Clash of the titans. .

[Pine]

Unfortunately once the driving test is passed most people never look at the Highway Code.

[coldstart]

Unfortunately once the driving test is passed most people never look at the Highway Code.

Well, we just have to remain interested in the new regulations and stay humble about our failing abilities with age.

[Lord Voltermore]

There are many rumblings in the Uk press about the possibility /probability of  increased driver competence checks for drivers over 70.   At present UK  drivers have to renew their licence on reaching 70, and every 3 years thereafter.  You  have to declare your r eyesight meets the minimum standard ,and you  dont have certain medical conditions .But you self certify, no need for a certificate from a doctor or optician. (except in certain situations)   You might be genuinely unaware  your eyesight or health is not adequate , or simply make a false declaration.  There is no practical  retest of your actual driving standard.

Hard as it is to believe in a  young chap like me  ( )  I am over 70 and might not welcome these checks.   But we should have them.  The optician industry are keen and ready for eyesight test certificates.  The medical sector less so. Theres not enough doctors as it is, but maybe  other medical professionals could do  sufficient checks such as blood pressure etc . Any problems disclosed by  driving licence checks,(for which a reasonable fee is paid)  can have long term benefits for the NHS  in early diagnosis. 

Driving competence checks dont need to be done by full  driving test examiners.  There are many approved professional  driving instructors who are perfectly competent to decide if you still drive to a reasonable standard .  Anyone they ' fail' could  appeal by applying for a more formal approved driving test.

But it shouldnt just be for those over 70 !     For many their  driving standards go rapidly down hill  from the moment they pass their driving test.  And many youngsters would also  fail eyesight and medical tests. IMO  Everyone should be retested  at least every 10 years. 

My only concern is that driving tests these days include driver theory   and hazard awareness situations converted into  a written/on-line  exam format.   I think  my hazard awareness and theory/highway code knowledge is more than good enough in practice  (and reasonably up to date) but   I might need a bit of practice  to pass the new fangled written test.

BTW as the topic starter I am happy for the thread to go off topic with some ramblings.  "Clash of the Titans"  wouldnt be found on a subject search anyway 

[Kremmen]

I have ocular hypertension which is being successfully controlled by eye drops

I declared it and as a result, from first application to receiving the licence, takes just over 4 months including extra paperwork and visit to SpecSavers for a fields test

When my current licence runs out in a couple of years, given I no longer drive, I'll probably let it expire

[Karoq]

I'm starting to see examples of poor driving on the part of EV drivers. Typically, this involves exploiting the torque of the motor to accelerate hard up to way above the legal limit in order to overtake in a location that, for an ICE car, would not be safe because it couldn't accelerate in that way. Is this safe? It doesn't look it and is quite alarming if you're the one being overtaken or you're the oncoming car. Seen this several times now, it's always a big electric SUV.

"Always big electric SUV". What about us smaller ones (eNiro) are we not allowed to behave like prats? 

[ColinB]

I'm starting to see examples of poor driving on the part of EV drivers. Typically, this involves exploiting the torque of the motor to accelerate hard up to way above the legal limit in order to overtake in a location that, for an ICE car, would not be safe because it couldn't accelerate in that way. Is this safe? It doesn't look it and is quite alarming if you're the one being overtaken or you're the oncoming car. Seen this several times now, it's always a big electric SUV.

"Always big electric SUV". What about us smaller ones (eNiro) are we not allowed to behave like prats? 

I was commenting on what I had personally observed. You are perfectly entitled to do what you want (but don't expect approval or sympathy if "behaving like a prat" shows poor consideration, and creates a hazard, for other road users).

[Sean Regan]

Unfortunately once the driving test is passed most people never look at the Highway Code.

What really annoys me, is the number of drivers who are ignorant of the law regarding a couple things.

Box junctions. We've had them in the UK since 1967.

Here in Trafford on the A56 there's a junction with traffic lights. If you are driving towards Manchester, you can't turn left. Turning right will take you to Sainsbury's.

It's a box junction.

There's two lanes, going forward and a third for turning right, if you want to go to Sainsbury's.
When the lights turn green, if you intend to turn right, you can enter the box junction ,"as long ads your exit is clear," which invariably it is.
You can get three cars wanting to turn right in this box as oncoming traffic can't turn across you, as  there's a "no entry" sign as it's a one way street to your left.

The number of times I've been the second car in the queue in the third lane, which when the lights turn green, the driver in front of me won't go into the box! I've got to say this, as it's true, it's usually women.
I often end up stuck at the lights, as the lights are turning red by the time this car moves.

At peak times, some drivers if they are in a hurry will enter a box before the car in front is out of it, which then stops and they then block crossing traffic.


Mini Roundabouts.

It's not a supermarket queue, "first come, first served," as some drivers believe.
The cars approaching the roundabout from your right, have precedence.
There's naffin' signs on the approach to it, which say so!

[coldstart]

What really annoys me, is the number of drivers who are ignorant of the law regarding a couple things.

What would be your suggestion to remedy this situation?

[Lord Voltermore]

What really annoys me, is the number of drivers who are ignorant of the law regarding a couple things.

What would be your suggestion to remedy this situation?

The UK has a system of 'speed awareness' courses where those who break the speed limit by a relatively small amount can ,in some cases,   avoid a financial fine or  penalty points by volunteering to take the course. But its not compulsory.  (At least i think this is how it works. Never been caught  )   Extend this to other  violations where it appears the driver is ignorant of the law, or deliberately behaving in an unacceptable way. And make it compulsory. If  it  costs them money and  inconvenience so much the better as a deterrent.    In  more serious cases ,or repeated violations,  suspend their licence until they pass a new driving test .   

This may seem draconian.   I may be biased.  I have driven  for over 50 years in the uk (sometimes over 30K miles a year in company vehicles)  and only  been 'done'  for  one violation  -( minor speeding aged 25) . So can others.   

I could have been caught once ,about 3 years ago, stopped in a box junction.   In south London (not my normal stomping ground) . Traffic was exceptionally slow, stop/start even for there. . (Thank heavens for brake hold and other Mk 4 advantages)With frequent box junctions where if you didnt get through ,cars from the side road would fill any space that had cleared ahead of you.     The car in front of me had plenty of room to fully clear the junction,by far enough to also allow me to clear it without stopping.  I was wrong to assume he would.  He stopped short and I had to stop still partly in the box. Fortunately there was no enforcement  camera. My bad.   But the main lesson I learned  was the jam had allowed me to become a bit stressed and impatient,  and my frustration with the other driver stopping short could, in some people, become the seeds of road rage.   

[Kremmen]

Fully agree

Certain violations should be an instant licence loss and a retest including theory and all that

A driving licence is a privilege not a right to do what you want

I seen some of those Aus and NZ motorway patrol programs and they both have far better motoring laws

[Sean Regan]

In the UK. if caught for a minor speed violation you can be offered a "speed awareness course," instead of points on your licence. These can last over three hours. For me, I think that is a far bigger deterrent than points on my licence. So I always watch my speed.