Driving test: Learners must be able to use sat navs

[thirdcrank]

I had assumed that it wasn't very much to do with satnavs as such but, rather like the bit about being required to answer safety questions while driving, it's an amateurish way of testing a driver's ability to cope with distractions. I presume that nobody is expected to know how to faff with the satnav, they just have to follow the instructions. FWIW, my own built-in satnav refers to Gildersome roundabout as a square and describes the third exit as being on the right, although as it's a roundabout, it's inevitably on the left.

Then there's the need to appear trendy.

Driving tests have to keep up with developments. Automatic advance and retard of ignition is here to stay, as are synchromesh gearboxes, automatic chokes and self-cancelling indicators. It's just a pity they don't put a lot more emphasis on things like vulnerable road users.

[landsurfer]

Maybe this IS part of the build up to driverless cars, when the only driving input will be the destination address.....
Best of luck suing Microsoft / Google / et al after one of their "cutting edge" cars punts you off ..... into the path of a driverless HGV ......

[Bonefishblues]

Maybe this IS part of the build up to driverless cars, when the only driving input will be the destination address.....
Best of luck suing Microsoft / Google / et al after one of their "cutting edge" cars punts you off ..... into the path of a driverless HGV ......

I think that properly resolved automated cars may well be truly liberating for cyclists, allowing conflict-free road usage.

[pwa]

Maybe this IS part of the build up to driverless cars, when the only driving input will be the destination address.....
Best of luck suing Microsoft / Google / et al after one of their "cutting edge" cars punts you off ..... into the path of a driverless HGV ......

I think that properly resolved automated cars may well be truly liberating for cyclists, allowing conflict-free road usage.

Bill Gates has been working on software for decades and it still doesn't work faultlessly on any laptop I've had.

[landsurfer]

Maybe this IS part of the build up to driverless cars, when the only driving input will be the destination address.....
Best of luck suing Microsoft / Google / et al after one of their "cutting edge" cars punts you off ..... into the path of a driverless HGV ......

I think that properly resolved automated cars may well be truly liberating for cyclists, allowing conflict-free road usage.

Your being ironic aren't you ... really ...???
Im still waiting for a "properly resolved" laptop ... never mind a car .....
Possibly a senior moment ... but ..... shouldn't the push be towards automated farm machinery before passenger carrying and cyclist killing machines ?

[pwa]

Maybe this IS part of the build up to driverless cars, when the only driving input will be the destination address.....
Best of luck suing Microsoft / Google / et al after one of their "cutting edge" cars punts you off ..... into the path of a driverless HGV ......

I think that properly resolved automated cars may well be truly liberating for cyclists, allowing conflict-free road usage.

Your being ironic aren't you ... really ...???
Im still waiting for a "properly resolved" laptop ... never mind a car .....
Possibly a senior moment ... but ..... shouldn't the push be towards automated farm machinery before passenger carrying and cyclist killing machines ?

There are already tractors that can spray a crop without the driver steering. But that is in a field with only a limited number of hazards to consider. And with a driver hopefully ready to take over if necessary.

[landsurfer]

There are already tractors that can spray a crop without the driver steering. But that is in a field with only a limited number of hazards to consider. And with a driver hopefully ready to take over if necessary.

So when we get fully automatic Farm machinery, which can cope with all the aspects of ploughing, seeding, reaping etc we could move the focus to busses .... trains (oh we already have them, just don't tell the unions ) ....... then maybe Hgv .... and when this is all perfected move on to the most prolific road used .... cars .... using all the knowledge and experience we have built up

[Bonefishblues]

Maybe this IS part of the build up to driverless cars, when the only driving input will be the destination address.....
Best of luck suing Microsoft / Google / et al after one of their "cutting edge" cars punts you off ..... into the path of a driverless HGV ......

I think that properly resolved automated cars may well be truly liberating for cyclists, allowing conflict-free road usage.

Bill Gates has been working on software for decades and it still doesn't work faultlessly on any laptop I've had.

Oh yes, you're right, best we give up and carry on as we are, because that's great, isn't it? I'm optimistic, but I make no apology for that. Let's embrace the possibilities of the future.

[Bonefishblues]

There are already tractors that can spray a crop without the driver steering. But that is in a field with only a limited number of hazards to consider. And with a driver hopefully ready to take over if necessary.

So when we get fully automatic Farm machinery, which can cope with all the aspects of ploughing, seeding, reaping etc we could move the focus to busses .... trains (oh we already have them, just don't tell the unions ) ....... then maybe Hgv .... and when this is all perfected move on to the most prolific road used .... cars .... using all the knowledge and experience we have built up

You mean develop the technology? Now there's a thought...

[Psamathe]

Satnavs are here and they are here to stay, so we just have to get used to it and use them responsibly. If learners can be made into safer drivers by being shown how to use the things correctly, so much the better.

I suppose it better that a learner driver be able to competently use the things rather than be playing around trying to press buttons madly when driving through a crowded street at 30 mph focussing more on how the thing works rather than focusing on the hazards around him/her. i.e. set-up destination properly before leaving and then just be aware as to what its limitations are and what it will and wont do for them (rather than press buttons because it doe snot seem to be doing things driver wants when they are doing 60 on a not over-wide main road ...).

Ian

[landsurfer]

Personally i think Sat Nav's should be classed as Mobile Devices .... 6 points and £200 for setting them if in motion etc.

[Bonefishblues]

Personally i think Sat Nav's should be classed as Mobile Devices .... 6 points and £200 for setting them if in motion etc.

I talk to mine. It works.

[landsurfer]

Personally i think Sat Nav's should be classed as Mobile Devices .... 6 points and £200 for setting them if in motion etc.

I talk to mine. It works.

How posh are you .... we plebs only have manually set sat nav's .... Maybe "talking to sat navs" will be added to the new driving test ..

[pwa]

I think that properly resolved automated cars may well be truly liberating for cyclists, allowing conflict-free road usage.

Bill Gates has been working on software for decades and it still doesn't work faultlessly on any laptop I've had.

Oh yes, you're right, best we give up and carry on as we are, because that's great, isn't it? I'm optimistic, but I make no apology for that. Let's embrace the possibilities of the future.

I agree. But I'm not ready to trust software yet. It lets me down several times a day, every day.

[Bonefishblues]

Personally i think Sat Nav's should be classed as Mobile Devices .... 6 points and £200 for setting them if in motion etc.

I talk to mine. It works.

How posh are you .... we plebs only have manually set sat nav's .... Maybe "talking to sat navs" will be added to the new driving test ..

It's called a phone. I'm a tight get