What's the Theory?

My Theory Test


Boner, I failed.

I answered questions from a number of HMSO books and DVDs I haven't bothered to buy and got them all right. I got two questions wrong, which I can live with. The crux came from the Hazard Perception videos.

All about perception


I sat patiently and reacted in good time to avert disaster as soon as I recognised I was to need to deviate from my course, change speed, or otherwise react to a recognised hazard:
  • Two horses lead from a gate in a rural village 250m on a blind left bend, coming right to left. Leaders were not watching the road; horse stride was at full walk. Horse stopping distance would be insufficient before they were in the road. Closing, 200m. Time to slow down. BUTTON! Horse start to cross the road oblivious to traffic, we start to slow at 50m - horses already in a dangerous position. FAIL. Too early.

  • Transit mini-bus slows and pulls to the left curb 300m to our front. School-uniformed kids alight and move against the van's near side toward its front. BUTTON! They're obviously going to cross in front of the transit. Their feet are visible under the chassis - sure as muck moving quickly into our path. Their faces appear and we (finally) slow to an emergency halt. FAIL. Too early.

  • Taxi to front in urban surrounds. Man on right footpath looks over shoulder 50m ahead and sees taxi. Man starts to raise hand to hail taxi. BUTTON! Man starts to enter road-space, taxi indicates to left-hand curb. Man crosses road space 20m to front. Now we start to slow down. FAIL. Too early.

You get the picture. And I AM ANGRY!

Are we suggesting that young guys new to the road are going to pas this test because they splashed out on the learning materials? Or am I going to point at a piss-poor assessment design that only captures user input between "x-seconds" and "y-seconds" according to a back-engineered count from when to continue might kill someone? Yes, I'm a qualified Instructional Designer, an e-learning post-graduate, and I'll pick this shitty test apart because its sponsored by the Driving Standards Agency!

In conversations with instructors, since, and interested parties (thanks, Nikki) with some years' experience getting their staff and mentees through this test the secret is in the style of clicking - not in the true perception of the hazard.

The software engineering as well as assessment design is flawed. Any true perception of a developing hazard is hampered and negated by the software's poor set up where it cannot capture attitude (a higher learning outcome) as it is programmed to a mathematical simplicity: it's what the software company was capable of at the time, a novelty at that, and does NOT capture anything except a "click" within the 5-score zones directed before an event.

Why 5? Why, even in the DSA's standard introductionary video, should I wait for the first cyclist to look over their shoulder to recognise that a big vehicle is blocking his path in front of him? Judging my own vehicle's speed I can guess I'll have to give him space enough to avoid said transporter well before he feels it safe to give a life-saver. If I click when I recognise the hazard WILL develop I'll fail! I have to wait for the innocent to pull out before I feel fit to change speed or direction. Bollocks, DSA!

Challenge


I challenge the DSA to defend their test in 2008 where only minor adjustment to their user-on-action capture (determining where the "click" is) with just a tad of programming would truly capture the user's ability to PERCEIVE hazards in time to avoid their developing. I can do it, and I'll only charge you the cost of my Theory test (£30), your training materials, (another £30), and the re-test (£30), with £10 to make the necessary 0's.

DRIVING STANDARD AGENCY? Bollocks.

If you can't beat them...


My re-test for hazard perception, given over 20-years without collision in a vehicle (on the road amongst civvies) will be conducted by stealth; I'll click once when I think it might happen, count to 2 and click again, and then as calamity jumps out in front of Death, I'll click again. I'll pass, by all counts. Do you really think about why?

The why is all in the inability of the software to determine user input variables. Sure, click more than a few times in a short time frame mathematically contrived across the whole video and you may be penalised, but there is no negative marking if you give a series of clicks, I am reliably informed. I'll pass by cheating.

The DSA claim that accidents were reduced by the introduction of the testing. I challenge again, on what evidence do you make this claim; that the test is effective, or that the raising of the awareness of potential riders to potential hazards created this success. Or, is it just the mere fact a rider cannot simply jump on their birthday bike the moment they get it and have time to reconcile it'll cost a fair wedge to get road-side, and all that dosh needs careful weighing up against actually getting road-borne? Go on. Where's the Peer-reviewed evidence? I can't find it. It's a business, and make no mistake.

This test is pap and it's a stealthy way to raise funds through deception. It needs review and I've a good mind to challenge this set up in Court.

The problem is, of course, that for all the bods I've helped salvage or recover from the tarmac following bike spillage there'd be a shed load more if bikers' awareness of hazards hadn't been raised by the intention of this system. I'll stand by the statement though that the software is poor, and as aninjured party by it, I'll do all I can to discredit it.

Bitter?


Am I bitter. Sure as Hell I am. So should the rest of you that sit it, whether you pass by stealth, cheating, or the basic understanding of when a hazard is said to develop. Something I don't have because I drive defensively - I DRIVE SAFE! Freaking Driving Standards Agency? I ask you! 'Bunch of poorly informed thieves who spent a shit-load on poorly managed software.

Read this, fools, Computer Based Training (CBT). It's 2008, move on.

Taxing


    Bike road tax
    Bike and gear cost VAT
    Bike Insurance Premium Tax
    DSA learning support materials (their DVDs, etc.) and VAT on them
    The Test cost (and VAT)
    Re-test cost (and VAT)
    Fuel, tax, and VAT


Hmm. I'm starting to feel political. Did I mention; I'm bitter?

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