Another government driving test **** up!!!

minijen

The government decided they were going to cut the waiting time for driving tests, fantastic it only took them 3 years of committee meetings to finally get things moving. Just when it seems a government miracle occurred they created chaos by changing the laws for anyone driving on second provisional in an overnight brainstorm... So now we all need to pass our tests in a hurry or we're going to be stuck with our ma's sitting in the passenger seats, oh joy. Fair enough the waiting times seem shorter so it's looking promising yeah? Except the government has another one of it's brainwaves and now it seems a huge percentage of qualified driving instructors will be striking over the next few weeks! Fancy a bicycle anyone?

msg11

sweet ****... thats all I can say ... Adding more wait too an already, very high waiting list...

Seth Brundle

WRT the OP's first point about having to do tests in a hurry - most complaints are about the fact that it takes too long. Now that you have to do the test soon, you complain? FFS!

Secondly, the (proposed?) strike is because the instructors, the majority of whom have until Dec 31st to pass the new 3 part instructor test, want "a simple test whereby their ability to test a learner driver would be examined in an on-the-spot check by a tester"*. Would you rather have your instructor who was properly assessed?

* quote from the Irish Indo, 23-01-08

minijen

Point is that we now have faster testing times but if driving instructors strike then there will obviously be more delays - not every learner driver has their own car, they hire them from driving instructors. Driving instructors on strike equals no cars for tests! It doesn't get much more obvious.

Also think there may be more to the strike than a one line quote from a newspaper hmmm?

Wishbone Ash

minijen wrote: »

they created chaos by changing the laws for anyone driving on second provisional

The regulations were changed for all learner drivers, not just those on a second provisional/learner permit in category B.

minijen wrote:

in an overnight brainstorm...

This has been a contentious matter for over 20 years. Those who are on a 2nd provisional licence/learner permit have until June 30th next before being legally required to be accompanied. Those on a provisional licence/learner permit in categories A, A1 and M had until December 1st before being required to wear a high visibility tabard. How is that 'overnight'?

minijen wrote:

So now we all need to pass our tests in a hurry

I get the impression that, like thousands of others, you only decided to apply for the test around October. Why not apply before that? From the sentiments expressed in you post it seems that you are on a second provisional/learner permit. Therefore you could have been driving for a least 2 years - twice as long as the longest driving centre waiting list.

minijen wrote:

Except the government has another one of it's brainwaves and now it seems a huge percentage of qualified driving instructors will be striking over the next few weeks!

Do you seriously think the Government should avoid making hard decisions because some citizens may threaten industrial action?

Seth Brundle

minijen wrote: »

Point is that we now have faster testing times but if driving instructors strike then there will obviously be more delays - not every learner driver has their own car, they hire them from driving instructors. Driving instructors on strike equals no cars for tests! It doesn't get much more obvious.

Also think there may be more to the strike than a one line quote from a newspaper hmmm?

So driving instructors who are annoyed because they have to be tested themselves take it out on provisional drivers and its the governments fault? How did you work that out?

minijen

To Wishbone, I have actually have held a full license since 1987. To Kbannon, my point is not about driving instructors, it's about the ridiculous waiting times. And I do hold the government responsible. As Wishbone points out this has been a contensious issue for 20 years, and the government have certainly had time to put proper regulations in place. Instead it is one mess after the other trying to get it right.

Wishbone Ash

minijen wrote: »

So now we all need to pass our tests in a hurry or we're going to be stuck with our ma's sitting in the passenger seats

minijen wrote: »

To Wishbone, I have actually have held a full license since 1987

Why then do you need your 'ma'?

minijen wrote:

To Kbannon, my point is not about driving instructors, it's about the ridiculous waiting times.

You seem to be chopping and changing your arguements with every reply.

When the Government announced the changes, only 127,000 out of 430,000 provisional licence holders had applied for a test. What were the other 300,000 doing? What if all learners had applied - the waiting times would be a lot longer.

minijen wrote:

And I do hold the government responsible. As Wishbone points out this has been a contensious issue for 20 years, and the government have certainly had time to put proper regulations in place. Instead it is one mess after the other trying to get it right.

But any time they decide to tighten up the regulations, people like yourself complain. You can't have it both ways!

minijen

It must have hurt Wishbone that you were way off the mark with your below comment!

""I get the impression that, like thousands of others, you only decided to apply for the test around October. Why not apply before that? From the sentiments expressed in you post it seems that you are on a second provisional/learner permit. Therefore you could have been driving for a least 2 years - twice as long as the longest driving centre waiting list.""

jhegarty

kbannon wrote: »

So driving instructors who are annoyed because they have to be tested themselves take it out on provisional drivers and its the governments fault? How did you work that out?

I think I can take a guess....the op is a driving instructor...



further reading :

minijen

Wrong again... the OP is a happy retiree!

Wishbone Ash

minijen wrote: »

It must have hurt Wishbone that you were way off the mark with your below comment!

Not in the slightest minijen as it was based on your opening post where you purported to be a provisional licence holder who required your "ma" to accompany you. Tut tut.

jhegarty wrote: »

I think I can take a guess....the op is a driving instructor...



further reading : -

Good work jhegarty! The cat has been released.

Now, who is feeling 'hurt'?

Seth Brundle

Nice one jhegarty.
@minijen - is this the best argument that you can think of for not going with the proposed improvement in driver training? Why are you scared to do the three proposed tests? Are you scared you will not pass?
Resorting to cheap tactics like this only damage your stance!