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10:15am Wednesday 25th June 2008
A YOUNGSTER passed his driving test - despite a collision with another car.
Nervous Gareth Purslow, 20, thought he had blown his first shot at passing the test when a car struck his offside rear wheel arch.
But he said his examiner told him he could continue the test.
Bucks New University student Gareth, of Marigold Walk, Widmer End, said he was determined to succeed in memory of his late father, Malcolm.
His driving instructor and Star motoring columnist Audrey Wixon, of Wycombe Driving School, said: "I think only about one in 15,000 test candidates pass with a clean sheet and I would imagine the odds of crashing on your driving test are pretty small too.
"So the odds on doing both must be miniscule."
The accident happened when Gareth was driving along Littleworth Road in Downley.
He said: "The instructor got out the car and told me to stay calm. I was quite jittery, especially as it was my test. I thought 'that's a hundred quid gone'."
But after swapping insurance details Gareth was given the chance to continue.
He said: "I thought I had lost it, I thought they would take the car away and terminate the test. I kept calm and decided to carry on.
"I was shocked when I was told I had no minors - I did four manoeuvres and a reverse bay park at the end."
Gareth said his father, who died in December from a heart attack aged 54, was keen for him to pass - and this inspired him to hold his nerve.
The business and marketing student said: "I think he was with me on my test."
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
12:54pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
1:01pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Franky, High Wycombe says...
1:47pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Lo_Wycombe wrote:I think that's a bit racist of you pal. How do you that anyone who isn't white skinned is an illegal immigrant or even an immigrant? Do you stop them and check their passport on your way to work?
Well done to Gareth, and to be honest, in order to drive in High Wycombe you need the experience of an accident, in fact it should be a compulsory part of the test "avoiding clapped out car being driven in the middle of the road by an OAP/boy racer/illegal immigrant with no tax / insurance. I have to navigate them every day on the way to work...
Bernard, HW says...
2:06pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Franky, High Wycombe says...
2:50pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Bernard wrote:The skin colour issue comes into it because if someone is white and you have no interaction with him, only seeing him in his car as he drives past, how can you assume that he might be an illegal immigrant?
How is it racist ? Who said anything about skin colour apart from you Franky ? If anything it is Ageist / illigal immigrantist / Non taxist and possibly even the worst of all, non insuranceist ! I demand a witch hunt for this openly "ist" person !
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
5:22pm Wed 25 Jun 08
shylock, Terriers says...
10:54pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Lo_Wycombe wrote:Be a great idea if a fool proof way of NOT being able to even start the car unless your biometrics would allow it?
Hooray a virtual war of words, Having driven professionally for 9 years, doing about 33000 a year I have become adept at spotting a bad driver. At no point in my previous comment did I mention the colour of someones skin as a rule for judging bad driving skills, but, based on the amount of miles I cover, the biggest problems I encounter in my day are driving the local roads in and around High Wycombe. To further add to my previous comment, one day there will be a centralised database linking insurance/road tax & and drivers licence to the car being driven, but until then it is safe to surmise that a clapped out old banger is more likely to be driven badly (and with out insurance) than someone in a newer car. If you watch Traffic Cops you will also note that the Police often have a hunch about a driver based on the car they are driving, and 9/10 cars pulled over are clapped out old bangers And before you start moaning, I gave up my job with BMW (330i) and now drive a 51 plate Peugeot
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littlemiss, Wycombe says...
11:39am Wed 25 Jun 08