grandfather Driving rights

LandyAndy

IanMSpencer wrote: »

Another aspect to consider, is that when I learned to drive, it was not unexpected that a car would stall and not restart again and you had to fiddle with the choke and get it just at the right setting which varied car by car, and by how warm it was outside and how long the car had been standing. No power steering so parking and three point turns were a real laugh a minute. In an emergency stop it was a lottery what side of the road and which way you'd be facing, throttles had dead spots so all of a sudden you might find that the car would hesitate (certainly did when I tried to make progress on my test). Handling of heavier vehicles was vile - the Commer van with the very narrow front wheel base to cope with enclosed wheels. The car I took my test in was a 10 year old Vauxhall Viva HB had a 0-60 of about 20 seconds.

It varied so much. My father had to sell an 'S' type Jaguar because my mother could barely turn the wheel at parking speeds. On the other hand my Triumph Herald had lighter steering than pretty much anything else I've driven due to narrow tyres and low geared steering.

AndyMc.....

LandyAndy wrote: »

It varied so much. My father had to sell an 'S' type Jaguar because my mother could barely turn the wheel at parking speeds. On the other hand my Triumph Herald had lighter steering than pretty much anything else I've driven due to narrow tyres and low geared steering.

Some came without power steering?

AdrianC

Power steering was, of course, much less necessary back then - not only was the drive mostly to the rear, but tyres were so much narrower.

almillar

Why are they allowed to simply retain them and not be removed?

I think it would be more unfair to retrospectively take things off people but there you go.

Is the government doing any think about this

They did, yes. They decided that people were automatically able to drive too many vehicles after passing their 'L' test, so made new drivers have to pass additional tests. I don't see them reversing that decision.

Do you think that extra training is needed for everyone, or do you think you should be allowed to drive a minibus without passing another test?

I passed in Feb 1997 BTW!

mark1959

When I took my driving test in 1981 I just drove around the block, and as long as you didn't hit anything or anyone you passed. There was far less traffic about in t'olden days and no one wandered in front of you. It was the same on my motorbike a few years earlier, only make sure you don't fall off. :cool:

Mojisola

mark1959 wrote: »

When I took my driving test in 1981 I just drove around the block, and as long as you didn't hit anything or anyone you passed. There was far less traffic about in t'olden days and no one wandered in front of you.

You must have had a rubbish examiner.

I took my test in the early 70s and there was a long checklist of things that had to be done properly - and a list of faults that would lead to a failure.

Ganga

forgotmyname wrote: »

You can add the categories very easily, just take the appropriate tests.

They changed it because you could pass your test in a mini and then drive a 7.5ton vehicle the next day.

But plenty of people work driving 7.5ton vehicles and have done for many years and they cannot just take that away from them.

You can tow a trailer with the latest licence, yes there are restrictions but it doesnt really affect many drivers who load the trailer to a sensible limit to the towcar. Excludes those that want a 3 ton tank and tow a 3 ton trailer.

I am sure that originally if you passed your test in a car you could drive any size truck,was this not the reason they brought out the HGV licence?
also as i am over 65 and passed my test at17 i can and have driven a 7.5 gross truck but had to obtain a CPC licence to drive prior to retiring.
Also my father never passed a driving test but drove for years,but he did go off and fight in the 39/45 war and they let him drive a tank:rotfl:

iolanthe07

I took my test in the early 70s and there was a long checklist of things that had to be done properly - and a list of faults that would lead to a failure.

I took my test in 1963 and it was an absolute joke. It lasted less that 20 minutes, and I am convinced that I only passed because the examiner wanted a lift to the library, where I dropped him off and drove solo back to the test centre. I remember thinking at the time that it was strange that I could hop out of my mum's Morris Minor and jump straight into a 10 ton truck.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

AdrianC wrote: »

Power steering was, of course, much less necessary back then - not only was the drive mostly to the rear, but tyres were so much narrower.

You obviously never drove an Allegro.

Or a Citroen GS

Or a Montego

Morris Marina was ok, Hillman Avenger unpleasant, Vauxhall Shuvit ok, VW Polo Mk 2 (The Hearse) was ok too.

[edit]And I'd wiped the experience of my uncle's Austin Princess (The Wedge) completely from my mind - wide tyres, front wheel drive, 73 turns lock to lock and still heavy.

Warwick_Hunt

IanMSpencer wrote: »

You obviously never drove an Allegro.

Or a Citroen GS

Or a Montego

Morris Marina was ok, Hillman Avenger unpleasant, Vauxhall Shuvit ok, VW Polo Mk 2 (The Hearse) was ok too.

[edit]And I'd wiped the experience of my uncle's Austin Princess (The Wedge) completely from my mind - wide tyres, front wheel drive, 73 turns lock to lock and still heavy.

Front wheel drive were the best thing since sliced bread by the time the montego came out.