Boohoo! Just failed my driving test!

[smsm]

So have you been driving on a regular basis and still only had 2 tests? Seems like a bit of a waste of insurance money if you're always had someone legal with you! I have to say, if you drive regularly and have been doing so for 10 years and not passed your test I'd say you were either not cut out for it unfortunately or that you're doing something wrong in your learning. I do advocate practicing with friends and family but instructors know what the examiner is looking for and don't teach you to drive, they teach you to pass your test. I have my test in late October and although I feel I'll probably pass I don't think I'll be that confident because I haven't learnt the skills that come with time or motorway skills etc so I will carry on learning from speaking to/observing people etc. Failing your test twice isn't a big deal at all, many people fail far more but if you've been driving for a long time and feel confident but can't pass I'd recommend an hour or two with an instructor to clarify what you're doing from and make sure you can learn the right way, it'll probably save money long term.

If you really think there's a chance you'll struggle to pass afterwards and that you're really not up to the job then there's no shame in stopping and I'd personally urge you to do so. Having been hit by a car twice (once on a pavement, once by a stolen car speeding) and been in two accidents (neither my fault, wasn't behind the wheel) I'm quite a nervous person in cars. I'd far rather people didn't drive if they weren't good enough as it can be such an incredibly dangerous thing. I think as a responsible human behind if you can't drive well you shouldn't, but if you're find going forwards and normally going backwards it's just a turn you've not been taught then just see an instructor and get some tips and good luck.

[smsm]

That a large proportion of women struggle with 3-dimensional spacial orientation is known and proven, and the reason that so many women struggle to park a car, but I wonder why.

The male and femal brains have areas developed to different levels, but I wonder which skills/talents female evolution has concentrated on over the years to the detriment of 3D awareness.

 

I would say it's probably been pushed to one side by an enlarged 'shopping cortex', but in all seriousness there must be something that this aspect of brain power has been sacrificed in favour of.

 

I learnt from a psychology textbook (degree-level) that men are better at spatial awareness and women are better at maths. I haven't noticed a gender difference in mathematical ability whereas I have in spatial but so far that's what studies have suggested.

[smsm]

 

it's colour that the female eye-brain thing is FAR better at, and it's to do with cones in the retina (or something)

 

anyway - I can do both, so I'm fine

 

I've never heard that and I've done a lot on how the eye works for my degree.

I didn't think there were any gender differences in the eye but will ask when I get back to uni. The eye just sees things, the brain processes it so I don't see how a woman's eye could be responsible for a lack of understanding about space, I think it's to do with the brain.

My boyfriend is colour blind though so I'd definitely say my colour recognition is better than his and I'm allowed to joke about it because he infuriates me by denying he has a problem!

[smsm]

Nice of you to contribute with a post of absolute BS.

 

I don't see your problem with that post. He made a joke about women shopping, but women joke about men's stereotyped tendencies all the time! As a woman I'm not offended. Obviously some women will be better at spacial awareness than some men but generally speaking, and this is in science books, men are better at it. There are gender differences, there is no getting away from that, we are chemically and physically different creatures so there are going to be differences in our abilities which may not apply to every single living human being but celebrating each sex for their strengths isn't wrong I don't think. The brain is a muscle like any other and certain parts change size due to lack of use/overuse. A person blind from birth (or early age) will often have a smaller visual cortex than a person with no eye-sight trouble, as they don't need the visual cortex it shrinks like any muscle would without use. In place of this, the parts of the brain that process sound for example may be bigger. So what's wrong with his scientific question following the same principles?

[Strix]

I've never heard that and I've done a lot on how the eye works for my degree.

I didn't think there were any gender differences in the eye but will ask when I get back to uni. The eye just sees things, the brain processes it so I don't see how a woman's eye could be responsible for a lack of understanding about space, I think it's to do with the brain.

I was looking for something more techinical, but this will have to do

When you get back to uni - ask them what their stance is on the dumbing down of degrees

[smsm]

I was looking for something more techinical, but this will have to do

When you get back to uni - ask them what their stance is on the dumbing down of degrees

 

It's not like you were sure of what you were saying and know the technicalities! The article suggests that often science books get things wrong so why does my lack of knowledge on the difference between male and female eyes mean that my degree has been dumbed down? Having skimmed the article the whole way through it actually doesn't appear to conclude anything so I'm not sure what your point is exactly? Are you implying that I am wrong by thinking the brain has more to do with processing information from the eye than the eye does?

I'm doing a psychology degree so I don't need to understand every little detail about the eye and having only done my first year, and one semester-long module on psychobiology I can't be expected to know everything. If in another 2 years when I've completed my degree I don't know enough about psychology then you could make a point but I've only done one year. Psychology (BSc) is actually quite a difficult degree and involves a lot of hard work, so unless you're currently doing a psychology degree who are you to judge? I'd be interested to know whether you had a degree, remembered everything from it and used it in your working life before assessing whether you have the right to comment on the content of mine.

[Strix]

It's not like you were sure of what you were saying and know the technicalities! <plus some other ranty stuff>

I didn't say that the little I do know was imparted to me as part of a degree, and I'm not throwing my weight about with it on an internet forum

 

If you'd like to know my educational/experience status - read my posts - it's all there somewhere

 

I gave up reading the link I provided as it wandered off somewhere else - but I assumed a degree student would be capable of reading the relevant part, rather than needing to be spoon fed. My apologies if you're not capable

 

Now having established that there is evidence that male and female eyes are different, can we get back to the topic of the thread?

 

I think I must need my eyes testing, as I've never had any trouble reversing round corners, or picking wallpaper to match the curtains. Perhaps I'm just plain odd

[Saxon]

Similarly you are taught to reverse park, but you are taught to do it so you finish off with an entire other space between you and the car in front.

 

Your instructor might have done but don't tar us all with the same brush......

[Zomoniac]

Your instructor might have done but don't tar us all with the same brush......

 

All 4 of my instructors and my examiner did.

[Zomoniac]

I didn't say that the little I do know was imparted to me as part of a degree, and I'm not throwing my weight about with it on an internet forum

 

If you'd like to know my educational/experience status - read my posts - it's all there somewhere

 

I gave up reading the link I provided as it wandered off somewhere else - but I assumed a degree student would be capable of reading the relevant part, rather than needing to be spoon fed. My apologies if you're not capable

 

Now having established that there is evidence that male and female eyes are different, can we get back to the topic of the thread?

 

I think I must need my eyes testing, as I've never had any trouble reversing round corners, or picking wallpaper to match the curtains. Perhaps I'm just plain odd

 

I think the point she was getting at was it's hard to entirely accept an article which opens with "all the other books are wrong, this is what it is".