Are you still a competent driver?

Should a driving test be re-taken?

  • Once in a lifetime

    Votes: 1 2.8%

  • Every 3 years

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Every 10 years

    Votes: 13 36.1%

  • Every 20 years

    Votes: 3 8.3%

  • Over 70

    Votes: 12 33.3%

  • No re-test

    Votes: 7 19.4%
  • Total voters
    36
  • Poll closed .
As much as something should be done, I can't see it happening.

There are enough unlicensed drivers on the roads as it is. So, re-tests would just increase that number because people just wouldn't bother.

It would need a whole reform of the licensing admin system because it would require people notifying when their re-test is due. People currently aren't reminded when their photo licence expires every ten years and you'd be surprised how many people fall foul of this.

Then, who's going to enforce it? Unless there's a big u-turn away from the current "cameras are more than capable of policing the roads" attitude, and back to traffic cops pro actively patrolling.

That's never going to happen because the police are already stretched to breaking point, dedicated traffic cops are an expensive resource.
 
Jack Ratt said:
All our company vehicle drivers, ie vans, lorries, cars, have to do an annual online assessment, ie Highway Code, spotting hazards, etc and we also have to do an annual eye test
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and, forgot to mention we also have our driving licenses checked every 12 months too
 
Strange isn't it? Morons or yoofs always used to drive old E36's with big tyres and plastic bolted to them. No accessories though such as indicators. They seem to have moved to Vauxhall insignias now. Relatively big engines for not much money I guess. When I started driving it was always Volvo drivers, they thought they were driving a tank and as such could do what they wanted, and did!
 
I know we shouldn't sterotype but...
I always check very carefully when in the vicinity of a citroen xsara picassso as they can be um.....
Unpredictable
 
t-tony said:
Re training would go a ways towards reminding people that their cars have I indicators and it's not too tiring to use them and they won't wear out.

Tony.
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Oy. It's nobody elses' business where I'm going, I'm in a BMW and people should mind out of my way.:whistle:

DaveB with a Z3 said:
I know we shouldn't sterotype but...
I always check very carefully when in the vicinity of a citroen xsara picassso as they can be um.....
Unpredictable
Click to expand...

Anyone wearing a hat whilst driving is always worth avoiding, I find. Unless the roof's down and the sun's shining.;)
 
Eyesight tests should be taken and rather than driver awareness courses it should be mandatory lessons / refresher courses
 
I had a refresher when teaching the kids to drive, but agree a test that we all take regularly would be good. It'll never happen in my lifetime though:whistle:
 
Having arrived at the age where my licence now only permits me to drive a limited number of vehicles when just a year ago I was licensed to drive everything, accept (motorcycles)PSV which I had to surrender after taking a job driving HGV1.
I passed a driving instructor test for cars then for HGV, sat the CPC and owned my own HGV. I thought I would be devastated at the thought of a retest but having reached this point in my life, (having recently helped my granddaughter pass her theory ) I’ve realised that since my last test the competency required these days to get passed the car driving test is nearly as hard if not harder than any of my previous tests. This tells me that in theory we should now be on our way to much better driving standards as the tests are producing some really careful/ considerate drivers. I should be able to hold my own in any test required of me as I’ve surposadly been trained to a higher degree which incidentally automatically gave me IAM status after HGV instructor course. However saying all this doesn’t mean my standard shouldn’t be looked at and I would welcome the comments of a registered instructor as to my ongoing ability to drive my family as safe as pos. I’ve watched a programme on tv that showed very old drivers undergoing an assessment and being advised weather or not they should continue, which shows there is a need for something.
So even though I’ve probably been tested 9 times over my lifetime I’ll come out on the side of a regular driving assessment rather than test. Insurance comps could do a lot to help in giving huge discounts to those who take regular assessments. Even though it’s obvious there’s a need for some sort of testing I think it will be a drain on our economy and impossible to police. If you put “Assessment “ in your vote @Nodzed then that will get my vote.

RHA,Roy.

PS; For anyone interested I failed my car driving test in this country twice, joined the Army(10yrs) and passed a tracked vehicle (50ton tank) test which only allowed me to drive tracked vehicle ar 17.:facepalm: Sent to Germany where I had to learn German + Highway Code then tested on long wheel base Land Rover which then allowed me to drive cars (on the wrong side of the road.):facepalm: Taught tank driving in Army allso HGV 2, spent 2yrs teaching young recruits at Catterick. After demob took HGV driving instructor course to class 1,and taught civilian car drivers to HGV2 on government sponsored courses. Spent some yrs on HGVs including petrol/gas oil tankers from Bunsfield, 7yrs as owner driver. Then they built the M25:banghead: so gave it all up. Went to HM prison service for last 20 yrs :blackeye: been retired for 5yrs so haven’t been tested for some 25odd yrs. maybe I should let someone look at my driving in case I’m still driving like I’m in a tank................................................ Wife says never driven any other way. Huh!!!! =))

Roy.
 
Grumps said:
"I've passed my test so why do I need to do this"?
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Which is just how I felt, I AM an MOT tester, why do I have to do this every FOUR years, Training not testing.

Tony.
 
5harp3y said:
Eyesight tests should be taken...........
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Agree - if you are 60+ in UK you are entitled to a free NHS eyesight test every 2 years. What would be so difficult in making this a mandatory requirement for licence and insurance renewal. If you have family history of glaucoma or similar conditions, which I have, you can get them below 60.
 
jonco said:
Agree - if you are 60+ in UK you are entitled to a free NHS eyesight test every 2 years. What would be so difficult in making this a mandatory requirement for licence and insurance renewal. If you have family history of glaucoma or similar conditions, which I have, you can get them below 60.
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I am diabetic ( controlled by diet no medication) and have annual eye tests.
 
Jack Ratt said:
and, forgot to mention we also have our driving licenses checked every 12 months too
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A few years ago I worked for a construction company who would check driving licences 2 or 3 times a year and out of the 120 licence holders we had ,most times we found someone had been banded and not inform the company.
 
I think that the decline in driving standards and loutish behaviour in general is only likely to side even further in the future for several reasons. But the main reason is the lack of any fear of being brought to account, this is because there are so few traffic police on duty at one time, those that are turn a bind eye to all but the most outrageous offences because the paperwork is so tedious. Even if an offender is brought to court the sentencing is so random that there is a good chance of getting off very lightly and waking out of court smirking. “Fear is the Key” to quote one of my favourite authors and that is true of law and order, without fear of the consequences a small segment of the population will continue to take the p1ss.
 
Re-Tests! it wont stop people from bad driving, 99.9% is learnt after any test anyway, Just another way too squeeze money out of you. Tests don't teach consideration and give you experience.
 
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Lazzzydog said:
But the main reason is the lack of any fear of being brought to account, this is because there are so few traffic police on duty at one time
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Totally agree with this
 
Some excellent points of view people :thumbsup: I personally think I am a better driver now and certainly more considerate than 20 or so years ago. Could I pass a test now? Yes I think I could, easily, I recently breezed the theory for a laugh. Do I think retests (or as @Rha says "assessments", good point Roy) are necessary, well in general no. But I think there are times it could be used as in following fault accidents, repetitive speeding or other offences etc, it could have its place. But I am convinced that the biggest cause of poor and more worriedly dangerous driving, is down to the lack of policing on the roads as has been voiced already.

In my profession I have to keep certain competencies up to date as the regulations and laws change and therefore my knowledge base would possibly become outdated if I did not, could it be argued that this is also the case with driving laws? so maybe an assessment (theory) test would be a sensible way forward? Just a thought.

Thanks for your input all.

Niall
 
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