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Smugly can report that I passed my car, motorbike and IAM Advanced car tests all first time!
Car test (on March 27th 1974) was taken in a blue Datsun 120Y (like a Ford Escort only better made, and the examiner uttered the immortal I'm sorry to tell you you've passed your driving test line.
Bike test (November 1978) was taken on a borrowed Suzuki Super Six 250cc flying machine, wearing a borrowed open face helmet with goggles clipped to the top so that the examiner *could see where I was looking*. At the same time as mine there was a gut taking his test on some sort of trials bike and using similar routes around the test centre, I could see him flailing. At the end of my test we went back into the stair well of the test centre and stood by a window as I identified various road signs befre being given the good news that I had passed. Muppet on trials bike was taken past me to the next window up, and as I left the centre I looked up at their window and could see his examiner flipping through his book of road signs, looking hopefully at him and shaking his head as he'd obviously got another one wrong. I ceremoniously ripped my front L plate off and ripped into shreds & threw it in the air. looked up at his examiner, gave him the thumbs up, kicked the bike into life and wheelied off up the road!
My Advanced test was in February 1980, taken in my trusty Viva GT with an examiner called Bob Hardisty who must have been at least 90 years old and at least 7 feet tall (well, that's how he seemed to me then). We had a very interesting 90 minute drive through parts of Leicestershire that I didn't know existed with Bob chatting away and offering encouragement and suggestions all the way. I has convinced because of this that I must have failed so was bowled over at the end when he told me I'd passed! Mind you, I've never found cheaper car insurance because I'm an Advanced Motorist!
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