On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 14:25:00 +0100, "NY" wrote:

snip

Exactly. Talk about grudging praise. I'd forgotten one thing. When he did
the eyesight test, he asked me to read the number of my own car! I said
"well, it's ABC 123A but I know it very well because it's my car - maybe you
should ask me another one". "Don't you get smart with my, lad" he snapped.

Well the laugh was on him.

He really did have an obnoxious and poisonous personality. There was
evidently no pleasing him.

That was often the stereotype of driving test examiners but ITRW they
were (mostly) just people doing a job. As in any field you get the odd
'special case' and he sounds like one of them.

snip

I'm glad I don't have to take a test today. I'd be fine with the actual
driving, but the hazard-perception tests might be a problem - not because I
can't identify hazards but because the image on the screen is very small and
you are expected to see things in the video earlier than they are visible.

I think if that was an issue then maybe you shouldn't be driving in
the first place. ;-)

In real life, the problem probably wouldn't apply. That's when I tried the
test on a PC at the Birmingham Motor Show once - technology and screen sizes
have probably improved a lot, but I've heard that they still penalise you if
you identify a potential hazard which the designers of the software hadn't
included.

There was a lot of 'knowing when they expect you to click', rather
than doing so when appropriate that's for sure.

I like being able to use my local knowledge in a test. When I took my IAM
test, I was asked to take a certain road and I chuckled. The examiner asked
me why, so I said that I knew all about the awkward oblique junction up
ahead where you have to look right back on yourself to check for traffic.
"Can't fool you, can I?" he joked.

Daughter fell for such a trap because unlike me, she hadn't gone out
exploring the locale as a kid, first on a cycle, then moped etc.

We had gone out together quite often (just to get some supervised
miles under her belt, not with the intention of me instructing her)
and I was impressed on her general control and composure.[1]

It was a very short (50 meters long) section of what would be best
described as 'dual carriageway in a 30mph area (it was also 30 mph)
and with all the white lines at the exit point very worn. Even the
keep left bollard in the middle of the 5m wide grass 'central
reservation' didn't really stand out.

So, when you first come across it (especially on your test) it looks
like two small two-way roads running parallel to each other.

So, she's approaching the end of these with them on her right and so
she mirrored, indicated, shoulder checked and *just* went to turn
(into what would be two lanes coming out) before realising something
was wrong, correcting and carrying on the other 5m and *then* turning
right. ;-(

Now, all the other instructors back at the test centre knew that that
was a common trap and made their students aware of it. ;-(

Her examiner told her instructor that she was a 'good little rider'
and that it was a shame that she had stumbled there.

She passed second time. ;-)

Having full car and bike licences at 19 has helped on some job
interviews even if wasn't a key part of the role.

Cheers, T i m