Driving test changes - 4th December

nokia1100

Strider590 wrote: »

It should be reversing into a parking space, reversing out of them is a dangerous habit and drivers should be discouraged from doing so.

My instructor taught me how to do it in 2005 and I vaguely remember it being in the test at a centre with a car park. Easy in a Corsa C with it being so small - I would turn the wheel a certain amount when the white line of an adjacent bay crossed the middle of my thigh, turn head like an owl, couple of exaggerated glances at the mirrors and job done!

gpc273

Someone earlier mentioned the Satnav would be used on 1 in 5 tests, thats wrong, the routes are already devised and the split will be 80% Satnav and 20% traffic signs.
The reversing out of a parking space, in a public car park, maybe against best practise but for many drivers its the norm, hence its inclusion. Well until the likes of B&Q, Tesco etc get complaints from customers and then ban learners.

Car_54

gpc273 wrote: »

Someone earlier mentioned the Satnav would be used on 1 in 5 tests, thats wrong, the routes are already devised and the split will be 80% Satnav and 20% traffic signs.
The reversing out of a parking space, in a public car park, maybe against best practise but for many drivers its the norm, hence its inclusion. Well until the likes of B&Q, Tesco etc get complaints from customers and then ban learners.

Are they really planning to use "public" car parks?

At present, bay parking is only tested at those centres which have their own car park.

gpc273

Yes, the exercises will be from: a bay park in a test centre (same as the present test), a reverse park, park in and reverse out of a bay in a 'live' car park or pull up on the right (of a quietish road) reverse a couple of car lengths and move off.
The right hand stop has twisted a lot of knickers, again its a real life scenario.

The Satnav element is to allow more driving on higher speed roads and where possible incorporate use of country roads and will last for around 20 minutes. Country roads have a higher KSI but the current test doesn't allow time to really make use of them.