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Reminiscing

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:10 am
by Bumblebee16
34 years ago tomorrow, the £1 coin was introduced.
It is a memorable day for me as it was also the day I passed my driving test.

It was a Thursday and rumour had it that Thursday was the most difficult day of the week to pass a driving test. According to the rumours, examiners were only allowed to pass a certain percentage of driving tests every week. Therefore, if too many candidates had passed earlier in the week, the chances were you would be failed on a Thursday!
Not only was it the worst day of the week to take your test, I soon found out that my examiner was Mr Taylor, more fondly known as "Taylor the Failer".

I can remember most of the test vividly.
The 3-point turn (as it was called in those days) was faultless.
My reverse round the corner was okay, but I didn't straighten up completely afterwards, and my offer to do so was declined.
Back at the test centre, I was asked to stop. Again, I wasn't aligned straight.
Then, a couple of Highway Code questions:
I was shown a picture of the "Pass either Side" arrows. However, I was looking at the page sideways, so from where I was sitting, they were both pointing to the right! No idea what that sign meant. :lol:
Then the marker signs showing the distance in yards to an exit or a junction (blue for a motorway, green for an A road). I was shown red ones! I wasn't able to tell the examiner where I would see these signs!
I couldn't believe it when I was told I had passed, but didn't question the decision! The examiner did comment that although I didn't do well on the Highway Code questions, my practical test had been more than satisfactory. (Phew)

As soon as I got home, I borrowed my brother's old mini.
I remember feeling very vulnerable.
Suddenly, I was on my own, having to make my own decisions!
Other road users would have no idea that less than an hour before, I had been taking my driving test! :shock:

Everything went okay on that drive, apart from the keys falling out of the ignition whilst I was driving! To my surprise, the engine continued running without the keys!

Later that day, I borrowed my brother's car again to drive to a job interview.
I didn't get the job, but hadn't really been expecting to.
:oops:

Re: Reminiscing

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 3:34 pm
by M1ke H
Thanks for that Bumblebee16, I wouldn't have guessed it was 34 years ago for the £1 coin.

That said, it was the year my son was born, I still had my Escort GT, the company had just swapped my Mk V Ford Cortina for a 'Jelly Mould', and AD was still a few years away from me :)