Sadly 'lack of spatial awareness' would probably account for the majority of examples of poor driving discussed here or elsewhere!
In some cases people are just not used to driving in certain situations though. As I said earlier you can pass a driving test without ever having driven at more than 40 mph or you may have driven at 70 mph but never had to deal with city driving.
It may not be an issue where you are but you can't go on roads that are not available. Some test centres don't have any dual carriageways available (or if there are they may only be 40 mph urban dual carriageways) and some city test centres don't have any country lanes available. If your test is in a more rural location then you will not have experience city driving. You can pass the test without having to drive faster than 40 mph. There really is not much you can do if the roads are not available, the driving test is not guaranteed to cover every area of driving and of course when you pass the test you can legally drive on a motorway without ever having had any experience of motorway driving.Not really, Most driving tests include some country roads or dual carriageways , and most examiners like to get the person beign tested to get to 60mph at least once in the test (some big cities excluded i suppose?)
So could there be a case for mandatory training after the test or graduated licencing? I think there is at least a case for some mandatory motorway training.If you never drove on a fast road or in a city, go for pass plus or whatever it has called or study roadcraft. Then drive more to build confidence and experience.
There should be no excuses for bad driving or an assumption that it is okay to be timid and drive slow because you don't feel comfortable. You will be a risk to others and yourself (I am talking generally here).
I and other pcv & hgv licence holders have to have 35 hours of tranining every 5 years most of it is classroom stuff, but surelly something like this could be done for newer drivers.
I will be out driving later this evening so i will let you know if i spot any examples of bad driving
The Driver CPC is just another way of the goverment screwing money out the transport industry, i dunno why the transport industry is going along with it, they should just ignore it, what they gonna do come Sep2014? Take every truck in the country off the road..... i think not!
Didn't the examiner ask you questions on the Highway Code at the end of the test? The current theory test is easier than that as it's multi-choice and the question bank is available so you can just memorize all the questions and their answers although from next year the question bank will no longer be available.Mind you, the UK test has improved a lot since my 25 minute test in 1991 with no theory testing or other stuff. Young drivers should, in theory, be far better prepared than I ever was.
It seems strange that if you spot the hazard early then you can end up scoring zero points.But the hazard perception part of the theory test is a complete joke...
But the hazard perception part of the theory test is a complete joke...
The Driver CPC is just another way of the goverment screwing money out the transport industry
Didn't the examiner ask you questions on the Highway Code at the end of the test? The current theory test is easier than that as it's multi-choice and the question bank is available so you can just memorize all the questions and their answers although from next year the question bank will no longer be available.
Unfortunately in the UK the general public see having a driving licence as a "right" rather than a privilege and as such our standards are not so high as some parts of the world - the Netherlands for example where night driving is part of the test and licences are earned.Agreed. The hazards are so blatantly obvious, and, as Zoe says, if you're perceptive you can end up scoring nothing.
It seems strange that if you spot the hazard early then you can end up scoring zero points.
In my opinion, drivers should have to take a simple refresher test every five years or so.
Probably controversial, but it'd get people on the ball a bit. Especially if it means their livelihood could be at stake.
If you never drove on a fast road or in a city, go for pass plus or whatever it has called or study roadcraft. Then drive more to build confidence and experience. There should be no excuses for bad driving or an assumption that it is okay to be timid and drive slow because you don't feel comfortable. You will be a risk to others and yourself
Lack of spatial awareness.
Same thing happens when someone with nothing behind them slows down to let a car cross across in front of them. The manouvre sometimes delays both parties ! All rather worrying, as they clearly are not aware of their surrounding environment or they would be able to work out that the other car could cross after they have passed.