Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ronniej]

The Dunkirk story is very appropriate as we are within the 75th anniversary of the event.
Of course it was vital that all the military equipment was made unusable to the enemy but just think what military vehicle enthusiasts could do with all the stuff that was destroyed.

[Rootes75]

In Dunkirk, didn't they also drain all the oil and coolant from the trucks then leave them running to render them unusable?
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Phil - Nottingham]

Its 40 years this year since I passed my car test although I passed my motorcycle test in 1971. The one underneath the full licence. Things have changed a lot on the roads since then and the old Red licence with its stick in gummed receipts was a primtive



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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[goneps]

Excuse the diversion from topic, but regarding the entertaining and evocative Dunkirk story, with limited time and such a vast quantity of equipment and vehicles abandoned it was inevitable that quite a lot escaped destruction. Some years ago I read the autobiography of a Battle of Britain pilot—a German who flew the Messerschmitt Bf109. During August 1940 I/JG52 was stationed near Calais, where rich pickings were to be had from the vast array of stores and equipment abandoned by the British and French when evacuated from Dunkirk. It seems that little attempt had been made to destroy or disable vehicles beyond removing rotor arms, and those were easily replaced from similar vehicles that had been destroyed in action. The author wrote:

Our technicians immediately spotted the potential of a triple-axled Morris weapons carrier which performed beautifully over the rough terrain, much better than anything we had. It was therefore added to the squadron's inventory, as was a long flat-bed trailer. Both were to serve the squadron for years, even trekking across the wastelands of Russia and back; something I shouldn't think the manufacturer had ever envisaged for his product, but carrying our highest endorsement.
From Spitfire On My Tail by Ulrich Steinhilper and Peter Osborne, Independent Books (2006)

No doubt Lord Nuffield would have been gratified by such a fine compliment from an unexpected quarter.

Richard

[Rdover]

My late Grandmother boasted that she had never passed a driving test. The story she told was of sitting and failing a test c1938 then after WW2 everyone was simply handed a full licence because they had neither time nor facility to do all the tests.

She also said, without irony, that whilst she'd never been in an accident, she had seen thousands in her rear view mirror!

I passed my car test in 1984 in Glasgow when such examiners as 'Hitler' Irvine and 'No Pass' Cass were on the scene. My examiner immediately failed me for failing to read the number plate he pointed out correctly but had to change his mind when I pointed out that the blue Escort he was looking at was actually a black Cortina and I had read the plate of a light blue Escort over 200m away!

He then took me out for 1 hour and 40 minutes, giving up his lunchbreak in the process, in order to, in his words, fail me as all cocky 17 year old boys should be. I passed "with a good telling off" and, when I met him again some 5 years later after passing my IAM test he actually remembered me for being both alarmingly well informed about cars but also politely confident about my abilities. Apparently I had muttered under my breath throughout my normal test every time I had not completed a gear change or steering manoeuvre perfectly.
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Richard

[Ray White]

I took my motorcycle test in a three wheeler! My first attempt, however was a failure...not me but the car! I arrived at the test centre in Guildford in my 1961 BMW Isetta 300. Unfortunately the gentleman driving examiner was a mountain of a man. When he saw the tiny three wheeled car he asked rhetorically, "is this it then?" He was absolutely enormous and must have weighed at least 30 stones. When he squeezed himself into the bench seat next to me, I was squashed painfully against the gear lever. The real problems started when it came to a hill start. Anyone who knows Guildford will appreciate the severity of some of the hills. The car simply couldn't take our weight. The examiner politely suggested I retake the test with a more "appropriate" vehicle.

[lowdrag]

I took my bike test in 1963, but the day before a car turned right in front of my Francis Barnett Cruiser 84 (not seen one in years) resulting in bent forks, so I borrowed my neighbour's Honda 50. With the gears on the other side and an automatic clutch it was a miracle that I passed.

For the car test, I wasn't good at reversing around corners, so my instructor put a matchstick in the middle of the rear window of the A40 to help guide me. The examiner noticed it but said nothing, and again I passed. This in 1964.

[Penman]

Hi Ray
When and where was that?
Was it from the old Portsmouth Rd TC or after they moved to Merrow?

As it was a bike test I wonder why he couldn't have just done a walk around and observe route like they did for M/bikes, unless they had a different rule for 3 wheelers; it wasn't until '89 that they started the accompanied bike tests (using radio to keep in contact from their own bike/car).


typo edit
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Peter_L]

My Motorcycle test was the old, "drive around the block" test. I remember it included the emergency stop where the examiner thrust his board in front of me. Urban legend talks of the Examiner hiding behind cars and lampposts and jumping out into the road, maybe just urban legend.

[Penman]

Hi peter

I don't know if iit was an urban legend or not, may just be insufficiently observant candidates.
There was a tale, again whether true or not I can't say, that an examiner was hit by a bike when carrying out the E/S test, because he stepped in front of a "similar bike with a rider wearing similar gear.
I suppose it was quite possible back in the days when there were mainly british bikes and it seemed like everybody was wearing identical Barbours and helmets.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Ray White]

[Peter_L]

My own car driving test story, is so unbelievable it could not possibly be true.
But it is. I hit another car and passed the test. I took my test in my Dad's 105E Van and had at least an hour before with my instructor. When I told him what had happened, he could not believe it and even though I showed him the mark on the van he went off to find the examiner for confirmation.
On the way back home I stopped at the location and we both went and spoke to the owner of the vehicle I hit.

[goneps]

Had an experience similar to Ray's—my tatty old Beeza 250 broke down just as the examiner readied himself to step off the kerb for the emergency stop. Got the same rather intimidating old codger the next time I pitched up, on a spanking new Suzuki 80, but he passed me without comment. Redhill, Surrey, 1964.

Richard

[Rdover]

[ka]

I also passed my bike test in the old 'round the block days'.
I took my test in Newark, where the test centre was appropriately based on Slaughterhouse lane, which now forms part of a Morrisons supermarket complex.
But back to the point, ride around the block and observed at various points, with the examiner stood behind a lampost ready for the emergency stop. I noticed him in good time, and prepared myself for the stop, single leading shoes front and rear on my 125cc Honda, as I saw him move I went for the brakes, then had to ease off as I had pre-empted his manoeuvre to such a degree that he had just raised his arm as I was coming to a halt.
And of course, I will be haunted by one of the road signs he quizzed me on, the Black arrow/red arrow sign. I had to be advised by the examiner that it was a priority sign, but obviously took pity on me, and I passed anyway.
My driving lessons were also interesting, I had to ask what the trainer meant by the 'gas' pedal, when I understood them to be accelerator, brake, clutch; ABC! Always helps to get of to a good start, but nine hours later took my test and passed.
My HGV test was a different process altogether, with the following high speed driving course gripping, observing 30 and 40 mph limits, otherwise 'make progress' but I am now meandering away from the thread.
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KA

Better three than four.