Driving tests "diabolical"?

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#1035833 3-May-2014 08:11

Just a background, I'm on a learners licence working towards a learners motorcycle and then eventually a restricted onto full - current I ride a 50cc Aprilia scooter to and from work. Personally I flat out refuse to get a car licence given the inconsistencies between getting the licence and the police actually enforcing what are supposed to be some pretty basic rules - indicating for starters. It is all very well being 'tough' on the test but if you don't follow it up with actual enforcement of the rules then in reality it is in one ear and out the other for most people.

Regarding some of the examples - there are far too many aggressive people on the road, people who speed, who don't care about the impact of their driving habits on those around themselves. Assuming we take the feedback at face value I do have an issue with driving testers who are overly zealous at failing someone because the driver is more cautious about whether to enter the round-about. The accidents with young people have nothing to do with lack of confidence it is caused by young kids with too much confidence and are too cocky - the person being cautious about entering a round-about or stopping at a give way sign just to be absolutely sure should be behaviours that are encouraged not penalised.

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#1035855 3-May-2014 09:49

The NZ Herald article mentioned the Meadowbank testing location several times. Might be just a bias in the selection of interviewees or something more to it.

Athlonite

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#1035941 3-May-2014 12:04

kawaii: police actually enforcing what are supposed to be some pretty basic rules - indicating for starters. It is all very well being 'tough' on the test but if you don't follow it up with actual enforcement of the rules then in reality it is in one ear and out the other for most people.

can't be done when those who are supposed to enforce the laws don't follow them themselves, I followed a cop in to Tamatea in Napier one afternoon he failed to indicate twice once coming off the roundabout and once turning left into Tamatea so I followed him to the community police station pulled up beside him got out of my car and tore two strips off him.. He was not impressed and tried to argue the fact I simply said you didn't have you red/blues going so it obviously was not an emergency you have no excuse except for being lazy and thinking you could get away with it because your a cop well now you haven't (didn't let on I'm good friends with a senior detective in Napier) but told him I'd be laying an complaint and will follow it up

blakamin

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#1036022 3-May-2014 15:19

Athlonite:
blakamin:
Athlonite:
Oh and the 1984 driving test was around the block 1 set of lights 1 stop sign and 1 give-way no hill start no parallel park and no reversing passed with flying colours and was also given my motorbike license at the same time :)

Explains heaps of Kiwi drivers ;P

Edit: Here's my NZ one...

shezz a few more and you'll have the full alphabet LOL I just have bike car and forklift all full ofcourse

haha.. yeah only needed passenger and instructor for the full set!

drgshah

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#1038014 6-May-2014 23:33

Took my restricted test recently in New Plymouth.
Learned to drive myself, no driving lessons.
Was very nervous before the test. The testing officer made things worse, was very non-friendly, rude, stern, etc.
I passed the test, but the overall experience wasn't very good!
I did get a quick glance at the scoring sheet, and it seems like they score you on a whole bunch of things. One small thing cannot fail you, a bunch of them can. I asked the officer if i did anything wrong during the test and he said the only thing he could point out was that during my last two turns, i indicated only for 2 seconds.

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#1038028 7-May-2014 01:19

He has a stopwatch?

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#1038500 7-May-2014 18:15

Athlonite:
kawaii: police actually enforcing what are supposed to be some pretty basic rules - indicating for starters. It is all very well being 'tough' on the test but if you don't follow it up with actual enforcement of the rules then in reality it is in one ear and out the other for most people.

can't be done when those who are supposed to enforce the laws don't follow them themselves, I followed a cop in to Tamatea in Napier one afternoon he failed to indicate twice once coming off the roundabout and once turning left into Tamatea so I followed him to the community police station pulled up beside him got out of my car and tore two strips off him.. He was not impressed and tried to argue the fact I simply said you didn't have you red/blues going so it obviously was not an emergency you have no excuse except for being lazy and thinking you could get away with it because your a cop well now you haven't (didn't let on I'm good friends with a senior detective in Napier) but told him I'd be laying an complaint and will follow it up

Got another rage about NZ drivers - when you're driving on the road focus on the road; the number of people who are coming out of small streets onto the main roads who are looking at everything but the traffic in from of them is scary.

Btw, why are they going to put a limit on a learners licence? what about those of us who only have an interest in riding a scooter? why should I be fleeced out of several hundred dollars by the driving instructor industry cartel just so I can remain on the road by acquiring a higher licence that I'll never need?

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

PhantomNVD

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#1041313 10-May-2014 12:53

And what's with the need to be within 5 of the speed limit within 5 secs?

Whatever happened to "it's a limit not a target"

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#1041337 10-May-2014 14:46

50 kph zone is nothing.

You need to hit 100 going on the motorway ramp

Kyanar

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#1041355 10-May-2014 15:33

kawaii:
Btw, why are they going to put a limit on a learners licence? what about those of us who only have an interest in riding a scooter? why should I be fleeced out of several hundred dollars by the driving instructor industry cartel just so I can remain on the road by acquiring a higher licence that I'll never need?

According to whoever the Minister of Transport is (Stephen Joyce?) the GDLS (Graduated Driver Licensing System) is designed to require drivers to graduate through it, and that if you haven't graduated to the next stage by the end of a period of time, you apparently shouldn't be on the roads. Personally I don't drive (and don't think I'll be starting anytime soon) but just recently upgraded to a Restricted license just to get ahead of some of the stupid schemes coming in, such as the 5 year expiry.

Personally, I feel if they need to do this there should be a special 1S (or something) license for those sorts of scooters. Think of it like a Class 1 license that only allows riding scooters. That way if you want to ride scooters and cars, go for a 1L->1R->1F that expires every 5 years unless you graduate. But if you just want to ride scooters just get a 1S with the 10 year renewal that entails.

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#1041992 12-May-2014 09:52

When I get on the pc later I will write my experience here, but in the mean time id like to ask 2 questions and hopefully get definitive answer by then...

Firstly, was there a stage during graduated licence system that if you got full of one class, say motorcycle, that you got full of other class you had, say car?

Secondly the rule about sitting restricted in automatic trans car, means auto trans becomes condition on licence until full is sat... is that the case now, has it always been?

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AidanS

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#1042010 12-May-2014 10:14

IlDuce:
Secondly the rule about sitting restricted in automatic trans car, means auto trans becomes condition on licence until full is sat... is that the case now, has it always been?

That's how it is now, and this is a fairly recent change in the system. It never used to be like this.

Once you pass your full it doesn't matter what you drive.

-A.

Jaxson

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#1042066 12-May-2014 10:53

AidanS:
IlDuce:
Secondly the rule about sitting restricted in automatic trans car, means auto trans becomes condition on licence until full is sat... is that the case now, has it always been?

That's how it is now, and this is a fairly recent change in the system. It never used to be like this.

Once you pass your full it doesn't matter what you drive.

-A.

My original learners was a scratchy test only I think.
Did my restricted in an auto back in the day as that's what my Dad let me drive. Was a leisurely cruise around town, didn't do a hill start obviously, didn't get asked to do a parallel park, didn't get asked for much really.
Finished up and I'd passed. There were no consequences from doing this practical test in an automatic vehicle.
A few years later I realised one day that my restricted time was up (I had waited the 2 years instead of doing a half day course that cut that time in half to one year, I just saved my money).
Walked into the police station, paid my money and walked out with a full drivers license (paper, for life...), no driving component to the Full Licence upgrade, just had to wait the time!

Then a few years later they brought in the new format plastic card 10 year licenses and phased them in over a year.
I didn't need to change mine until 6 months later but one night I couldn't get into a bar or buy beer at the supermarket without photo ID.
I walked into the AA the next day, paid my money, looked in a stupid eye test (that fails many people who then have to pay to get their perfectly fine eyesight confirmed elsewhere), and got a horrible hungover photo as I did eventually get into a bar. That was it, new license arrived and bars were easy again, though I could have just grown the beard again I suppose in hindsight.
Then recently that 10 year license expired and they said I could carry my (long expired I thought?) heavy traffic endorsement across if I had a medical, which would include an eye test also.
Off to the Doc then, had the rubber glove check (nah just kidding), back to the AA, paid more money, got license.

Looking back there have been few points where anyone actually cared HOW I drove, but there were multiple points where I had to hand over money...
Like I said earlier, I feel sorry for those stuck in the system nowadays. The only hope is it eventually does improve things out on the roads...

drgshah

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#1042523 12-May-2014 17:49

I'am on a restricted licence and usually stick to the 95-100km/hr mark on highways only to see others pass me at speeds over 120 and some even give me the look as they pass. Makes me feel like a kid driving his small kiddo car.

People are so impatient that they would drive so close behind me waiting for an opportunity to overtake even when I'am driving at 100km/hr. That puts further pressure on a novice driver (I still have L plates displayed on my car). How are these people allowed to drive, how do they pass their tests?

Geese

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#1042543 12-May-2014 18:11

drgshah: I'am on a restricted licence and usually stick to the 95-100km/hr mark on highways only to see others pass me at speeds over 120 and some even give me the look as they pass. Makes me feel like a kid driving his small kiddo car.

People are so impatient that they would drive so close behind me waiting for an opportunity to overtake even when I'am driving at 100km/hr. That puts further pressure on a novice driver (I still have L plates displayed on my car). How are these people allowed to drive, how do they pass their tests?

What I think is a problem these days is now GPS is widespread, people have worked out when their speedos say 100kmh, they are doing ~90 +/-, and so they compensate by going faster to do 100kmh GPS speed.

In the 1990s when I went on motorcycle charity rides, we used to sit on 90-100kmh, but now I get left behind doing 100kmh. They often say oh do you realise your not really doing 100? You should sit on 110-115 and you won't get a ticket. While they may be right, I don't see the urgency for speed when 100 on the speedo used to be ok, but not now we all know about GPS speed.

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