So, the big day came. Then went. Was it a problem in the end?
I had a pupil on test today and the silly sod failed for not checking his mirrors when changing lanes (and he said he knew he’d done it). Otherwise he’d just got 4 driver faults. The examiner told him at the end that his independent driving was fine.
While I was in the test centre waiting (I don’t see any point scurrying along like a trained poodle just because of independent driving), I asked one of the examiners how it had gone. He said there had been no problems and people seemed to be driving better – I just wish he hadn’t added that “everyone was passing”, or that I hadn’t taken that as literally as I did, given the result 15 minutes later for my pupil!
He said he regretted the loss of a manoeuvre (ditto that), but he couldn’t see that it would have much effect on KSIs.
It’s a huge storm over nothing. If pupils are taught properly they can drive independently – or independently enough to pass the driving test. Simple as that.
And even if KSIs don’t fall by hundreds of percent, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a valuable part of the test.