Theory Test

[TheInsanity1234]

I've been practising my theory test.

I've noticed something a bit unusual about the hazard perception section.

The scoring bands for spotting hazards seem to open rather late in terms of the hazard timeline.

For instance, in one of the clips, there is a car pulling out in front of the camera car on the roundabout. I usually click too early because I observe the body language of the car as it approaches the roundabout and it's obvious the car isn't slowing down. But the scoring band doesn't seem to open until the car has started to enter the roundabout, which I find a little bit too late.

Does anyone know why this is the case?

[martine]

It was explained to me a you need to click when you spot a 'developing' hazard i.e. one that is getting worse. Sure, spot the potential hazard but they want you to click when it's definitely going to need you to change speed or direction.

Having said that it doesn't seem to do any harm if you click a little early as well as again when it 'develops'. You only get penalised if you click lots, in inappropriate places.

[TheInsanity1234]

Very intriguing.

Surely, the focus should be on training up new drivers to spot hazards as early as possible thus meaning gentler actions can be taken to manage the hazard, rather than leaving it until something needs to be done, and thus a sudden action?

[fungus]

Very intriguing.

Surely, the focus should be on training up new drivers to spot hazards as early as possible thus meaning gentler actions can be taken to manage the hazard, rather than leaving it until something needs to be done, and thus a sudden action?

One would think so.

The hazard perception test has always been reactionary rather than having to show an ability to act appropriately to a potential hazard. Hence the reason why young people are generally better at it than older more experienced drivers, whose experience tends to make them click earlier. I failed my first attempt at the hazard perception test when I took mine. I practiced for my next attempt by playing some of my sons shoot em up games as well as using different hazard perception discs.

[TheInsanity1234]

One would think so.

The hazard perception test has always been reactionary rather than having to show an ability to act appropriately to a potential hazard. Hence the reason why young people are generally better at it than older more experienced drivers, whose experience tends to make them click earlier. I failed my first attempt at the hazard perception test when I took mine. I practiced for my next attempt by playing some of my sons shoot em up games as well as using different hazard perception discs.

But I have next to no experience of public roads and I'm still being thwarted by the late opening of the scoring bands.

[skodatezzer]

One would think so.

The hazard perception test has always been reactionary rather than having to show an ability to act appropriately to a potential hazard. Hence the reason why young people are generally better at it than older more experienced drivers, whose experience tends to make them click earlier. I failed my first attempt at the hazard perception test when I took mine. I practiced for my next attempt by playing some of my sons shoot em up games as well as using different hazard perception discs.

But I have next to no experience of public roads and I'm still being thwarted by the late opening of the scoring bands.

That's perhaps because you're already starting to think like an advanced driver, i.e. planning ahead as far as you can see, while the test is looking to see if you can spot the bleedin' obvious. FWIW, I also humiliated myself when I tried a practice test - failed, clicking far too soon! Don't care, I'll go on looking for trouble as far ahead as I can. BTW, been eerily quiet on here - where have you been? They making Year 12's actually do some work these days?

[WhoseGeneration]

I've been practising my theory test.

I've noticed something a bit unusual about the hazard perception section.

The scoring bands for spotting hazards seem to open rather late in terms of the hazard timeline.

For instance, in one of the clips, there is a car pulling out in front of the camera car on the roundabout. I usually click too early because I observe the body language of the car as it approaches the roundabout and it's obvious the car isn't slowing down. But the scoring band doesn't seem to open until the car has started to enter the roundabout, which I find a little bit too late.

Does anyone know why this is the case?

On the 'Net I've seen posts that describe how Police ADs have failed this test, for the reasons you explain.
It's all about understanding the premise of the test, as with any other test and just going with the flow to get a pass.
Sad, isn't it?

[TheInsanity1234]

That's perhaps because you're already starting to think like an advanced driver, i.e. planning ahead as far as you can see, while the test is looking to see if you can spot the bleedin' obvious. FWIW, I also humiliated myself when I tried a practice test - failed, clicking far too soon! Don't care, I'll go on looking for trouble as far ahead as I can.

It's okay for me because I kind of knew I had to click only when I could see the whites of the crap driver's eyes, so haven't been stumbling too much, but on a few clips I'm getting 0 points for clicking far too early. On one clip, I routinely click for the hazard a full 6 seconds before the scoring bands open. Alarming.

BTW, been eerily quiet on here - where have you been? They making Year 12's actually do some work these days?

Heh, one suspects the only reason why I'm being eerily quiet is because I've been mad enough to take Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths as my A-Level choices.

On the 'Net I've seen posts that describe how Police ADs have failed this test, for the reasons you explain.
It's all about understanding the premise of the test, as with any other test and just going with the flow to get a pass.
Sad, isn't it?

Aye. My opinion of the theory test is just that it's a bit of paper that says you knew something about the Highway Code and were able to spot a few hazards here and there, at the precise moment in time you took the tests.

It does not guarantee you will be a fully competent driver at all during your driving career.

Much the same with GCSE's and A-Levels.

Hence why I find them largely irrelevant, but hey.