on channel 5 now. (8:30-9:00) fridays.
Scary stuff...
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Makes you wonder;
if they have passed the driving test
and
if so, how on earth did they get a pass?
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They passed because they did what they had to do to satisfy the examiner on the day. What type of driver a person becomes after they are left to develop on their own is all down to their own personality and attitude.
Some types of person are psychologocaly unfit to be in charge of a vehicle, and no amount of training or testing will alter that, unfortunately.
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You've hit the nail on the head here - it's only in a minority of cases that the ability to control a vehicle is so bad that a driver is unsafe, in many more cases it's down to their nature. Many drivers become bullies behind the wheel - forcing their way through traffic on the basis that sensible people will back out of situations to avoid accidents. Others just can't bear to stick to the rules if they cause them inconvenience and many more think they should be able to do what they want regardless of other road users.
If a psychological test was part of the driving test, I suspect far fewer would pass! Trouble is, I suspect I might be one of those to fail as I get really wound up by people taking the mickey and often go out of the way to try and stop them. (Without taking *too* much of a risk - things like maintaining my lane and not being intimidated)
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If a psychological test was part of the driving test, I suspect far fewer would pass! Trouble is, I suspect I might be one of those to fail as I get really wound up by people taking the mickey and often go out of the way to try and stop them. (Without taking *too* much of a risk - things like maintaining my lane and not being intimidated)
You have hit a nail on a head too here, Steve - but I would guess most people would be able to keep their calm knowing it was their psychological test, that wouldn't necessarily affect their behaviour on the roads after passing the test. You're prepared to admit what winds you up, and what makes you go out of your way to 'remind' certain road users that their behaviour is inacceptable - and doubtless most of us would do the same if we could (I certainly would if I didn't have 2 small kids in the back of the car) - BUT, if you were sitting a road-psychological test, you would probably be able to curb all that until you had passed your test, don't you think? Not disagreeing with you one iota, but just wonder if it could ever become practicable?
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But some sort of test akin to that in the parallax view would sort psycho's out.
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But some sort of test akin to that in the parallax view would sort psycho's out.
I'm sorry Jonathan, don't know what that means but if it would be helpful then I'd like to know more about it. Sorry to be ignorant.
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Totally off topic but...
Its a political conspiracy thriller par excellence starring Warren Beatty.
Beatty is an investigative reporter prone to upsetting both the authorities and his colleagues. Following the assasination of a prominent US senator, it comes to Beatty's attention that the journalists who witnessed the event themselves begin to mysteriously meet their ends. Drawn into a nightmarish world of shady corporations and menacing shadows, Beatty links the murders to the sinister Parallax Corporation, an enigmatic therapy institute. Driven by inquisitiveness, Beatty enrolls at the institute in an attempt to discover the truth.
The institute selects people of a certain disposition, i.e. those without morals or emotions using complex psychometric tests. These people are then used by oganisations to remove others (hitmen, or should that be hitpeople)
Not a girly movie, but well worth a look.
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Thank you Jonathan, sorry Mark this IS off topic - but it would be rude of me not to reply!
It sounds interesting Jonathan - I will take a look when I can! Am far more interested in psychological movies rather than girlie ones, BTW!
I guess if this sort of thing were part of our law, it could make quite a difference! And the idea of it sussing out those who are without morals etc is quite fascinating - because we ALL know that many of the drivers we come up against certainly appear to be without morals.
Who's gonna start the campaign though?
HF
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If a psychological profiling were part of the driving test, it would need a new body to conduct the tests. We would probably end up with a department full of left wing socio psychologists, who would weed out all those it considered unsuitable to drive. Smokers, Tory voters, people it considered to be racist, sexist, homophobic, not in touch with their feminine side etc.etc.
Leave well alone.
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I'd question whether things are well in the first place to leave them alone. Surely a high proportion of deaths and damage is caused by drivers that are psychologically unsuited to being let loose with a few tons of metal.
I do agree that it would be very hard to police though. Maybe a better solution would be to have a 'graded' licence where passing the initial test allowed you to drive cars up to a certain size (Say 1l or 1.2). To upgrade you'd have to take a tougher test or prove yourself over a number of years accident free.
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>>To upgradeyou'd have to take a tougher test or prove yourself over a number of years accident free.
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Having to prove yourself accident-free sounds good, and could be a good deterrent too.
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I think the problem would come where (for example) a child only has access to their parent's car. For example, I wouldn't have been able to drive my mother's car under such a scheme and would have had to buy my own car, which I couldn't have afforded.
Plus, you'd have to decide just how serious an accident warranted being 'downgraded'. You could hardly ban someone from driving their car for a minor car park bump!
Maybe a major, fault accident would result in immediate downgrading, a lesser fault accident would require a re-test to keep that level of licence, and a minor bump would go on record for say a year, collect more than one at a time and you need to have a re-test. The shared car problem could be solved by making people take the harder test from the outset.
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Plus, you'd have to decide just how serious an accident warranted being 'downgraded'. You could hardly ban someone from driving their car for a minor car park bump!
Of course! If it were possible, then the amount of aggression/carelessness etc involved in said accident would have to be taken into account.
Maybe a major, fault accident would result in immediate downgrading, a lesser fault accident would require a re-test to keep that level of licence, and a minor bump would go on record for say a year, collect more than one at a time and you need to have a re-test. The shared car problem could be solved by making people take the harder test from the outset.
Sounds good to me.
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"not in touch with their feminine side"
well does that mean we would have to deliberately fail the parallel parking test then ;-)
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well does that mean we would have to deliberately fail the parallel parking test then ;-)
Yes, as well as being able to work out exactly how long you've got to apply your makeup and paint your nails before the lights turn green.
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unfortunately passing a driving test only means you learnt how to pass a test not how to drive, learning to drive comes after the test.Drivers should retake a test every 5 or so years. That would certainly eliminate road congestion as most would fail.
chris
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Chris,
If you search back you will find my posts on why re-testing on a regular basis would be impossible.
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I thought in some cases there was an element of playing to the camera.
And the bloke who was on the dual carriageway at 26mph couldn't go any faster without changing lanes as there was a camera vehicle in front...
What a farce, giving the most improved a brand new car...
Lots of people can't parallel park, but those reckless ones should IMHO be tracked down and warned by police, and have their insurance checked...if they really ARE that bad then they should not be on the road, or at least take a re-test.
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Well, I enjoyed 'Driven'. Then I enjoyed 'Britain's Worst Driver'. Entertaining, lowbrow stuff.
HJ
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Well, I enjoyed 'Driven'.
Drat, forgot it was on again. Was looking forward to the car sumo wrestling as well :o(
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The best part about Drivel, oh sorry I mean Driven for me was the bird with the partially exposed shock absorbers ;-))
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You mean the Greek psychologist, Miss. Floppadopthemout?
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So you noticed her too eh Dan ? I was beginning to feel very lonely !
It's the first time I've seen the new series of 'Drivel' so is there a genuine motoring reason for her appearance driving a truck or is it just her other attributes that got her the job ?
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It's the first time I've seen the new series of 'Drivel' so is there a genuine motoring reason for her appearance driving a truck or is it just her other attributes that got her the job ?
Who cares, i hope she makes another apperance in Driven she was the Highlight of the show as well as driving around with bread trays under your rear wheels. I'd love to give that a go!!
Isn't Miss Phlopodoulousniceassuss in Britain's Worst Drivers though?
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Volvo I am shocked to the core with your sexist nature here!!!
But seriously, I just watched a programme tonight called 'Britain's Worst Drivers" and it was truly terrifying, that these people had passed their tests but still had absolutely no idea how to drive.
Really scarey, I can say no more.
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Interesting that the younger guy who thought he was the best - was without doubt the worst.
The others were incompetent and you certainly wouldn't want them parking near you - but the young (male) idiot is lethal.
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The more I see of this programme, the more I shake my head in disbelief and wonder how any of these people managed to con their way through the driving test.
The test they did over 2 runs with a red light coming on in the first run but not the second was an eye opener.
Has anyone else cottoned on to the fact that most of the bad drivers also had a nagging passenger (no, not Quetin either!)?
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I was utterly amazed at them driving straight into a brick wall and then complaining that the light didn't come on to tell them what to do! I have no idea how the younger ones passed. I assume the lads could be capable drivers if they would stop and think about others and probably drove around like nuns for their test. None of them seem able to think at all. I am not sure who will be declared the worst. The two boy racers will probably take themselves out of the gene pool very soon, hopefully they won't take anyone else with them. I hope Arif gets the lada as he needs to be brought down a peg or three.
When I had first passed my test I wasn't a complete danger to the public, did a few stupid things but nothing serious enough to cause an accident. I knew I wasn't so great so made sure I improved my observations a bit more so I wouldn't have to do death and physics defying moves to get out of trouble. I also made sure that I stuck to the speed limits and drove under them if I was in a situation that I found difficult such as going up a narrow road with parked cars either side where you would have to judge when to stop and when to carry on through. I was the type that would be seen waiting behind a car when you could get a juggernaut through the gap! I think a lot of people do forget how bad they were at driving, relatively speaking, when they first passed their test.
teabelly
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I didn't see this particular episode myself, but I suspect that a lot of the antics on this type of programme are caused by the participants "Playing to the camera," encouraged by the programme makers whose main concern is good ratings. This is the age of Big Brother and Jerry Springer, after all.
The Driving Instructors Association took a close look at how the series "Driving School," featuring the infamous Maureen was made, and found that a lot of the incidents presented as live TV were actually staged. They were found to be based on the participants accounts of incidents that were supposed to have happened to them, no doubt with a bit of artistic licence thrown in.
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Tom, I'm sure you are absolutely right that this is all stage managed and everyone is working to a script. Even the conversations in the car sound like bad actors who have difficulties remembering their lines.
Thousands of clips would be left over which didn't suit the producers needs, and if we were paricipants Quentin wouldn't be happy with us unless we played the part of total incompetents.
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You've nailed it Tom, I really don't see the point of this.
If they were pulling people over after witnessing bad driving on the roads and asking them for comments on the replay - well, maybe.
But even then could we guarantee that a load of morons wouldn't see it as a trophy to be aimed at?
Pity because I like old Count Q, but this is a daft show.
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It's the best car related show on TV because it's excellent entertainment. Quentin is very much in control, which is why it's so good.
HJ
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I think the only problem with it is the participants playing up for the cameras, and Channel 5 being obliged to give one of them a car each week.
The winner doesn't have to be any better than before, just not as bad as the rest of them. Wish I'd got on it, looks like a hoot to take part in.
Yep, good entertainment, but we'd be kidding ourselves to think anyone was improving as a result of it.
Lee.
PS - Quentin just has to sort out his barnet.
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Perhaps instead of rewarding bad drivers with new cars they should give them bus passes to reduce the risk to other motorists;-)
Did I leave my lights on?
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No one suggested the show was staged, but that it was not without a lot of spin both from the participants and the TV company. If you doubt how people are prepared to humiliate themselves for their fifteen minutes of fame then watch Blind Date or Big Brother, or any of the countless daytime thrash shows.
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Having seen the shots of the guy who cannot keep his cool - taken when he was driving home at vast speed and with great carelessness- I suggest the police charge him with speeding and dangerous driving.
Absolute nutter . should not be allowed on roads.
Only a question of : will he kill himself first or someone else?
Police should act. Will they?
madf
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Having seen the shots of the guy who cannot keep his cool - taken when he was driving home at vast speed and with great carelessness-
It was the asian guy that was filmed on his journey home, not the hot headed bleached blonde guy.
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The driver the car following the Asian guy had to be committing the same offences. Unless, of course, it was a police car, in which case other questions arise.
HJ
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