Uk Driving Test In A Toyota Iq. Not Allowed.

[s44gtw]

https://www.gov.uk/practical-driving-test-for-cars/rules-for-cars-used-for-driving-tests

Maybe everyone is aware that theToyota iQ (must include AM Cygnet) is one of the cars you can not take a UK driving test in,

along with Convertible versions of VW Beetles, Ford Street Ka, Minis,

& some panel vans.

The reason being 'The restricted all-round vision for the examiner.'

Just seems strange to me that someone can Buy a Car, Start learning to drive with the correct Insurance, L Plates, Experienced Driver or Examiner sitting with them.

Drive anyplace while learning except on Motorways.

Do thousand of miles or drive for years on L Plates.

Then not take the test in that car, because of the restricted vision for the examiner.

george

[FROSTYBALLS]

Obviously to do with the thickness of the B/C pillar area and the limited view afforded. At least people are provided with written information within the guide to forewarn them of the restrictions. Surely it is up to people to make sure they are well prepared for the driving test, and this preparation includes using a suitable vehicle.

[bobkneale]

UK "Nanny State" gone mad again, their focus is not on the right safety issues in my view.

[Dark Matter]

In all my 12 months of driving my iQ every day, in all the reviews I have ever read and all the forums I have looked at never once have I though about or seen a comment about poor or restricted all round visibility. I could list you a dozen other cars I have been in where rear 3/4 vision is much more restricted than the iQ.

[s44gtw]

Personally i understand the 'Restricted all-round visibility bit', & so will many others, for all sorts of vehicles..

It is the UK Government, VOSA, DVLA etc that seem a bit out of touch.

My point being,

How can it be OK for the possibly most vulnerable drivers, ie, New on the road to buy and drive almost any vehicle,

Get Insurance, have done the Theory Test etc, L plates on,

then get in car with almost any driver with some experience and drive anyplace.

(other than Motorways.)

The Driver sitting with the Learner would or should be deemed to have 'Limited all-round visability'.

So

should drivers say, sorry i can not sit next to you in an iQ/Cygnet, & do Professional Driving Instuctors refuse to Instruct new Drivers in their iQ's/Cygnets.?

Do they refuse to instruct in the Likes of a Mini Clubvan, Side windowless Fiesta, Punto, Clio Van,

or Porsche, Merc SLK etc etc

george

[FROSTYBALLS]

The restrictions on what type of vehicles one can take the driving test in have been in place for a number of years. Don't agree that the Department for Transport (nor the Driving Standards Agency which is part of DoT) is out of touch.

Surely if one learns to drive in a panel van, IQ, VW Beetle convertible, or similar, that is either the learner's choice, or due other factors affecting that individual (budget, no access to a more suitable vehicle, etc).

One would assume that 'professional driving instructors' would use a vehicle for teaching that would also be suitable for their customers to use for driving tests, or at least have access to another suitable vehicle that can be used for driving tests. In my view, the professionalism of such driving schools/instructors must be questionable, and it is they who are out of touch.

Are you advocating further legislation to restrict the type of vehicle used for driving instruction?

[s44gtw]

Assumptions are responsible for much of the confusion or lack of clarity in the UK.

I am advocating nothing and arguing nothing just talking and not arguing.

Just looking at the Grey Areas and non joined up legislation in the UK, & EU on vehicles & Regulations, Licences, vehicle classes etc.

If safety is a priority then the current situation seems not to consider the safety untill it involves a Driving test Examiner being in a vehicle.

Open thinking.

Some Disabled drivers buy vehicles to suit their disability and have adaptions to suit and some drivers can drive cars from 16 years old.

Obviously there are then special arrangements in place when they require to learn to drive and sit a test in that vehicle.

More rules would be a bad thing possibly for us or generally,

considered and consistent rules are maybe a good idea.

george

[Mistermena]

Also car's that turn up for a driving test have to be able to accommodate a supervising examiner in the rear of the car! This could be for the purpose of an ADI check test or to access the examiner who is performing the "L" test...

[s44gtw]

Does anyone understand the reason behind a 'Hire Car' being used for a test having to be fitted with 'Dual Controls'?

I notice in the GOV.UK site there is no mention of rear seats or accommodation for a Supervising Examiner in the rear seat of a vehicle. (if it does i am not spooting that without clicking some link.)

So does that mean that driving tests can not be taken in 2 seater vehicles of the like a Pickup Truck?

(The second rear view mirror for the examiner was not something i was aware of before reading the site.)

george

[FROSTYBALLS]

Does anyone understand the reason behind a 'Hire Car' being used for a test having to be fitted with 'Dual Controls'?

Ask DSA.

[s44gtw]

If i really cared or needed to know in a hurry i will.

since this is a forum and if we do not post it is a dead forum,

i will ask the collective.

Maybe we can have a thread going and pass the time and not just 'do the obvious.'

If it bores anyone, they can always, just pass on by.!

george

[Cyker]

IMHO it is their call; They have every right to blacklist a car if they think it is unsuitable. Otherwise in the future we could have people passing tests in self-driving manual cars!

It is more informal when it's a private citizen taking someone out for a drive - The other driver still needs insurance and IIRC the observer driver needs to have 2+ years or something full licence, but other than that you could drive whatever you're both comfortable in from a giant Hilux to a clapped out Metro that barely passed its MOT.

Isn't even compulsory to have the extra mirrors for the passenger driver or for them to be able to see the dashboard!

Of course with the test, things are a lot more formal - There is ***** covering to be done, and as a learner and examiner you both have certain expectations that you wouldn't have in a more informal setting.

It's not like they are picking on Toyota anyway - A few years back, BSM switched from those horrid Corsas to the much nicer Fiat 500's only to be told they couldn't do tests in them any more for the same reason they're blacklisting the IQ!

[FROSTYBALLS]

The reason for the switch from Vauxhall Corsa's and Astra's to Fiat 500's was purely for commercial reasons.

For a number of years Vauxhall had a contract to supply Corsa's and Astra's to BSM. The cars were supplied free to BSM - after six months the cars were replaced, and the old ones sold through Vauxhall's Network Q outlets. Vauxhall's strategy was fourfold:

1). the number of new cars registered, counted towards Vauxhall's sales figures;

2) Vauxhall had a steady supply of good quality used cars up to six months old to sell via their Network Q dealers;

3). it is quite common for people who pass their test to buy a version of the car they learnt to drive in;

4). the product placement benefits of having BSM use Vauxhalls.

However, around the time that GM went into bankruptcy protection, Vauxhall decided they could no longer afford the arrangement with BSM, and withdrew.

Fiat then stepped in with the 500 to raise the profile of the 500 and, again, due to no's 3) and 4) above. Think also the payment arrangements were different.

BSM are now back with Vauxhall, but I don't know whether the supply situation is exactly the same as before or whether BSM now contribute towards the cost of the cars.

[Cyker]

I meant the switch back from Fiats to Corsas was mostly due to them being banned from tests.

It was a shame they had to go back to the Corsas tho'; The newer ones might be better but I will forever have a hated bias against Corsas because the one I learned in was so smegging awful!

It did teach me near-superhuman in-motion stall recovery and clutch control 'tho

[Guest]

Back in the dark ages of the late 1970's, I took my first test in a Talbot Horizon, my Instructors car. The poxy clutch failed, and for some reason so did I. So, I then took my test in my own car, a Ford Capri. These were not reknowned for their rear vision, especially the rear 3/4 view. I passed the test then, even had the same Instructor, and he apologised for having to fail me the first time, even though it was my Instructors car, and what happened, he had to treat it like it was my own car. Still, things change don't they when 'elf an' safety and do-gooders get involved.

TSSOSC...

[Dark Matter]

The reason for the switch from Vauxhall Corsa's and Astra's to Fiat 500's was purely for commercial reasons.

For a number of years Vauxhall had a contract to supply Corsa's and Astra's to BSM. The cars were supplied free to BSM - after six months the cars were replaced, and the old ones sold through Vauxhall's Network Q outlets. Vauxhall's strategy was fourfold:

1). the number of new cars registered, counted towards Vauxhall's sales figures;

2) Vauxhall had a steady supply of good quality used cars up to six months old to sell via theuir Network Q dealers;

3). it is quite common for people who pass their test to buy a version of the car they learnt to drive in;

4). the product placement benefits of having BSM use Vauxhalls.

However, around the time that GM went into bankruptcy protection, Vauxhall decided they could no longer afford the arrangement with BSM, and withdrew.

Fiat then stepped in with the 500 to raise the profile of the 500 and, again, due to no's 3) and 4) above. Think also the payment arrangements were different.

BSM are now back with Vauxhall, but I don't know whether the supply situation is exactly the same as before or whether BSM now contribute towards the cost of the cars.

I'm not sure how sound this strategy is/was. Surely these 6 month old cars would have huge mileage on them. Furthermore if I was buying a second hand car and the first registered keeper was a driving school I would run a mile for fear of crunched gearboxes, worn tyres and steering components from endless 3 point turns, knackered clutch, worn brakes from emergency etc etc - wouldn't most people ? Every single moving component will have had 2or 3 years hard use in that short 6 months.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Not sure whether the cars were actually registered to BSM or a 'front' company.

Almost four years ago (2009) the Telegraph carried an article about Ford's contract with The AA Driving School - where cars were registered under the name of the finance company (Lombard Finance), and after six months were returned to Ford for re-sale through Ford Direct. Ford have had the contract since 1998, and still supply The AA Driving School.

""The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that former rental cars were being sold by official dealerships to buyers who thought the vehicles had “one previous owner”.

Two of the country’s biggest rental companies registered vehicles under the name of a “front” company and an abbreviated company name, meaning buyers did not recognise the previous owner on the car’s logbook.

It can also be disclosed that each year, 3,600 Ford Focus cars used by the AA Driving School for teaching learner drivers are sold on the used market having been registered under an unfamiliar name.

Consumer experts have advised that all customers at Ford Focus dealerships should check for the tell-tale signs of two “gromits” underneath the passenger-side mat. These are evidence of the extra clutch and brake pedals previously used by an AA driving instructor to keep control of the car, which are then removed before the car is sold on.

George Marshall-Thornhill, from Which? Car magazine, said: “This may just be the result of a financial arrangement but they’re not being very straightforward.

“Consumers should be aware that Lombard is a name to look out for on the registration documents. If they see it, they should check under the passenger mat or look for slight fading to the paintwork where magnetic logos have been. Driving school cars may be well looked after but they also get a lot of hard work.”

A spokesman for Lombard said: "Due to data protection regulations, we would be unable to make any clearer who the cars had been leased to. Really this is not a Lombard issue."

A spokesman for the AA said: “Even the individual dealers will not know whether the cars were used by us,” he said. “But if asked they can contact Lombard, who can contact us, and we are happy to inform the customer.

“The cars are given new clutches, new brakes and new tires. They are then independently verified as being acceptable for sale."

A Ford spokesman said: "Ford has been the sole supplier of new cars to AA Driving School since 1998. While the cars are in service with AADS, they are financed by Lombard, who are recorded as registered keeper. "After six months the cars are returned to Ford for onward sale through our dealership network or by auction. The Ford Direct scheme for selling such nearly new Fords via dealership offers a two-year warranty and RAC vehicle inspection."

The cars are registered to Lombard Finance - an arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland - which buys the cars in bulk from Ford and leases them to the AA Driving School. Every six months, 1,800 cars return to Ford and are sold in official dealerships.

Many buyers may be unhappy to discover that their car was formerly used by learners, traditionally regarded as being some of the most volatile drivers on the roads.""

[Cyker]

Hah! Well, at least the cars have been well run in
It wouldn't be so bad if they were cheaper (And thus could actually be bought for sane prices by passed learners), but it's no different than trying to spot fleet and ex-rental cars when you're buying second hand really...

It would be interesting to see where the cars Clarkson was driving end up

[tarquin]

George

My guess is the examiner is employed to test the candidate. The employer has to make sure he is in a safe enviroment i.e ensuring that he has all round visability whilst performing his job as he doesnt know the capabilities of the candidate and must be able to have total awarenes not impaired by poor visability. Just my two pence worth

David

[S2Sosmart]

Way back in the depths of this very forum a member bought his IQ with a view to using it for his driving school business only to be on the wrong 'end' of the law, so to speak.

Many wrangles later I believe he sold the car 😳😳

Si

[FROSTYBALLS]

Here are the topics on the driving school episode:

1. http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/93498-learning-to-drive-in-a-iq/

2. http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/95865-learning-to-drive-in-an-iq-first-test/

The driving school's website still appears to be live, and he was using a Mini Cooper in 2011.