The weather conditions at the moment are appalling. I doubt that driving examiners want cancelled tests any more than instructors do (well, certainly no more than anyone else wants to be kept off work because of the weather: it’s fun for a day or two, then it gets boring).
Many test centres are tucked away on industrial estates, so the roads don’t get gritted as a priority. The temperature has been below freezing (many degrees below in some cases) for days on end. Snowfall – particularly in Scotland – has been extremely severe. The second wave of bad weather came before the last remnants of snow from the previous one had fully cleared up. And so it goes on.
So, it might come as a surprise (on the other hand, knowing the mentalities of some instructors it comes almost as no surprise at all) to discover that examiners are being criticised for not going out on tests.
On one forum, one poster says:
You guessed it – 3rd test in a row cancelled!!
…Today has been very cold and remnants of a little snow and ice about but the council have done a great job of keeping the roads clear – That said DSA still chose not to take tests out.
Of course, he fails to mention that “very cold” means -5°C or less (it was -9°C here). And he expects the DSA to conduct tests where even the salty run-off has frozen solid.
Another one adds:
Went to our test centre yesterday morning, it was locked up, no cars, no lights. So clearly they all took a days leave.
To which there is the reply:
Nice to have a monopoly.
Then there is one of the best inadvertent attempts at comedy I’ve seen for a while:
The examiners could clear the car parks with spades and salt and conduct bay parks then leave the roads for driving.
Yes, that would be great. Then they could all go and melt the ice on the roads outside the test centre. Perhaps by breathing on it. And the same poster adds in another post:
Have a test [today], but because i have this Swine Flu I dont want to go if I dont have to.
If you’ve got swine flu, buddy, you’re a menace going out and interacting with anyone.
And a more direct attempt at humour (“attempt” being the operative word):
Xmnrs 3 dart average is 180.
You can see why we class ourselves as “professionals”, can’t you?