Compulsory re-testing for over 65's

[Matty]

Interestingly though, if public transport was to be re-nationalized, everyone will still be moaning it's shit.

[Oil-burner]

Public transport will always be shit!

[Poodle]

Also in my experience drink drivers arent poshos, they're entirely lower middle class, the sort of person with a job and a criminal record.

Not quite right, that's just the ones you catch. The "poshos" have been doing it since they were old enough for daddy to give them the keys after a few cinzanos and, truth be told, probably couldn't drive sober. I have been to a few "county" gatherings, everyone arrives by car and i've only seen one completely sober - a tee-total guy known as a bit of a loner...

Tbh i do agree with Dum-dum's earlier point though; with insurance costing 3-5 grand in the first year and petrol rapidly approaching £1.50/l, how can people complain that another couple of hundred on the cost of learning to drive will make the blindest bit of difference?

And if people are concerned by the prospect of failing the retest and losing their jobs, maybe they'll make more effort to drive like a decent human being...

[ash240970]

I think there should be compulsory hazard awareness, ability and road ettiquette tests for everyone every 5 yrs and then when you reach 65 a yearly competency test.

The ability tests should be based on someone's capacity to actually handle a car over a certain cc/power and there should be categories of cars that they should then be able to own. If they want more powerful cars then they should have to have training to ensure their driving skills come up to a certain standard. too many people drive cars that are totally unsuitable for their ability.
I don't care how wealthy they are just because they can afford a range rover/big BMW it doesn't mean they can use it to intimidate other road users or drive it without regard for other motorist i.e. the my cars bigger than yours and cost a lot more so get the fcuk out of my way mentality that I've seen so many times.

If you're a 19 yr old rich kid and mummy or daddy let you drive the Porsche then IMO you lack the skill set to handle a car like that and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near it until you have been driving for 5 years minimum.
I'll get off my soapbox now and wait for the keyboard bashing to start.

As for the over 65's then yes many of our counties pensioners are safe and competent and have no trouble driving round but equally there are as many that are doddery old twats that shouldn't be in charge of a car and not only is there slow driving dangerous and frustrating for other motorists but they forget to check mirrors put handbrakes on and as their brain slows down so does their ability to think and react.

[Kwik]

i think most are missing the point driving is already expensive enough.

train them properly at the beginning and then things should be better. if not stick them on 2 wheels so they get to realise secondary safety is the single biggest skill for safe driving. if you take away the primary safety which is a car and expose them like you are on a bike they will learn very quickly to be courteous and safer on the road........

[burnmw]

i think most are missing the point driving is already expensive enough.

I think it might be you who's partially missing the point, driving is a privilege not a right.

[Kwik]

No I'm not missing that point at all it's just people are all about trying to price some people off the road and I think that kind of mentality is morally wrong. If people was trained correctly in the first place there would be no need for retests..... And if they want to be unsafe stick them on 2 wheels and force secondary safety upon them

[Oil-burner]

I don't get where it says driving is a right?
But crack on, if you want unemployment figures to skyrocket, keep adding to the cost of keeping one on the road

[burnmw]

No I'm not missing that point at all it's just people are all about trying to price some people off the road and I think that kind of mentality is morally wrong.

Fair enough, I see what you're saying.

If people was trained correctly in the first place there would be no need for retests..... And if they want to be unsafe stick them on 2 wheels and force secondary safety upon them

However I disagree with that, people forget training over time. Or are you telling me that in 30 years time you will still remember everything your driving instructor taught you? Along with everything your teachers taught you? And everything you've ever been taught in your line of work? And... and... and...

Also, those who have been driving more than 20 years may not even have had driving lessons, or certainly not as we have today, so they haven't had that knowledge to "forget" so perhaps they do need a "retest"? For instance, I've heard stories from the GF's dad/mates about when they got their bike licenses, the test consisted of riding around a large block with an alley through the middle, the tester would simply run back and forth down the alley and watch them ride past at either side. Hardly comparable to the rigorous testing bikers undergo today.

[lewisdmz]

A super yacht is a privilege, a Ferrari is a privilege, being able to travel to work / take the kids to school is not.

[burnmw]

A super yacht is a privilege, a Ferrari is a privilege, being able to travel to work / take the kids to school is not.

I'm sorry, when I went to school I walked, every day. And when I went to high school/college I rode my bicycle. As for getting to work, yes I do drive but then I chose to take a job that I could only get to by driving there.

Being able to drive it a privilege no matter how you look at it.

[Kwik]

However I disagree with that, people forget training over time. Or are you telling me that in 30 years time you will still remember everything your driving instructor taught you? Along with everything your teachers taught you? And everything you've ever been taught in your line of work? And... and... and...

the easiest way to counter what your saying is have you forgotten how to walk, talk, run and so on? if how many years you don't ride a push bike for you can still get on it and ride off? good and safe driving if taught well will stay with you for life. and i still reverse round corners the way i was taught. lol

All i'm trying to say is yes you can forget some things but the skill set for driving a vehicle safely is something you learn and have to do on such a regular basis you carry on doing it IMO

[Kezzieboy]

A super yacht is a privilege, a Ferrari is a privilege, being able to travel to work / take the kids to school is not.

This.

You, sir, are the voice of reason. Some people, like I used to, live in the arse end of nowhere, where there are no jobs, there is no public transport, and it would take over an hour to cycle to the nearest town...what do they do?

[Matty]

Found this while browsing Google News. Thought it was quite relevant.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scotti...ap-1444328

Mainly this quote:

The ABI want a minimum one-year learning period for new drivers, a restriction on passengers, a night-time curfew and zero tolerance of alcohol consumption

There is also some interesting facts/figures in there too...

Thoughts?

[Kwik]

to combat that amount of deaths and to help that young driver group gain experience they should say they can't drive anything say over a 1.2/1.4 for a year or 2 like the restricted access on a bike test. Zero tolerance of alcohol is a very good idea though. night time curfew actually impedes too much on the independence gained from driving in the first place IMO. As for passengers i never took any passengers until i was confident enough to do so common sense really but......

A bit of that article mirrors the comments though of those who not been bought their car by mummy and daddy look after it more cause they bought it themselves.

And shocked to see most of them where in the midlands/north/Scotland and only one down by South coast area thought they would be more down south tbth

[Mattcheese31]

A super yacht is a privilege, a Ferrari is a privilege, being able to travel to work / take the kids to school is not.

well said . . . . . .times change, once everyone used to work locally, not any more, so many commute, school for the kids isn't necessarily just a 10 minute walk down the road either, . a car is pretty essential in the modern world imo, i couldn't do my job without a vehicle . . . . . . i agree there ought to be better training though, for a start, no motorway driving in your test, seriously, wtf? . . . . .the system is so retarded at times it's untrue . .

[Kezzieboy]

A super yacht is a privilege, a Ferrari is a privilege, being able to travel to work / take the kids to school is not.

well said . . . . . .times change, once everyone used to work locally, not any more, so many commute, school for the kids isn't necessarily just a 10 minute walk down the road either, . a car is pretty essential in the modern world imo, i couldn't do my job without a vehicle . . . . . . i agree there ought to be better training though, for a start, no motorway driving in your test, seriously, wtf? . . . . .the system is so retarded at times it's untrue . .

To do motorway driving in my test it would've had to have been over 2 hours, as the nearest motorway takes an hour to get to

[r3k1355]

I can't see why simulators have never been looked at.

Pilots learn to fly a f*cking plane in them, I'm pretty sure you can use one to help teach some window licker to drive.
Obviously real world lessons are needed, but a set number of hours in a sim would be useful I think.

It would be especially useful for motorway driving, because thats something new driver just get thrown at with zero previous experience.

[Matty]

I can't see why simulators have never been looked at.

££££

[Eeyore]

it should be an assessment at 65 not a full retest. could be as simple as having a instructor jump in with you and assess your driving. if he isnt happy with it then you should have to pass some kind of test.