Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site othervax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!philabs!micomvax!othervax!pace From: pace@othervax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: Learning to drive...well Message-ID: <394@othervax.UUCP> Date: Tue, 26-Feb-85 11:23:43 EST Article-I.D.: othervax.394 Posted: Tue Feb 26 11:23:43 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Mar-85 05:30:06 EST References: <76@mit-athena.UUCP> Reply-To: pace@othervax.UUCP (Scott Pace) Organization: Philips Information Systems - Montreal, Canada Lines: 43 Summary: If you want to learn to drive well then go to Great Britain. In my opinion they have a very demanding (and so it should be) driving test. They put the emphasis on how you perform on the road more than on how many signs and rules you can memorise. When I took my test over there (about 5 years ago) I had spent about 3 months taking lessons at least once a week and then twice a week nearer the test date. During the actual test I was on the road with the examiner for about 35 minutes during which time we did a three point turn, reversing around a corner, emergency braking (without skidding or losing control), uphill starts (manual trans.). After we got back to the test centre he then asked me a few questions on the highway code (ie. signs, do's & don't's etc.). After all that he then told me that I'd passed the test!!! To give you an example of how stringent the test is, I nearly failed it because I almost forgot to make sure that the car was in neutral before starting the engine (they don't care if you disengage the clutch, the car should not be in gear when you start it). Another item which they will fail you on is not covering the brake pedal and looking carefully when you go through a cross roads, even though you have the right of way. When I moved to Montreal about a year ago and took their test, I was no longer amazed at how bad the drivers are here. I spent more time answering questions about driving than I actually spent on the road (about 5 minutes on the road). Now I don't know what driving tests are like in the States but I suspect that they are not much more demanding if at all (please correct me if I'm wrong). In conclusion, if you want to be a GOOD driver then go to the U.K. and learn there. Once you've done that you can always stay another few months and take the advanced drivers course and test. The insurance rates drop significantly if you manage to pass that one! Scott Pace, Philips Information Systems, Montreal, Canada philabs!micomvax!othervax!pace