Problems with South Africa's K53 driving test system

kolaval said:
On that subject, where do I get the book?
I have to write it again, like some bloody teenager, just to get a license to tow a slightly bigger trailer
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Thing is online and there is some tests also to prepare. My kids used it and both passed
 
K53 isnt perfect, but principles are the basis of making someone a good driver.
the failure is when its common knowledge that to exploit the system, you do a code 10 license instead of a code 8 so that its easier and you don't have to reverse.
the failure is also the corruption in the system, where people initially knew who to bribe to get a license, to a fiasco in some places where you wont pass unless your driving instructor pays a fee on your behalf.
everyone knows this - except the investigating police and hawks.
the failure is also bad driving has almost zero consequences until such a time someone crashes or a life is lost
 
ChuckMeFarley said:
Back in the day the officer used to ride his bike along and you would have to follow. Sometimes they would test you and gesture for you to ride alongside him which is illegal.
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OK that makes sense. He gets to dictate the route. He can watch you through mirrors to see what you're doing.

I'm surprised this isn't done today. No road test for motorcycles seems incredibly dangerous. How do you know the fellow can handle a motorcycle?

I also thought people with a learners were limited to 250cc. Are you telling me they can just buy whatever displacement they want from the get go? That too seems incredibly dangerous.
 
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If people did drive as they should with K53, which teaches about vehicle roadworthiness, visual checks before changing lanes, and before pulling away. Staying below speed limits, and observing all signs and other directions correctly, maybe then the roads would be safer, but the general attitude seems to be chuck all things learned out the window once nobody is checking up on the driver. The yard test enforces critical skills which should be embedded by the time someone has a licence.


assuming they actually wrote the test and did the practical
 
porchrat said:
OK that makes sense. He gets to dictate the route. He can watch you through mirrors to see what you're doing.

I'm surprised this isn't done today. No road test for motorcycles seems incredibly dangerous. How do you know the fellow can handle a motorcycle?

I also thought people with a learners were limited to 250cc. Are you telling me they can just buy whatever displacement they want from the get go? That too seems incredibly dangerous.
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So I did my motorcycle test in the UK while I was living there in my twenties, and how they do it is that they give you a helmet with a 2-way radio set, and the examiner also has a helmet with a radio, and he follows you on his motorcycle and barks orders to you through the radio while you're riding through the traffic. "Turn left at the next intersection", "Turn right", that kind of stuff. He then somehow scores you (I have no idea how), but at the end of it when you return back to the testing station he tells you how you did and whether you passed or not.
 
deweyzeph said:
So I did my motorcycle test in the UK while I was living there in my twenties, and how they do it is that they give you a helmet with a 2-way radio set, and the examiner also has a helmet with a radio, and he follows you on his motorcycle and barks orders to you through the radio while you're riding through the traffic. "Turn left at the next intersection", "Turn right", that kind of stuff.
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This makes even more sense.

That way he can follow you and see what you're doing clearly, but he still gets to control the route.

This should be standard in SA.
 
porchrat said:
I wrote the K53 when I was a teenager. It seemed fine. Teaches you to check your blind spots etc.. Mostly it's just common sense stuff.

That insane 10 and 2 on the steering wheel at all times and feeding the wheel through from one hand to the next it a little stupid, but I wouldn't say it's properly dangerous or anything.
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If you are not holding onto your steering wheel at all times, firstly, you are breaking the rules of the road, secondly you are setting yourself up for quite fail if you need to be holding onto the steering wheel, honestly. the 10 2 , feeding is taught in all advanced drivers courses because it ensures you know where your steering wheel is pointed at all times.
 
kazeus said:
K53 isnt perfect, but principles are the basis of making someone a good driver.
the failure is when its common knowledge that to exploit the system, you do a code 10 license instead of a code 8 so that its easier and you don't have to reverse.
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Code 8 should be mandatory.
 
Gudnews said:
Some of us still use that parlance, in the majority too I'd argue.
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It's also a complete fallacy that a "Code 10" license is easier. You're talking about a 6 meter long 3 ton truck. If you can't even maneuver a normal passenger car around a testing yard you have no chance of passing a truck license.
 
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deweyzeph said:
It's also a complete fallacy that a "Code 10" license is easier. You're talking about a 6 meter long 3 ton truck. If you can't even maneuver a normal passenger car around a testing yard you have no chance of passing a truck license.
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It's not "a complete fallacy," but it is an arguable point.
 
deweyzeph said:
It's also a complete fallacy that a "Code 10" license is easier. You're talking about a 6 meter long 3 ton truck. If you can't even maneuver a normal passenger car around a testing yard you have no chance of passing a truck license.
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Probably cause a code 10 is 26 years old
 
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