I failed my driving test... Comfort me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I really don't think there's such a thing as being overly cautious, unless you're just being absurd.

Yes there is . But instead of failing you, I'd just lean on the horn.

[CerberusIV]

The test system here in Ireland is a mess. As our_man says, there are massive waiting lists at virtually all test centres and a proportion of the work is being contracted out to the private sector to get the backlog down (it took months to get the union to agree to that one).

In the rural areas the test is a joke (not quite so bad in Dublin). There is no motorway or high speed driving, basically it consists of trundling round a housing estate at no more than 30mph. It is recognised that they need to make the test harder but they can't do that until they get rid of the waiting lists.

Driving standards aren't bad but the poor drivers are becoming more noticeable as traffic increases on the roads. There are a lot of fatal accidents though, usually single vehicle into a ditch/wall/tree or overtaking misjudgements, often at night and often young drivers.

Apparently, if you go to the west of Ireland the young drivers waiting for a test, or retake, often just drive anyway as there is no other way to get around (when is the next bus? - Thursday).

[Ramo]

I failed my road test four times. For various reasons. I went to a different DPS office (servicing a more affluent constituency, therefore being less crowded, and having more chilled out testers) a couple hours after that last failure and passed with a near perfect score.

[Winston]

I failed my driving test... Comfort me.

I believe Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr also failed to acquire a driving license, twice. After which he decided to just settle for studying quantum mechanics and similar stuff.

Or maybe it's an urban legend. But I always think of him when I hear of people flunking their driver's tests.

[Jon Miller]

In my driving test I just had to go arround the block..

Which was good, because I was a poor driver (I did get a -5 for changing lanes without looking over my shoulder).

JM

[Provost Harrison]

I'd be more worried if you got a -5 for 'We are upset that you have fallen under the sway of a heathen religion'

[:) Smiley]

Originally posted by Vince278
I didn't start driving until I was 24. My wife still doesn't drive.

Do you live in a major city? If not, how do you manage to handle all the kids?

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Smiley
Do you live in a major city? If not, how do you manage to handle all the kids?

Grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania but never needed to drive. I did all my traveling to other states and countries without the family. A car started to become necessary only when I relocated to southern Maryland and worked in Washington DC.

[snoopy369]

Driving testers want you to not hesitate before turns, because a hesitant driver is often a poor driver. Not because they don't want you to drive safely, but because they want you to show that you can drive safely while still driving at a reasonable pace. Particularly in cities, the worst drivers are the ones that drive slowly, don't make turns quickly (ie, wait for a large hole in traffic to make a left), and aren't at least a little bit aggressive. If you are entirely passive and hesitant, you will cause significant traffic backups.

Beyond that, hesitancy often masks lack of comfort with driving, and indicates someone who needs to drive a bit more before he/she should be licensed.

(Not saying that any of this necessarily affects any of y'all, as I don't know your details, just that's the thinking of the driving instructor.)

[Arrian]

I wish the driving test in Connecticut was actually difficult. Well, I don't know, maybe it has changed, but when I took it (12 years ago, ack!) it was pathetically easy. I was stunned by how easy it was.

The most difficult thing I had to do was a 3-point turn It took 5 minutes.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Anyway... our_man, did you go through a driver training course? If not, and you can afford it, do it.

-Arrian

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Particularly in cities, the worst drivers are the ones that drive slowly, don't make turns quickly (ie, wait for a large hole in traffic to make a left), and aren't at least a little bit aggressive. If you are entirely passive and hesitant, you will cause significant traffic backups.

Slow, over-cautious driving is bad, I agree, but so is running over old people.