Discussion
Did my ROSPA re-test again last night. Third Gold in a row which pleases me as it means I haven't allowed standards to slip it would appear.
Interesting feeback - as ever it was not a perfect drive - and I now have work to do to improve the minor criticisms he had.
The questions at the end were interesting. Can you remember the sequence of lights at a Pelican Crossing vs a Toucan crossing? I knew them: but not without prompting and talking through them despite seeing them most days!
Interesting feeback - as ever it was not a perfect drive - and I now have work to do to improve the minor criticisms he had.
The questions at the end were interesting. Can you remember the sequence of lights at a Pelican Crossing vs a Toucan crossing? I knew them: but not without prompting and talking through them despite seeing them most days!
Nice one. 
Pedant mode but probably about to make myself look silly.
Isn't the difference in signal sequence between pelican and puffin, ie puffin do not have the flashing amber plus flashing green man bit of the pelican sequence. From driver perspective much more like a normal traffic signal, ie after red it goes red and amber (continuous)
I've got a nasty feeling that there are toucans that whilst they are supposed to follow the puffin sequence not all do and some in fact follow the pelican sequence. Or I could have been dreaming that and am about to be reamed a new one. I'm sure there is a Toucan near the office which has flashing ambers etc. hmmmm.
Edited later
This chap also seems to think there is some variation here.
Nice to know it's not just me, thought was slowly going mad.
Pedant mode but probably about to make myself look silly.
Isn't the difference in signal sequence between pelican and puffin, ie puffin do not have the flashing amber plus flashing green man bit of the pelican sequence. From driver perspective much more like a normal traffic signal, ie after red it goes red and amber (continuous)
I've got a nasty feeling that there are toucans that whilst they are supposed to follow the puffin sequence not all do and some in fact follow the pelican sequence. Or I could have been dreaming that and am about to be reamed a new one. I'm sure there is a Toucan near the office which has flashing ambers etc. hmmmm.
Edited later
This chap also seems to think there is some variation here.
Nice to know it's not just me, thought was slowly going mad.
Edited by F i F on Wednesday 14th July 16:41
Don said:
The questions at the end were interesting. Can you remember the sequence of lights at a Pelican Crossing vs a Toucan crossing? I knew them: but not without prompting and talking through them despite seeing them most days!
WHAT? They forgot to ask you what the sequence is at a Pegasus crossing 
Thanks, everyone. I am pleased that I have kept up the standard, alright. I maintain a ROSPA membership specifically because they re-test every three years and it keeps me sharp. As an IAM Observer I need to do demonstration drives to Associates and I think it only fair to do that as well as I possibly can - after all they need to have seen what the standard is.
SVS said:
Congratulations!!!
Is it just me or does that Pelican/Toucan question sound rather pedantic? Hardly the sort of thing to inspire advanced driving, now is it?
No, it's not just you. Every RoSPA question I've ever been asked has been pathetic and uninspiring. The classic one was... "up to what age MUST a horse rider wear a helmet which complies with the Regulations". This was on a RoADAR senior tutor test! What on earth has this question got to do with advanced driving? The senior tutor test is, I presume, a test of my ability to coach, tutor and inspire fellow car drivers to attain a higher standard of driving. I accept that advanced driver training does involve how to deal with the accompanied horses that we encounter every now and again, but not, surely, to worry ourselves as to whether or not the riders are under the age of 14 and should be wearing a helmet which complies with the regulations!Is it just me or does that Pelican/Toucan question sound rather pedantic? Hardly the sort of thing to inspire advanced driving, now is it?
I complained to the examiner about this question, told him it was a stupid question. He agreed, said he'd complained to headquarters about it, saying to them that he felt it was irrelevant, but had been over ruled and told to just get on with it.
I'm just glad that I have been lucky enough not to have been drawn in to the world of advanced driving establishment pedantry, that I can see through it for what it is and simply dismiss it as silly nonsense.
Why don't the people who compose these stupid questions realise that as an advanced driver all you need to know is:
RED means STOP
RED & AMBER also means stop etc
GREEN means GO if the way is clear
AMBER means stop etc
FLASHING AMBER means give way to pedestrians on the crossing
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. It doesn't matter that you don't know what the crossing is called!!! What matters is that you can see and react to the pedestrians and light sequences that you see in front of you.
Now, where's that Highway Code? I've got a retest in a year's time and I need to start revising the light sequences for Pelican, Telican, Huffin and Puffin crossings. Oh, and of course that other one where horse riders under the age of 14 MUST wear a helmet - what's that one called; Oh, yes, a Pedantasuarus crossing or something similar.
PS: Sorry, nearly forgot, congratulations on the gold!
Edited by johnao on Wednesday 1st September 16:01
To be honest I don't mind a modicum of Highway Code pedantry. No it's not the most important thing but there again it demonstrate whether or not you'ev bothered reading it recently!
The other questions I had were rather more interesting!
I was offered the scenario that I was driving on the motorway, some few miles from the next junction, and a warning light comes on. What would I do IF it was
a) The alternator light
b) The engine oil pressure light
More interesting, yes?
My answers were:
a) The hard shoulder of a motorway is a bloody dangerous place to be. I'd rather not be there. I'd also rather my passengers weren't there and that no-one had to come out in a hurry there. So - given that the charge in the battery is pretty likely to get me to the next junction I'd drive there, come off the motorway, park up someplace safe and call the RAC.
b) A sudden loss in engine oil level/pressure would make me think that I might suffer engine damage, or worse, catastrophic engine failure. Should that happen I could be left powerless in the outside lane and need to try and coast onto the hard shoulder! So I would immediately pull over onto the hard shoulder, get my passengers out and up the bank to safety prior to calling the RAC. I would then note the direction of the nearest emergency telephone and head towards it to notify Highways management.
They were considered reasonable responses to the varying situations.
The other questions I had were rather more interesting!
I was offered the scenario that I was driving on the motorway, some few miles from the next junction, and a warning light comes on. What would I do IF it was
a) The alternator light
b) The engine oil pressure light
More interesting, yes?
My answers were:
a) The hard shoulder of a motorway is a bloody dangerous place to be. I'd rather not be there. I'd also rather my passengers weren't there and that no-one had to come out in a hurry there. So - given that the charge in the battery is pretty likely to get me to the next junction I'd drive there, come off the motorway, park up someplace safe and call the RAC.
b) A sudden loss in engine oil level/pressure would make me think that I might suffer engine damage, or worse, catastrophic engine failure. Should that happen I could be left powerless in the outside lane and need to try and coast onto the hard shoulder! So I would immediately pull over onto the hard shoulder, get my passengers out and up the bank to safety prior to calling the RAC. I would then note the direction of the nearest emergency telephone and head towards it to notify Highways management.
They were considered reasonable responses to the varying situations.
johnao said:
Why don't the people who compose these stupid questions realise that as an advanced driver all you need to know is:
RED means STOP
RED & AMBER also means stop etc
GREEN means GO if the way is clear
AMBER means stop etc
FLASHING AMBER means give way to pedestrians on the crossing
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. It doesn't matter that you don't know what the crossing is called!!! What matters is that you can see and react to the pedestrians and light sequences that you see in front of you.
Absolutely. I actually tell my pupils that as far as practical driving is concerned, they don't need all the ins and outs. After all if you know what to do when you get there it doesn't matter a flying f*** what type of crossing it is.RED means STOP
RED & AMBER also means stop etc
GREEN means GO if the way is clear
AMBER means stop etc
FLASHING AMBER means give way to pedestrians on the crossing
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. It doesn't matter that you don't know what the crossing is called!!! What matters is that you can see and react to the pedestrians and light sequences that you see in front of you.
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