Are you a good driver?

If you have forgotten some of the lessons you picked up before your driving test, you’re certainly not alone.

Recent research suggests half of all drivers would fail their test if they had to re-sit it today.

The top 10 faults of the re-sit drivers included undue hesitation, speeding and road-positioning.

Jennifer Hollamby (who passed on the fifth attempt) took to the town centre to find what Oldham shoppers made of the results.

DO you think you’re a good driver?

Well, if you occasionally forget to indicate, have poor observation skills and don’t stick to the correct following distance then you would probably find yourself being given a big fat F if you were to sit your driving test again.

These faults were all picked up in a recent driving experiment, which tripped up 50 per cent of qualified motorists.

Other stumbling blocks included moving away safely, control when reversing and safe stopping at junctions, with one guinea pig even narrowly missing a pedestrian who had stepped out from between parked cars.

Lola Berry (70), from Grasscroft, passed first time when she was 22.

She said: “Overall I’m a fairly safe driver and would probably be okay, but I’m quite hesitant at times.

“I’m not surprised by the results though. Some drivers are so rude. Many of them change lanes without thinking to indicate.”

Terry McGuire (53) said: “I think I would be okay, but I’m aware that I’m losing disciplines.

“Drivers often speed, don’t keep the right distance between them and the car in front, forget mirrors and don’t indicate.

“They’re just basic disciplines, but drivers tend to let them slip.”

Lesley May (44), who passed her test in the 1980s, said: “I can definitely believe that 50 per cent of people would fail now.

“Some people are absolute idiots and behave appallingly on the roads. There’s no consideration for other road users and nobody gives way.

“It’s supposed to be mirror, indicate and manoeuvre, but nowadays, it’s more like manoeuvre, mirror and indicate, if you’re lucky.

“I would struggle on a test if they made me parallel park. I did it in my test just fine, but I can’t do it now.

“ I usually end up struggling and then just drive off and find another space.”

Jean Neath (64), from Chadderton, doesn’t drive herself, but she sees lots of dodgy driving on Oldham’s roads.

She said: “Many drivers don’t concentrate. I was being driven in a taxi the other day and the driver was on his mobile the whole way. He went really fast over all the speed bumps and I could barely walk when I got out of the car.”

Mirza Baig (28), from Chadderton, passed his test first time nearly two years ago.

He said: “I probably would fail now. It’s just little things like not always checking mirrors and not always checking your blindspot.

“A lot of drivers don’t seem to use roundabouts properly and tend to drive in the wrong lane and not move over properly.

“You should probably have to re-sit your test every 10 years when you renew your licence.”

Tommy Cone (69), from Moorside, said: “I don’t drive, so my grandson drives me around a lot, but you see a lot of people speeding and using mobile phones. A lot of drivers cut you up too.

“I think once someone reaches 80 they should automatically have their licence revoked.

“I’m nearly 70 and I sometimes walk into rooms and forget what I’ve gone in for, so you don’t tend to be as alert.”

Alison Griffiths (33), from Copelands Close in Moorside, admitted that she has jettisoned parallel parking since passing her test first time three years ago.

“Even though I’ve not had my licence long, bad habits have started to creep in.

“I’m not as careful as I should be when I’m coming out of junctions and I’ve noticed many other drivers just pull out without indicating and you have to slam on your brakes. It’s really dangerous.”