ADUK Archive

I was speaking recently with a local driving instructor, they have introduced off road lessons at a local disused air field in our area. Using it get student to manuver coned obstacle courses. Apparently they are seeing an increase in confidence amoung students along with a better understanding of car control. We both pointed out that it might be a good idea if it were mandatory for leaners to under go such training before even being let out on the road. As this is required for leaners of moped on their CBT's it seems strange that car learners do not.

Thoughts?

Jack

I know realise I should have posted this in the learner driver section.

kwaka jack wrote:I know realise I should have posted this in the learner driver section.

Moved!

I was fortunate enough that my parents let me 'play' in a deserted car park (Sunday mornings are great ) before I started learning on the road. Gave me a little head start with things I think...

kwaka jack wrote:...We both pointed out that it might be a good idea if it were mandatory for leaners to under go such training before even being let out on the road. As this is required for leaners of moped on their CBT's it seems strange that car learners do not.

I think the difference is many bikers come to grief from basic lack of control...wobbling about the place and there aren't dual-control bikes to get the real basics over to a new rider, safely, on the road. Little bikes don't have stuff like ABS either so even an emergency stop needs some finese. The 'life saver' (look over the shouder) is even more important on a bike than in a car, as you are so exposed to the consequences. All this can be taught and tested off-road.

I'd prefer mandatory high-speed and rural road training for learner car drivers.

I had 2 off road lessons before my 17th and it helped me no end, ment i could get in a car on my 17th and already have the basics of car control

Would recommend to anyone!

I spent many years before I was 17 driving a range of vehicles on private ground. Everything from cars to 32T artics. It certainly gave me a good grounding in how to manouver vehicles (including reversing trailers). I do recall a very confused seasonal HGV driver when I had to ask him to take a motor out on the road. He had assumed I had a full license having seen me regulalry reversing atrics in and out of the workshops

martine wrote:I'd prefer mandatory high-speed and rural road training for learner car drivers.

I couldn't agree more Martin, and I would imagine that most of the ADIs on this forum take the opportunity to teach it, but, tut tut, what reaction would it invoke from a certain road safety charity if they knew that ADIs were teaching high speed driving?

fungus wrote:I couldn't agree more Martin, and I would imagine that most of the ADIs on this forum take the opportunity to teach it, but, tut tut, what reaction would it invoke from a certain road safety charity if they knew that ADIs were teaching high speed driving?

It would be worth it just to see their faces!

A really good idea, although I suspect there'd be logistical problems if it became mandatory nationwide.
Learners already competent in car control before hitting public roads. As they say, what's not to like?

WhoseGeneration wrote:A really good idea, although I suspect there'd be logistical problems if it became mandatory nationwide.
Learners already competent in car control before hitting public roads. As they say, what's not to like?

Motorcycle instructors were given the same problem with it became a requirement for them to teach learners off road manoeuvres.

martine wrote:

kwaka jack wrote:...We both pointed out that it might be a good idea if it were mandatory for leaners to under go such training before even being let out on the road. As this is required for leaners of moped on their CBT's it seems strange that car learners do not.

I think the difference is many bikers come to grief from basic lack of control...wobbling about the place and there aren't dual-control bikes to get the real basics over to a new rider, safely, on the road. Little bikes don't have stuff like ABS either so even an emergency stop needs some finese. The 'life saver' (look over the shouder) is even more important on a bike than in a car, as you are so exposed to the consequences. All this can be taught and tested off-road.

I'd prefer mandatory high-speed and rural road training for learner car drivers.

Regardless of the amount of wheels surley you must agree that having an understanding of basic car control before being let out on the road would be a help not to just the learner but also everyone else on the road? How many learners have we come across traveling at 15/20mph looking so scared that they've seen a ghost because if reality they have pretty much no clue what they are doing.

Now I realise learner cars have dual-controls to prevent the learner from making to much of a mess of things but I truely believe that if they were given opertunity to familiaise themselves with the basics of driving and car control they would be more relaxed on the road being able to spot hazards more quickly and not relying on the instructor to brake or change direction for them when they miss something.

kwaka jack wrote:

martine wrote:

kwaka jack wrote:...We both pointed out that it might be a good idea if it were mandatory for leaners to under go such training before even being let out on the road. As this is required for leaners of moped on their CBT's it seems strange that car learners do not.

I think the difference is many bikers come to grief from basic lack of control...wobbling about the place and there aren't dual-control bikes to get the real basics over to a new rider, safely, on the road. Little bikes don't have stuff like ABS either so even an emergency stop needs some finese. The 'life saver' (look over the shouder) is even more important on a bike than in a car, as you are so exposed to the consequences. All this can be taught and tested off-road.

I'd prefer mandatory high-speed and rural road training for learner car drivers.

Regardless of the amount of wheels surley you must agree that having an understanding of basic car control before being let out on the road would be a help not to just the learner but also everyone else on the road? How many learners have we come across traveling at 15/20mph looking so scared that they've seen a ghost because if reality they have pretty much no clue what they are doing.

Now I realise learner cars have dual-controls to prevent the learner from making to much of a mess of things but I truely believe that if they were given opertunity to familiaise themselves with the basics of driving and car control they would be more relaxed on the road being able to spot hazards more quickly and not relying on the instructor to brake or change direction for them when they miss something.

I also agree there. It would be a great help if learners were taught basic car control before going out on the roads.