Useful

**old_bloke** · 14-09-2011, 22:38

Back in 83 BAOR , driving course with an in house driving instructor. Spent a fantastic summer driving around Germany . Learning how to drive in a left hand drive landy.
Toch H in Sennelarger for a NAFFI break and a stop at the Sally bash in Bielafeld for a brew , 4 men in one landy needed a break. A free ticket for the driving instructor to see the best of BAOR with his muppets in tow.

As we were not on Ex we could pass all exercises with ease, remember two times, once passing through a German Panzer Ex with Leopards and Marauders all over the place and the second driving through a RAF Harrier EX. RAF REG was acting as a road block - sitting in a green GS folding seat in the middle of the road. Said STOP , we did and saw a Harrier pull out from the side of the road from a woodside hide and taxi down the road and take off.

Rock ape moved to the side and said "OK drive on"
Harrier 4Sqn RAF Gütersloh im Manöver Lionheart 9/1984 - YouTube
WTF what a way to learn to drive.

I also failed the first test -bugger. Had to do it all over again

**Cabana** · 14-09-2011, 22:56

In a car.

**BrandySoured** · 15-09-2011, 07:31

1978. I picked up my examiner at Alexander Barracks, Dhekalia, a tankie Colour Sgt - a real tankie C/Sgt with black beret, black wooly pully and black skin - drove him to the garrison QM stores where he changed a pair of l/w denims and I drove him back. Job jobbed.

The memorable part of the whole 25 minutes was, after starting the lwb landy up, he says "I want you to change the direction of the vehicle." I asked him if he meant a 3-point-turn? He looked at me coldly and in his deliberately slow West Indian accent said again "I want you to change the direction of the vehicle". As we were on the parade ground I just put it into full left-hand lock and did a circle. As I drove away I thought I'd fucked it up from the start and relaxed for the rest of the trip, which must have helped as he never marked me down on anything. Nice.

**Brotherton Lad** · 15-09-2011, 07:49

In a quarter tonnie round Sefton Park, Liverpool in about 1977. Put the 2 foot long gearstick into second and it sheared off at the base. It was a very slow drive back to Princes Street and a stall to park.

Took my test in Bulford and Amesbury in 1979.

**bokkatankie** · 15-09-2011, 08:00

Originally Posted by Cabana

In a car.

But not for all of us, first drive for me was a Bedford bubble cab RL terrorizing the good folk of Pembrokeshire, then in Wimbish where I got my Track licence on CVR (T) but drove a Ferret with L plates in Beirut, I only got my car licence in 1985, 1 week course with the test on Friday.

**chocolate_frog** · 15-09-2011, 08:04

I found that where I learned to drive was simpley spiffing.

On the road.

**06FA56Paderborn** · 15-09-2011, 08:08

Around Paderborn in a LHD Landrover for car licence, something surreal about taking your test on German roads in a LHD vehicle but still having to account for the UK Highway code, but I am sure I was only one of thousands who did it that way.

Tracked licence at Bovvy, in a Chieftain, test cut short when one of the road wheels overtook us just after Clouds Hill Cottage, still passed.

**Stores4Storing** · 15-09-2011, 08:12

12 Armd Osnabruk - due to lack of drivers we didn't fanny around with LR's went straight to HGV2 in a Rag & Oil Tenny.

Driving a LR after that was indeed scary!

**ex_donkey_man** · 15-09-2011, 08:17

Did car and CVR(T) in Bovington! Unfortunetly I did CVR(T) first having never driven on the roads. The two things I remembered -
1) When going left then right on chicane over the level crossing at Wool station, YOU CAN DO IT IN 5TH GEAR! This stuck in my head after I did it in 5th, then my instructor said "Well done, Tpr P*** behind didn't have enough revs and has just gone over the pavement"!
2) If you move the seat too far forward on a CVR(T), the tillers won't move back properly to steer, which I found out on the way to Weymouth one day when I put my seat "That bit too far forward" and thus went right over the roundabout, rather than round it!

Good fun though!

**Pronto_Mike_Uniform** · 15-09-2011, 08:18

At the driving school in Shornecliffe in 78. INstructor was a complete nutter of an LI corporal who carried a cricket bat in the weapon rack behind the seats and would "tap" you in the back of the head if you made a mistake. A great couple of weeks though as I was fresh out of Gds Depot so my first time as a "real" soldier.

Passed first time (cough)