Driver check-ups is a good idea

Monday 1st June 2009, 3:00PM BST.

From Trevor Copp.
THE recent suggestion by a driving instructor that drivers should have their driving skills assessed on a regular basis is to be applauded.

This need not be a full-blown driving test, but could be a check drive with an examiner/instructor; bad points discussed and followed up with a further check drive as necessary. In a few cases, a complete retest may be deemed necessary.

Meridian pointed out a few weeks ago that lane discipline has deteriorated alarmingly in Jersey. One only has to look at poor vehicle positioning at junctions, bad signalling and the antics at each end of Victoria Avenue to realise that something needs to be done. The proposed increase in fine tariffs for motoring offences may help.

While correctly positioned, indicator flashing, waiting to turn right, I have now been passed by vehicles on the offside no less than three times, one being a motorcycle.

The first time this happened to a neighbour, he was extremely shaken. Only this morning, I saw the vehicle ahead of me start to overtake a Post Office van which was waiting to turn right, in the correct road position, indicator flashing.

There now appears to be a general disregard of traffic regulations/law. During the last few weeks I have seen in Pier Road a Mercedes with no insurance disc displayed, and a large, low-number 4×4 displaying an insurance disc that was well out of date.

Incidentally, they were both parked on a bend, on a yellow line, with a large car park nearby – and I am not often walking in Pier Road.

Waiting at a bus stop in a 30 mph zone, cars regularly pass at speeds exceeding 50 mph (yes, as part of driving tests other than the basic test, we had to assess the speed of other road users).

I’m sure we all know of someone who has returned to their car, often in a supermarket car park, only to find that it has been damaged, with nothing left to indicate the culprit.

A friend saw this happen recently in a supermarket car park. A driver reversed into another vehicle, the driver got out, inspected the damage and drove off. Luckily the number was noted on a piece of paper by a good citizen and left on the windscreen of the damaged vehicle.

Perhaps we have reached the time when we need those regular driving assessments. Yes, it would cost us money, but if it reduced accidents and damage to cars, and more importantly people, it would be well worth it.
Liddington,
Poplar Avenue,
St Saviour.

1
Pip Clement

June 1, 2009 at 4:37 pm

Perhaps the Jersey Police should be patrolling the car parks on a regular basis checking on insurance discs.
A few good nickings would soon have some affect.

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2
Adrian

June 1, 2009 at 5:49 pm

Yes if its free! I am not made of money and don’t want even more expenses to add to my day to day living costs.

It looks a bit like driving instructers are looking at ways of maximising their profits to me! If they aren’t, they won’t mind doing it at cost, will they? Then I won’t mind taking them up on their offer!

I would suggest the police keep a closer eye on peoples’ driving habits and prosecute wherever there are illegal activities going on. This would sort out the wheat from the chaff wouldn’t it? Yes I agree there are many driving on the road who shouldn’t be.

One thing that needs to be drummed into people is how to reverse. The numbers I see driving who are unable to do this basic manouver is astounding, especially if it is in a large, wide vehicle like a 4×4. It makes me wonder how they ever passed their tests.

The driving standards have plummeted over the last 20 years in Jersey for some reason. I wonder why? Politeness and courtesy seem to be things of the past.

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3
Pip Clement

June 1, 2009 at 6:40 pm

An excellent way of getting over an aging population and a shortage of new learner drivers.
Maybe the driving instructors could be nationalised and become a States revenue department.

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4
Carl

June 2, 2009 at 12:10 pm

“Waiting at a bus stop in a 30 mph zone, cars regularly pass at speeds exceeding 50 mph”

Fascinating. And how many of these caused accidents?

I’m fed up with the “You’re not allowed to do that!” mentality. Why not trust your fellow man and mind your own?

Assessments aren’t going to change anyone’s morality if they’re prepared to leave someone’s car damaged and not own up to it. People will drive properly for a re-test and then go back to normal again afterwards. What a waste of time, it’s just the driving schools and examiners trying to drum up trade.

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5
LOCAL DRIVER

June 2, 2009 at 10:21 pm

What is this,lots of money for driving instucters.I think not.I think the european court of human rights would disagree.

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6
SM

June 3, 2009 at 7:26 am

I believe that the real cause of the poor driving exhibited by some is that the roads are too slow. Because the speed limits are low, people do not feel at risk and therefore they do not pay proper attention when driving. You can see people smoking or reaching around in their cars for something, or on the phone, doing makeup, the list goes on, because they don’t have to focus too hard on driving.
Having so many signs telling people how to drive and at what speed is taking away peoples need to think and take responsibility for their own driving. Good drivers know how to drive safely without signs; they read the road and pay attention to their driving. They also know what speed is safe depending on road conditions, how many people are about and environmental factors.
The more signs there are telling people how to drive, the more people stop thinking for themselves. The safer they feel, the more complacent they become.

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7
lucy

June 3, 2009 at 4:32 pm

I hate to be racist here but i’ve found most of the vehicles driving around with no insurance have polish or portuguese drivers. I’ve reported 6 that I came across just this month (while waiting for friends to meet me at fort regent) and out of those 6. 3 were polish and 2 were portuguese – i didn’t see the 4th offendor go to his car but I definately see a pattern. My brother was involved in an accident and was offered £80 for the damage to his car because the offendor didn’t have insurance (again he was foreign)

Maybe DVS should have a policy of not issueing any motor certificates unless the vehicle has insurance as the way things stand now people are comming over with their cars and not buying motoring insurance and probably not even taking a driving test!

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8
joker

June 4, 2009 at 1:11 pm

Just wanted to clarify something here –

“While correctly positioned, indicator flashing, waiting to turn right, I have now been passed by vehicles on the offside no less than three times, one being a motorcycle.”

You are allowed to overtake on the left if the vehicle you wish to overtake is signalling right and you have room on the left to do so. That’s a fact.

As for the neighbour being “shocked” if they bothered to use that reflective device in the top centre of their windscreen then they should have know what was about to happen. Far to often do people fail to realise that what is behind you (especially when stationary) is as important as what is in front of you.

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9
PJG

June 5, 2009 at 9:55 am

Err joker
The offside is the right hand side !

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