(no subject)

[winterbadger]

Out of curiosity, I took the UK Driving Standards Agency online practice theory test. I did pretty well--40 out of 50 right. That's still a failing grade if one were taking the test for real, but I felt it was still not too bad since I hadn't studied the Highway Code, the signs guide, or any of the test materials (the DSA publishes a study guide, a DVD game, and a compendium of all the questions with explanations of all of the answers--the Highway Code is also available online).

I was struck by how many questions dealt with first aid in the case of accidents. It's been a while since I've taken a driving test in the US, but I've *never* seen any US driving pubs that contained information on first aid. I was also pleased by the number of questions that could be answered by the simple application of common sense.

Comments

[cmlc.livejournal.com]

Gosh - there was no first aid at all when I took my driving test ~15 years ago. Mind you there was no theory test then either.

(Hmm - I was going to tell you what my score was, but I can't see how to take the free test. It says it's free and it's £6.99 and maybe you have to register. And none of the obvious things I want to click on that page are clickyhyperlinks. Oh well.)

[winterbadger]

If you register with the site (it's free to create a username and password) and login, there's a box with a red bar on the right that says "Official Theory Test Menu" under which is a link to Free Practice Theory Test. I think you can do that free test twice--then they charge you for more practice.

[silme.livejournal.com]

The first aid information is new; it wasn't even on the test when I sat it in 2001. On the other hand, neither the UK nor PA theory test had anything about driving in snow in mountains with chains on your tyres. (That was on the Colorado test. :)

The theory test is simple. Just read the book. The citizenship test is the same way. In fact, I remember a question on the citizenship test that I'd had on the theory test.

Now, the practical test made me nervous as I'd not taken a driving test since 1977. (When I moved from PA to CO, I only needed to take the written test.) But it's still not that bad. Just remember to use British driving habits rather than American ones (no hand-over-hand steering, check mirrors before indicating etc.). :)

[winterbadger]

Now, the practical test made me nervous as I'd not taken a driving test since 1977. (When I moved from PA to CO, I only needed to take the written test.) But it's still not that bad. Just remember to use British driving habits rather than American ones (no hand-over-hand steering, check mirrors before indicating etc.). :)

Indeed. I don't recall whether I hand-over-hand or not; I'll have to try and remember to notice. I pretty much always check mirrors before indicating, as (after living in DC for donkey's) I only indicate just before I shift lanes, so I want to be sure they're clear! :-)

Any road, I need to take some classes first, as I want to learn standard. And those should sort out any "bad" habits.

[silme.livejournal.com]

I took a couple of driving lessons before I took the test here just to make sure I had British maneuvers 'down'.