Finland driving test

[DUK13Y]

Did anyone see top gear tonight? The finnish really have a good driving test. You have to do several tests on a skid pan as well as the 3 year training period. I know our government is rubbish but it's not that hard to copy another countries idea. At the moment all our government can even think of doing is to increase the driver age. Granted this will probably help but imo good training will be just a beneficial. I doubt drivers would really complain about having to learn how to go sideways anyway. Some change needs to be made to our current system. The mentality behind it is to just drive for 3 years and you'll be a good driver regardless if you receive any training or not.

This is coming from me, a NSW L plater too. I'm not the only one either. If the learners are saying that the training system is useless then surely something has to be done besides upping the age limit.

My little rant.

[excalibur]

nope bout to go watch it though

[dufus]

Seriously, topics like this have been done to death and always result in the same shit fights in the end, yes our system isnt as good, but my learner training was done too met the conditions i would be driving in and have served me well.

btw that's an old ep, the seasons over

[one_and_only2004]

uh... i doubt it'd be all good. Could you imagine Australia's P platers with a LITTLE bit of experience going sideways?
nearly every corner would have one wrapped around a pole due to their new found confidence doing HEKTIK SKIDS.
Personally i reckon the best way to train the youth of today is actually have a crash - even baby jesus knows that scared me enough to slow down.

[DUK13Y]

i want to be in a crash simply for that reason.

[one_and_only2004]

trust me it sucks. I was lucky though - the most painful part was the needle for the blood test...

[eurekamad94]

i want to be in a crash simply for that reason.

but if your saying that you dont need to be imho cuz you already know the dangers and your limits if your saying that

[Dirbatua]

but if your saying that you dont need to be imho cuz you already know the dangers and your limits if your saying that

Go back to school and finish english and its past your bed time so bugger off.

[BANKS]

Compulsory defensive driving.

Sorted...

[dufus]

Compulsory defensive driving.

Sorted...

How is it then sorted? Elaborate on this a bit please.

[one_and_only2004]

I've done two of those defensive driving courses. I noticed that you tend to panic a bit when you're in the situation, rather than sitting back and thinking to yourself "now the instructor told me to do this blah blah blah"
Ditch the courses and get the kids out into the paddocks sideways for a while. I've learnt so much in my old HX ute with a welded diff that they negated to show me at those courses...

[BANKS]

How is it then sorted? Elaborate on this a bit please.

How is it any different to what finland is doing with their licencing system?

[dufus]

How is that any different to what finland is doing with there licencing system?

How are Australia's driving conditions similar to Finland's?

[eurekamad94]

Go back to school and finish english and its past your bed time so bugger off.

can you please explain to me what age has to do with my opinion being valid ?

[BANKS]

How are Australia's driving conditions similar to Finland's?

So defencive driving can and should only be taught in countries with snow ridden roads?

[dufus]

can you please explain to me what age has to do with my opinion being valid ?

You lack of driving experience for starters and where was it mentioned that you opinion was invalid due to your age? It was however mention that your English is atrocious, which it is.

[one_and_only2004]

can you please explain to me what age has to do with my opinion being valid ?

personally i think this lads idea is dead on. Not to pick on you DUK13Y, but if you're screaming around crazy in cars saying to yourself "i'll slow down when i finally crash" it's a bit depressing, but unfortunately i've noticed that most of my friends have adopted this philosophy after my little incident.

[dufus]

So defencive driving can and should only be taught in countries with snow ridden roads?

You have still failed to elaborate, how about instead of pointless one line replies you back your statement up with why Defensive Driving courses would solve our problems.

Also I think you need to stop and think if these courses would be beneficial to everyone or if they will cause some drivers to become over confident and cause accidents.

[Stressball]

can you please explain to me what age has to do with my opinion being valid ?

It's more to do with your lack of comprehension. There is a difference between acknowledging that there are limits to both driving skills and to mechanical performance, and knowing exactly what those limits are. You won't know your limits until you try to go past them.

but if your saying that you dont need to be imho cuz you already know the dangers and your limits if your saying that

This is the part that seems a little dim. The simple fact is that you can be told something 1000 times and acknowledge that there is truth to it.. But it may not stop you from taking the same risks. Once it actually happens to you though, then it's a hell of a shock. It's a realisation that it's not just a statistic anymore, it's a real-life situation that you have experienced.

Serious crashes tend to make people rethink the way they drive afterward if it was caused by something they did, even if they were taught constantly that something they do while driving is dangerous and should be avoided. Unfortunate, but it's the way the human brain works. It places things in order of importance by Now, then Soon affecting me,and then Not affecting me for a long time. Since you have lived this far without being in the crash, your brain files it in the latter option.

[eurekamad94]

You have still failed to elaborate, how about instead of pointless one line replies you back your statement up with why Defensive Driving courses would solve our problems.

Also I think you need to stop and think if these courses would be beneficial to everyone or if they will cause some drivers to become over confident and cause accidents.

because they would teach us how to handle that car in a dangerous situation so instead of more hoon laws to catch them after the crime is done its PREVENTING it from happening in the first place

as for the second part get them out there in a rigged car with bald tyres
so they think they cant control it so they wont even try in fear of destroying there car

[dufus]

because they would teach us how to handle that car in a dangerous situation so instead of more hoon laws to catch them after the crime is done its PREVENTING it from happening in the first place

First of all, its not us, its me given you are still over a year away before legally getting behind the wheel of a car on the roads. How is teaching people how to handle a car in a dangerous situation going to prevent people from hooning, if anything letting people out on skid pans is going to increase the instances of this on our roads because more people will be confident driving i this manner

as for the second part get them out there in a rigged car with bald tyres
so they think they cant control it so they wont even try in fear of destroying there car

Everyone with half a brain knows that bald tyres are dangerous, so this will have very little affect on people. The major problem with drivers today is not the lack of experience in these conditions but the attitudes of drivers, most of which will remain unchanged by a simple defensive driving course. Oh btw are you willing to pay for the thousands of dollars implimenting a system like this will cost?

[BANKS]

You have still failed to elaborate, how about instead of pointless one line replies you back your statement up with why Defensive Driving courses would solve our problems.

Also I think you need to stop and think if these courses would be beneficial to everyone or if they will cause some drivers to become over confident and cause accidents.

What do you want a 600 page report? Pretty easy to link defensive driving, licensing and the benefits.

Nothing, anyone does is of assistance to every single person. There will still be a minority that wont see the advantages of teaching drivers how to safety correct dangerous situations they may find themselves in. You will never reach a 0 road toll, but if you can change the attitude of young drivers before they start picking up the bad habits of daily driving don’t you think that’s beneficial?

Yet to hear your idea...

[SAV_117]

What do you want a 600 page report? Pretty easy to link defensive driving, licensing and the benefits.

Nothing, anyone does is of assistance to every single person. There will still be a minority that wont see the advantages of teaching drivers how to safety correct dangerous situations they may find themselves in. You will never reach a 0 road toll, but if you can change the attitude of young drivers before they start picking up the bad habits of daily driving don’t you think that’s beneficial?

Yet to hear your idea...

i think Banks has hit the nail on the head here

[eurekamad94]

Everyone with half a brain knows that bald tyres are dangerous, so this will have very little affect on people. The major problem with drivers today is not the lack of experience in these conditions but the attitudes of drivers, most of which will remain unchanged by a simple defensive driving course. Oh btw are you willing to pay for the thousands of dollars implimenting a system like this will cost?

no it gives them the attitude that driving siedways is DANGEROUS because they got out there in that car on a race track and couldnt handle it so they will think twice about flooring it

as for the cost

if you found an easy cure for cancer that cost 5 k a pop on every person would you perfer the government have this operation on cancer sufferers and live and save a few hospital beds and a heap of cash ???

the moral it would be cheaper than putting all these kids in the ground and towing cars away and investigating everything than a driving course would be and it saves a few lives in the process

[one_and_only2004]

What do you want a 600 page report? Pretty easy to link defensive driving, licensing and the benefits.

Nothing, anyone does is of assistance to every single person. There will still be a minority that wont see the advantages of teaching drivers how to safety correct dangerous situations they may find themselves in. You will never reach a 0 road toll, but if you can change the attitude of young drivers before they start picking up the bad habits of daily driving don’t you think that’s beneficial?

Though i do think that it could encourage SOME drivers on the road to take a few more risks. I'm sort of agreeing with you. If you do the SDT courses at willowbank they push you to your limits - i spun out many a time due to the instructor egging me on to go faster and faster. Only problem is that all the cars they had when i was there were FWD and handle quite differently to the ol' ute.

The most valuable thing i learnt from the courses was slamming on the brakes won't always save you!