Driving test changes in 2010

Kilty_2

pitkin2020 wrote: »

most vauxhalls have a totally different engine to 10 years ago, you'll find your getting an extra 15bhp from the 1.0 and better fuel economy.
You dont need to rag it nor does it take an age to get it up to 70

The Corsa C (2000-2006) came with the Z10XE and later Z10XEP engines - 6 years ago for the Z10XEP. The Z10XE certainly didn't have 15bhp less than the Z10XEP.

Vauxhall use exactly the same engine in the Corsa D with the exact same 59bhp - the car weighs 200kg more.

17 seconds is not an age to 60?

pitkin2020 wrote: »

maybe you should learn to use the gears and move up to 5th once at a reasonable speed, !!!

:rotfl:- who are you to question my driving ability?

leo~saphira

pitkin2020 wrote: »

the limiter is a good idea and i can see something like that being introduced to new cars, so in 10 years it will be the norm, but for now it would be a very expensive option for everyone to have one fitted as it would need to be done as a factory setting really, but if new cars rolled off the line now with it fitted but just not used it would then be inplace for if and when they decided to do it

Aye aye, many new cars now are drive by wire and this can be done for less than £100 to be honest. For my little c2 the control can be added for £30 and the changes to the ECU for £30 and my wee c2 is limited to which ever speed.

To be honest. the speed limit in my opion for new drivers should be at 60mph which is the limit for normal single roads, fast enough to overtake waggons on motorways.. But a safe speed on motorways so it doesn't give you the option to floor the guts out and be an idoit on motorways or either cases on the main roads.

However I feel that 1 year isn't enough to be honest on a limit - 2 years would be great (after all employers won't take on a just passed HGV driver without the "min" 2 years expereice.. and its there for a reason - experience that your a safe driver)

dieselhead

Wow this thread has turned worrying, I have been fortunate to have driven many cars over the last few years, ranging from 1L right up to a 3.5L sports car and many engine sizes between. All these cars are different, handle differently and require extra care when they are new to you. However I do not think that small engined cars are dangerous, if you cannot get a small engined car up to speed on the motorway there is either something wrong with the car and it should be booked into a garage or there is something wrong with your driving.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Oh no, I'm a newly qualified driver with disposable income, but I'm limited to only a single passenger, and a small engined-car. Whatever will I do?

http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/showroom/classic.html

olly300

leo~saphira wrote: »

I wish the test includes a secton on how to join the motorway or dual road in the proper manner and not barging in expecting people to move over for you.

Not all areas in the UK, that have test centres, have dual carriageways or even large roundabouts on any of the test routes.

I know people who passed their test and until they did never drove on a dual carriageway or round a large roundabout.

There as where I took my test, due to where it was located every single route included driving on a dual carriageway and going round a large roundabout. It was actually more hassle finding quiet enough roads with enough space to do manoeuvres on.

chris-j

Everyone should remember that you really learn to drive after you pass your test - the current test does not train you to drive on todays roads at all.
This bunch of changes does not want to address the inadequacies of the current test and just seems to want to put ludicrous restrictions onto new drivers. Bottom line is that a minority of drivers (new and old) are just idiots who should not be driving, but they avoid accidents because the rest of us know what we are doing and anticipate what the idiots are going to do next.

If the government were serious about improving driving they would reintorduce adverts telling people how to use roundabouts, merge into traffic, etc. Based on what I see daily now, most of the local instructors in my area dont know how to go round a roundabout.

pcombo

I did my passplus for like 8 hours just for more driving experience as someone pointed you dont go on the motorway and the thought of going on them scared the hell out of me but when i done passplus i got abit more confident but not over confident.

pitkin2020

Kilty wrote: »

The Corsa C (2000-2006) came with the Z10XE and later Z10XEP engines - 6 years ago for the Z10XEP. The Z10XE certainly didn't have 15bhp less than the Z10XEP.

Vauxhall use exactly the same engine in the Corsa D with the exact same 59bhp - the car weighs 200kg more.

17 seconds is not an age to 60?



:rotfl:- who are you to question my driving ability?

ok 11 years ago then if you want to be that childish about it!!!

olly300

chris-j wrote: »

If the government were serious about improving driving they would reintorduce adverts telling people how to use roundabouts, merge into traffic, etc. Based on what I see daily now, most of the local instructors in my area dont know how to go round a roundabout.

Saw an advert over the holidays on one of the Sky channels telling people to regularly buy a new Highway code or look online once they passed their test.

Having seen this on any other channel.

exup

chris-j wrote: »

Everyone should remember that you really learn to drive after you pass your test - the current test does not train you to drive on todays roads at all.
This bunch of changes does not want to address the inadequacies of the current test and just seems to want to put ludicrous restrictions onto new drivers. Bottom line is that a minority of drivers (new and old) are just idiots who should not be driving, but they avoid accidents because the rest of us know what we are doing and anticipate what the idiots are going to do next.

If the government were serious about improving driving they would reintorduce adverts telling people how to use roundabouts, merge into traffic, etc. Based on what I see daily now, most of the local instructors in my area dont know how to go round a roundabout.

The driving test isnt supposed to train you to drive on a road - it is supposed to assess your ability to handle a variety of road conditions safely> There is nothing really wrong with the test - when it is examined correctly - which most of the time it is. There is also nothing to stop anyone having extra tuition adter they pass the test, but not many do and as an ex bike instructor it would annoy when I heard people say something along the lines of - "The instructor will train you to pass the test - then I will show you to drive/ride properly".
People need to accept that driving is a skill, not a given right and some people are and never will be fit to drive. People would accept that they may never become a pilot - but they will not accept that they will never be safe to drive - either through not having the skills or the wrong atitude.
I still have not seen a valid argument which shows that a lower power car is more dangerous than a larger one - and as for older vehicles. I went out on a holiday with 1100 Hillman estate - Four adults - 3 kids - 1 trailer tent plus luggage and it managed without being anywhere near to killing us all joining a motorway or holding up long queues of traffic as the driver (my Uncle) made allowances for its power.
I have owned many different types of motorcycles and cars ranging from 125cc motorbike to a 3.5 litre transam - currently drive an 1108cc Fiat Seicento and ride a 955cc Triumph Daytona (probably has twice the power of the car )
The Fiat I have had 4 adult passengers in and still managed to join a motorway safely - Which was on the M62 climbing up the steep hill from Brighouse/Huddersfield towards the Peninnes
Although I would concede a CC limit would be misleading as a smaller car would have a higher power to weight ratio than a larger vehicle.
It would be better and more workable to have a power rating on the vehicle - say something like 60 bhp per tonne (which may allow those 2.0 litre diesels)