Fury as taxi drivers over 65 told you must resit your driving test (From Echo)

Taxi drivers are carrying fare paying passengers and as one of those I would expect that all drivers over a certain age (65 seems fair enough to me) are retested to ensure the safety of passengers. The argument that someone has years of driving experience and therefore should not be tested is stupid. My dad was a HGV Class 1 lorry driver for over 40 years and won the RoSPA safe driver of the year award a couple of times but at the age of 73 he would be the first to admit that this does not mean he is safe to drive a lorry. This is not ageist this is plain common sense and should be extended to all drivers of vehicles carrying fare paying passengers or driving HGV.

I think all drivers should have to take a resit every 5 to 10 years, but not to be used as a money making machine!

howironic wrote:
I think all drivers should have to take a resit every 5 to 10 years, but not to be used as a money making machine!

also they need to resit their bigotry license and knowitall test

I find the older drivers are better, lots of younger cab drivers out there drive as if they own the roads.

tatersalad wrote:
I find the older drivers are better, lots of younger cab drivers out there drive as if they own the roads.

Have to say agree in the main however the most terrifiying taxi journey I have had was a driver over 65, except for the taxi driver in New York who thought he was popeye doyle in the French Connection.

to be honest most of them are pants im afraid ,cut you up when driveing to pick there fare up at breakneck speeds then once passengers in the taxi there the slowest drivers in the world to squeeze just a little bit more from the customer !
seriously tho they should be made to re sit the test at the age said and i can only think those protesting MAY have issues they are concerned about and the re test may show any difficiancies

Just teach them one thing....

HOW TO USE THEIR INDICATORS

HadleighBoy wrote:
Taxi drivers are carrying fare paying passengers and as one of those I would expect that all drivers over a certain age (65 seems fair enough to me) are retested to ensure the safety of passengers. The argument that someone has years of driving experience and therefore should not be tested is stupid. My dad was a HGV Class 1 lorry driver for over 40 years and won the RoSPA safe driver of the year award a couple of times but at the age of 73 he would be the first to admit that this does not mean he is safe to drive a lorry. This is not ageist this is plain common sense and should be extended to all drivers of vehicles carrying fare paying passengers or driving HGV.

I wholeheartedly agree. If someone affected by these mandatory tests appears miffed, I would draw the conclusion that they have something to worry about over their own ability. At the end of the day if I take one or my children or grandchildren in a taxi then I would sincerely hope that the responsible person in charge of the vehicle is a safe and competent driver. I believe that this is a step in the right direction.

howironic wrote:
I think all drivers should have to take a resit every 5 to 10 years, but not to be used as a money making machine!

Ditto. Every five years I reckon.

I don't see what good this particular rule will do that is any good. Taxi drivers already provide yearly medical evidence of their physical fitness and their driving skills are no worse than any other group of drivers.
Perhaps those making comments about the behaviour of taxi drivers should look at their own driving first, bearing in mind that tests, like all exams, are only a basic appraisal of a driver's skill and they will not improve an individual's driving, no matter how frequent.

maddriver wrote:
I don't see what good this particular rule will do that is any good. Taxi drivers already provide yearly medical evidence of their physical fitness and their driving skills are no worse than any other group of drivers.
Perhaps those making comments about the behaviour of taxi drivers should look at their own driving first, bearing in mind that tests, like all exams, are only a basic appraisal of a driver's skill and they will not improve an individual's driving, no matter how frequent.

The majority of commenters don't drive as an occupation where you have people's lives in your hands?

Too right they should have refreshers. Im putting my trust in them to get me from A to B safely . If they have been driving for so long and are super confident in their abilities (as they seem to be) - then this test should be easy for them and they will continue working .Whats the problem with that ??

Another misleading headline by the Echo. The council cannot make them retake their Driving Standards Agency driving test as the Echo would have you believe. This about taking an advanced driving test (IAM or RoSPA) at their own expense.

Drivers of all public service vehicles (not just buses and coaches) should have to pass a specific vocational driving test and then have to provide evidence of continuous professional competence on a regular basis just as the drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles have to do now.

It's not the age of the driver that affects their ability to drive, it's the 15 hour shifts.

Major Incident wrote:
Another misleading headline by the Echo. The council cannot make them retake their Driving Standards Agency driving test as the Echo would have you believe. This about taking an advanced driving test (IAM or RoSPA) at their own expense. Drivers of all public service vehicles (not just buses and coaches) should have to pass a specific vocational driving test and then have to provide evidence of continuous professional competence on a regular basis just as the drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles have to do now.

Was just thinking that - it's the advanced driving test, not the DSA driving test that you take to get your basic driving licence!

No-one can make you re-take that test except a judge or a doctor.

To right. Older drivers are the worst drivers around. Incompetent, slow, frustrating other users, slow reaction times.

I hate taxi drivers too, so a old taxi driver just adds even more fuel to my fire! Ive been driving for 48 years, so yeah I think its about time you hang up your keys. His even wearing glasses becasue his eyes are slightly impaired in the photo.

Sounds fair to me. Professional driver should sail through the test no bother right? I mean taxi drivers some of the best drivers on our roads.

And a licence thats valid for life? Really

And a licence thats valid for life? Really

And a licence thats valid for life? Really

I feel because they are driving the public around then taxi drivers should be tested every 5 years as we put our lives in their hands.

Also some of the drivers think they have the right to pull out of side roads, cut others up and stop without notice, by retesting them every 5 years they might be a bit more courteous to the rest of us rather than thinking the roads are for them alone

I feel because they are driving the public around then taxi drivers should be tested every 5 years as we put our lives in their hands.

Also some of the drivers think they have the right to pull out of side roads, cut others up and stop without notice, by retesting them every 5 years they might be a bit more courteous to the rest of us rather than thinking the roads are for them alone

I think they're worried because if they drive like normal cabbies do, they won't have any chance of passing a test.

At least they don't have tacos fitted, that would give them something to moan about!

£80 every three years = .52p a week so I doubt it'll put any cabbies out of work.

Basildon.lad.21 wrote:
To right. Older drivers are the worst drivers around. Incompetent, slow, frustrating other users, slow reaction times.

I hate taxi drivers too, so a old taxi driver just adds even more fuel to my fire! Ive been driving for 48 years, so yeah I think its about time you hang up your keys. His even wearing glasses becasue his eyes are slightly impaired in the photo.

So anyone who needs to wear glasses should not be allowed to drive? I think you will find that the rules are if you need to wear glasses to correct your eyesight then you wear them!!!

"Concerned drivers have been left fearing for their livelihoods as if they don’t pass within three tries, they will be struck off." Any so called 'highly experienced' driver who cannot pass a driving test after three attempts does not deserve to hold a driving licence let alone carry fare paying passengers.

howironic wrote:

maddriver wrote:
I don't see what good this particular rule will do that is any good. Taxi drivers already provide yearly medical evidence of their physical fitness and their driving skills are no worse than any other group of drivers.
Perhaps those making comments about the behaviour of taxi drivers should look at their own driving first, bearing in mind that tests, like all exams, are only a basic appraisal of a driver's skill and they will not improve an individual's driving, no matter how frequent.

The majority of commenters don't drive as an occupation where you have people's lives in your hands?

All drivers have other people's lives in their hands. Maybe there is a point to be made for all drivers to have a re-test every so often, but would this improve general driving skills - probably not because driving is as much about general attitudes as about control. I too have been 'cut up' by taxi drivers, but not as often as by non-taxi drivers.

PJR-121 wrote:

Major Incident wrote:
Another misleading headline by the Echo. The council cannot make them retake their Driving Standards Agency driving test as the Echo would have you believe. This about taking an advanced driving test (IAM or RoSPA) at their own expense. Drivers of all public service vehicles (not just buses and coaches) should have to pass a specific vocational driving test and then have to provide evidence of continuous professional competence on a regular basis just as the drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles have to do now.

Was just thinking that - it's the advanced driving test, not the DSA driving test that you take to get your basic driving licence!

No-one can make you re-take that test except a judge or a doctor.

There is nothing misleading about the headline at all - it simply states 'driving test,' not DSA test.
Taxi drivers do have to pass a vocational test and it is that test which they may have to resit. They also have to prove their professional competence in various ways, just as all public service drivers do.

Thing is when these guys took their driving tests they never had to do a theory one first, I doubt many would even pass that .. I for one am all in favour of making them doing re-sits as much has changed in the highway code since the 60's & 70's which is when most of these took their tests.

Maybe the cabbies below the 65 years should take a english test, that'll weed out all the non english speaking group, cockneys and basildon chav's included. Then we can give them a first aid test and hearing test to show them what having your ears burnt by a gobby cabbie for 10 mins feels like and how long it takes to get better. Then we can get them to watch what we see goes on from the front passenger seat, eating, drinking, texting anything but actually ensuring a concerted driving habit occurs. AFter all that we can test them for a standard UK driving test; if IT can be proved that a UK Driving test is hard to pass i'll happly eat crow or dog or cat, or maybe I won't go to a chinese after all.

maddriver wrote:

PJR-121 wrote:

Major Incident wrote: Another misleading headline by the Echo. The council cannot make them retake their Driving Standards Agency driving test as the Echo would have you believe. This about taking an advanced driving test (IAM or RoSPA) at their own expense. Drivers of all public service vehicles (not just buses and coaches) should have to pass a specific vocational driving test and then have to provide evidence of continuous professional competence on a regular basis just as the drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles have to do now.

Was just thinking that - it's the advanced driving test, not the DSA driving test that you take to get your basic driving licence! No-one can make you re-take that test except a judge or a doctor.

There is nothing misleading about the headline at all - it simply states 'driving test,' not DSA test. Taxi drivers do have to pass a vocational test and it is that test which they may have to resit. They also have to prove their professional competence in various ways, just as all public service drivers do.

Advanced driving is a course, not a test

Resit implies that the drivers must retake a test they have already done, rather than take an advanced driving course. You don't resit it, you simply re-evaluate after three years.

And if it's not misleading, why are most people commenting that people should retake their driving tests or lose their licences, or to that effect?

why pick 65, is it a random number
? there are plenty of cabbies much younger who are dangerous and plenty much older you would trust your life to

PJR-121: Advanced driving tests are conducted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists and the RoSPA Advanced Drivers Association for the public. There is no requirement to take a course, just a test which is conducted in general driving conditions and includes certain requirements which would not be included as part of a basic test.
That said, there is no control over the attitudes of drivers once they have taken a test, whether basic or advanced.
As for the headline, most commenters on this site have taken the attitude that taxi drivers should be re-tested without reading the article properly. The Council have stated that they may have to take a course as the test will be conducted at an advanced level, possibly by either the IAM or RoADA.
I do have to agree with the comment of belfairs, as I have stated, it is a question of attitude rather than skill for all drivers, you and me included.

SOUTHEND CABBIES ,lets think what comes to mind first..blimey it's a long list!!!!!!!!!
Lousy Road manners,politeness bypass, no professionism ,dirty car ,dirty driver with ubiquitious gut hanging over the steering wheel

As said earlier... Teach them to use INDICATORS!!!

In my area we have a cab company known not affectionately as "DEATH CAB COMPANY" due to the manner of they're driving, shittiness of cars used, and smelliness of cigarettes inside car's

ALL TAXI DRIVERS should RETIRE at 65 like every one else and give the younger drivers a chance they are all for money grabing taxi drivers are a curse to ALL road users.

Basildon.lad.21 wrote:
To right. Older drivers are the worst drivers around. Incompetent, slow, frustrating other users, slow reaction times.

I hate taxi drivers too, so a old taxi driver just adds even more fuel to my fire! Ive been driving for 48 years, so yeah I think its about time you hang up your keys. His even wearing glasses becasue his eyes are slightly impaired in the photo.

Actually the worst drivers on the road are those in the 17 to 24 age group.

Read this news story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/business-19818
410

"People should spend at least a year learning to drive, say insurers who are calling for an overhaul of the system.

The Association of British Insurers says drivers aged 17-24 are responsible for a disproportionately high number of crashes, deaths and claims.

The ABI also wants new drivers to face restrictions on driving at night and a lower alcohol limit.

But it says they should be allowed to start learning six months earlier - currently they must be at least 17.

It said the need for more rigorous driver training had been side-stepped "for too long".
"Radical action is needed to reduce the tragic waste of young lives on our roads, especially among the 17 to 24 age group," said ABI director general Otto Thoresen"

"A car is potentially a lethal weapon, and we must do more to help young drivers better deal with the dangers of driving. Improving the safety of young drivers will also mean that they will face lower motor insurance costs.

Mr Ducky Quacking; I belive you are right, I Live in Oz and work on rotation between England and Australia, here in Oz (W.A) "most 75%" kids go to Private shools (Public shools are run by the Gov) and can attened driving classes run by the school from the age of 15, they get thier L plates at 16, pass tiheir driving test by 171/2 and then spend 2 years on P plates and have to have (I think now) 50 odd hours of supervised driving that get signed off and presented to the gov before they are allowed out on the road on their own. Currently my youngest son (18) when I'm away and my wife can't drive him to school takes my 2012 Subaru STI WRX to school and it costs me an additional $ 375 (200 pounds ish) odd AU dollars a year, one kid folks are totally cashed up and he drives mums Porsche!. All three of my boys have been through this system and my oldest is 27 and none have points or have had a smash! its a good system...it works.

All taxi drivers should be tested on their driving and passenger care and tbh I find older drivers more professional when driving. They may go slower but atleast you dont slide outta ur seat when they go round the corner. Why isnt there a policy that all taxi drivers have to have an assessment after so many years? But then again why bother do the assessments wen they know they r being tested nd r gonna behave? Why not install cctv or devices which record speeding, steering and gears changing? This would be much better as it gives police a better understanding of what caused/didnt cause a RTC should a cabbie be involved. Or why not do it in a undercover capacity?

A PCO stipulation and regulation that has been in place for years ....