Yet another taxi test

Taxi driver banned because he can't use apostrophes
By Geoffrey Lakeman 31/05/2008
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2008/05/31/taxi-driver-banned-because-he-can-t-use-apostrophes-89520-20589735/

Barmy bureaucrats have banned taxi driver Laurence Kirk from earning a living after he put an apostrophe in the wrong place.

Laurence, 50, who has a clean licence and knows his way round an A to Z, had his licence taken away after failing a grammar test in a council's BTEC in taxi driving.

The grandfather, who previously worked as a cabbie in the area, said: "I used to be a good, successful driver. Now the council tell me I can't work because I don't know how to use an apostrophe or semi-colon. This is bureaucracy gone ballistic."

The exam, introduced by Bournemouth council in Dorset, is designed to weed out foreign drivers who cannot speak English.

Questions included picking up errors in a story about a fictional football match between Harchester United and Barton Rovers - but did not ask what to do if approached by a drunk or test the driver's knowledge of the area.

Other drivers have also complained that the council is too late because there are plenty of non-English speaking cabbies.

Laurence gave up driving in Bournemouth six years ago to look after daughter Lisa. His private hire licence expired but he was told he would have to sit the test to get a new one.

The ex-roofer got 60 per cent in the GCSE level two English exam - the pass mark was 70.

Laurence said "Now I can't drive a taxi because I don't know where an apostrophe goes. It is barmy."

Council officer Steve Wright said: "The test allows us to assess candidates' abilities. This includes a local knowledge test and the BTEC."

Laurence, who has spent £14,000 on a new cab, must now attend a four-week course to re-sit it. He added: "Firms are screaming out for drivers. There's so few coming through because of bureaucracy."

CAN YOU PASS THE CAN DRIVER'S TEST?

This is one of the questions you need to get right to drive a cab in Bournemouth. Read the passage and answer the question below.

With five minutes to go it looked as though Rovers were going to force the Carlton League leaders to a goalless draw; time had run out for United. We spoke too soon! Jim Thorne finally got his act together and a long ball from the halfway line to Matthews led to an excellent cross back to Jim. A chip shot on the goalkeepers blind side and we were there, 1-0 to United. Let's hope the boys don't keep us waiting like that too often but better late than never. One of the most exciting games I've seen this season.

Q Which of these words should have an apostrophe? A minutes; B goalkeepers; C boys; D games.









A The correct answer is: B goalkeeper's

If this is a complete transcript of the Mirrors story shouldnt they have been able to spell CAB instead of CAN, just go to show that well educated journalist are about as good as a cabbie!!!!

Aftab wrote:
CAN YOU PASS THE CAN DRIVER'S TEST?

I think he maybe refering to the state of the Bournmouth cabs

We have a driver here who would be in exactly the same predicament, I won't mention any names in case Bernard gets offended