First Vehicle

Masterflex Automotive Hoses – Celebrate the UK’s Driving Test

For details of Masterflex Automotive & Motorsports Hoses, please, continue to the end of the article for our best-selling hose or visit https://masterflex-hose.co.uk/products-category/industry/automotive-motorsport

Although driving a car, since 1903, needs a driving licence; it was in 1935 that the necessary driving tests began.

Driving tests, for most of us, have never been entertaining, but can be very enjoyable for the listeners. Let’s celebrate the UK Driving Test, by first Buckling up, enjoying the ride and getting entertained!

First some of the (funny) Rules!

Evelyn Henry Ellis (1843-1913), imported the first-ever automobile into the UK. On June 1895 he ordered a left-hand drive motor car, custom-made, from Paris (Panhard-Levassor), powered by a 3.5 hp Daimler engine. Ellis was also the first person, in Great Britain, to break the law on a motor vehicle (without getting caught). The law required a man with a red flag to walk in front of any driven vehicle. He made, the first-ever trip with his friend, from Micheldever Station to Datchet, without a man with a flag; and was not stopped by the police. This law was then repealed, the following year, in 1896.

First Vehicle

UK’s First Vehicle

Motor vehicles, an increasingly common sight on British roads towards the end of the nineteenth century, were subject to some newer incredibly strict rules; such as:

Every car, with a town speed limit of just 2mph, was required to have three crew members on board. Both of these rules got relaxed, in 1896, with a new town speed limit of 14mph!

The Motor Car Act, vehicle registration, an even higher speed limit and the first British driving licence, in 1903, were introduced.
An annual driving licence from the local council could be bought, without passing any tests, for five shillings (roughly £28 pounds today).

And now the Driving Test!

First Highway Code

First Edition Highway Code

The driving tests, in 1934, were introduced; and existing drivers, before April 1st, were allowed to carry on driving without needing to take the new test. The Driving test, during the Second World War and the Suez Crisis, went into suspension.

Mr R.E.L. Beere was the first person, on March 16th, 1935, to pass the UK driving test; the cost of the driving test was seven shillings and sixpence ( about £25 today)

The driving test has been with us ever since it was last suspended, which has always been unfortunate, ever since, for nervous learners! But the only person who doesn’t need a driving licence, trained as a driver and mechanic during the Second World War, is the Queen.

Let’s Celebrate with a few Driving-test Disaster Stories and Facts!

A University student passed her driving test on about her 5th attempt. She drove straight over a full-size roundabout and knowing that she had failed her driving test, at the very start, felt awful while completing her whole test.

A car leaving a test centre pulled straight onto the road and crashed into an oncoming vehicle. This candidate might have been very nervous.

A person failed his test twice, once by running over the foot of a policeman and the second time by taking his wing mirror off on a milk float; it must be that it’s safer with him inside a car than outside it!
Once a woman from Kent could not pass her test, even after 250 lessons, earning her title of Britain’s Worst Driver. She had spent more than £5000, on lessons, over 14 years; and failed four tests.

Passing a UK Driving test, according to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, takes on average 45 hours of lessons which is likely to cost over £1000.

Masterflex Automotive Hoses

Masterflex does 16 various hoses, all suitable for the Automotive & Motorsports Industry. An example of hour most popular hose is the:

Master Clip HT 650 – High-Temperature – Masterflex Automotive Hoses

Master Clip HT 650

Master Clip HT 650

Two-ply special coated high-temperature fabric ducting, reinforced with external galvanised steel helix. +650ºC (Intermittent +750ºC)

Description

• 2-ply special coated high-temperature fabric ducting,
• External galvanised steel helix.

Properties

• Highly flexible and robust
• Outer helix protects against abrasion and scuffing
• Flame retardant

Applications

• Extraction of high-temperature engine exhaust gases in all industries
• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Shipbuilding
• Foundry
• Military
• Heavy Industry
• General Engineering

Colour

Silver grey.

Size Range

75mm to 900mm.

Temp Range

-20ºC to +650ºC (intermittent to +750ºC).

Options

• Custom diameters

Download Data Sheet – Master-Clip HT 650

Download Masterflex Chemical Resistance Data Sheet