OmegaDrive
Myths & Facts
Myths
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Driving
examiners are only allowed to pass a certain number of
pupils per week.
This is just not true. Perhaps this myth originates with
those embarrassed by failure trying to come up with a
convincing reason for family and friends. If you are up to
driving test standard you will pass.
It’s not meant to be easy, and the fact is that over 50% of
candidates are just not up to the standard required. Driving
examiners don’t fail you: you fail yourself.
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Driving
examiners enjoy failing learner drivers.
Examiners are professionals: their personal feelings do not
enter into their assessment of you. Also, they have their
bosses to report to – an unusual or inexplicable number of
passes or failures would be looked into. It’s easier for an
examiner to give good news rather than bad, and a pass means
less paperwork for them.
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There is a
particular examiner who has tested me at the same
test centre several times and failed me because
he does not like me.
It would be easy to blame a ‘personality clash’ for failure,
but again, driving examiners are
professionals. Personal feelings or prejudices are
irrelevant. An examiner whose work record showed an
inclination to fail, for example women or a particular
ethnic group, would soon be spotted. We would all like to
blame someone else for our mistakes. The only way you will
eventually pass is if you take responsibility for your
performance and work hard to correct your faults.
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| Delaying the learning and taking the test until
you are older.
The DSA says a pupil needs 2 hours
driving tuition for every year of life. In other words, if
you are 17 you will need about 34 hours, and if you are 20
you will need 40 hours. All in all, it is easier and cheaper
to learn at the youngest age possible. Anyone who has been
‘back to school’ or learnt a new skill knows that learning
becomes more difficult as you get older but I'm a granddad
and understand the needs of older learners, too.
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My father tells me he took only 8 hours of
driving tuition and passed first time.
This may be true but the test has
grown to match the changing conditions on the roads. There
is an ever larger number of cars, more complicated traffic
conditions and signs and routes to follow. There is now also
the theory test, reverse parking manoeuvres and the ‘show
and tell’ section. Years ago, a candidate would just be
asked a few questions on the Highway Code. Older drivers
often acknowledge that they might have difficulty these days
passing a test. The Driving Standards Agency estimates that
a new learner driver needs a minimum of 45 hours
professional training with a further 22 hours of private
practice. You can console yourself that with a more serious,
complex test, you will be a much more competent driver in a
shorter space of time than your father. As soon as you pass,
take him out on the road and impress him!
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Driving Schools make you take more lessons
than you really need.
I certainly don’t. I don't need to! Anyway, it is not in
any school’s best interests to have lots of learners taking
lesson after lesson with no end result. I want my former pupils to spread the word about
their success! I will give advice, but if you want an
independent rough guide: you are ready to take your test if
you can drive for an hour without the verbal aid or
assistance of your instructor. The DSA says that most people
fail simply because they take the test before they are
ready.
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The minimum age for driving is going up to 18.
It is true that
recently a government task force recommended that learning
should begin at 17 and the driving test taken at 18.
However, for the age to change, it would require an Act of
Parliament, which takes at least 2-3 years to become law.
So, no need to worry about this for a while.
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Facts
The most common reasons for failing are:
1. Observation at junctions – ineffective or bad observation
and judgment.
2. Reverse Parking – ineffective observation and/or lack of
accuracy.
3. Use of Mirrors – not checking often enough, and/or not
acting on the information.
4. Reversing Round a Corner – ineffective observation and/or
lack of accuracy.
5. Incorrect use of Signals – giving misleading signals, or
forgetting to cancel them.
6. Moving away Safely – ineffective observation.
7. Incorrect Positioning on the Road – particularly at
roundabouts and on bends.
8. Lack of Steering Control – steering too early or too
late.
9. Incorrect Position for turning right – at junctions or
one-way streets.
10. Inappropriate Speed – driving too slowly or too quickly.
Reported by
the Driving Standards Agency for the 12
months to January 2004
As
you can see, most are concerned with observation – so the next
time I nag you, you can see it’s for a good reason!