peanuts Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 lest we forget about others. I had to travel down the A1 from the A64 to Little Bytham and back on Tuesday. We now have speed regulating, traffic stopping lorry drivers.... Obviously they are secret traffic policy makers ... and watching 3 lanes of a 4 lane "smart" motorway blocked by 3 lanes of lorries trying to pass each other...time the law was changed to keep them in the inside lane... Baz all very good but tell me how any traffic will join and leave the motorway to access the other lanes through the now continouse line of bumper to bumper lorries all traveling at 50mph ? pray enlighten us ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mezzoman253 Posted May 10, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 10, 2018 all very good but tell me how any traffic will join and leave the motorway to access the other lanes through the now continouse line of bumper to bumper lorries all traveling at 50mph ? pray enlighten us ? Yes the DoT, or whoever it is now, missed a trick when they introduced 4 lane motorwasy. They should have confined lorries to the two inner lanes. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnarcher Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Given we have reached 214 pages of complaining about driving standards I just had a thought (dangerous/fire extinguisher required). In a similar way to secret shoppers, is there such a thing as a "secret driving test candidate"? Otherwise how is it ensured that only those achieving the required standard attain a pass on their test, who examines the examiners if you like. I'm asking as I have witnessed a fair bit of poor driving from those who look as if they have not long passed their test. So you can't help but wonder how they managed it. Senior examiners sit on occasional tests to check standards (or they did a few years ago when I was an instructor). As for the recently -passed ones, they have just dropped the test-passing correct techniques a bit quicker than practically every body else I suppose. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted May 10, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 10, 2018 all very good but tell me how any traffic will join and leave the motorway to access the other lanes through the now continouse line of bumper to bumper lorries all traveling at 50mph ? pray enlighten us ?Easy, you add steel flanges to the wheels of aforesaid lorries and run them on shiny metal rail things with one engine and a driver... In reality as they all are supposed to have the same maximum speed everywhere would have a clogged up lane 1.. but it isn't as they clog up lanes 1 and 2 (and 3 also in some cases). On the A42 the stretch with lorries being barred from using the outer lane during certain times of the day seems to flow faster than the A1 where queues are formed by lorries overtaking other lorries. And why do port of Tyne send 4 container flats to felixstowe down the A1 to shift containers back to the North of England? Use of a train would be greener and would reduce road congestion for all.. Baz 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 "I didnt think you could prosecute cycalists" https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/cyclist-red-light-warning-police-1546796 Ignorance of the law is no defence... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 Senior examiners sit on occasional tests to check standards (or they did a few years ago when I was an instructor). They still do. Test centre managers check their own staff. TCMs are checked by the Regional Manager. RMs are checked by one of the very few Assistant Chief Driving Examiners from head office. (Above that I don't know what happens, but there's only one level to go) Examiner check tests are carried with live tests with the checker in the back seat. Which often isn't good for the test candidate as they think they are being examined twice...... I know someone who took a test with the RM as their examiner and a ACDE in the back seat. They passed and only found out afterwards that they had done so in front of one of the senior top 5 examiners in the country! All test forms are examined and analysed - pass or fail - and if there is any trend by any examiner to be passing more/less and also giving more/not giving less faults than the national and local trends, then they are subject to extra check tests. This has nothing to do with a pass "quota" - it has to do with averages at particular types of test centre depending upon the demographic of those taking the test and where the test takes place. Pass rates are higher in rural areas because they usually get more chance to practice and there are less d*ckheads on the road trying to put them off - as well as more "other" hazards. They can be 60% plus in the rural areas (80.9 in Lerwick!) and down to 30ish% in urban areas. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/car-driving-test-data-by-test-centre Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 They still do. Test centre managers check their own staff. TCMs are checked by the Regional Manager. RMs are checked by one of the very few Assistant Chief Driving Examiners from head office. (Above that I don't know what happens, but there's only one level to go) Examiner check tests are carried with live tests with the checker in the back seat. Which often isn't good for the test candidate as they think they are being examined twice...... I know someone who took a test with the RM as their examiner and a ACDE in the back seat. They passed and only found out afterwards that they had done so in front of one of the senior top 5 examiners in the country! All test forms are examined and analysed - pass or fail - and if there is any trend by any examiner to be passing more/less and also giving more/not giving less faults than the national and local trends, then they are subject to extra check tests. This has nothing to do with a pass "quota" - it has to do with averages at particular types of test centre depending upon the demographic of those taking the test and where the test takes place. Pass rates are higher in rural areas because they usually get more chance to practice and there are less d*ckheads on the road trying to put them off - as well as more "other" hazards. They can be 60% plus in the rural areas (80.9 in Lerwick!) and down to 30ish% in urban areas. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/car-driving-test-data-by-test-centre FYI In Australia all testers sit in the back seat, as the law requires all learners to have a full licenced driver accompanying them and is nominally in charge of the vehicle. So that only leaves the back seat, thus 2 seater vehicles aren't legal to sit your drivers test in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 FYI In Australia all testers sit in the back seat, as the law requires all learners to have a full licenced driver accompanying them and is nominally in charge of the vehicle. So that only leaves the back seat, thus 2 seater vehicles aren't legal to sit your drivers test in. Must be a Victorian thing, as this certainly wasn't the arrangement when my daughter got her Ps 18 months ago in WA. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 FYI In Australia all testers sit in the back seat, as the law requires all learners to have a full licenced driver accompanying them and is nominally in charge of the vehicle. So that only leaves the back seat, thus 2 seater vehicles aren't legal to sit your drivers test in. The examiner is nominally "in charge". If a learner gets caught speeding, the supervising driver is also liable for allowing it to happen, but in the case of a driving test,the examiner is not liable. Although it's not unknown for the examiner to tell the candidate to slow down in areas where they are exceeding the speed limit by more than a comfortable margin. If it does, then you can pretty much guarantee a failed test........... An observer can sit in the back seat, be it the instructor, another examiner or a "supporter" - i.e friend. I think the only requirement is that they must be 17 or over, but I'm not certain. Particular vehicles are not allowed on UK tests - usually those with a restricted view of the offside from the nearside seat, such as a Mini Convertible. There are other restrictions, such as they must have fully functioning seatbelts and fully fitted head restraints, so you can't turn up in a 1960s Morris Minor. Obviously test vehicles must have valid tax/MOT/insurance and the candidate has to sign to say that they have. If for any reason the car has needed a manufacturer safety recall and you cannot prove that the recall work is done, the test will not be carried out. I know of one test that wasn't carried out, as in the words of the examiner "Nigel Mansell would be proud of the (lack of) tread on those tyres...." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 As someone who still drives a bubble-car I have to say I find all this anti-BMW sentiment quite offensive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Easy, you add steel flanges to the wheels of aforesaid lorries and run them on shiny metal rail things with one engine and a driver... In reality as they all are supposed to have the same maximum speed everywhere would have a clogged up lane 1.. but it isn't as they clog up lanes 1 and 2 (and 3 also in some cases). On the A42 the stretch with lorries being barred from using the outer lane during certain times of the day seems to flow faster than the A1 where queues are formed by lorries overtaking other lorries. And why do port of Tyne send 4 container flats to felixstowe down the A1 to shift containers back to the North of England? Use of a train would be greener and would reduce road congestion for all.. Baz unfortunatley they dont all have the same max speed some companys set it 56 some 54 a lot now set at 50 mainly supermarkets so everybody would be stuck at the speed of the slowest oh a d remember they are "clogging up " the roads deli ering the goods you ordered so theres realy easy answer stop ordering stuff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 unfortunatley they dont all have the same max speed some companys set it 56 some 54 a lot now set at 50 mainly supermarkets so everybody would be stuck at the speed of the slowest oh a d remember they are "clogging up " the roads deli ering the goods you ordered so theres realy easy answer stop ordering stuff The trick in Oz is to get the speed limiter calibrated with the truck wearing tyres worn to the legal limit, then put on a set with more tread. The difference in rolling radius gets you an extra couple of km/h without actually tampering with the limiter (which is, of course, illegal but does still happen on occasion). On the requirements for driving test cars, the only requirement I recall in WA is that the handbrake must be between the front seats. Presumably so that the examiner has some emergency means of slowing the vehicle if the candidate proves not to have a clue (which does happen). As a substantial number of vehicles here still have under-dash umbrella type handbrakes this does preclude quite a few vehicle models. I'd assume that the UK requirement for seat belts and head restraints is an OH&S/workplace safety issue for the DoT and its employees. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 It was said that those who wore mini-skirts were much more likely to pass the test. I wore my kilt. Didn't seem to make a damn bit of difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 lest we forget about others. I had to travel down the A1 from the A64 to Little Bytham and back on Tuesday. We now have speed regulating, traffic stopping lorry drivers.... Obviously they are secret traffic policy makers ... and watching 3 lanes of a 4 lane "smart" motorway blocked by 3 lanes of lorries trying to pass each other...time the law was changed to keep them in the inside lane... Baz Or better still, get as much as possible off the road and on to rail. We had an incredible system that worked many years ago and we threw it away. But wheels do turn full circle sometimes........ Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mezzoman253 Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 Or better still, get as much as possible off the road and on to rail. We had an incredible system that worked many years ago and we threw it away. But wheels do turn full circle sometimes........ Stewart Ernest Marples, road haulier and Minster for Transport. You know the rest. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 Really! What an arrogant arse you are! Signed a BMW driver who knows how to and does use his indicators correctly! Which one do you have? I want to see if it fits my rule for sensible and prat drivers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 Or better still, get as much as possible off the road and on to rail. We had an incredible system that worked many years ago and we threw it away. But wheels do turn full circle sometimes........ I believe it wasn't a terribly efficient way of getting shipments from A to B and not compatible with modern just-in-time logistics. (Though when people say that it was also not compatible with today's desire to order things and get next-day delivery I'm not so sure - first class mail generally managed to get where it was going the next day so far as I know). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 It was said that those who wore mini-skirts were much more likely to pass the test. I wore my kilt. Didn't seem to make a damn bit of difference. I know of one young lady who wore a mini skirt for her test. The examiner turned out to be a woman. (She passed anyway.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 (edited) Just to cheer up the BMW owners a Range Rover owner.On the NDR.. in todays Eastern Daily Press.. https://youtu.be/jCRC6PBR4E8 Edited May 11, 2018 by TheQ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Baron Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Just to cheer up the BMW owners I don't need cheering up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 This has to be the worst bit of driving, ever! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 This has to be the worst bit of driving, ever! It's OK, he's got his hazards on . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Now there's a driver who checks his mirrors once every birthday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Someone has to say it: Do BMW make tow trucks? Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 11, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2018 Saw someone today, over the centre line, clipped kerbs, wrong lanes, all over the place. Small white car, no idea what it was Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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