Rant: theory test and climate change

[pandop]

Well I have now re-passed my theory test, so I am good to go with the practical test  at some point in the not too distant future. 

I had forgotton two things about the theory test: 

1: It is ridiculously easy
2: How patronising the book is

It is so easy in fact, that all you really need to know to be able to pass is 'moblie phones are distracting' and if in doubt, answer 'slow down and prepare to stop'.

(Incidentally, I do think you should be awarded a half mark for over estimating the stopping distances, as thinking it is 75', when it is 53' is much less of a problem than thinking it is 53' when it is 75')

The patronising tone comes from the questions that advise us to 'lock the car when we leave it' and to 'park in well lit areas'. But the most irritating example of this is the drinking and driving question. While it is perfectly reasonable for them to have a question about drinking at lunchtime and the possiblity of still being over the limit in the evening. However, when it goes on to say that 'drinking at lunchtime may affect your concentration for work or study', I am left wondering why they think this is any of their business? Unless I work for the DSA it really isn't any of their business if I have a glass of wine at lunchtime and doze off at my desk in the afternoon. 

But we also stray into the realms of political propaganda.

I do wonder what knowing that trams are more environmentally friendly than cars because they are quieter and run on electric power has to do with 'safety and your vehicle' - yes that is the section it was in. A lot of the other questions in that section advised me to walk, cycle or take public transport for short journeys - again what does this have to do with 'safety and your vehicle'?

Which brings us into climate change. These questions on the theory test are part and parcel of the governements obsassion with how cars (amongst other things) are evil and are killing the planet - just look at the lastest congestion charge proposals in London for further proof of this. 
While I do think that being less wasteful, recycling and using renewable resources are a good thing, I am getting incredibly irritated by the whole climate change mantra.  Because what if they are wrong. The climate has changed before without our help, so what if it is doing it again? That would mean we can't stop the change, no matter who signs the Kyoto Protocol, and if we can't stop it, what then? Is anyone even considering what we (as a species) will do if we can't stop the change? Not even the environmental sceptics seem to be discussing that. 

Comments

[mamlambo.livejournal.com]

While the other propaganda makes me sick, I have to note that climate change is not, in fact, a political invention. There is plenty of evidence of a change that *we* are directly causing. Said evidence is pretty staggering, as a matter of fact.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

I didn't say it was a political invention, I just dislike the way I am being hectored about it through things like the driving test.

Mind you, us causing it still doesn't mean we can stop it.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

It is more that I am worried we can't stop it, than that we are not causing it (although some of the way that is presented really irritates me too)

I do think the government is going about things the wrong way though, as they are alienating a lot of people who would ordinarily belived in recycling, energy saving, etc etc. Giving people a criminal record for using the wrong bin will not endear people to the idea of recycling. Yet another tax on cars, but with no sign of improvement to the public transport system doesn't make people think these taxes have an environmental base, just an excuse.

I would be less annoyed about the bits in the theory test book if they had been in a section on 'driving and the environment' - but seriously they have nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with the anti-car agenda.

[mamlambo.livejournal.com]

Oh I wasn't saying govts are being sensible about it. Some stuff is pure bureacracy that, ironically, generates more waste for our landfills heh. As for the driving test, I'm fully with you there - those questions were patronizing to the extreme and just completely pointless.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Well I think I will take the more environmental option and burn the bloody book, and then compost the ash (when I am sure I don't need the book any more)

:-)

[mamlambo.livejournal.com]

OMG I'd totally write in to suggest that officially. Then, betcha anything, it'll be on next year's test hahahahahaahhaahha.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

I was lucky, I didn't have to do the questions they were trialling for next year, as my results were ready (and even they manage to be patronising)

I feel like I had a lucky escape there!

[silvernik.livejournal.com]

I did my theory test within 3 months of them being introduced. It was pure practicality and there was no political intervention at all. Nice to know that propaganda is rife.

Having just bought a jeep for the practical purpose of reenactment it irritates me vastly that a charge can be levied per car regardless of how well (or not) that car is maintained or how it is used. A 4x4 doing the school run twice a day is far more environmentally unfriendly than a 4x4 used once a month for motorway journey to a field.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

There is also the difference between a people carrier carrying 7 people, and 2 smaller cars carring 3 or 4 people each

[silvernik.livejournal.com]

Very true and the difference between a small economical relatively friendly 150cc motorbike and a bloody great armchair on wheels... both of which are exempt from the congestion charge in London and one of which is bigger than some cars.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Indeed, I had forgotton about the motorbike aspect too

[agent_dani]

True, although the way some are going in the US, the sum of the two smaller cars are sometimes still more efficient.

My pet on this is that most SUVs (including the largest, e.g. the Ford Excursion) are registered as regular cars in my state - the same as any sedan or coupe - with a cost of $36/year, but my pickup was $150/year. In theory, this is due to the higher payload, but in practice the large SUVs I mentioned had about the same curb and gross vehicle weights.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Now that isn't fair. Was the fuel efficiency similar too?

[agent_dani]

I think they were similar. My truck probably had a worse highway rating, which is why I stuck to roads with speed limits of 45MPH or lower - fuel economy dropped drastically as you approached 70MPH.

The rationale here is road wear - that my truck having that GVW would be responsible for more highway wear than a passenger car. However, since the large SUVs could have the same load...

Technically, this was a legal point, mattering only if police weighed the vehicle. I believe the SUVs loaded about to their limit would be breaking the law if registered that way, but in practice, they were never stopped to be weighed.

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

So it was a problem of enforcement, as so many things are

[finnmarie.livejournal.com]

Ahh! What lovely questions that have very much to do with your ability to drive a car.

Makes me almost miss the simple "are you allowed to turn left here?" and "What should you do here?" questions in my theory then back then...

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Oh there are some of those too - it is a 35 question test :-)

[finnmarie.livejournal.com]

good to know ;)
Still, I can't really see a point in those questions and am annoyed with you :)

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Thanks Finnmarie.

I did get a 'lock your car' question on my test!

[schmusimausi73.livejournal.com]

THIS in a driving test? Wow!

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

Yup. It is apparently imperative for the safety of me and my car, that I know trams are quiet and run on electric!

[schmusimausi73.livejournal.com]

Ha ha, that's just hilarious (but daft, too). In my test, it was just rules of the road, nothing else.
When is your practical exam?

[hazelstitch.livejournal.com]

I don't know. You can't even book it until you have passed the Theory Test, so I will talk to my instructor on Monday and see what he says

[agent_dani]

That's how mine was, although I have no clue what it's like today since they seriously revamped the system soon after I was licensed.