Dear Madam or Sir,
Everyone seems eager to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of driving examiners for the inconsistent pass rates at various driving test centres (“How does your local driving test centre measure up for pass rates?” August 8th). Could it not be that the aptitude of professional driving instructors to cultivate confidence in their pupils fluctuates from one location to another?
During my own driving education, I was under the tutelage of two disparate professional driving instructors. But, it was not until I became the owner of a 10-year-old Mini Clubman estate in 1980, and began navigating solo on a provisional license, that I fully honed my knack for moving off in first gear without the engine cutting out.
This achievement came despite a rather chaotic introductory experience with the Mini where its exhaust pipe malfunctioned in the midst of a dense traffic situation on Pearse Street. Half a year later, I aced my driving test at the Ballymun Test Centre upon my initial trial.
Yours faithfully,
KARL MARTIN,
Dublin 13.