Cars without all-round vision?!
Discussion
You can use your own car to take a driving test in, but what I didn't know is that you can't use certain cars because they don't give "all-round" vision. How does this work when the car is perfectly legal and usable as soon as you pass your test?
https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car
Apparently these are the cars you can't use:
- any panel van (cars without rear seats or rear side windows)
- BMW 218 convertible
- BMW Mini convertible
- Ford KA convertible
- Smart Fortwo (2-door)
- Toyota iQ
- VW Beetle convertible
I kind of understand not using a van with no rear window, but the new Polestar 4 has no rear window so would that also be excluded?
Why is it only the BMW 218 Convertible and not any other variant of the 2-series convertible?
It also says no cars without rear seats or rear windows. So that means all two-seaters are banned (hence the small two-seaters on the list) for not having all-round vision when I know for a fact that is total bullsh*t. Those cars have no issues with visibility. My MR2 GT incidentally had the best visibility of any car I've owned.
Who came up with this list and how was it done. It is just one fat lard-ass examiner who had a problem with the 2-seaters or is there a group of them?
https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car
Apparently these are the cars you can't use:
- any panel van (cars without rear seats or rear side windows)
- BMW 218 convertible
- BMW Mini convertible
- Ford KA convertible
- Smart Fortwo (2-door)
- Toyota iQ
- VW Beetle convertible
I kind of understand not using a van with no rear window, but the new Polestar 4 has no rear window so would that also be excluded?
Why is it only the BMW 218 Convertible and not any other variant of the 2-series convertible?
It also says no cars without rear seats or rear windows. So that means all two-seaters are banned (hence the small two-seaters on the list) for not having all-round vision when I know for a fact that is total bullsh*t. Those cars have no issues with visibility. My MR2 GT incidentally had the best visibility of any car I've owned.
Who came up with this list and how was it done. It is just one fat lard-ass examiner who had a problem with the 2-seaters or is there a group of them?
Gericho said:
It also says no cars without rear seats or rear windows. So that means all two-seaters are banned (hence the small two-seaters on the list) for not having all-round vision when I know for a fact that is total bullsh*t. Those cars have no issues with visibility. My MR2 GT incidentally had the best visibility of any car I've owned.
Tom Hartley Jnr did his driving test in a Ferrari 360.Gericho said:
You can use your own car to take a driving test in, but what I didn't know is that you can't use certain cars because they don't give "all-round" vision. How does this work when the car is perfectly legal and usable as soon as you pass your test?
https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car
To fully quote the website it says "Some cars cannot be used in the test because they do not give the examiner all-round vision.". It is about the examiners being able to see enough when they are in the passenger seat. The view from the driver's seat is not the relevant issue here.https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car
The very page you linked said:
There might be other cars that you cannot use. This is because not every model has been used in a test before, and some may not give the examiner all-round vision.
It's for the examiner, not the driver. Therefore the Polestar4 is probably also on the list of no-gos.Truckosaurus said:
Gericho said:
Why does the examiner need there to be rear seats? I cannot fathom how a passenger cannot see around a small car like a Toyota iQ or Smart ForTwo.
The iQ has the passenger sat ahead of the driver to give one of the rear passengers more legroom.i imagine the smaller two seaters are on the list because the seats are close together so the examiner will struggle to see around the driver. as well as out of the vehicle.
the 2 series thing is weird though,
whounder what thery would make of my Fury
Gericho said:
s94wht said:
It's for the examiner, not the driver. Therefore the Polestar4 is probably also on the list of no-gos.
Why does the examiner need there to be rear seats? I cannot fathom how a passenger cannot see around a small car like a Toyota iQ or Smart ForTwo.E63eeeeee... said:
Gericho said:
s94wht said:
It's for the examiner, not the driver. Therefore the Polestar4 is probably also on the list of no-gos.
Why does the examiner need there to be rear seats? I cannot fathom how a passenger cannot see around a small car like a Toyota iQ or Smart ForTwo.Zephyr Speedshop said:
Truckosaurus said:
Gericho said:
Why does the examiner need there to be rear seats? I cannot fathom how a passenger cannot see around a small car like a Toyota iQ or Smart ForTwo.
The iQ has the passenger sat ahead of the driver to give one of the rear passengers more legroom.i imagine the smaller two seaters are on the list because the seats are close together so the examiner will struggle to see around the driver. as well as out of the vehicle.
the 2 series thing is weird though,
whounder what thery would make of my Fury
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Gericho said:
Why does the examiner need there to be rear seats?
They don't, they need there to be acceptable visibility from the passenger seat.It's describing what a panel van is I think (i.e. a "regular" car which would normally have rear seats and rear windows but which doesn't) which is why "cars without rear seats and rear windows" isn't worded as a catch-all, it's in brackets after panel van.
As mentioned I suspect the reason a Smart ForTwo doesn't work is because the examiner will struggle to see around the driver.
OP, if you read it through it also mentions that it is not an exhaustive list and cars will be added as they come across them. Hence only the BMW 318i Convertible being listed.
"There might be other cars that you cannot use. This is because not every model has been used in a test before, and some may not give the examiner all-round vision."
This is where it also explains that it is the examiner who needs the all-round visibility.
"There might be other cars that you cannot use. This is because not every model has been used in a test before, and some may not give the examiner all-round vision."
This is where it also explains that it is the examiner who needs the all-round visibility.
Edited by Olivergt on Monday 11th November 15:48
Surely there ought to be an addendum to allow the use of small convertibles with the hood down. All-round visibility is better than a closed car whilst topless, after all.
It's an odd one, given that most driving school cars are small and many tests are done with an adult passenger in the back seat - said adult being the instructor. The presence of an adult in the rear of a Fiat or similar drastically reduces visibility out the back.
It's an odd one, given that most driving school cars are small and many tests are done with an adult passenger in the back seat - said adult being the instructor. The presence of an adult in the rear of a Fiat or similar drastically reduces visibility out the back.
Missy Charm said:
Surely there ought to be an addendum to allow the use of small convertibles with the hood down. All-round visibility is better than a closed car whilst topless, after all.
True, but if you rock up in a convertible that is suitable with the roof down but not with the roof up, and it's chucking it down on the day of your test, then what do you do? Especially given getting a test slot is so hard. Also having a small convertibles exemption would seem to be solving a really niche first world problem - Daily Mail would be all over it - "DISTRAUGHT 17 year old worked 4 jobs to afford his/her dream car but then denied test by PETTY DVLA" [insert picture of sad teen standing in front of an Estoril Blue 218i]
Missy Charm said:
It's an odd one, given that most driving school cars are small and many tests are done with an adult passenger in the back seat - said adult being the instructor. The presence of an adult in the rear of a Fiat or similar drastically reduces visibility out the back.
I'm not sure it would for the examiner in the passenger seat (if the passenger is sat behind them). Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff