Driving test failure due to use of regen braking

[Teslaeata]

Don’t believe all that you read/hear about, peeps!

All sounds a load of Reddit-style bollocks to me!

Bad work(wo)man blaming her tools.

You have a novice, inadequately trained, inexperienced driver who failed to demonstrate adequate, safe and proper control of a vehicle to an experienced, trained, CPD maintaining, professional driving examiner who failed her for failing to use the brake enough and the rookie interpreted that as a failure because she didn’t brake by pressing the brake pedal enough despite that OPD provides braking which is adequate in many situations that may not have been those which presented during her test so my interpretation, being a trained class 1 HGV, bus an advanced car driver licence holder is that she didn’t use braking, either by means of OPD or pressing the brake pedal adequately to demonstrate safe and adequate control of the vehicle to driving test standards.

Sponsored

 

[MellowJohnny]

The case in Canada sounds like the tester disqualified the car because the young lady could not turn off the system, indicating that she could operate the vehicle in a safe manner...per the tester.

The case in AZ was the tester didn't like the driver not using the brake pedal (or break pedal as AZDOT refers to it). Maybe it confused the tester...it is AZ after all. Sorry, I have friends from AZ and I have fun busting their chops...they don't disagree.

I would argue that a person that has never used a brake pedal would not be very good at using it, thus not being able to operate the vehicle in a controlled fashion. I would state that a person who can drive a manual can assume to be able to drive an automatic. 2 of the 3 pedals are common. But not the other way around. I believe Europe has a separate license for Manual and automatic drivers.

Since rear view cameras and displays are now federally mandated for new cars, their use during a test is acceptable, but that doesn't mean you can ignore the mirrors or remove them. I would assume that the tester has the right to ask someone to back up using mirrors only, something many people are horrible at.

Isn't this fun. Sorry, I needed a break from everyday life today, and this was a fun topic.

Especially since may daughter is studying to take her permit test. But before that happens, she has to read the entire DMV drivers manual and I get to give her a pop quiz. If she passes my quiz, then she gets to take the permit test. Unfortunately, I don't have a manual any more. if I did, she would be learning on that and that would probably be her first car. Much harder to text and shift at the same time. And a manual allows you to understand more of how a car works.

They can only test you on what you bring, so don't bring something with all of these fancy bells and whistles. Keep It Simple.

100% right. She was disqualified on a technicality really.

If you read the article I posted, she failed because the *car* was "out of order" - she was asked to turn off 1PD and didn't know how to.

 

[MellowJohnny]

Don’t believe all that you read/hear about, peeps!

All sounds a load of Reddit-style bollocks to me!

Bad work(wo)man blaming her tools.

You have a novice, inadequately trained, inexperienced driver who failed to demonstrate adequate, safe and proper control of a vehicle to an experienced, trained, CPD maintaining, professional driving examiner who failed her for failing to use the brake enough and the rookie interpreted that as a failure because she didn’t brake by pressing the brake pedal enough despite that OPD provides braking which is adequate in many situations that may not have been those which presented during her test so my interpretation, being a trained class 1 HGV, bus an advanced car driver licence holder is that she didn’t use braking, either by means of OPD or pressing the brake pedal adequately to demonstrate safe and adequate control of the vehicle to driving test standards.

Officially the car failed.

The examiner marked the reason for failure as car "out of order" - the same box he would have checked if the brake lights didn't work or if the turn signals didn't work. All things they check during the pre-test walk around of the car before setting off.

She would have been asked to press the brake pedal so the examiner could see the brake lights working. I assume he also wanted to see that the brakes could also stop the car, not just regen, which is a requirement.

She could not demonstrate that the car's brakes, by pressing the brake pedal, could stop the car. For him the car was "out of order" and she failed. No different than if she would have turned up and the horn didn't work - she would have failed on the spot and the road test would not have even started.

 

[DennisD]

The case in Canada sounds like the tester disqualified the car because the young lady could not turn off the system, indicating that she could operate the vehicle in a safe manner...per the tester.

The case in AZ was the tester didn't like the driver not using the brake pedal (or break pedal as AZDOT refers to it). Maybe it confused the tester...it is AZ after all. Sorry, I have friends from AZ and I have fun busting their chops...they don't disagree.

I would argue that a person that has never used a brake pedal would not be very good at using it, thus not being able to operate the vehicle in a controlled fashion. I would state that a person who can drive a manual can assume to be able to drive an automatic. 2 of the 3 pedals are common. But not the other way around. I believe Europe has a separate license for Manual and automatic drivers.

Since rear view cameras and displays are now federally mandated for new cars, their use during a test is acceptable, but that doesn't mean you can ignore the mirrors or remove them. I would assume that the tester has the right to ask someone to back up using mirrors only, something many people are horrible at.

Isn't this fun. Sorry, I needed a break from everyday life today, and this was a fun topic.

Especially since may daughter is studying to take her permit test. But before that happens, she has to read the entire DMV drivers manual and I get to give her a pop quiz. If she passes my quiz, then she gets to take the permit test. Unfortunately, I don't have a manual any more. if I did, she would be learning on that and that would probably be her first car. Much harder to text and shift at the same time. And a manual allows you to understand more of how a car works.

They can only test you on what you bring, so don't bring something with all of these fancy bells and whistles. Keep It Simple.

When the DMV Doesn’t Know the Law

Over the years, I can’t tell you how many calls I’ve received from parents frustrated after a DMV test. The story is usually the same: a DMV employee told their student that a certain rule applied a certain way—only to find out later that the employee was wrong.


This case involves “one-pedal driving.” This examiner asked student to switch to two-pedal mode during a test. Now, the tester certainly has the right to ask, but is it legal to require it? That’s less clear. After all, one-pedal driving still gives the driver complete control over the car’s braking—very similar to how an automatic transmission works when the gas pedal essentially “shifts” the vehicle for you.


This reminded me of an incident here in Nebraska that perfectly illustrates the problem. I teach my students to pull into the center of an intersection while waiting to turn left. It’s a safe and legal maneuver. But one of my students failed a DMV test for doing exactly that. Naturally, the parent was upset and thought I had taught something wrong.


To be sure, I contacted the State Attorney’s office. They confirmed what I already knew—it was absolutely legal. Curious, I called around to several DMV offices across the state. The results? Mixed answers. Some employees knew it was legal. Others insisted it wasn’t. In fact, I had to correct several testers myself.


That was just one example of many I’ve seen through the years. It’s frustrating to realize that the very people testing our future drivers sometimes don’t fully understand the laws they are supposed to enforce.


So, when I hear stories of questionable testing requirements—like the debate over one-pedal versus two-pedal mode—I’m not surprised. Unfortunately, inconsistency at the DMV has become the rule rather than the exception.


.

 

[Teslaeata]

Officially the car failed.

The examiner marked the reason for failure as car "out of order" - the same box he would have checked if the brake lights didn't work or if the turn signals didn't work. All things they check during the pre-test walk around of the car before setting off.

She would have been asked to press the brake pedal so the examiner could see the brake lights working. I assume he also wanted to see that the brakes could also stop the car, not just regen, which is a requirement.

She could not demonstrate that the car's brakes, by pressing the brake pedal, could stop the car. For him the car was "out of order" and she failed. No different than if she would have turned up and the horn didn't work - she would have failed on the spot and the road test would not have even started.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

EVs can switch to regular drive mode, so it's not that difficult to take the test that way.

Newer Tesla’s do not have the option to switch to 2pd. That was removed to comply with EPA rules requiring the car be tested in the least regenerative mode available to drivers.

 

[DennisD]

Newer Tesla’s do not have the option to switch to 2pd. That was removed to comply with EPA rules requiring the car be tested in the least regenerative mode available to drivers.

Sorry if this offends anyone who works at the DMV, but in my experience, most of the employees I’ve dealt with are not only rude but also not exactly the sharpest tools in the shed.


I can’t say for certain what actually happened in this particular situation, but if I had to guess, the Tester was just making things up as he went along.

 

[Mr. Toejam]

Sorry if this offends anyone who works at the DMV, but in my experience, most of the employees I’ve dealt with are not only rude but also not exactly the sharpest tools in the shed.


I can’t say for certain what actually happened in this particular situation, but if I had to guess, the Tester was just making things up as he went along.

I have not run into someone not knowing what they were doing at CA-DMV (I know...really surprising for good ol' California), but I can say that they do work to their own pace. But I have only been to the DMV about 4-5 times in my life.

I thought one agent was being rude because she was talking to me, looked up and then quickly walk away without saying a thing. I was mid sentence and I was just about to say something when I noticed 2 security guys rush up on the guy next to me. That is when I realized he had pulled down his pants and was standing there full commando (Yup...California). He looked "normal" and pulled up his pants and walked off with the security guards. No raised voices, no issue, no arguments and I even think he asked the security guard how his day was going. After he was gone, the agent came back and I said smiling " you just left me here with that nut case next to me" (like the pun?). Her and her coworkers were all laughing, apologizing and said they get something like that at least once a week and they were told to always move away as fast as possible. Next thing I knew, her manager joined her and helped me get out of there super fast.

So...I got great service and a good story.

 

[DennisD]

I have not run into someone not knowing what they were doing at CA-DMV (I know...really surprising for good ol' California), but I can say that they do work to their own pace. But I have only been to the DMV about 4-5 times in my life.

I thought one agent was being rude because she was talking to me, looked up and then quickly walk away without saying a thing. I was mid sentence and I was just about to say something when I noticed 2 security guys rush up on the guy next to me. That is when I realized he had pulled down his pants and was standing there full commando (Yup...California). He looked "normal" and pulled up his pants and walked off with the security guards. No raised voices, no issue, no arguments and I even think he asked the security guard how his day was going. After he was gone, the agent came back and I said smiling " you just left me here with that nut case next to me" (like the pun?). Her and her coworkers were all laughing, apologizing and said they get something like that at least once a week and they were told to always move away as fast as possible. Next thing I knew, her manager joined her and helped me get out of there super fast.

So...I got great service and a good story.

Consider yourself lucky then.

Glad there are some "good" ones out there.

 

[MellowJohnny]

Completely agree. Small-minded people with the illusion of having power.

The Province needs to come out and state the rules. Simple.

My daughter took her exit exam last year in our Mach-E and the examiner did actually ask her to turn off 1PD, which she never used anyway. But she was asked.

 

[RockinVs]

This is why I still have my manual Mazda3. My kids will learn and drive that.

 

[MellowJohnny]

This is why I still have my manual Mazda3. My kids will learn and drive that.

Same! Still have a manual Golf (Jetta in the US) wagon, an SUV, and the Mach-E. I tell my kids they can learn to drive all three - 1PD, 2PD, & 3PD. My oldest loves driving the Golf.

 

[HuntingPudel]

All of my other cars have three pedals. I am not turning anyone loose in a car that puts almost as much torque through two tires as my MME GT puts through 4 and can cover 2 flying miles in <37 seconds. As for the Blazer, the seat adjuster is broken so the kid needs to be the same size as me.

 

[dtkindler]

Maybe the move is just for the driving test evaluator to say, "please disengage one-pedal mode for this test.".

 

[MellowJohnny]

Maybe the move is just for the driving test evaluator to say, "please disengage one-pedal mode for this test.".

She was asked but didn't know how. She asked to call her Dad to ask him how to do it, but he wouldn't let her.

Seems like the test parameters need to be crystal clear, not up to each individual examiner.

Sponsored