So, you're an incredibly shit driver are you?
I take it you can't work out what the three pedals do and are a bit scared of motorways?
I ask the above because it's the only reason I can see that a driver would want to have to cough up for a couple of driving lessons and a test every five years. I say a couple of lessons because most people who've been driving for 5 years don't move their head in a comedy way to look in the rear-view mirror, for example, so would need at least one lesson to learn how to exaggerate everything so it's obvious to an instructor what they're doing. I bet the only people who would easily pass a test every 5 years would be those who didn't learn anything by driving in that time so would likely not be particularly safe drivers in any case.
I would also wager that most accidents caused by experienced drivers are not as a result of anything that a driving test could test for -- it's not like anyone would drive with their knees whilst talking on their phone, or do 60 in a 30 zone on their test, is it?
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 10:47, 1 reply)

Bet you're driving isn't as good as you think
Take an advanced driving course, like myself and three of my friends. You will soon see how much you forgot and how bad you actually drive. Speed limits, rear-view mirror use and... er pedals are not what people forget.

Also the amount of people I know that passed their driving test at 17 then went to University, didn't drive for 3-4 years and then went straight into a car is quite scary.
(Slightwhimsy, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 13:36, closed)

I'm under no illusion regarding how bad my driving would be.
I haven't driven in over 5 years, so would have to take it very carefully at first.
The advanced driving test may well teach you things that ordinary people don't know -- but the standard driving test teaches virtually nothing apart from basic car control and how to obey road rules.
As I say, I haven't driven myself for 5 years or so, but I'm as aware of the rules of the road as most people who've just passed their test -- as I'm sure are most of my contemporaries.
If what you're saying is true and people forget important things about driving after they've passed their test, then why is it that (roughly speaking) the further away from their pass date people get the less accidents they're likely to have? New drivers have a much greater chance of accidents because they've no practice, not because they've forgotten anything.
How many times have you been in a car, or seen someone driving, and noticed that they're doing something they would not do had they just passed a driving test? If you can't come up with at least 10 examples of things which people do on a regular basis which they wouldn't do had they passed a test, then I call bollocks.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 13:47, closed)