours of on-highway tuition behind the wheel before the first test and 3 more before the second). But that's the way that driving school worked - you had to sign up for the test when you booked the course. I changed to a different school and passed OK, no nerves or anything!)
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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