RobC wrote:it is possible to become an advanced driver with an average knowledge of theory.
RobC wrote:Of course many advanced driver will have an excellent knowledge of theory, however the original topic was that the ADI Pt2 wasn't advanced test yet in many ways it is more advanced and not being able to take the test without a theory test and excellent knowledge of theory and signs is just one aspect.
Sorry - this is absolutely wrong
it is not possible to become an advanced driver with an average knowledge of theory - theory is the pure concept of driving taken away from the reality - without it, the reality never happens - an advanced driver must by definition be driving at a more advanced / higher level, therefore they must have amongst other things as good / better a knowledge of the theory than the normal driver - otherwise they would be unable to put it into practice...
in reality they should have a better knowledge of signs - and a higher level of observation, so they will spot the signs - they may even spot signs on cross-views from the side / behind, and deduce other traffic's likely behaviour as a result = theory > knowledge > better driving
they will understand road markings mroe accurately - and how to use them, how others will use them, what options are available
they will understand the clues within the highway code, and additional clues to give an earlier warning of hazards from farm traffic to schools, bad road conditions to the mile on mile change of road - all allowing them to drive better...
I think that there are two fundamental misconceptions here:
1) - a belief that theory knowledge on its own - as tested in a theory test is something additional to the driving test (standard / AD) - of course not, it is simply a shortcut to understanding head knowledge a driver may have - AD goes a step further and looks at how that knowledge is put into practice...
which would you prefer a highly regarded academic brain surgeon who spends all day in a laboratory and writing papers, reowned world wide, nobel prize winner, honorary degrees from all around the world...
or the brain surgeon in a London Hospital who has operated day in, day out with years of experience, and 1,000s of patients cured?
I think I would prefer to have the latter who shows how the theory actually works in practice, rather than the former who may score highly on an examination of the theory of brain surgeon, but would be hard-pushed to find the brain-end of an elephant in reality...
2) secondly, there seems to be a belief that advanced driving is somehow driving without knowledge / theory - perhaps a belief that it is all about the physical / car-control... yes, of course car-control is a big part of it - but the biggest part is in the brain - observation / anticipation / pre-empting situations / planning / analysis / etc...
the advanced driver takes all that theory - brings it together with advanced handling of the car / an understanding of the context / awareness of the environment / observation of other road users / etc. - and then as an amalgam of all that - drives better (more smoothly, with more progress, safer, more relaxed, etc.)
To be honest, a qualification which doesn't push forward (from its previous level) the actual driving, but tightens up the theory seems a little flawed...
At the standard driving test level, it makes sense to have a theory test:
- as a starter before the learner kills the examiner taking the practical
- as a way of forcing people to learn rules of the road / the law
- as a way of expanding the richness of what is examined
- as a way of taking a shortcut to understanding more about the learner / their knowledge / etc.
but as you move into advanced driving it makes less and less sense to examine at a theoretical level - parrots could pass that element, advanced driving is about bringing it all together, so the theory is examined as put into practice - where it should be tested...
so the PT2 test is not more advanced - it wanders off down a random path of assuming that doing, and being tested in 'a' makes you good at 'b' - flawed logic...
and excellent knowledge of theory and signs will be there with an advanced driver as well - just that they will also show how to use that knowledge, something lacking in the more basic tests - therefore, simply, logically, the AD tests are clearly more advanced - they test more, and they test at a higher level
Alasdair