scores required to pass theory test should change?

I had my driving theory test today and by chance, so did my friend. Although we didn't know until i was comign out as he was coming in! In the end I couldnt bare to open my results and got him to do it for me!

In the end, he scored 1 more point than me overall, but I passed and he failed, because of the sections in which we scored our points!

I scored 47/50 and 50/75 which is 97.

He scored 42 and 56, which is 98, but because he dropped 1 mark too many on the questions, he failed.

Should there be some kind of compromise? Perhaps the same minimum total of 87 but say you need at least 40 in each? That way doing above the minimum in one will allow some leniencey in dropping a mark or two in the other section?

Obviously some people will still fail by one mark overall and there could still be some people who score more than others but fail when others pass, but this seems fairer ?

Because I've sat plenty of exams with different sections. My chemistry a-level had 20 marks of multiple choice then 60 marks of written responses, but you just needed an overal score to get each grade there was no faffing saying you needed to score so many in the multiple choice and so many in the written answers. It allowed people to do really well in the multiple choice and drop a couple of marks in the other section or vice versa, but still end up with the same grade. So why on this theory test?

What also takes the biscuit is that even though the scores are currently compeltely independant, you still have to pass both sections in one go. 56/75 is really good on the hazard perception, but he has to pay for it again and risk failing that next time. If the scores are going to be separate, then why not have the choice to resit just the part you failed? And be charged say £16 (which is half the current price, roughly, but still seems a lot) for each one?

??? Sorry, this was half rant at the unfair, money grabbing system and half suggesting how it could be better. What do you think ???

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

SirMasterKey

No matter what boundaries you have for exams there will always be someone who is 1 point off and feels hard done by.

Reply 2

anony.mouse

Original post by SirMasterKey

No matter what boundaries you have for exams there will always be someone who is 1 point off and feels hard done by.

Thats what I said, but then my suggested system or a similar one would mean that more people who currently pass one section but only just fail the other, would pass overall, which seems fairer.

Reply 3

chikane

Maybe he should have revised more for the multiple choice question.

Reply 4

SirMasterKey

Original post by anony.mouse

Thats what I said, but then my suggested system or a similar one would mean that more people who currently pass one section but only just fail the other, would pass overall, which seems fairer.

Not at all. You should pass both. Driving can lead to people being killed. They shouldn't relax the rules in the theory test just so people who only just fail can actually then pass.

Reply 5

anony.mouse

Original post by chikane

Maybe he should have revised more for the multiple choice question.

He remembered one of the questions he got wrong - he realised it was wrong after he'd done it. But I honestly looked at it and would have put the same (wrong) answer that he got. It just seems like luck of the questions. I mean I got a question about catalytic converters. I don't remember much about it in the highway code, but I knew the answer from doing a-level chemistry !

Reply 6

anony.mouse

Original post by SirMasterKey

Not at all. You should pass both. Driving can lead to people being killed. They shouldn't relax the rules in the theory test just so people who only just fail can actually then pass.

But it's not relaxing the rules per se. Like I said, he got more points than me overall. But he failed and I passed, shouldn't it be the other way round, if anything?

Reply 7

Alex360

I think a pass mark of 43/50 is pretty generous. As he got 42/50 he's clearly capable of passing next time. It's not like some people I know who are on their 4th attempt...

Reply 8

SirMasterKey

Original post by anony.mouse

But it's not relaxing the rules per se. Like I said, he got more points than me overall. But he failed and I passed, shouldn't it be the other way round, if anything?

No given the extreme example of if someone was to somehow manage a score along the lines of: 24/50 and 75/75. Do you feel that person is more derserving of passing the test than you or your friend?

Reply 9

SpicyStrawberry

Your friend was unlucky but you must look at the MCQ and hazard perception as independent parts of the same test, you have to pass both or you don't pass the overall test, so I don't think a compromise is necessary as there needs to be a cut-off somewhere, as with any exam. Your friend is clearly capable of passing, he just needs to brush up on his multiple choice answers.

I think the hazard perception is really stupid the way it is currently done to be honest, but what can you do.

Reply 10

anony.mouse

Original post by SirMasterKey

No given the extreme example of if someone was to somehow manage a score along the lines of: 24/50 and 75/75. Do you feel that person is more derserving of passing the test than you or your friend?

No, thats why I suggested a slight compromise, not just having the minimum overall score. So having the same minimum score overall, but saying you need at least 40 perhaps, in each section. It would still mean that some people miss out by one mark and it would still be possible for people to fail but with a higher score than some people who passed, but not so much.

Reply 11

It's****ingWOODY

I don't think it should change. Just because you've got really good hazard perception, that doesn't mean you should get let off of not knowing all the rules of the road. Likewise, knowing the highway code like the back of your hand doesn't make you a safe driver and your perception of hazards still needs to be assessed unconditionally.