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80th ANNIVERSARY OF INTRODUCTION OF DRIVING TEST
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Ronniej



Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Blackwood, by Lanark, Scotland

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 6:47 pm    Post subject: 80th ANNIVERSARY OF INTRODUCTION OF DRIVING TEST Reply with quote

It was mentioned on the radio this morning that this is the 80th anniversary of the introduction of the driving test.
This must have been long overdue as road casualties were much higher than they are today in spite of there being far fewer cars on the road.
I began driving in 1965 and, at the time, there were quite a few folk around who had never been required to sit a test as they had taken out a license before a test was required.
I recall seeing some public information films that had been prepared to explain the driving test to the public.
They were incredibly amateurish and were probably the inspiration for Harry Enfield's character Mr. Cholmondley-Warner.
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Penman



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4751
Location: Swindon, Wilts.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
The first driving test actually took place on 16th March 1935.
1st June was the date when it became compulsory.

Quote:
1935
Voluntary testing was introduced on 16 March 1935 by the Road Traffic Act, 1934, to avoid a rush of candidates when the test becomes compulsory. Mr J Beere was the first person to pass his driving test, at a cost of 7/ 6d (37.5p)


Compulsory testing was brought in on 1 June 1935 for all drivers and riders who started driving on or after 1 April 1934:

around 246,000 candidates applied
the pass rate was 63%
between 9 and 16 half-hour tests were conducted each day by 250 examiners




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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember mine well, 22nd December 1987, behind the wheel of my A40.

RJ
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clan chieftain



Joined: 05 Apr 2008
Posts: 2041
Location: Motherwell

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

June 1965 Post Office Telephones Z Type van.
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Peter_L



Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Posts: 2680
Location: New Brunswick. Canada.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

April 1963. In my Dad's 105E Van.

I was 17 years and 2 days.
Which means I have had a driving licence for over 19,000 days or 52 years.

I passed my motorcycle test in April 1962. Honda 50 Reg plate 1927 HE.


Last edited by Peter_L on Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Ronniej



Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Blackwood, by Lanark, Scotland

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

June 1965 Post Office Telephones Z Type van.

I was 22nd Feb 1965 in a Driving school Triumph Herald.
Strangely enough my first vehicle was an ex-GPO Z type van reg no. MYF440. Funny, I can remember its number but have to think about the reg no. of my Hyundai.
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Penman



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4751
Location: Swindon, Wilts.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
If we're swapping dates.
August 1959 in a '34 Austin Ten Four wide body.

Ronnie: is this the film you mean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbbERUEsQ4Q
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Ellis



Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1382
Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Friday 13th August 1971 in a Mini Clubman Estate, UCA 817J and it was pouring with rain.

I remember many people who had driving licences but had not tried their driving tests.
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goneps



Joined: 18 Jun 2013
Posts: 601
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Penman wrote:
Ronnie: is this the film you mean?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbbERUEsQ4Q

Ha! At least two instant failures there: one for parking right on a corner, and another for following too closely before pulling out to overtake. And they were in the parts supposedly showing how it should be done!

Richard

PS. Anyone spot the hand-cranked cine camera in the opening titles?


Last edited by goneps on Tue Jun 02, 2015 6:09 am; edited 1 time in total
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ka



Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 600
Location: Orkney.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know when the centre white line was introduced?
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Penman



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4751
Location: Swindon, Wilts.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
According to wiki
Hi
Quote:
In England, the idea of painting a center white line was first experimented with in 1921 in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Following complaints by residents over reckless driving and several collisions, the Sutton Coldfield Corporation decided to paint the line on Maney Corner in the area of Maney

In 1971, a correspondent for the Sutton Coldfield News wrote an article in the newspaper recalling the event.

The line was put down as an experiment as there were a lot of accidents there, even in the early days of the motor car. The experiment proved to be so successful that the whole country adopted it as a standard road safety device, and later foreign countries paint lines on their roads, as well.[citation needed]


I know this is still needing a citation for proof and I note, from the spelling, that it was probably written by an American.
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Ronniej



Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Blackwood, by Lanark, Scotland

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

These films were made with a serious purpose but compared with the sophisticated media presentations of today they now have a slightly comic appearance.
The test candidate makes a lot of fundamental mistakes and I believe the examiner would have been justified in stopping the test rather than award a pass certificate.
I have often thought that driving in the ‘30s might have been the golden age of motoring and regarded taking my old Morris round the by-ways of the Scottish Borders as being close to these halcyon days.
I am now beginning to review this opinion.
New drivers could take to the road with virtually no control.
Many roads had been built for horse drawn traffic and unsuited for the car.
There was little understanding of how small levels of alcohol could impair driving.
The car itself would give little protection in the event of an accident.
Does anyone else have thoughts on what was motoring’s Golden Age, if indeed, there ever was one?
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christine lowery



Joined: 30 Sep 2009
Posts: 496
Location: wallsend tyne and wear

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember the 50/60s as a navigator for my uncle, the quiet country roads, with no road signs and the adventure of not being quite sure as to your exact position.but standing for what seemed like hours in traffic jams in nearly every large town as the bypass hadn't been built and
it took what seamed like days to travel anywhere involving towns
so I thing today is the best time to have your own transport be it 2,4, or more wheels
Christine Cool
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6284
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I was a sixth former, our Head Master, who was a bit hard of hearing, boasted to a group of us that when he started driving, tests had not yet been introduced and so had never taken a driving test. I remember whispering to a mate "and it shows". Next thing I knew Head had given me a clip round the ear... " I heard that, White!" Laughing
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Riley Blue



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Posts: 1750
Location: Derbyshire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A story about driving tuition: my Dad was recalled from survivor's leave towards the end of May 1940 after HMS Kelly had been torpedoed in the North Sea. The reason for his recall - Dunkirk.
He was sent on a trawler from Ramsgate to pick up whoever they could but, being a naval explosives 'bod', he was sent ashore to blow up the kit left behind by the army.
He was told to drive whatever vehicles were mobile into a tight group, plant explosives and blow them to kingdom come - only trouble is, he'd never driven before so a very rapid driving lesson took place.
On returning to Blighty, he thought he'd better learn to drive but it being wartime, lessons were hard to come by so he asked one of my uncles to teach him, which he did (when Dad was at home between ships), in the vehicle he drove most days, a fire engine....
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