Drivers be made re-sit a driving test

congo_90

Just passed my driving test last week.
Over the year or so i've been driving I noticed how badly a lot of fellow irish motorists are. I know that they all have full licences so at the time most people would say i have no right to comment on their driving.
I'm not saying everyone should drive perfectly but the amount of simple mistakes people make that are potentially dangerous from speeding to tailgating etc (please don't debate tailgating here).

Bottom line drivers develop bad habits. We all done the test and then people forget about it. Last week i saw somebody drive up on a kerb at a bend to pass by a car turning right narrowly missing a pedestrian.
I think people should have to sit a small driving test every few years.
If they fail, they can continue driving but must return in a month after fixing the problems.
This would make our roads a lot safer. After all when did you do your driving test? 2,10+ years?

I know in an ideal world this would work but this country struggles to get full licences!
anyway What's your opinion on this? think it would be a good idea? perhaps save a few lives on our roads.

eringobragh

Well do you drive everyday like you did in your driving test? I certainly don't.

Can't see this working at all. Have to agree though, the Irish standard of driving is pretty sh1t.

Sherifu

congo_90 wrote: »

Bottom line drivers develop bad habits. We all done the test and then people forget about it.

That about sums up the cause.

congo_90 wrote: »

I think people should have to sit a small driving test every few years.

Problem is they can't handle 1 round of testing at the moment

itarumaa

congo_90 wrote: »

Just passed my driving test last week.
Over the year or so i've been driving I noticed how badly a lot of fellow irish motorists are. .

I think the problem here is that you think that you are good driver now and start to pick up other people mistakes in the traffic. Well the problem is that it takes time before you actually realize that driving in the test is different world compared the "real" traffic and it also takes time before you actually are a good driver.

When you start driving I think it is quite common to point out other people mistakes, that person did not drive like instructed in the driving school! but take couple of years and at least some of your fellow drivers logic can be understanded.

Wishbone Ash

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055248510 Similar Thread started yesterday!

Sherifu

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055248510 Similar Thread started yesterday!

A duplicate thread! On Boards? Never Sure signs motors is getting too busy

leahcim

I think its fair to say many drivers who make mistakes like accelerating through orange traffic lights or mounting the curb when car in front is going right etc would repass the test if required. They would just be a good boy/girl for the half hour in the car with the teser.

smemon

I think if you're caught speeding or careless driving you should be sent to a compulsary day long drivers education class.

It would embarras the offender (as he/she has to tell people he's going, take time off work etc..) plus it would re-educate the driver.

How Strange

itarumaa wrote: »

I think the problem here is that you think that you are good driver now and start to pick up other people mistakes in the traffic. Well the problem is that it takes time before you actually realize that driving in the test is different world compared the "real" traffic and it also takes time before you actually are a good driver.

When you start driving I think it is quite common to point out other people mistakes, that person did not drive like instructed in the driving school! but take couple of years and at least some of your fellow drivers logic can be understanded.

+1 You've learned all the good habits and have had to train yourself to drive very well in order to pass the test. Give yourself a few months and then come back and tell us if your driving standards have lessened slightly. Your newly acquired licence may also be making you feel a little smug.

What makes a good driver?
IMO, it is experience. Only through experience will you be able to judge a potentially dangerous situation ahead of you and prepare yourself for it so you don't have an accident i.e. cars pulling out, pedestrians behind vans.

Yes, the standard of driving can be pretty poor at times but I'd say 75% of experienced drivers are good and safe. Unfortunately its the 25% we have to watch out for.

Wishbone Ash

How Strange wrote: »

What makes a good driver?
IMO, it is experience. Only through experience will you be able to judge a potentially dangerous situation ahead of you and prepare yourself for it so you don't have an accident

Experience itself doesn't make one a good driver but the ability to LEARN from experience does.

I'm sure we all know people who have 50 years of experience but are still crap drivers.

congo_90

smemon wrote: »

I think if you're caught speeding or careless driving you should be sent to a compulsary day long drivers education class.

It would embarras the offender (as he/she has to tell people he's going, take time off work etc..) plus it would re-educate the driver.

Yes something like that would be good.

itarumaa wrote: »

I think the problem here is that you think that you are good driver now and start to pick up other people mistakes in the traffic. Well the problem is that it takes time before you actually realize that driving in the test is different world compared the "real" traffic and it also takes time before you actually are a good driver.

I'm aware that there can be a certain arrogance because i'm fresh on the roads etc but this is not what i mean. For years i always noticed. I understand that people tend to drive differently in a test v's real world driving which lets face it is usually because we get frustrated at the idiot in front etc etc.
I still think maybe after 10 or 15 years a small test should be done. If you fail you can still drive off but got to re-sit it. This would knock out all these bad habits and make "real world" driving a lot safer across the country (ideally).

Doodee

I think the government just need to do more road safety adds, not retarded ones where they ruin perfectly good songs like Man of the World but rather informative ones Similar to the 2 second rule and Slowing down on bends.

If you think about it a large portion of people in this country were taught how to drive by older people who never had to sit a test, so bad habbits and misconceptions have be passed down also.

Style of driving is a different thing though, someone mounting a curb to get by someone else is just impatience, not bad training.
If someone got a reasonable amount of points for speeding, rather than forcing them off the road, forcing them to slow down would be a better initiative. A Compulsory GPS device similar to that of some insurers could be used to enforce this.


my 2 cents...

congo_90

@Doodee a compulsary gps for all motorists or just for offenders?

mounting kerbs is i think the least of most motorists problems. from what i can see the main troubles are:
Speeding
Dangerous overtaking.
cutting the corner when turning at a junction (a mercedes missed my car by inches this evening from cutting a corner too sharp probably from coming in too fast)
Running lights at junctions
Parking where it can cause a danger to other motorists/pedestrians (on a bend)

The first two there are most important
Some good feedback here anyways.

lizzyd66

In the UK if you get 6 points on your licence within two years of passing you need to retake your test. I got 3 points in the first 3 weeks (accelerating thru an orange light that was actually red by the time the whole car got thru - great traffic light camera picture!). It taught me a lesson and I really drove carefully from then on. Since moving back to Ireland with no traffic light or speed cameras I must admit the bad habits are starting to form again.

L1011

Theres a traffic light camera on St. John's Road in the city (or is it Con Colbert Road - either way, the N4 inbound) and theres, ooh, about 5 speed cameras. Thats not none now is it

craichoe

Since i moved to the continent i must say my Driving has improved from an awareness point of view, otherwise you'll kill someone on a bicycle.

However on the motorways i constantly break the speed limit because i can without any repercussions.

Wishbone Ash

congo_90 wrote: »

I still think maybe after 10 or 15 years a small test should be done

But most of the people that are slaughtered on our roads have only been driving a relatively short time.

deckie27

congo_90 wrote: »

see the main troubles are:
Speeding
Dangerous overtaking.

I have noticed recently that alot of Dangerous overtaking goes on on our safest roads Dual carraige ways etc.
Why?
Because if i'm (not me) driving at the speed limit i'm allowed to sit in the fast lane. even while people overtake me on the left :eek:

congo_90

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

But most of the people that are slaughtered on our roads have only been driving a relatively short time.

True. Fair point there. I take back what i said. how about after 5 years of holding a licence and every 10years there after?

deckie27 wrote: »

I have noticed recently that alot of Dangerous overtaking goes on on our safest roads Dual carraige ways etc.
Why?
Because if i'm (not me) driving at the speed limit i'm allowed to sit in the fast lane. even while people overtake me on the left :eek:

It's not just on dual carriage ways its on smaller roads. There is a country road i regularly drive down to get to lucan and its suicidal to overtake on it (too many bends) yet for some reason people do and have often had close calls.

On the N4 there is a straight approx 1mile long between Dunshauglin and Dunboyne where drivers always over take and are always sending my pressure up at night when i have a car shooting at over 100km/h head on at me :eek:

deckie27 wrote: »

driving at the speed limit i'm allowed to sit in the fast lane. even while people overtake me on the left :eek:

Please nobody start up a debate on sitting in the fast lane at speed limits. It is unrelated to this thread!

msg11

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Experience itself doesn't make one a good driver but the ability to LEARN from experience does.

I'm sure we all know people who have 50 years of experience but are still crap drivers.

Have to laugh at that one, I work in tesco, there is a disabled parking bay near the top that fits say three cars or so.

Anyways, on the last one there is a footpath close too it, now the driver owl fellow, not disabled!!

Pulls up, parks half way across the disabled spot and on the footpath. Leaving a fair bit of a space for a needy person too get into.

Felt like saying, what the hell are you doing? Would you not just park in the pheking spot.

Just too add I think it would be a good idea to have to re-sit a driving test every so often, also eye tests and medicals.