American Reacts to Show Me, Tell Me Questions - UK Driving Test
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- Опубліковано 2 лют 2024
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Reacting To My Roots
P.O. Box 439
Jasper, Indiana 47547
USA
In this video I react to the show me tell me questions that are asked during a practical UK driving test. The driving test in the UK is is so different compared to what we experience here in the US. The show me tell me questions are just one of those differences. During the UK driving test they ask basic vehicle safety and maintenance questions. While we aren't asked any questions like this during our road test here in the states, I feel the show me tell me questions are a great addition to any driving exam. Knowing the answer to basic car safety and maintenance questions are a great way to keep you and other people on the road safe.
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Don't miss the point. As you don't know which questions they will ask you, you have to learn ALL of them. How you react to the questions, will reveal confidence, or lack of.
Yes, it is the same with things like reversing round a corner and 3 point turns, they don't test every driver on every manoeuvre but you need to learn them all.
That's right, it's amazing how nerves can kick in and what you think is easy suddenly may become like a fog has descended on you.
@Phiyedough 3-point turn and reversing around a corner aren't taught anymore, or at least I wasn't taught them 😅
@@Phiyedough Neither of those two manoeuvres are part of the test nowadays.
@@Born2007 that's a worry !
You could "fail" the horn test.
Its not about pressing the horn, it's about pressing it when safe to do so.
...our car horn seems to come with the words 'you muppet' when my husband is driving 🤣!!! We had to take a taxi to an appointment recently (due to lack of car parking) - and the taxi driver didn't use indicators at all!!! As we were getting out of the taxi, my very helpful husband told the driver to get his indicators checked as they didn't seem to be working......
@@CaroleEvans93436 Hhaaa.. give him my best regards, he's a superstar.
@@CaroleEvans93436 we had for a while where I live nearly all the taxi driver came from the eastern block and have never taking a test here, most have gone now probably due to having to many accidents.
So, when you drive past your mates, then. 😂
@@CaroleEvans93436 well your husbands horn is much politer than mine, mine is always paired with the word that rhymes with Hunt! 😂
These “obvious and easy” facts are assumed to be known by new drivers but research shows that many people, even those who passed their tests years ago, don’t know or even contemplate these things. The number of people who get wrecked engines due to lack of topping up oil is consistent year after year, for example.
Where do you find these statistics from?
@@Coolcarting I Googled the number of countries in the world; 205.
As the US is the ONLY country who celebrates their Thanksgiving and July 4th days that leaves 204 countries that don’t.
@@philipmason9537 i think you think you're responding to a different comment chain bud haha
I am 67. When I bought my first little banger and had just past my test, my Father took pains to show me how to 'check my levels' and tyres.. I check them to this day. He said it was my responsibility. He was right of course. Oil changes by a garage are all well and good. its keeping the levels up for optimum performance and safety of the car.. and tyres levels.
It's all about safety, 'when it's safe or appropriate to do so'
You most certainly can fail the "press the horn" test. In the UK you are not allowed to use the horn whenever you feel like it. It is to be used only when absolutely necessary and when it is safe to do so. For example if you are passing a cyclist and you toot the horn, the cyclist (who will not be accustomed to getting hooted at) could get a fright and steer into you or fall. So if the examiner says when it is safe to do so toot the horn, you need to ensure it is indeed safe to do so and then one short press of the horn is enough. No leaning on the horn as if you own the road. Stop focusing on what the question is and focus on the part that says "When it is safe to do so". If you roll down your window for example, you have to take one hand off the wheel, right? If it is unsafe to do so at that time, rolling down the window could be a problem. Also remember they are talking to NEW drivers with no real experience.
Technically, as far as the exam goes. The only safe time to take your hand off the wheel to open a window is when you are stationary, out of gear with your hand break on. Which if course you should be doing everytime you have to wait at a junction anyway, being the test and all,
when I did my Police driver training, all that re the horn of course but we were taught to do so if coming up fast to any potential hazard where pedestrians or other road users might not see us immediately we were to sound the horn. I recallapproaching a hill in the contryside or on a bridge where you cannot be seen by anyone but they maybe there. Its a warning. Or, on very narrow winding roads. we would be doing high speeds in our practice in all sorts of settings,city, town and countryside and motorways. As you say, one short press of the horn.. and no lingering on it... and never do ir in anger because some other road user has driven carelessly. Its not what it is for. As you say, only when it is safe to do so and its to alert others of your presence.
The only time Ive heard the horn in my car is when I have accidentally pressed it getting out of the car, usually in a tight car park space. Embarrassing!
It's also about keeping control of the car - if you roll down the window but veer all over the road whilst doing it then you would get *at least* a minor for control, and possibly a serious or dangerous if you cause danger to other road users.
Roll down a window? Just how old are these cars you're all driving?
they're easy to do but a lot of new drivers tend to veer off when looking too long at controls, it's to ensure everyone can do it SAFELY, regardless of how easy it is.
The tell me questions are not just about the obvious content, they also allow the examiner to form an opinion as to the mental competency of the person being examined as does the rest of the test where the examiner will see if the examinee has an awareness of what is happening outside of the vehicle and, in residential areas, what is happening on the pavements and on feeder roads. The test is not just about being able to drive the vehicle, it is much more about driving safely and with full awareness of everything around you.
The Show me questions are more to show you can safely multitask while driving, that you know where it is and can do it without it being a distraction and do it when you have deemed its a safe point while driving to demonstrate it. Also, I got the horn question on my test, I'd never actually pressed it before even though i knew where it was and how to do it 😅 it was nerve-wracking to do, because I was worried about startling another driver honking when they'd done nothing so I did it when we were alone.
Also, the MOT is just that you pass on that exact day, its not ensuring theres nothing to fix down the line in the year. Youll be told to keep an eye on your tyre treds because they are close to failing, so may need replacing in 3 or 6 months depending on their use
With regard to the beeping the horn/opening windows type questions . They are checking the "When its safe to do so" bit, not the actual action. Did you take your eyes off the road to open the window? Not safe. Did you decide to open your window as you were going around a corner so only having 1 hand on the steering wheel? Did you beep your horn in an appropriate safe place? That sort of thing.
Yes, it is like looking at the mirror, it is no good just turning your eyes to see it, on the test you need to turn your head to look at the mirror.
Ah, okay! That makes sense
@@reactingtomyroots also, to some extent, it's about knowing your vehicle well enough to find the button. On some cars it is / was not on the steering wheel, sometimes it could be found on the end of the indicator or washer stalk. I seem to recall this was more of a Japanese thing - and my Ampera had two horn buttons, which gave two different types of alert. One was a gentle, polite but rapid pulsed beep, the other was the traditional full-volume hold it down as long as you want it beep. This was done because the Ampera is silent at anything below walking speed and did not generate any fake engine noise - so the designers came up with a gentler way of letting people know that you were coming up behind them. The polite button was on a stalk end, the aggressive one was on the steering wheel, as you would expect.
Dipped headlights in the UK means low beam in the us
Means *low beam* here in England too.
Dipping means lowering the direction of the beam downwards.
@@keith6400 basically for low visibility so the beams pick up more on road markings and cats eyes.
@@Turn1t0ff To avoid blinding the oncoming driver with full beam and making them blind you in return.
@@LuciferStarr true. Exclusive purposes.
The questions aren't there to trip you up but do ensure that you are safe to be on the road if you pass your test. Everyone knows how to open the windows but if when you take your hand of the wheel you swerve (or you think it's appropriate to do these tasks in the middle of a turn) then you aren't ready to be on the road.
The MOT test just checks that the tyres are legal on the day. There would probably be an advisory note if they were getting low.
Odd though, they heal up. I got an advisory on one MOT for all four tyres. Replaced the front tyres. The next year, no advisory on the rear tyres 🤔
we never get advisories here in NI, the vehicle either passes or it does not, if the vehicle fails it could be another few months before a retest can be carried out.
@@georgebarnes8163 İf your vehicle fails in GB, that's it. You're not legal to be on the road at all (except if you're driving directly to a pre-booked MOT test, and can prove it. Even that's not allowed if the fail is classed as 'dangerous'). If it's months till the re-test you're without a vehicle for months.
@@georgebarnes8163 Sounds like the MOT system is in a bit of a mess in Northern Ireland at the moment. I read that the PSNI said in August that they wouldn't take action against people driving without an MOT if the vehicle appears to be roadworthy and they have an upcoming appointment.
@@Will-nn6ux Can take months to get an MOT test, I applied for mine last year at the start of August, the MOT ran out mid October and was not tested until January this year, We can drive without an mot as long as a test is applied for but we can not tax a vehicle without MOT which has forced thousands of motorists of the road.
When I took my test in 1970 there was nothing as in depth as this. However the examiner did ask me several questions that were similar to these, so he was obviously ahead of his time. Over the years I benefitted from a brother-in-law, who was a mechanic, who taught me a lot of stuff so I was always (even now as an old lady of 74) able to do my own maintenance.
I'm 67 and used to do my oil changes.. but not anymore. too ill.. but good for you too.
"When I took my test in 1970 there was nothing as in depth as this."
Same when I took my test in 1981.
Almost the first thing my step daughter asked me when she got her first old banger (as a learner) was to teach her how to check oil and fluids, check tyres, and change a wheel. She later learned how to fully service the old Fiesta Mk1, including adjusting the tappets, and tuning the carb and timing. She even earned beer money as a student by servicing her friends' cars. @@mariahoulihan9483
If you think that's bad try the institute of advanced motorists test of your attitude is indicative no one from us could pass this ,
Although a little nervous, i passed my test first time. I was confident i would pass. I made sure i knew all the answers to the questions...there are apps which will test you randomly. Do your homework, be confident and you will pass. My examiner told me "good drive". I was so pleased with myself. Passed with two minors. Im glad our tests are so stringent. Driving a car carries a lot of responsibility and should be taken seriously.
There is people with disabilities that can find some of this stuff a little hard to start with or those with anxiety they can easily forget the simplest of things but remember everything else everyone is different just because you think of it as too easy doesn’t mean it is for everyone else
Very good point.
"Ask my husband......." " ask my garage man" would be fails😂😂
Not fails, you would just get a minor/driving fault.
M.O.T. stands for Ministry of Transport.
I passed my test over 30+ years ago and questions like these where not necessary, in some case, as you would do most of the car maintenance yourself as car where much simpler back then. I think these are good question that need to be known.
When i did my driving test you did the practical test and at the end got asked 10 questions from the Highway code.
Glad you got chance to check this out.
As others have mentioned, your dips are your low beams and your "main beam" is your brights.
For the windows and horn it's true most people know HOW to do it, but few remember WHEN you can legally do it. If you beep the horn when someone is in front of you not causing an obstruction or risking your safety then you could fail that question as you may have given the driver head agro or caused them confusion. So you ideally have to do it when nobody else is there. Similar idea if you try to lower the windows when you're going 70mph on a dual carriageway (2 lanes each way) and give the examiner a fair blast of air.
Not all cars have the horn in the middle of the steering wheel. Some have the horn on a button at the end of the turn signal or wiper stalk.
True, I have also seen it on a button on the dashboard, a button half way down the steering column and as a rubber bulb on the steering column, and finally a bulb on a clip on the windscreen, but that was quite an old car.
On my car the horn is two vertical chrome strips, one either side of the steering wheel airbag.
I think Steve probably isn’t exposed to as many different car manufacturers as we are here and horns do indeed make an appearance in quite different places, depending on the make and model. I delivered cars as a job and had to switch 3-4 times a day. The variety of dashboard layouts and locations of pretty major components is ridiculous.
My daughter’s car went in for the MOT recently and failed on the horn despite the fact that it was working that morning. I phoned the garage and asked “you do know the horn is on the stalk, not the steering wheel don’t you?” . Lo and behold the fault was removed. So even amateur mechanics get tripped up by that one!
We had a parts collector driving a van for our dealership. She checked the oil, but didn't know where to add more. She at least knew "I'm sure I don't have to pour it down the dipstick hole". Engine knowledge is important.
If you broke down on a motorway, or some dual carriageways due to lack of maintenance, you would be a danger to others.
Remember that the window switches aren’t always in the same place - the car I had twenty years ago they were down by the gear shifter.
When I learned to drive, they were handles you had to turn.
Hi Steve. these are very important parts of driving here in uk and should of been part of the driving test years ago, many of these tests may be common sense but you have to remember here the weather can change so quickly from dry conditions to torrential rain, good driving conditions to thick fog in a instance so many of these checks they will need to know you are able to find where they are on the dashboard quickly, and not searching around like a headless chicken.
Good points! :)
It's goodd to check the basic things before you get a MOT because if you fail you have to re-test and rebook in etc it's a pain. If you know before hand you need t a new tyre for instance you can usually get them to do that before the MOT so no test failure.
Apart from Northern Ireland I thought that MOT took place in private mechanic garages in the UK and if you had minor issues then the mechanic would give you a call and ask if you would like them repaired? I could be completely wrong on this is I'm from Northern Ireland and we have MOT test centres ran by the government but when I was in England I just brought my car to a garage and the told me it is a fail but told me what I needed done and asked if I would like the work carried out and the car passed. That could just be the garage I used of course as I have only ever put a car through MOT in England once. England definitely beats Northern Ireland in my experience with MOT.
@@beltrofix7667 If the work is done by the garage that did the MOT test, then they can effecively pass the MOT by just fixing the failed items, and the retest is free.
If you take it elsewhere or leave it too long before returning then you have to pay for a retest.
@@beltrofix7667 I can only speak regarding the local garages to myself that I’ve used.
They will call after the MOT if there are fails or even advisories that will need done asap asking if I would like them to do the work or if I plan to go elsewhere.
After a failed MOT it is free to redo it within 14days.
When I first started driving in the early 2000’s the garage me and my siblings all used knew our dad did the work on our cars that he was able to do but left electrical work for mechanics. So they would call saying what has failed, we would pick up the car then dad would take us to get the parts needed and show us how to do it.
When dad wasn’t able to do something IE couldn’t get the old part loose for whatever reason when we dropped the car back for it’s MOT we would pre call them asking to put those parts on before re testing.
I know in my area because it is country when you get to know the garage well they are happy for you to provide the parts if you can source them cheaper and just charge you labour.
@@irishandscottish1829 That was pretty much on par with my experiences and how I thought it did work there. It's such a better system than we have in Northern Ireland. We currently have a huge backlog and months long waiting list for MOT. There is a simple solution, make ours the same as England (the rest of the UK possibly as I don't know about Scotland and Wales).
@@beltrofix7667 I’m in Scotland. The rules for MOT is nationwide so applies in England, Scotland and wales as far as I know as it is Westminster that holds power over rules/laws regarding driving/the roads. It isn’t a devolved forest for Scotland as far as I’m aware
I would even have the local garage call me when my son was little saying they are mid doing my MOT but I left my sons car seat in so that makes it a fail because they can’t test the seat belt and cannot remove it to test it for liability reasons incase they refit it wrong.
So asked if I was free to come down now to remove it while they do the other checks and can then do the seat belt checks before completing the MOT just so they didn’t have to rebook it especially if that is the only thing causing the fail
That's one of the best videos I've ever seen 😍
One car I had, several years ago, had the horn on the end of one of the stalks.
You Americans need to have this in your tests.
Also an additional question could be: "How would you negotiate a curve in the road?" lol
They need a complete overhaul of their test system.
Instead of basically giving away licences to everyone.
I'm from the UK I never had these tests I have only done theory test and driving lessons
Evan Edinger (UA-camr from New Jersey, now also a British citizen living in London, UK) said he passed his test - in New Jersey - by driving around a car park ("parking lot") !! 😮 Wow!! 😮
@@101steel4 As European I totally can see why it never gonna happen - That would demand of developing of better public transportation system and re-designing suburb areas so portion of drivers who can't pass exams still could exist (in US 90% of adults has license, in Europe only around 70% (with variations from country to country ofcourse))
I Agree to that @@101steel4
The MOT test relates only to how the car is at that moment. It you have 1.65mm the tyres would pass but 1.55 and they would fail. It could pass and be illegal within a couple of weeks. You can get an MOT "advisory" telling you that your tyres/brake pads will need changing soon but that isn't a fail.
In the uk it is illegal to use the horn, without cause,
Or whilst stationary.
Or, except where there is significant danger, at night in a built up area.
The one sequence in the little seaside village was beautiful Mousehole in Cornwall, pronounced something like Mowzul
Remember, many drivers outside of the UK have their hands permenently on the horn, I been there and seen it. In Britain we do not do this, it is purely there to, and I quote, "signify your presence", not to show impatience. I include American drivers in this!
Also, there are people that attempt the test that have no clue as to the working of their vehicle. Plus, what happens if you are using an unfamiliar vehicle on your test? It does happen.
Thanks for doing these videos. Hoping to learn to drive sometime soonish and this helps me know what I'm going to need to learn and know.
And yeah as another commenter mentioned The show me questions after are not so much about you understanding how to do the action (though I'm sure it's that too) it's much more about you being able to take that action in a safe way, if imagine that's especially important in a different weather conditions or coming up to a round about or a junction etc. This keeping yourself and other roads users safe.
I remember watching this video when I was learning to drive, it's a very good channel.
I think you’re possibly missing the point of the horn and side window questions, as the horn and window controls can be situated in different places on different cars. So it’s as much about ensuring that you familiarise yourself with any vehicle so that you can perform the tasks efficiently when needed. Remember that it’s easy to perform these tasks if you’re able to spend five minutes locating what you need but you can’t do that when you’re driving.
The windows control is sometimes on the centre area near the gear lever and the horn on some cars is on a stalk. Usage of the latter might be needed within a second or so to avert an accident.
@@keith6400 exactly the point I was trying to make. The side of the steering wheel the stalk is located on can vary as well as locations being either on the dash, the central console or on the door panel for these instruments that could be needed in a hurry. It’s about teaching good habits and being prepared, instead of making presumptions.
What you call maintenance, we call Roadworthiness, Remember we have a yearly MOT inspection which certifies our cars as roadworthy. Ensuring that your car is STILL roadworthy in between those tests is solely (and legally) the responsibility of the driver, hence it is part of the Driver's License. Its not so much of a case of actually doing anything to the car, it is just a simple case of checking you have the knowledge to check that nothing NEEDS to be done. Checking levels mainly.
The MOT does not test tyres are good for the next year... They test that they are above the legal limit at the time of testing, if they are close to being illegal, they will put an advisory note on the "pass sheet", but some people like to run them right down to (or below) the legal limit to get their money's worth out of every tyre. a person who does 12 thousand miles a year will go through tyres more slowly than a person who drives 50 thousand miles a year so it would be impossible for a MOT examiner to predict whether these 'nearly low' tyres would last you a year. (just for the record, if the police decide to pull you over for a spot check and you have low tread on your tyres, thats 3 points on your license and a fine through the post. If you reach 12 points its a 6 month driving ban, so in theory 4 low tyres can get you banned from driving and again, it is the drivers responsibility to be checking that his or her tyres are legal in between MOT tests).
Dipped headlight is your angled beam's that do not blind oncoming drivers. Main beam are the higher powered lights (that I think you call full beam or high beam) that are not directed downwards (dipped) towards the road immediately in front of you and if you leave them on when approaching an oncoming car, would potentially dazzle the driver of that vehicle.
The question, although posed as "how to beep the horn", is not how to beep the horn. Here in the UK it is illegal to use your horn for unsanctioned reasons, and yes you can get 3 points and a fine for doing it. So the question "show me how to beep the horn" is actually testing whether the driver knows the road law about when and where a horn is legal to use. Same goes for activating the window washers, they are really testing to see if you wait until it is SAFE to do it, rather than if you know how to do it. You would probably be surprised at how many people will be approaching a junction or another car and just do it because they have been asked to, what the examiner wants to see, is that you wait until you are in a safe enough spot to perform the action. AND it's also why here in the UK you don't have idiots leaning on their horn every time they wish to show their displeasure at every passing driver.
Our test isn't just about being able to drive a car, it's checking you know the laws, know the car your driving (remember we predominantly do not use our own cars when we go for a test in the this country, we use our dual-control driving instructor's car, the controls may well be different than those we are used to), the show me - tell me is as much about testing your common sense and knowledge of the law, as it is your knowledge of the car.
I took my UK Driving Test in 1973, so well before these enhanced test, but included 3 point turns, parallel parking, and reversing around an uphill corner
I took my Arizona Driving Test in 1989, it consisted of 4 right turns and being able to park head on in a parking space wide enough for an oil tanker!
The reversing around an uphill corner was my nemesis 🤦♀️
@@susansmiles2242 I sat my test in the early 2000’s and the reverse around the corner was the one thing I struggled with for a while as I was always worried about kerbing the allows of my instructors car 😂 he would laugh saying he wished all his students valued his alloys like that.
I actually failed my first test because a child ran out in front of me from between parked cars. The examiner said I stopped in time but it was because I panicked after it - my instructor said that was tough and another instructor wouldn’t have failed me for panicking because I managed to stop quickly (the examiner had explained it to my instructor after telling me of the fail). It just comes down to how fickle the examiner is.
I also remember when I was out learning with my dad and driving along the road with bends when suddenly an ambulance with lights on but no sirens suddenly appeared behind me. I panicked and started slowing down but dad told me to not slow down, keep to the speed limit as we were at solid white lines and the ambulance will pass me when they know it is safe for them to do so. That was a great learning experience and dad said we actually got a wave and thumbs up from the paramedic in the passenger seat because they likely realised I had panicked initially by slowing down but that dad corrected me on what to do in that scenario so I wasn’t delaying them while also ensuring we were all safe.
@@irishandscottish1829 I liked the ambulance story - your dad knew what he was doing . It's amazing how many people stop right in the way of emergency vehicles!
You need to try a mock Theory Test, there’s loads online
It’s not just 2 questions it depends on how you answer. If the learner is not exactly confident the examiner might ask them an additional question. The questions that are asked are those questions that most drivers need to check before setting out on a longish drive. In the U.K. for ALL vehicles over 3 years old require a legally necessary MOT car check at a MOT testing centre or garage. This is quite a detailed investigation by a professional mechanic that a car meets all the MOT test. Tyres at a MOT test are part of the test and are green or amber or red and they provide the tread depth on each tyre and the spare. If the car fails the garage can refuse the return of the car if it’s not safe to drive. The owner then has to get these faults repaired before they can drive away. Plus ALL drivers require a valid MOT (Ministry Of Transport) registered in the U.K. Government database in order for them to purchase their annual vehicle car insurance, so they are covered for accident damages to 3rd party vehicles or 3rd party and their own vehicles. You also need to purchase annual vehicle road tax for a car, its cost is based on the vehicle CO2 emissions and engine capacity. If you’re stopped by the police and you have no insurance the vehicle will be immediately ceased by the police until you produce the insurance information. There is a limited time to do this, if you don’t then the vehicle can be crushed at a car breakers yard. U.K. police and most U.K. petrol stations have Automated Number Plate Recognition cameras and you could get caught on one of the systems that flags up to the police that the vehicle has no insurance. It also stops people filling up with fuel and driving off without paying. U.K. speed cameras use the same technology for speed on motorway or near schools or accident black spots. Some speed cameras are an average measure between two cameras. There are even a few speed cameras that can flag your plate in London and then again 200 miles away in another location and mathematically work out that the driver could not have driven said vehicle without breaking the speed limit. Finally many parking sites also use cameras for parking tickets. McDonald sites have these. You get about 90 mins free parking if you stay longer the cameras will detect you leaving the area and you receive a ticket via the post. Not paying the ticket is crazy as the amount starts to increase the longer you wait and again the traffic police receive number plates for those vehicles and will pull you over and cease the vehicle until payment has been settled or the car is either crushed or sold off in a police auction.
18:13 The key is " *When no other cars are around* ". You use the horn to avoid danger. Never to express joy or anger. Never for fun or to scare people. Never to make others move out of your way because you are the only one who matters. When other cars are around tell the examiner you will wait til you can do so without scaring anyone, and when it is safe to beep, tell him/her you are going to hit the horn.
You probably fail if you think it's (only) about you know how to beep a horn,
During the main test you will only get asked 2 'show me/tell me' questions in the duration. One will be before you start the engine (often it is about minimal legal tyre depth but you can always be asked the engine questions which will throw you off if you don't know them, also always good to learn them). During the test you get a 'as you drive' show me/tell me, usually it can be something simple like 'tell me how you would open the driver's window' or 'tell me how you would engage the headlamps'. You don't have to immediately do it, just point to the relevant button and most of the time that is enough. If they say 'show me' instead, then you press the relevant buttons when it is safe and away you go.
They are not really hard or impressively difficult to know for anyone that has driven for a decent amount of time. That being said there is a SHOCKING amount of driver son the road that are completely unaware of the basics on their car, the type of people that drive with their full beams active rather than dipped, the type of people that don't even know how to top up their wiper fluids, etc so making sure all of this is actually taught and tested before allowing a person to drive has slowly become more important over time.
How someone could not know how to press a horn is presuming the horn is in the same place ( centre of steering wheel ) however you have cars with them on the stalks so yes knowing where they are is a valid question. same as operating a window or any other switch not all cars are the same and if your looking for a switch you are not looking at the road at which point could cause an accident.
And because it'll not legal to use your horn just anytime.
Greetings from Scotland! Remember, these questions are for people "learning" to drive, inexperienced newbies! The idea behind a lot of the showme tellme questions is that you SHOULD know how to check all the basic stuff before taking your car out on the road. Imagine a low oil situation where you seize your engine while driving at speed in the fast lane of a motorway, possibly fatal! Same goes for low tyre pressures, insufficient coolant level and no screen wash liquid. ALL potential inconveniences, and possibly very dangerous. How to close the bonnet properly also a potential danger, if it flies up at speed it can be very difficult to see, and in heavy traffic, possibly fatal. As an ex mechanic/recovery driver I have seen simple things turn into disasters very quickly. Likewise, "headrests" are not just for resting your head on, they may save you getting spinal damage if hit from the rear with force, set it correctly! Knowing your tyre wear should also be a fairly regular check because an MOT test is valid only up to midnight on the day of the test. 6 months down the line and possibly many thousands of miles later the tyre could be very worn. A blowout at speed on the motorway can be very dramatic and often results in a flip over, nasty! I have had 3 front tyres replaced in less than 6 months due to sidewall bulges after hitting deep potholes. UK roads are very poor in some places. Again, such a thing is easily missed on a cursory check, but the end result can be spectacular when it finally gives way - boom! MY favourite - rear fog lights! I see people driving with those extra bright lights on all the time, day, night, rain, oh, and occasionally in FOG!!! 😂
So yes, you need to know, or SHOULD know these very basic things before they kill you! Believe me, they could!
"Dipped Headlights" are your main beams in low mode (anti dazzle mode?) LOW or HIGH beams depending if something is coming towards you or you are travelling reasonably close behind someone at night.
Road signs, guessing the meaning, is of course a classic but UK road markings videos exist. Also watching a mock test.
Last things, scottish single track roads and maybe our chain ferries like the corran ferry.
40 years ago when I passed my test the car's handbook gave you instructions on things like 'how to adjust the valve tappet clearances', nowadays the handbook tells you 'do not drink the contents of the battery'. And they say that we've progressed!
@simonhawksley817 EXACTLY!!! Rather sums things up don't you think? Younguns these days believe that Sherlock Holmes is "real" whereas Winston Churchill is a fictional character. Beggars belief, but I actually do believe this of Millennials and ignorant youngsters, from most countries of the World.
Many people who learn to drive at a driving school may never have a need in their lesson to use many of these things. eg, if you learn in summer you'll not need the demisters, if all your lessons are in daylight you might not need to use the lights. But once you have a license all these things will be required. It's therefore sensible to include them in the test.
This is why people should ensure to ask their instructors to give them lessons in varying conditions when possible.
My son is about to start learning and part of choosing the appropriate instructor for him is us asking them if they are willing to do double lessons on the following when suitable before his test
-travel the 30miles to the city so my son can practise city driving
- go on the new by pass near the city 30miles away to practise what to do with slip roads and constant fast moving traffic (before this new by pass my area didn’t have any slip roads only junctions for traffic joining the dual carriage ways) and it amazes me just how many people in my area don’t know how to negotiate a slip road when either joining traffic from one or moving lanes when safe to do so, so the traffic on the slip road can join the road
- night driving/driving at dusk
- driving on the narrow country roads that are single roads with passing places (these typically are the roads new drivers end up crashing on from either going too fast for the road/the bends on the road or not knowing how to use passing places and looking further ahead than you would on a main road to see if traffic is coming so you are prepared for meeting them)
These easy tasks that are asked like beep the horn, open the window, are asked while driving, to ensure you can mange to drive and also think about and access these controls safely, not only just you know how to do it. For example, if you were driving along and the examiner said, show me how to open the side window, and you then took your eyes off the road for a long time to look for the control to operate it, and the swerved, killed 16 people, a dog , took out a lamp post, and ended up with your car in someone's house, then you would probably get marked down for that
Windshield, hood and trunk are American terms.
Windscreen, bonnet and boot are the English equivalent.
“Who doesn’t know how to do these things like c’mon!”
You who can’t drive a manual car and 17 years old in the UK can
16 years old in some cases
the Horn question, in my 20 odd years of driving I've used mine less than 10 times and that is a generous estimate.
Both my son and daughter are having driving lessons at the moment - they are in direct competition with each other. The driving theory has changed a lot since I passed my test in 1991 - they now have to learn first aid and resuscitation. Part of the exam is using a sat nav
I took my test 2 weeks ago (passed 🎉), I didn't need to learn first aid or resuscitation. The examiner chooses on the day whether they will be giving you verbal directions or using a satnav
It might not be sat nav, could be road signs
@Draiscor the questions are in the theory, one example is "if a biker has had an accident, when would you remove the helmet"
@@ekatep6362 an excellent question to ask. At 13 I saw a driver pull out of a side road in front of a motorcyclist. The bike went over the bonnet throwing the rider down the road. As a passenger in another car I was in time to shout at a concerned driver, who started to fiddle with his helmet strap, "Stop! you could kill him if he has a skull fracture".
He stopped and then my friend's dad, who was driving the car I was in, say "You'd better listen to him he IS a qualified first aider", to the adult attempting to kill the motorcyclist.
Never ever try to remove a cyclist's helmet, not only is it designed to save their life, in a crash, it is also designed to hold the skull together if it is fractured. Trying to remove the helmet could potentially push bone fragments into the brain. You could turn a broken bone into a persistent vegetative state or even death.
@edwardbrownlee6746 exactly, and I think making new drivers learn this, is a good thing
We also had to do all this when completing the ATV sit astride/side by side courses - UK.
Steve, The important part of the 'show me' questions is "When it's safe to do so". The horn for example is, in law, called 'the audible warning instrument'. Barring cases of imminent danger it is an offence to sound an 'audible warning instrument' between 23:00 and 07:00 hours. The emphasis is on when you can do it safely not are you able to do it.
Two things to consider with the the really easy obvious questions - Firstly these are learner drivers so they are also being tested in the ability to juggle actions that would be second nature for an experienced driver and secondly what is also being tested is foresight! You said you're coming to England so you will be driving at unfamiliar vehicle (can also happen that test vehicle is different from Learning vehicle - Plus in your case you about to be using a different arm!!) and in an emergency you go to reach for the window switch and actually get the door mirror Controls! Plus remember different car manufacturers have different Horn button configurations on the steering wheel. Again in an emergency you go to hit the Horn on the steering wheel, but nothing happens - instinctively you have gone to that familiar place on your own vehicle steering wheel. but on the Hire car this location is reserved for the Radio Controls! :)
MOT test is the "Department for MOTor Transport" test. Since replaced by a different agency, but the testing regime retains its name.
The MOT test is from the Ministry Of Transport hence the MOT acronym.
@gracesprocket7340 M.O.T. Ministry Of Transport.
The show-me questions are not just about knowing the right button, it's also about demonstrating you can operate it while driving, and keep control of the car.
They also used to quiz you on the Highway code and traffic signs at the end of the test, but thats probably changed since the introduction of the theory test.
Some horns are on the central column some are on the control stalks, “dipped headlights” are what you call “ low beam” 😊
It should also be noted that instructors are generaly trained to ask the show me questions when it is safe, but the driver should still make sure it is safe. For instance, they wont ask you to clean the windscreen when somone might get splashed or honk the horn when pedestrians are near to you, which can get you marked down in the test if done impropperly.
The sound your horn question is the meanest to get.
The "at a safe time" is a tricky one. You have to correctly observe nothing will happen around you to cause an accident if you sound your horn for no good reason. That one question can theoretically end your test immediately in failure.
I have been driving for 30 years in the UK and I have used the horn probably less than 10 times. We drive like ants in single file and the courtesy on the road is very good.😊
I think the fact is that it forces driving test students to learn all of these things even though they would only be asked to explain or show one of each.
Even though the learner will be asked one of each,they need to learn all of them. Because they hey don't know which one the examiners going to ask them, learning the show me tell me now.
The question about the ‘beep horn’ is the easiest but the important part is the first part of the question ‘when it’s safe to do so’ as in no one around to scare, in the U.K. we can’t legally beep the horn before 7am or after 11pm and having narrow streets often one way traffic at a time you need to beep to make others aware of you most people use the horn as a defensive or offensive tool not for what it is intended as awareness like over single lane bridges when you can’t see over the other side
Its about safely driving the car whilst carrying out these relatively simple tasks. The key is doing it safely for instance you would take one hand off the steering wheel whilst turning a corner to open a window or sound your horn. Every car has slight differences in where to find all those button/levers that you may need to show use of in a test so as well as showing usage safely you have shown due diligence in knowing the layout of the driver's dashboard/console. It is to show that you can carry out simple tasks whilst drining with the upmost safety. Many learners take their eyes off the road because they are unsure of the position of many of these buttons/levers which can result in them not driving safely. The test in the UK is one of the most stringent driving test in the world which helps UK drivers to be safe drivers.
Not sure why you're so incredulous that people would be asked where various functions, like the horn, are in a car. They aren't in the same place in every car you get in, so it's a good thing to make sure people know to look out for these in their own car and others they drive, particularly for new drivers who won't have had a reason to have to use most of them during their lessons.
Yes, his attitude to some things is a bit odd lol. Not to mention that some people have certain cognitive issues or anxiety related issues which mean they don't find certain things as easy as others.
In Slovenia, the driving test takes several months, first you pass a medical examination, then you pass a first aid course (10 hours) and an exam, followed by a road traffic regulations course and exam at a driving school which lasts a week, then you do certain exercises on the road, then you have internal driving test at the driving school with a member of their commission and then further road exercises, then pass the national road traffic regulations test and the last national driving test with a national commission member. In Slovenia, at least 20 hours of driving are mandatory before taking the state test, in case you fail the test at the driving school or the state test, you must pass at least an additional 2-3 hours before you can re-register for the test drive. On average, it is 35 hours with us, the success rate on the main test drive is 50%, if you pass all the tests in the first attempt, the whole process takes about half a year. After two years, you have to take a skill driving course, which lasts 10 hours. All in all, it costs at least €1,300, if we do everything on the first try, otherwise the cost can rise to several thousand €. It is similar throughout Europe, including the UK, with minor differences between countries.
Joining the Army in 1989, I had to pass the Military Driving Test, before I got anywhere near a vehicle, I had to understand the mechanics of the vehicle for instance "What is the definition of the 1st Gear?" I would also have to demonstrate changing a wheel and using the equipment to do so, but not just any vehicle it was several different types I might be expected to use from cars to Heavy goods vehicles. How to check the vehicle prior to taking it, so each day the drivers have to perform a Daily First Parade, checking Oil, Water, Washers, Tyres and their pressures and ensuring they had the correct Equipment Schedule - that being break down equipment and tools for on sight repair / changing wheels / towing equipment. Every Year on joining our units we would have to sit the theory test for the country you serve in, if you fail the theory test your military licence was revoked until you passed it. The one thing they did drum in to us during this training is the "Driver is responsible for the condition of the Vehicle, its load and passengers" something that seems to have been forgotten.
MOT test is ministry of transport.
But we no longer have a ministry of transport but the test is still known as such.
But we now have VOSA which means vehicle operating standards agency
My dad and husband thought me most of it and I learnt by watching
The South African driving test is similar to UK test. It is called K53 and requires one to be competent in various driving tasks
It's not about how difficult they are (they are mostly general knowledge, it's to gauge how safe and knowledgeable you are regarding driving. They really emphasise on the safe parts especially with the show me while driving parts
In New Zealand you should know all that stuff but it has nothing to do with the driver's test or getting your licence.
Dipping your headlights is when you switch from high beam to low beam.
Dipped headlights is when they're on in normal conditions, usually in areas with street lighting. On roads that have no streetlights you can use full/main beam
Full beam shouldn't be used when there is other traffic that could be dazzled obviously.
The show me questions are not based of difficulty, it's focuses more on multitasking. Showing you can drive safely, operate whatever needs to be operated(when safe) while keeping good control of the car.
Ah, that makes sense!
Opening the bonnet is different with different car makes. Most have the lever where shown, but the secondary catch position varies, and can be difficiult to find and use.
The tyre tread depth is just an indication that the tyre are legal at the time if the test. There is no guarantee that there is enough tread to last a year. It is the driver's responsibility that the tyres are legal at all times.
The light test is dependant on the make of car. Many do not have a switch like the Puma, with all lights controlled via a lighting stalk on the steering column.
Dipped headlight are the normal low beam used for friving in traffic. Main beams are apparently called brights in the USA.
Opening the windows is easy. The issue is being able to locate and operate the swich safely when the car is moving.
The window control question is mainly testing your ability to use it while still safely controlling the car, looking at the window controls while driving will very likely give you a minor fault on the test.
Dipped headlights are known as low beam (well in Canada in my experience). There are also side lights on some cars that do nothing but let other road users see your car in dim/overcast conditions. And there is, of course, full beam... the brightest they go
In some European countries it's legal requirement to always have headlights on even in day
For most of the show me questions it is knowing when it is safe to carry out that thing. For example, you wouldn't try and wash the windscreen whilst driving in a complex situation, you would wait until your clear of it.
You need to be able to open windows, put on demisters etc safely by not taking your eyes off the road, hand of the wheel too long.
You need to remember the age of most of the people taking the driving test - 17 - 21 years. Their dad has probably always done the safety checks out of their sight.
I was a passenger in a work van with a young colleague as driver (I was starting back to work after having a heart attack), one of the wheels got a puncture, he didn't know how to change the wheel, I had to do it.
Parents should be teaching this
The one I was taught to do was "What do you do if you get into a "Skid". I w2as taught by an ex Police Driving Instructor. Mind you I took my test many many years ago, and it was quite different to the one shown as the cars have changed as well. I only drive "manuasl gears on my cars, never used an "automatic.
I did training on Hendons Police Driving SKID PAD - all oil and water from jets under the wheels and the car was on a dolly, when i was serving. I only used it once and it was invaluable. Ice on a hill, and it was all in slow motion as I was hardly moving. In my private car.
Dipped headlights are what you would call normal headlights position. We say they are dipped because the position of them is dipped so they are shining onto the road ahead of you (dipped down) rather than in the eyes of oncoming traffic, where as full/main beams are shining straight ahead and hence they blind on coming drivers.
Evidently you have to show that you know how to do certain skills, like change a tyre, fill up the screenwash, that sort of thing.
The important part in the question was when it's safe to do so, guessing would be a fail when passing another car
I think that asking them to show the basic operations like opening the window is to ensure that they can competently do these things while driving the car, so you're not hesitating and fumbling when you should be focussed on yhe road. I don't regularly drive these days due to the cost, but when I did cars could have minor differences. So you could from your driving instructor's car which you had done your lessons and test in, to one you weren't familiar with. It's reinforcing that it's a good idea to know these things are and be comfortable in using them without looking or having your hand off the steering wheel for too long. I' m sure it also gives them a good insight into the driver's attitude.
the Show Me questions are more about doing things when it’s safe to do so, also (for me anyway) it was doing it while driving, multitasking while driving and keeping the car straight took me a while 😂
The MoT (Ministry of Transport) test is done when a car reaches three years from first registration, and then annually. They will check the tyres, but, as with all the test features, they only test whether the stipulated standards are met on the day, they do not assess how long it is likely to be before the car ceases to be roadworthy in any respect.
Cars differ in the arrangement and type of controls. Not all cars have the same level of equipment. Remember also that you can take the test in any roadworthy car, of any age. All these mean that before you drive it, you might not be over familiar with even the basic controls, although you should be, and it is that which the examiner is testing. Sounding the horn is by no means something that every driver knows how to do. I can't remember the last occasion when I had to do so when driving.
I think they're just checking that your can operate the essential controls while maintaining control of the car and the relative wisdom of doing it at that moment. People can sometimes need to glance away to make sure they're going to open the correct window and don't realise that the traffic in front of them just slowed down.
They may seem obvious but most people sit the test in the examiners car not their own so it will not be so familiar. The brake fluid was not a question when I sat my test.
In the Theory Test you have an hour to answer 50 multiple choice questions. However, there are over 700 possible questions that could be asked and you never know which ones they will be, so a broad knowledge is essential as a pass is 86% or more.
Lovely blackbirds singing in the background to the video.
I didn't have this when I passed mine 4o+ yrs ago I just did a drive test and answered some highway code questions
Dipped headlights are when you turn your lights on to see at night. We call the brights when you see the little blue symbol on the dash we in the uk call these the main beams or highbeams.
In the UK we are not “horn happy”, we are also regulated by law when you can sound the horn.
“Rule 112 of the Highway code says that you MUST NOT use your horn “when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30pm and 7.00am”. 🇬🇧
In the UK the Horn or Hooter is very rarely used because it is an offence to use it incorrectly - ie it must only be used to warn another motorist/cyclist or pedestrian. Hence this is understanably a question by an examiner.
I think the thing missing here is "when safe to do so". There are so many rules about when you can use your horn etc
No 8 Tell Me Question, the guy says you don't need to leave the vehicle, then goes onto say you walk round the car......would love to see him demonstrate that.
He means you'd tell them that you'd walk round the car, but you don't actually need to demonstrate during the test. There are a few worded like that, and I was super confused.
The MOT certification (Ministry of Transport certificate) shows the state of your vehicle on that day and whether it is road worthy. They garage can give you advisories to say check your brakes/tyres/wipers/etc in the next x months as they are running low. However the police can also do spot checks if they feel a vehicle is not road worthy at the time (tyres running low, smoke coming from exhaust, rusty body, etc). Also it is extremely important to retain your MOT certificate as without it, your insurance also becomes invalid as you need to show your MOT to get insurance. So if you fail your MOT, you are no longer insured to drive. So not a good predicament to be in.
Another component of the test to check out would be the 'Hazard Perception Test' part.
In Police driver training we did drivig commentaries.. lengthy ones. We were expected to point everything out in the way of potential hazards, at speed. ie.. dustbins out ... was there a dust cart hahead with men walking in the road. No one at bus stops? was a bus upaheadwhich may stop.. and would pedestirans run around the front of the bus into your path or pedestirans late for the bus frun form the offside to catch it on the nearside.. and run in your path. We spoke out loud about telegraph wires coming from country dwellings or farm buildings.. that could be a sign of a hidden entrance to a farm or home and look out for mud as that is a hazard. Also mud in the road ahead could mean slow moving farm machinery. the funnist one I heard of and happened to a friend of mine. ONe of the three students in his car was doing a fluent commentary and didn;t realise that Whipsnade Zoo was on the horizon. He saw furry animals up ahead in a field. As he approached he saw the ears and said, 'there is a field full of big rabbits in the field offside.' he had just glanced at them not studied them as he had a lot to thinka bout and the car burt into laughter. the BiG RABBITS werine fact Wallabys.. lol lol.On one of mine out in the countryside somewhere I was blatting along commentating and found 6 sheep in the road on a blind bend. I smartly parked up, put my hat on and got out and helped my three collegues get them into a field. I came back and continued. I got Brownie points for not knocking them over like skittles and going into a skid. Back then Hendon had 'training routes' beloved of instructors many of which were old sweat Police. One said to me he was due to retire the following year and his ambition was to buy a caravan.. and drive the routes.. slowly. to get in the way of training.. He was a miserable so and so through and through. Oh and I also once said, 'large plant on a building site off site.' when we finished a dim female collegue said. what plant. I didn't see any plants.. EQUIPMENT LOVE.. EQUIPEMENT.. DIGGERS ETC.. lol lol lol.
In the UK, you can only sound your horn between 11.30pm and 7am unless it's an emergency. Unlike the US where you seem to be permanently attached to the car horn!
Just to be clear, in the UK, there is a very clear difference between an instructor and an examiner. They are both trained and approved in their respective skills and in fact the professions are mutually exclusive, so an instructor would have to give up their instructor registration to become an examiner (and vice versa). Also it is worth noting that getting a show me or tell me question wrong is not a fail outright, but could still be the driving fault (minor fault) that takes the total number of minor faults over the limit of 15 (you can pass with 15 minor faults but 16 is a fail).
Dipper headlights. Turns off the main beam so as not to blind oncoming traffic.