It goes a little something like this…
Get a provisional licence
Do this first. You can apply online, or fill in an application form from the Post Office. You’ll need:
1) £45. That’s the price of getting on the road, friends
2) Proof of ID. This can be done easily if you have a digital passport (one with your photo and signature on the same page) – you just fill in your passport number on the form, and the magic elves do the rest. Well, it might be magic elves
3) If you don’t have a digital passport, no worries. You can send an old style passport, your birth certificate, and several other types of ID
4) A picture, for your licence. It needs to be a passport one, and you may need to get the pic certified by someone like your doctor, just to prove it’s you
For more info about types of ID, pics and so on, and to apply online, head to www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring, and click on ‘Learner and new drivers’.
The theory test
It’s there to make sure you’ve got the knowledge of the road you’ll need to get along, and there are two parts:
1) Multiple choice, on a touch screen computer. You’ll be asked 50 questions, based around knowledge of the Highway Code (more on that later), roadsigns, and general roadcraft. To pass, you need to get 43 right; you can’t move on to the practical test
until you do.
2) Hazard perception, using a computer and mouse. You’ll be shown a series of video clips with a hazard – like a car pulling out in front of you, say – developing. As soon as you recognise a hazard, click the mouse: the sooner you spot the potential danger, the more points you get. And no, just randomly clicking the mouse doesn’t work – apparently the system is smarter than that. You’ll be shown 14 clips, and need to score 44 out of
75.
You can take a free practice theory test at www.theory-tests.co.uk, or head to the Driving Standards Agency – they set the tests – to find out more, and to order useful publications to help you.
www.dsa.gov.uk
The practical test
The one everyone fears. This is where you’re in a car, with an examiner, driving round town showing that you’re safe on the roads and know how to manoeuvre
your vehicle. There are a few elements:
1) Show me, tell me. Your examiner will ask you, for example, to tell him how you would check the brakes are working, and show him how you’d check your headlights and indicators are working. If you know your car, this should be dead easy.
2) Manoeuvres. You’ll have to do two of these three: reverse around a corner, turn in the road, or reverse park. You may also have to perform an emergency stop.
3) Drive. Your examiner will tell you where to go; you need to do so safely, and keeping to the rules of the road.
Don’t, for example, try to sneak your car under the back of a lorry like etc. did on our first test. (We failed.)
Throughout the test you’re allowed to make 15 minor errors; any more and you fail. If you make a single serious/dangerous error – game over.
Find out more about the practical test from www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring.
Top tips!
1) Get a good driving instructor. They’re trained to help you learn, and will make sure everything’s covered properly. Find one that you get along with, as you’ll be spending a lot of time in a car with them…it’s always handy to ask any friends who can already drive to recommend someone.
2) Learn the Highway Code. It’s the full list of rules of the road, tells you what all the signs mean, and is essential reading for the learner. Get the code online from www.highwaycode.gov.uk.
3) Practise! Anyone over 21 who’s had a full licence for three years or more can accompany you while you drive. You need ‘L’ plates, and you should trust the person taking you out. (Don’t pick someone you’ll want to lock in a shed within minutes.) The more practice you get, the better your powers of car control and observation will be – just make sure you get lessons too, so you don’t pick up any bad habits.
4) Don’t worry. Driving is hard, and tricky to learn: you’re using your feet to move a tonne of metal via a couple of small pedals, while steering with your arms, operating controls simultaneously with your hands, looking in front of you and behind you (sometimes at the same time), recognising traffic signs and anticipating what every other car around you is going to do…it ain’t easy, so don’t fret if you’re a bit rubbish at first. Breathe.
5) Know yourself. Driving requires a lot of concentration, so if you’ve been up all night living a debauched life of infinite villainy, it might be wise to cancel the driving lesson. Don’t drive hungover – you could still be over the alcohol limit, and your reactions will be shot to pieces. Not clever. (Drink and drive and we’ll set the dogs on you. Big dogs.)
Go here for more info!
The Automobile Association (AA): www.theaa.com/aattitude / 0800 072 7810
Directgov: www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring
Driving Standards Agency (DSA): www.dsa.gov.uk
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA): www.dvla.gov.uk
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| Author: Mahesh Ugale | Date: 8th, January 2008 |
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