The DVSA are launching a new Practical Driving Test in December ………well they have to be seen to be doing something! Sometimes though, ” doing something”, can have unforeseen consequences.

Some of the old classic driving lesson manoeuvres, used are going the way of the dodo.

No more will Driving Test candidates have to  reverse around a corner, or turn the car around in the road ( 3 point turn).

Retained is the reverse park ( parallel park) and the reverse bay park. However there will be the newly introduced manoeuvre of driving into and reversing out of a parking bay.

All seems very reasonable……until the DVSA has to find somewhere to do it!!

Problem for the DVSA is that some test centres don’t have marked parking bays, like Sevenoaks Driving Test centre for example.

Driving Instructors that use Sevenoaks Driving Test Centre know that currently the Bay Park manoeuvre is not examined.

So what are the DVSA going to do at Driving Test centres without bays, when the new Driving Test is introduced in December, just test learner drivers on reverse park?

That would obviously would not be allowed.

What we are hearing at such test centres are rumours that they will be using Supermarket car carks etc, if a Government Building with parking bays cannot be found.

We can see two problems here.

Government buildings that are in use are unlikely to allow leaner drivers on their premises to be be examined in the art of Bay Parking!

Secondly, if I were a Supermarket operator, my first thought is to the safety and convenience of my customers, so I would kick unauthorised Driving Test examiners off of my site day one!!

Even if a Supermarket did allow such a calamity, can you imagine the stress that the poor Driving Test candidate would be put under trying to deal with unsympathetic, in a hurry Supermarket customers. It’s bad enough using Supermarket car parks as an as Advanced Motorist!!

Think again DVSA…………