Compulsory Licence Re-testing

[vic stagea mick]

yes i agree there should be some form of on road testing every 5 years just to weed out those people that cant drive.If you fail the test then you have to get driver training lessons by a qualified driving instructor not mum and dad training..If it was every year think it would be too costly

[The Bogan]

Totaly agree, too many people on the road who dont know what they are doing, from old buggers like myself who travel at 5 kph below the posted limit (always in the slow lane because Im never in a hurry) to young guys who are so awsome at driving that they drive so far up your arse so they can read your speedo from their car.

The testing should be done away from other people as Ive seen first hand other people telling them answers.

Also the rules are changing all the time so a bit of re-education is needed anyway.

Dont get me started on driver education, how many of us were taught what to do when the car starts to slide or practice evasive action in a car, Drive to Survive courses should be mandatory, its not speed that kills people, its the sudden stop when they hit the pole-tree-wall-other car-person that may have been avoided with some advance driving techniques.

On a side note there is a guy at work who supercharged a new SS commonwhore, thing is a animal, BUT, still with stock brakes and suspension, I asked him about what was planned for brakes and handling and he said it was good enough and he would rather spend money on making it go faster. If there is logic there I dont see it.

[jjskyline79]

This made me laugh

[VSPECT]

agree for retesting...especially when the road rules change and we are not notified appropriately...well i didnt of the recent changes...i got told by someone

+1 for retesting for aged people too...ill say anyone who is 50+ yrs old....they are dangerously SLOW!!!..i had on incident where one in his ealry 50 slmamed the brakes in front of me for no reason...when i asked him why did he slow down so suddenly, he said the cars in front (that were easy 500m ahead) has their brake lights on....GEEZZ...agree to slow down early but not by slamming the brakes 500+m before...

[iseekool]

Yup, its expensive enough to pay for defects as such.

With all the "revenue" the government rakes in from road related fines - I'm sure they can afford re-testing.

I'm sure I remember the government saying all money raised from speeding fines will go back into road safety

@VSPECT - I strongly agree - I think that everyone get a basic health check - I obviously do not have the statistics - But i'm sure alot of accidents are also health related. eg. bad eye sight, poor perception (mental), stroke, seizures, long time drug use etc...

[Birds]

I'm honestly surprised by the amount of support for this. It goes to show there is some sort of consensus that something should be done, even if it's just a rehash of the latest road rules/laws. And of all places, on a car enthusiast forum

But whether or not it stretches to the wider community is another thing...

Worth suggesting/presenting to anyone?

[Peter89]

-User pays

-create a licensing system for private companies to test people, make sure there's strict regulations. with increased demand, supply will increased.

-every 5 years

-dramatic change the license testing though. far too much focus on rules instead of actually learning how to drive.

[Guest]

I support it definately.

BUT have you been to Vicroads recently? The increase in people there would be insane! Instead of waiting an hour for your number to come up, you'd be there all day!

[xALmoN]

was there today, waited 1hour to get a defect cleared.

[S4LVA]

I reckon maybe retired 50+ should have to re-test. Been cut off so many times by an elderly person they don't even head check or indicate anymore, they just turn the wheel and hope for the best

[The Bogan]

I reckon maybe retired 50+ should have to re-test. Been cut off so many times by an elderly person they don't even head check or indicate anymore, they just turn the wheel and hope for the best

Ive been cut off, asked to race, been overtaken by cars doing 80 in a 50 zone and by not old drivers but young guys and girls, look at the road accidents that are happening, its the 25 and under group.

But then most young guys are so good at driving they can do dangerous things safely, notice the irony

[bombtrack]

I support it definately.

BUT have you been to Vicroads recently? The increase in people there would be insane! Instead of waiting an hour for your number to come up, you'd be there all day!

We can be just like the DMV in the States!

I agree though, I'm for retesting.

[S4LVA]

Ive been cut off, asked to race, been overtaken by cars doing 80 in a 50 zone and by not old drivers but young guys and girls, look at the road accidents that are happening, its the 25 and under group.

It's going to be almost impossible to stop a young driver from driving stupidly. But the point of the retest is to get the bad drivers off the road who don't know the rules. The young driver would know they should be going 50 in a 50 zone. Although the amount of times I have heard someone say "I JUST passed the test by a few points" could make a difference to who passes and who doesn't. As for an elderly person they may have forgotten some of the rules. Some elderly drivers are afraid of driving there car 100km or even 80 on a highway, causing the fast overtaking from a lot of frustrated people which could lead to a crash.

[Birds]

I can see many advantages like the re-education of rules, introduction of new rules, as far as theory goes...

But particularly with regard to practical driving, it would be good to have someone in the passenger seat who can say "you drive way too slow", or "you drive way too fast", or "you brake way too hard", or "you did not use your indicator properly." *insert 20,000* other pet peeves here. On the road we don't get the opportunity to tell people they're doing wrong, short of flipping them the bird. And I imagine their friends and family would not tell them so either...

It wouldn't solve every problem on the road, but I think it would reduce a great deal of accidents and road rage incidents.

[VSPECT]

I can see many advantages like the re-education of rules, introduction of new rules, as far as theory goes...

But particularly with regard to practical driving, it would be good to have someone in the passenger seat who can say "you drive way too slow", or "you drive way too fast", or "you brake way too hard", or "you did not use your indicator properly." *insert 20,000* other pet peeves here. On the road we don't get the opportunity to tell people they're doing wrong, short of flipping them the bird. And I imagine their friends and family would not tell them so either...

It wouldn't solve every problem on the road, but I think it would reduce a great deal of accidents and road rage incidents.

i agree...i had to do this defensive driving thing from work...and man i learnt a lot of how to handle the car in emergency situations like braking heavy in a ABS and non ABS cars..sitting position..MIRROR ADJUSTING..i was thought completely wrong when i was on my Ls...and other safety factors on the road...i think stuff like that should be compulsory for young drivers...

[Peter89]

if you privatize driver testing but with strict oversight, the problems with booking tests and waiting times will be greatly reduced.

government run organizations have NO incentives to serve you quickly, you have no choice but to wait.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Peter89

[ONE-VIA]

befor people get off there P's

anyone that loses there license

over 60's

and some sort of special training for large 4x4 owners

[xALmoN]

befor people get off there P's

anyone that loses there license

over 60's

and some sort of special training for large 4x4 owners

especially soccermums?

had one scrape the railing at a tram stop the other day, toyota landcruiser.

[juzz88]

befor people get off there P's

anyone that loses there license

over 60's

and some sort of special training for large 4x4 owners

Pretty much what I was going to suggest, but I would have said over 65's.

I like your other three ideas too.

I think what some people have suggested is a little too extreme, but something definitely needs to be done. And I think starting with re-testing every 2 or 3 years for over 65's is a good place to start.

Also, has anyone got their licence in the past year or so? Because I remember hearing that they were making the licence testing longer and harder. I think I remember hearing tests would be 30-45 minutes. Mine was 10!

[Birds]

You will never get away with targeting a specific demographic, it will make them feel alienated and vote against hte government that introduces it...therefore no government in their right mind would do something like this unless it applied to everyone. Even that is risky business because you're taking away peoples rights which is a big no no when you have a democracy and want to stay in power. It could be the right to eat shit, if you take it away from the people they will be pissed

Take for example TAC and police campaigns targeting "hoon" drivers and responsible for alot of defects...all paid for and officiated by the state government...it's a safe bet though, because instead of banding together against the in-power government, we put the blame on police for this...when they only enforce the shitty laws. But if we had the Brumby government signed at the bottom of every defect notice, how many defectees would vote for Brumby next election?