And this was the attitude 90 years later

 

That is still the attitude today, there are people who see 35 as a target and drink up to it.

If you want a modern day comparison though think about Cannabis use.

The sixties moved the Drunk in charge to a defined rather than subjective judgement.

You no longer had to walk in a straight line.

 

Statistics on road safety in Great Britain are mostly based on personal-injury collisions reported to the police it would be interesting to gather data from insurance companies, I cannot as yet find that, every search i do comes up with deaths.

 

42/50 failed

using my danish driver licence here in UK.

Which colour follows the green signal at a puffin crossing? never heard of a puffin crossing so i guessed

You're driving along a quiet motorway. Which advanced driver assistance system is most likely to help you? i would have thought using the acc, not lane warning

What should you do when you're passing loose sheep on the road? guessed i had to be a sheppard, but noope, just drive slowly past them.

What does this sign mean? i guessed ring road, round about sign ? never seen one here.

At an incident, someone is suffering from severe burns. How could you help them? to me what a weird question, now remember to allways keep cool water in the car....

When are you allowed to wait on the yellow grid markings? never! nope when swinging right, but then i'm not waiting, but just waiting for clearence to swing, uhh waiting my fault.

You wish to tow a trailer. Where would you find the maximum noseweight for your vehicle’s tow hitch? v5? nope cars handbook.

When may you wait in the area marked with a cycle? when no cycle there, or rather never, but yes if change to amber, ahh well.


Now how many know the new rules in the highway book about pedestrians wanting to cross the road ? go go ashley neal.

 

42/50 failed

using my danish driver licence here in UK.

Same here, 42/50, although I was rushing through the questions and finished in about 7 mins...

I've never sat a UK driving test - I converted my New Zealand license to a UK one in 2010 without having to sit any tests, just hand over the money and the old license... despite there being some very significant differences in road rules and road markings...

(For example at the time I left New Zealand the infamous "right hand rule", source of many accidents for foreign drivers, was still in force - I think this has been repealed now!)

Signage and road markings in the UK are quite different, traffic lights operate differently, (green arrows pointing forward aren't a thing in NZ for one, no amber before green etc, no "pelican" crossings) and many informal "rules" are different as well, for example flashing headlights to let someone in is not a thing in NZ and means something very different...

I did have to voluntarily look up some of the differences online to understand them fully and picked up most of the rest organically... really I should have been made to sit a theory test to convert my license but the UK gov obviously thinks New Zealand rules and signage are "similar enough"! (I disagree)

The questions that tripped me up were ones like "If you get 6 points on your license do you have to....." - I have no clue what 6 points on my license would mean, I've never had any points on my license so never a need to look it up.

 

This could be in the Off Topic Lounge, but it is really a "on topic" applicable to all - so it is here.

"Direct Line conducted a survey using 15 random questions from the actual exam.
Almost all drivers would fail a resit of their theory test, a study has found.
Around 95 per cent of British driving licence holders would not pass the theory test if they had to resit it today, according to research from Direct Line.
A total of 1,900 out of 2,000 drivers managed to fail a stripped-down test prepared by the car insurer, consisting of 15 randomly selected questions from the actual test.
Matt Pernet, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said: “These findings are a stark reminder that many people are not keeping up to date with the latest rules and should serve as a wake-up call to encourage all drivers to regularly refresh their knowledge.”
To pass the 57-minute, 50-question theory test, motorists must score a mark of 86 per cent – equating to 13 right answers out of 15 on Direct Line’s mock exam."

I buy a new edition of the Highway Code but I can't say it gets much past the front seat back pocket.

So, I whizzed over to Car driving theory test practice 1 | Safe Driving for Life
and 52 years after my last test, had a go from a cold start with pre shower cuppa in bed.
I scraped through with 44 and certainly didn't need anywhere near the 57 minutes allowed. I'm pretty sure that racking my cells for longer wouldn't have helped.
Ho hum - perhaps I'll read the HC and challenge Mrs to have a go.

Should remember to try that test once a year thanks for putting it up

 

The direct line test survey is not representative really It would only take three of the dubious questions in the fifteen to get a fail.

Hidden agenda in not using the full test maybe?

 

Fun fact about motorways. Vehicles fitted with a speed limiter are not allowed in the outside lane.

• a goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes,
• a goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter
• a passenger vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver the maximum laden weight of which exceeds 7.5 tonnes;
• a passenger vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver the maximum laden weight of which does not exceed 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter.
• a motor vehicle drawing a trailer
• a vehicle which is a motor tractor, a light locomotive or a heavy locomotive

 

I was dreading questions about stopping distances. The rolling gap of two seconds was easy - I even had a provisional patent in my name on a device to make that much easier, but I didn't follow it with a full application. Braking and thinking distances have been the bane of my life as far as questioning is concerned. I cannot see the point in remembering the numbers - I like most people cannot think in yards, or metres and how that relates to whether I'm going to hit the car in front. The 'official' figures were arrived at decades ago and while thinking distances won't change, braking distances definitely hace changed.

 

i learnt a Formula in feet
2x20
2 and a half x 30
3x40
3andhalf x 50
4x60
4andhalf x 70

 

So, I whizzed over to Car driving theory test practice 1 | Safe Driving for Life

82 years old, 46/50
Most of the questions are common sense, particularly if you've done any first aid (Scouts 65 years ago)
I don't think I've seen a copy of the highway code since my daughters passed their tests 30+ years ago.

 

So... it seems Direct Line customers are significantly worse than SpeakEV readers. Unless those who failed decided not to post

 

This could be in the Off Topic Lounge, but it is really a "on topic" applicable to all - so it is here.

"Direct Line conducted a survey using 15 random questions from the actual exam.
Almost all drivers would fail a resit of their theory test, a study has found.
Around 95 per cent of British driving licence holders would not pass the theory test if they had to resit it today, according to research from Direct Line.
A total of 1,900 out of 2,000 drivers managed to fail a stripped-down test prepared by the car insurer, consisting of 15 randomly selected questions from the actual test.
Matt Pernet, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said: “These findings are a stark reminder that many people are not keeping up to date with the latest rules and should serve as a wake-up call to encourage all drivers to regularly refresh their knowledge.”
To pass the 57-minute, 50-question theory test, motorists must score a mark of 86 per cent – equating to 13 right answers out of 15 on Direct Line’s mock exam."

I buy a new edition of the Highway Code but I can't say it gets much past the front seat back pocket.

So, I whizzed over to Car driving theory test practice 1 | Safe Driving for Life
and 52 years after my last test, had a go from a cold start with pre shower cuppa in bed.
I scraped through with 44 and certainly didn't need anywhere near the 57 minutes allowed. I'm pretty sure that racking my cells for longer wouldn't have helped.
Ho hum - perhaps I'll read the HC and challenge Mrs to have a go.

bully for you , .
i think its going to be discussed in parliment that theory re tests , eyesight tests will be compulsory for the aged 70 plus yrs olds driver . Which if this happens then the min of transport and dvla should fund the theory test FOR THE OLDER FOLK .

 

My teenage daughter (too young to drive) did the practice test and passed. How those who are hoping to take their practical can fail is beyond me.

 

You only need to look at how dumb most people are to understand how the world is in the state it’s in. I am trying to teach my 12 year old son to understand how critical thinking works and to verify facts before believing them.

 

When ABS was new-ish, it was explained as not as good as a really skilled and practised driver, who would hold the brakes just below the skidding point and get maximum stopping effect. But I agree that (a) it's improved and (b) it's better than the other 99.95% of drivers, certainly better than me.

 

Modern ABS is better than any driver no matter how skilled attempting old fashioned pulse braking to control wheel lockup.

1) It can respond to wheel lockups much more rapidly (it can apply and release around 10-20 times a second depending on the system, good luck doing that with your foot)

2) It can control each wheel independently so as only to limit the braking force on wheels that are actually slipping - very useful on patches of snow/ice where grip can be very uneven between different wheels from moment to moment as you travel over slippery spots. It will constantly adapt to this and only apply braking force to the wheels that start to slip, maximising overall braking force. Manual pulse braking is releasing the braking force on all wheels together including wheels that aren't slipping.

Granted, early ABS systems (up until the mid 2000's roughly) didn't have separate control circuits for the left and right rear wheels so if either rear wheel slipped the braking force was removed from both rear wheels for a movement, (front were independent left and right) but that is a thing of the past now, and was just a cost cutting measure in the early days as it meant less hydraulic valves and less long pipe runs.

Throw in on top of ABS electronic stability control which will further modify the brake inputs wheel by wheel to maintain vehicle stability to avoid getting you into a spin under hard braking (as much as possible) and it's no comparison.

A modern car with ABS and electronic stability control you really can just plant your foot on the brake pedal hard and continue to steer to cope with the emergency situation.

 

Assuming the majority of the direct line customers/potential customers have been safely driving for years, maybe the theory test is ill conceived and largely irrelevant if so many experienced drivers can't pass it?

 

I have a 23 year old BMW Z3 with ABS and DSC
I was travelling clockwise on M25 near Reigate on New Year's Day at mid to late afternoon in my Z3 2.2 Sport. It was getting dark and the traffic was moderate (light by M25 standards) with very few lorries but lots of cars. I was on cruise at a GPS 70 mph in lane 3 of 4. On my right and to the rear was a large white car (Audi I think) gaining on me by about five to ten mph, and on my left in lane two another car (unknown make) travelling some five to ten mph slower than I was. So far, so normal on M25 with all its gantry cameras causing little speed differential across the outmost three lanes. There was nothing ahead of the lane two car for some distance and indeed not a lot immediately ahead of me because the braking distance at that speed dictates a good headway to the car ahead. As I drew alongside the car to my left he suddenly and unnecessarily started to change lane towards my nearside. This was no lane drift; this was a deliberate lane-change manoeuvre and had I not taken evasive action he would have barged me across to lane four where the Audi was now approaching alongside. Instinctively I swung the wheel quickly through about 90 degrees right and then instantly back sufficiently to regain the course in the lane in order to move the car at least half a vehicle's width towards, but not into the path of, the car in lane four. He (the Audi) must have lost control of his bowels when he saw what was apparently a small two-seater diving across his path and then, equally suddenly stopping the swerve! Doing this in some (most) cars on a damp concrete road surface at 70mph would almost certainly have resulted in a total loss of directional control, but in the Z, thanks to DSC, it did exactly what was asked of it with no more than a couple of flashes of the yellow DSC light on the dash! I am so glad I took the Z that day and not my daily driver of the time, Jag X Type - that has traction control and ABS but no stability control. What's more it's a bit of a heavy lump and would have been unlikely to be as nimble as the Z anyway. Modern driver aids - even 2002 ones - are phenomenal partly because they don't panic like people. What you know you should do and what you actually do in the real situation are very different!

Over the years I have driven in excess of a million miles and can honestly say that I have never had such a stupid driver threaten my safety. Well there was that Audi R8 I almost died for, but that' another story not relevant here.

 

I have a 23 year old BMW Z3 with ABS and DSC
I was travelling clockwise on M25 near Reigate on New Year's Day at mid to late afternoon in my Z3 2.2 Sport. It was getting dark and the traffic was moderate (light by M25 standards) with very few lorries but lots of cars. I was on cruise at a GPS 70 mph in lane 3 of 4. On my right and to the rear was a large white car (Audi I think) gaining on me by about five to ten mph, and on my left in lane two another car (unknown make) travelling some five to ten mph slower than I was. So far, so normal on M25 with all its gantry cameras causing little speed differential across the outmost three lanes. There was nothing ahead of the lane two car for some distance and indeed not a lot immediately ahead of me because the braking distance at that speed dictates a good headway to the car ahead. As I drew alongside the car to my left he suddenly and unnecessarily started to change lane towards my nearside. This was no lane drift; this was a deliberate lane-change manoeuvre and had I not taken evasive action he would have barged me across to lane four where the Audi was now approaching alongside. Instinctively I swung the wheel quickly through about 90 degrees right and then instantly back sufficiently to regain the course in the lane in order to move the car at least half a vehicle's width towards, but not into the path of, the car in lane four. He (the Audi) must have lost control of his bowels when he saw what was apparently a small two-seater diving across his path and then, equally suddenly stopping the swerve! Doing this in some (most) cars on a damp concrete road surface at 70mph would almost certainly have resulted in a total loss of directional control, but in the Z, thanks to DSC, it did exactly what was asked of it with no more than a couple of flashes of the yellow DSC light on the dash! I am so glad I took the Z that day and not my daily driver of the time, Jag X Type - that has traction control and ABS but no stability control. What's more it's a bit of a heavy lump and would have been unlikely to be as nimble as the Z anyway. Modern driver aids - even 2002 ones - are phenomenal partly because they don't panic like people. What you know you should do and what you actually do in the real situation are very different!

Over the years I have driven in excess of a million miles and can honestly say that I have never had such a stupid driver threaten my safety. Well there was that Audi R8 I almost died for, but that' another story not relevant here.

always good to travel with a pair of spare undepants in the car and wipes lol