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hayfield

By hayfield
in Wheeltappers

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Horsetan

Horsetan

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Posted

 

 

But apparently testing was suspended during WW2 & during the Suez Crisis.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_driving_test#History

 

My wife's late mother never had a licence, even after coming to Australia. She reckoned that since she didn't require a licence to drive for the RAF, during WW2, she didn't need one here! Never did get caught. I hate to think what would have happened, if she had an accident.

Being born in 1909 my father never passed a driving test, he was driving from about 1925!  He said the Army taught him how to drive properly in WW2.

 

His driving deteriorated quite quickly in his late eighties, and he stopped in 1999, but he would never admit that it was me or my poor mother (who had to endure the driving before surrendering to the local bus service in desperation) who made him pack up.

Les

 

 

Driving tests did indeed cease for the duration and there are still a few drivers around who have never passed a test though they would all be in their 80's at least now. Someone who obtained a licence before the introduction of the test would be at least 98 years old now.

 

 

Similar story in Ireland

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108

108

Posted
Posted

I liked the bit about the Garda and Polish driving licences.

Oh yes, this lad has lots of convictions.

I love living on a small (insular) island.

 

Things have changed since then. ....... Not

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Jenny Emily

Jenny Emily

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Oh yes, this lad has lots of convictions.

I love living on a small (insular) island.

 

Things have changed since then. ....... Not

There was a rumour that the then Tesco Livingston depot employed a number (said to be at one point in the region of fifty) of drivers by that name. The mistake was discovered when one was involved in an RTA and the licence details checked. This was the story as told in 2005 and I was working for Fowler Welch bringing the frozen food there from Doncaster. I have no idea of the truth in the story.

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Enterprisingwestern

Enterprisingwestern

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Driving tests did indeed cease for the duration and there are still a few drivers around who have never passed a test though they would all be in their 80's at least now. Someone who obtained a licence before the introduction of the test would be at least 98 years old now.

 

There is of course one old bird driving who has never taken a test, or is required to have a driving licence, the only such person in the country.

 

Mike.

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New Haven Neil

New Haven Neil

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There is of course one old bird driving who has never taken a test, or is required to have a driving licence, the only such person in the country.

 

Mike.

 

Only drives in her garden I think.....to see the horses of course.

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kevinlms

kevinlms

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There is of course one old bird driving who has never taken a test, or is required to have a driving licence, the only such person in the country.

 

Mike.

But how will the police be able to identify her if required?

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PatB

PatB

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There is of course one old bird driving who has never taken a test, or is required to have a driving licence, the only such person in the country.

 

Mike.

 

Is she 91 and known to her friends as Betty W by any chance?

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TheQ

TheQ

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There is of course one old bird driving who has never taken a test, or is required to have a driving licence, the only such person in the country.

 

Mike.

She was in the ATS during WW2 when she learnt to drive, and would have had a "licence" / permit to drive marked on her records. 

 http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=868:i-taught-the-queen-to-drive&catid=72:reminiscences&Itemid=493

 

Somewhere I still have my Military driving licence (you need a civi one too). It's lists every different vehicle you are permitted to drive. I.E. on mine it has many cars including Mini, Hilman Hunter, Sherpa mini bus, various landrovers, landrover  snowplough and landrover fire engine with or without Coventry Climax trailer.

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PatB

PatB

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She was in the ATS during WW2 when she learnt to drive, and would have had a "licence" / permit to drive marked on her records. 

 http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=868:i-taught-the-queen-to-drive&catid=72:reminiscences&Itemid=493

 

Somewhere I still have my Military driving licence (you need a civi one too). It's lists every different vehicle you are permitted to drive. I.E. on mine it has many cars including Mini, Hilman Hunter, Sherpa mini bus, various landrovers, landrover  snowplough and landrover fire engine with or without Coventry Climax trailer.

 

I'm guessing that your service was in the late 70s/early 80s. My father, when he had his Regiment (as he put it) around then, was allocated a Mk2 Hunter as a staff car (the first car I ever saw that had rear seat belts, an idea I found fascinating at the time) but it was so staggeringly unreliable that he regularly turned up with a Mini 850 and, occasionally, possibly the Army's last 1800 Land-Crab (IIRC the Morris flavour). Unless it snowed, in which case a FFR Landrover (he was Royal Signals)  would turn up. Or, on one memorable occasion, a Bedford RL. His loathing of the Austin K9 radio trucks ensured that I never got to see one of those close up :D.

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TheQ

TheQ

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Posted (edited)

You're right on the time plus a bit longer as well, the Hunter like most vehicles on our radar station, was a hand me down and used as a section run-around, it was incredibly light on the back end,  I managed to put it sideways while going from one site to another. Luckily I held it, and managed to get straight again. I drove somewhat slower for the rest of the journey....

Unlike the station commander who managed to flatten his Cortina from the front left hand corner of the car to behind the drivers door by hitting a tree. Neither he nor the car survived...

 

If you need a car now, you Phone MT, and get answered By hertz or one of the other car rentals whoever has the contract now. No more jollies for the officers or borrowing a  vehicle. it's all costed now...

Edited by TheQ
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kevinlms

kevinlms

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I had what must be a Russian driver pass me last night.

 

I put on my indicator to turn right & just about to start my turn. I heard a noise & it was a V8 roaring past me, on the right hand side of the road!

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DougN

DougN

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Kevin was is a green au Ford falcon. I had one this evening pass me on the wrong side of the road with my right turn indicator on..... he almost had a head on with on coming traffic!

Edited by DougN
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kevinlms

kevinlms

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Kevin was is a green au Ford falcon. I had one this evening pass me on the wrong side of the road with my right turn indicator on..... he almost had a head on with on coming traffic!

Possibly, it was at night and I didn't get much chance, perhaps pale green. If it is him, he must live in Lilydale as was in a street that is residential and goes nowhere.

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Jenny Emily

Jenny Emily

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Old Yank tanks.

Not that strong.

 

Interesting to see the haze of rust particles off that Bel Air. One wonders how much integrity disappears over the years to the tin worms. I remember seeing video of crash tests done the first time some-one pointed out that crashing brand new cars to see how safe they were was all very well, but most people at the time were driving much older cars that had had time to rust a little. The loss of structural integrity for rusting that wasn't enough to fail an MOT was quite an eye opener. 

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