28-06-22, 07:59 AM
Having just been through the process for the motorcycle test, 35 years after passing my car driving test, I can pass on some nuggets from the theory and practical test centres in Suffolk....
1. massive increase in ringers attending theory tests. I was told of one the day before where a woman did the theory test in Newcastle in one name in the morning, drove down to Norwich and then took it in another name in the afternoon. Hence why all bracelts/watches/wrist ornaments were removed, sleeves rolled up, shoes removed and socks lowered, hood checked, ears inspected and hair rummaged through looking for comms equipment. I was told that ladies were also instructed to raise skirt hems to mid thigh to see if anything was written on the upper leg as a crib sheet.
2. Londoners buying driving tests in Suffolk thinking they can get away with friends or relatives to take their driving tests. My motorcycle instructor told me of an incident the week before where two police cars raced and boxed in a lad about to take his test and dragged him out of the car. The examiner had no idea what was going on until it was explained to him that the person taking the test was not the person on the application.
The other issue, particularly in Bury St Edmunds, is that they have strange priority systems and in places you get no warning that you're in a left turn only lane until you are right upon a roundabout, so if you don't know the local area then you're going to get surprises. Hence why Bury St Edmunds has one of the lowest pass rates in the country.
Back to car/camper - definitely sounds like fun to be able to escape for a weekend. I know West Wittering quite well from the couple of years I spent around Worthing and Findon. It is beautiful.
I also had a friend in Sevenoaks who used a Grand Cherokee as his station car (the one he didn't mind being scratched in the station car park) and he kept his windsurfing kit in there as well. he kept an eye on the wind speeds from his office PC and would create an important meeting if the winds turned in a friendly direction.
It all worked well until the day the car burst into flames in the car park as he was on the train into his office in London.....
1. massive increase in ringers attending theory tests. I was told of one the day before where a woman did the theory test in Newcastle in one name in the morning, drove down to Norwich and then took it in another name in the afternoon. Hence why all bracelts/watches/wrist ornaments were removed, sleeves rolled up, shoes removed and socks lowered, hood checked, ears inspected and hair rummaged through looking for comms equipment. I was told that ladies were also instructed to raise skirt hems to mid thigh to see if anything was written on the upper leg as a crib sheet.
2. Londoners buying driving tests in Suffolk thinking they can get away with friends or relatives to take their driving tests. My motorcycle instructor told me of an incident the week before where two police cars raced and boxed in a lad about to take his test and dragged him out of the car. The examiner had no idea what was going on until it was explained to him that the person taking the test was not the person on the application.
The other issue, particularly in Bury St Edmunds, is that they have strange priority systems and in places you get no warning that you're in a left turn only lane until you are right upon a roundabout, so if you don't know the local area then you're going to get surprises. Hence why Bury St Edmunds has one of the lowest pass rates in the country.
Back to car/camper - definitely sounds like fun to be able to escape for a weekend. I know West Wittering quite well from the couple of years I spent around Worthing and Findon. It is beautiful.
I also had a friend in Sevenoaks who used a Grand Cherokee as his station car (the one he didn't mind being scratched in the station car park) and he kept his windsurfing kit in there as well. he kept an eye on the wind speeds from his office PC and would create an important meeting if the winds turned in a friendly direction.
It all worked well until the day the car burst into flames in the car park as he was on the train into his office in London.....