Renew license - resit theory test

Scoffeymonster

IMO when renewing your license for another 10 years, you should be made sit a theory test before being re-issued a new license.

The rules of the road do change over the years, and people should be forced to learn these new rules.

A perfect example is roundabouts and how a large majority of older drivers do not know how to use them or indicate correctly!

I don't see any problem other than inconvenience in refreshing your knowledge of the rules of the road every 10 years?

Whats your opinion? :cool:

djimi

Aside from the backlog it would cause its a good idea in theory. Theres a big difference between knowing the rules of the road and applying them to every day driving, and the longer you have been driving the less likely you are to adhere to changes even if you are aware of them (I still indicate right at roundabouts until Im about to turn off them when I then change to indicting left, but apparently thats not the done thing anymore?), but at least if people had to retake the theory test then in theory they would be more aware of changes to the rules.

The counter arguement is that there are a lot of drivers who would probably fail and as a consequence be taken off the road when in fact they are perfectly capable drivers. I took one of the mock theory tests a while back having never done one before and failed two straight tests on questions relating to tractors and bikes which I had no clue about and are of no importance to my daily driving. Doesnt make me a bad driver; just means that in my ten years of having a full license I have never so much as stood next to a tractor, let alone driven one.

Also it would probably give insurance companies another excuse to hike up prices...

Anan1

djimi wrote: »

The counter arguement is that there are a lot of drivers who would probably fail and as a consequence be taken off the road when in fact they are perfectly capable drivers. I took one of the mock theory tests a while back having never done one before and failed two straight tests on questions relating to tractors and bikes which I had no clue about and are of no importance to my daily driving. Doesnt make me a bad driver; just means that in my ten years of having a full license I have never so much as stood next to a tractor, let alone driven one.

Let's assume we'd put a bit of work into passing the test if our licenses depended upon it.;)

djimi

Anan1 wrote: »

Let's assume we'd put a bit of work into passing the test if our licenses depended upon it.;)

True that I suppose! Ah I dunno, Ive seen plenty of people study their asses off for theory tests and fail by like one of two questions. Seems a bit unfair to take a perfectly good driver off the road who has already passed their test and proven they are capable drivers, just because they get a bad run of questions in their retest and happen to fail by one or two!

biko

Just as long as I don't have to do the road test again

djimi

God tell me about it! It was a nervy enough experience the first time...

And think of the poor driving schools; Im sure its bad enough being an instructor/tester as it is, imagine having to try and coach the habits out of someone who has been driving for 20 years, youd be a quivering wreck in no time :P

If anything they should be looking at the drivers record of the last 10 years; how many penalty points they picked up, how many claims they lost and for what.

No point in making someone who has a perfect driving record for 10 years resit a theory test.

Anan1

The theory test isn't that hard, there is only a finite number of questions they can ask. I honestly don't think anyone who couldn't pass it, experienced or not, has any business driving.

Scoffeymonster

See the arguement would be if you don't know the rules of the road and can't pass the test, you shouldn't be given a renewed license to drive on the road....:P

See the capability to drive should include the knowledge of the rules rather than the ability to keep the car between the lines and using a clutch.....

The right to drive being earned, rather than being an assumed right and all that malarky

I wouldn't be up for the re-sitting the driving test itself, simply because it would be a pain in the ass! :P

I would agree with the tractor questions etc. that have nothing to do with driving a car. I think a re-classification of these questions onto the theory test for those specific licenses would solve that. Stupid failing a theory test for a passenger car based on a run of questions on Tractors!!