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These are the most common reasons why people fail their driving test in the UK
This could explain a few things…
Anyone who’s ever sat behind the wheel will know only too well the the colossal stress the process of learning to drive can bring with it.
Trying to abide by the rules of the road and keep the car on all four wheels while also winning over a fed-up driving examiner isn’t the most pleasant of tasks and, for many of us, it can reflect badly in the overall test result (second-time passer, over here).
But now, for those of you still struggling to get your provisional license from green to pink, the government has shared a guide that instructs wannabe drivers what not to do during a driving test, along with the top ten reasons as to why drivers tend to fail in the UK.
The guide, which was published last year, gives examples of the most common types of mistakes people make during these tests, ranging from not using mirrors correctly when changing direction to not having control of the vehicle when parking.
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But according to the guide, there are some mistakes people make more often than others. Here are the ten most frequent mishaps…
1. Not making effective observations at junctions
This includes failing to accurately judge the speed of an approaching vehicle, entering a roundabout with a vehicle approaching from the right, making no observations when joining a dual carriageway from a slip road, going straight ahead at a crossroads, looking too late and repeatedly not looking left when turning left.
According to the guide, drivers failing to make effective observations accounted for 37% of all reported accidents in Great Britain in 2019.
2. Not using mirrors correctly when changing direction
We all know someone guilty of this; examples include include not using mirrors when exiting a roundabout, causing a vehicle to slow when changing lanes on a dual carriageway, trying to change lane on a roundabout when a vehicle is directly alongside and not checking mirrors when exiting a roundabout.
3. Not having proper control of the steering
It turns out a massive number of people are guilty of not having full control of the steering wheel, with the guide reporting that more than one in ten reported accidents in Great Britain in 2019 were caused by the driver making a poor turn or manoeuvre.
Examples of this include repeatedly not steering enough or steering late on the approach to junctions when turning left, not steering enough when going around a bend, steering late when turning right into a minor road, repeatedly mounting the pavement when pulling up on the left and steering late when moving out to pass parked vehicles.
@denizen / Unsplash
4. Incorrect positioning when turning right at junctions
Turning right will always be one of the more unpleasant parts of learning to drive, and it turns out it’s one of the biggest reasons for people flunking their tests.
Examples include positioning the vehicle in the left-hand lane when turning right at a roundabout, obstructing traffic when you wait to turn right and when you want to turn right at the end of the road, you incorrectly position to the left.
5. Not moving off safely
Examples of this include moving off from behind a parked vehicle into the path of an approaching vehicle, repeatedly moving off from the side of the road with no blind spot checks, pulling off from the right-hand of the road, causing an oncoming vehicle to slow or stop and not making any rear observations when moving off following an emergency stop.
6. Not responding appropriately to traffic lights
One of the easiest parts of driving is understanding how traffic lights work – red means stop, green means go, it’s pretty simple – so this factor came as quite the surprise.
According to the guide, examples of this mistake include failing to react to a red traffic light, stopping after the first white line when there are advanced stop lines for cyclists, not progressing when you’re waiting to turn right at a junction and it’s safe to proceed, not going ahead when a green light is showing and the junction ahead is clear and going ahead when a green light is showing but the junction is not clear.
7. Poor positioning on the road during normal driving
It turns out Brits’ spacial awareness isn’t great during tests, with common examples in the guide including learner drivers repeatedly driving too close to the kerb or centre of the road, unnecessarily driving in the right-hand land of a dual carriageway and cutting across the normal road position when you go ahead at a roundabout with no lane markings.
@artmarkiv / Unsplash
8. Not responding correctly to traffic signs
Another seemingly easy factor of driving is reading traffic signs but, apparently, learner drivers struggle with this too.
Examples include going to the wrong side of a ‘keep left’ sign, ignoring a ‘stop or ‘no entry’ sign, driving in a bus lane, choosing the wrong lane at a roundabout with clear signage and acting late or not at all to speed limit changes.
9. Not having control of the vehicle when moving off
A big part of driving is having control of the vehicle so, obviously, there may be some cause for concern if a learner is completely out of control.
Examples of this include stalling or rolling back when trying to move off, repeatedly stalling when moving off, stalling repeatedly when moving off on one occasion and trying to move off without selecting a gear and then rolling back.
The guide says: “There were 942 reported accidents in Great Britain in 2019 caused by driver error when moving off at junctions.”
10. Not keeping control of the vehicle during reverse parking
Okay, you can hardly blame the poor learner drivers for this because, as anyone who’s driven before will know, reverse parking is easily the worst part of driving.
Examples include wheels ending up on the pavement at the end of a parallel park, too many attempts to reposition when parking, losing control of the car when parking in a bay and ending up barking outside of the bay.
You can read the full government guide here.
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Once-in-a-lifetime ‘Mother of Dragons’ green comet set to be visible in UK skies tonight
Don’t forget to look up tonight!
A huge green comet dubbed the ‘Mother of Dragons’ is set to be visible in UK skies tonight, and here’s how you can see it.
A green giant – not the sweetcorn kind – is currently visible in the sky over the northern hemisphere, and this spectacular glowing rock can be seen shooting past us this evening (April 4th).
There’s a lot of cosmic goings on in the skies at the moment as North America prepares to witness a solar eclipse next week, plunging it into darkness for a moment.
Unfortunately, us Brits won’t be able to witness that one but the Mother of Dragons comet will certainly be an extraordinary spectacle to witness, and will look a bit like the Green Goblin is zooming past us high up in the sky.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has a nucleus approximately 10.5 miles (17 kilometres) wide – about the size of a city – and is thought to be bright enough to see with the naked eye, although astronomers advise using binoculars to get the best views.
The comet will be visible for the first time since 1954 and only passes by every 71 years.
It has been given its nickname because ESA researchers believe it is the parent body of the kappa-Draconids meteor shower, and of course it’s a cool pop-culture reference to Game of Thrones.
The comet also used to appear to have a pair of horns but they have gone now.
It is comprised of ice, dust and rock and looks green due to the presence of diatomic carbon molecules, which emit emerald-coloured light when illuminated by the sun.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is referred to as explosive due to its volatile activity as it is known for its spectacular outbursts of gas and dust.
The comet will reach its closest point to Earth in June 2024. However, by this time, it won’t be possible to observe the comet from the northern hemisphere. Late March and early April will offer the best opportunities.
If you’re an avid stargazer, astronomer in the making or would just like a chance to see this magnificent ancient rock light up the night sky, you will need to head out to higher ground away from light pollution where possible. Clear skies are best and binoculars may help you get the best views of this cosmic marvel.
Gregory Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told the MailOnline: “The comet can now be found in the constellation of Aries which is visible in the early evening, over in the west.
“It will only become visible after twilight and sets by around 10pm BST.
“While it may be possible to see with the unaided eye, it is best to try and observe with a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.”
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks won’t be returning to our night skies until 2095, so make sure not to miss out on this one!
The rain may seem relentless but brighter days are coming for Manchester as the city is set to get hotter than Los Angeles later this week.
This rainy metropolis will enjoy a little break from the April showers as a mini heatwave is coming to kick start beer garden season.
So, dig out your shorts and leave your jacket at home as temperatures begin to soar from Friday afternoon, reaching 18C on Saturday – which will be hotter than LA in the Golden State of California.
As Friday afternoon (April 5th) approaches, the sun will make an appearance between any breaks in the clouds and temperatures will peak at 16C, according to BBC Weather.
And with sunset not until 7.52pm, there will be just enough time to visit a pub garden and enjoy a couple of mojitos to get you in the mood for the weekend.
On Saturday April 6th, Manchester will start off cloudy but into the late morning temperatures will begin to rise and Mancunians will get to enjoy sunny intervals with temperatures reaching highs of 18C, as meteorologists predict ‘above average’ conditions for this time of year.
However, the rollerbladers on Venice Beach will only experience temperatures of 15C. But while Los Angeles might be a little cooler than Manchester, it will still remain sunny while Mancs will have to put up with the odd shower here and there.
The Met Office’s outlook for Friday and Saturday reads: “Low pressure remaining dominant through this period, with further heavy showers and longer spells of rain.
“Turning increasingly windy too, though temperatures above average for the time of year.”
Now, we know it won’t be perfect weather but it will make a nice change from the constant freezing temperatures we’ve been having. A nice spell of warmth and sunshine on the weekend isn’t too shabby afterall.
No doubt we’ll all be flocking to our nearest beaches, nature spots and having a BBQ this weekend!
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Greater Manchester dominates top ten UK Vaping Capitals, according to research
Four Greater Manchester areas made the top 10 list of vaping hotspots
Greater Manchester dominates the list of Vaping Capitals of the UK, according to new research.
Wherever you go, you don’t have to walk far before you enter a sweet-smelling hazy cloud of vapour and feel as if you’re a contestant on Stars In Their Eyes.
Young people are vaping on the tram, your mate can barely construct a sentence without inhaling some of the battery-powered, synthetic cherry flavoured smoke, and every other stranger on the street is blowing out a cloud big enough to conceal an aircraft.
Replacing the old habit of cigarette smoking, it now seems as if vaping is taking over just about everywhere.
Online vape store Go Smoke Free, used GOV.UK’s Companies House advanced search feature to find businesses registered for the retail sale of tobacco products in specialised stores in the UK.
It then compared the number of these active businesses to each town or city’s population size to construct a list of the top 10 UK Vaping Capitals.
Unfortunately, Greater Manchester dominates the list of the UK’s Vaping Capitals with four areas named.
According to the research, Blackburn is ranked as the UK’s vaping capital, with 27 registered vape retailers serving its population of 119,707 residents. When accounting for population size, this equates to 22.56 vape shops per 100,000 residents – the largest figure for any UK town or city.
Second on the list is Bolton in Greater Manchester, with 20.26 vape shops registered per 100,000 residents in the town. Bolton has 41 registered vape shops in total serving its 202,369 residents.
Manchester ranks third, with 110 vape shops in total. However, the city’s larger population ensures this works out to 19.84 registered vape retailers per 100,000 residents.
Further down the list, Middlesbrough ranks fourth. Located in North Yorkshire, Middlesbrough has 12.43 vape shops per 100,000 residents. The town has 22 registered vape shops serving its 176,991 residents.
Rounding out the top five is Salford in Greater Manchester, which has a total of 14 registered vape shops, equivalent to 12.03 shops per 100,000 residents.
And Stockport ranks sixth, with 10.91 vape retailers per 100,000 residents.
A spokesperson for Go Smoke Free said: “Disposable vapes have gained popularity in recent years, due to their convenience, portability and low cost, which has made them an attractive option for those who would otherwise have been unlikely to invest in a more complex vaping setup.”
They continued: “The new disposable vape ban should help to discourage children from taking up vaping, while encouraging adults to shift to more sustainable alternatives, such as refillable vapes.
“This study highlights which areas of the UK are most likely to be affected by the upcoming ban on selling disposable vapes. The Greater Manchester area boasts its fair share of stores catering to vapers’ needs, with Blackburn, Bolton and the city of Manchester claiming the top three spots.
“These cities could see a significant shift in their vaping culture, with the ban impacting consumer behaviour, and existing vape retailers adapting their offerings to cater to the new legislation.”
The list of vaping capital of the UK, according to Go Smoke Free, is as follows:
- Blackburn
- Bolton
- Manchester
- Middlesborough
- Salford
- Stockport
- Doncaster
- Newport
- Peterborough
- Nottingham
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