Drivers - Would you pass a driving test again?

I was thinking about this today, and I don't think I would.

I have serious trouble sticking to the speed limit; I drive with only one hand on the wheel most of the time; I never check my side mirrors unless I have to; I accelerate quite harshly sometimes by way of aggression to get into gaps in traffic (not in a way that would cause other road users to physically react of course); I speed up to get past amber lights before they turn red; I "cut across" mini roundabouts; and I've become so confident in my parking that I move a lot faster than the examiner would like.

Still, my braking and following distances are good, at least

It's been a long time since I've passed my test but I would be confident I'd be able to pass. Maybe I wouldn't do things exactly in the expected way but I feel the most important thing is to demonstrate you are a safe driver. Yes, I have bad habits but I don't think they're so hardwired into me I'd let that slip me up on a test. Heck, there are times I have passengers that just wish for a smooth and non-dizzy ride (esp elderly), I'm able to switch driving styles easily.

Sorry but I think if you're not able to control your driving style and neglect mirror checks, only doing them when you think "you have to ", I don't think you're fit to be on the road as you're a danger to other users. Living in central London, the people drive very aggressively here. You'd be a fool to neglect observation, there's people changing lanes, lurking in your blind spots, pulling out quickly from a side road, no signals, people overtaking you, buses and cyclists and motorcycle users weaving in and out etc. People and things appear out of nowhere, simple as that.

People don't expect you to drive by the book, but you need to be able to take the same principles and form an equivalent in your driving style. Some people complain about the outrageous insurance prices for young drivers but with these kind of examples of bad driving, it's not really any wonder as to why the prices are as they are.

I disagree with you in some respects... a lot of people I know don't check their mirrors all the time (as much as you should in a test), and I can't remember the last time I was driven somewhere that the person hasn't sped at some point. Doing this doesn't necessarily make you a bad driver... My mum has been driving for around 30 years, and the only time she's been in a 'crash' was when someone reversed into her in a car park, and she doesn't drive as you should in a driving test.

I would agree about central London though... hell to drive... Driving is as much about driving to the conditions as it is about being able to control the car - in central london, I'd check my mirrors etc a lot more than I do when I usually drive, because driving where I live is nothing like driving in London...

I didn't mention speed as it's a grey area.

Arguably it's not. Speeding in a test will get you failed... You shouldn't ever speed... We all do, but hey, it's good fun as well

Speed is only dangerous if other road users around you are going either faster or slower than you. Either they become an obstacle, or you become someone else's obstacle. Therefore, going too slowly is just as dangerous as someone going too quickly. Some examples, in London, if there's a 30MPH area that is pretty much a long straight with little housing nearby, most people wouldn't stick to 30, it'd be closer to 35-40MPH in reality. If everyone is going the same speed then nobody becomes an obstacle.

With motorways, speed limits such as 70MPH are highly outdated, the average car has far superior breaking distances compared to decades ago.

In your first paragraph, I would say that it's those going above 30, who're being more dangerous (depending on conditions...), than someone sticking at the limit... Not just road users, but if someone fell into the road, then going at 30 is a lot safer than going at 35-40...

As for hazards and speeding, rarely do things just happen out of the blue, usually there is a build up to the event, this is where observation comes in. Someone with good observation skills and fast reactions are obviously more in control of their vehicle at higher speeds than someone who lacks both. Most probably don't have both, which is why it's better to just settle with a lower speed limit for everyone. Someone with reactions of a brick going under the speed limit is still just as likely to cause an accident. On the otherhand, most young drivers are confident they have good reactions and can control the car at high speed but many lack the observation skills which makes them dangerous.

I definitely agree that someone driving much slower than the speed limit is very dangerous, but it's wrong to say that just because (almost) everyone drives at 40 in a 30, the guy driving at 30 is being dangerous.

I don't think anyone driving at or just below a speed limit could ever by classified as dangerous

Well... in your own example, when most people wouldn't stick to 30, going at 10mph below everyone else could be potentially dangerous.

It's been a long time since I've passed my test but I would be confident I'd be able to pass. Maybe I wouldn't do things exactly in the expected way but I feel the most important thing is to demonstrate you are a safe driver. Yes, I have bad habits but I don't think they're so hardwired into me I'd let that slip me up on a test. Heck, there are times I have passengers that just wish for a smooth and non-dizzy ride (esp elderly), I'm able to switch driving styles easily.

Sorry but I think if you're not able to control your driving style and neglect mirror checks, only doing them when you think "you have to ", I don't think you're fit to be on the road as you're a danger to other users. Living in central London, the people drive very aggressively here. You'd be a fool to neglect observation, there's people changing lanes, lurking in your blind spots, pulling out quickly from a side road, no signals, people overtaking you, buses and cyclists and motorcycle users weaving in and out etc. People and things appear out of nowhere, simple as that.

People don't expect you to drive by the book, but you need to be able to take the same principles and form an equivalent in your driving style. Some people complain about the outrageous insurance prices for young drivers but with these kind of examples of bad driving, it's not really any wonder as to why the prices are as they are.