As revealed in yesterday's M.E.N, mother-of-two Michelle Kelly, from Blackley, had to keep her L-plates after the examiner failed her.
He told her she should have stopped to exchange details with the man she splashed, who was waiting at a bus stop.
Ms Kelly will now have to pay £200 for more lessons and a new test, which will be her fourth.
Ms Kelly, 31, who was halfway through her test in Manchester, protested that if she had swerved to avoid the puddle she might have caused an accident.
But after pulling in at the Driving Standards Agency test centre in the city, the examiner told her off for splashing the pedestrian and failed her. She was told her actions constituted a traffic offence.
The DSA said it could not comment on specific details due to data protection laws.
But it pointed out that motorists should have consideration for others, including pedestrians, who can possibly be drenched by passing vehicles.
Its advice is that, where possible, a driver should avoid drenching pedestrians and a failure to do this would be sufficient grounds for failing a driving test.
The Road Traffic Act contains an offence of 'careless, and inconsiderate, driving' and Crown Prosecution Service policy states that bad or inconsiderate driving includes driving through a puddle causing pedestrians to be splashed. Courts may impose fines of up to £2,500 for such an offence.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Blue Chris, On The Blue Moon (09/09/2008 at 11:58)
synikal, Manchester (09/09/2008 at 12:02)
LittleMancMinx, Ashton Under Lyne (09/09/2008 at 12:10)
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (09/09/2008 at 12:24)
Princess_Pam, Crumpsall (09/09/2008 at 12:31)
I've been driving over 20 years and I've never splashed anybody in the rain. If I can't avoid the puddle by giving it a wider berth then I'd drive slowly enough through it so as not to cause a splash.
This woman should change driving schools so she gets better advice on considerate use of the road but with her attitude so far, I think she'll still be trying to pass in twenty years.
Jomov (09/09/2008 at 12:32)
wayneold, manc (09/09/2008 at 12:34)
Well done for failing her!
hjk (09/09/2008 at 13:45)
trust she sees these people
whilst out driving and finds
something better than a puddle to soak them with.
Redmanc, Manchester (09/09/2008 at 13:50)
Kayut (09/09/2008 at 13:51)
Sometimes you cant avoid driving though puddles.
I think she should have passed but they wont because its just another way of getting more money out of her!
Blue Chris, On The Blue Moon (09/09/2008 at 13:55)
Avice Collins (09/09/2008 at 13:57)
Redmanc, Manchester (09/09/2008 at 13:57)
Jay B, oldham (09/09/2008 at 14:47)
but then she should assess the road and maybe claim off the council for the extra costs incurred for poor maintainence of the road where the water was pooling.
it is possible.
the roads have never been in such a bad state at the momment!
Manchester by Day (09/09/2008 at 15:37)
chris (09/09/2008 at 16:14)
that'll be value for money.
alternatively they could just learn to drive correctly, well done that examiner I say!
cheeky chops, Manchester (09/09/2008 at 16:15)
If you're a padestrian (which I am when I'm going to the pub) who doesn't want to get splashed by people who haven't been to Specsavers, wait until there's a quiet moment or cross the road.
Simple!
Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (09/09/2008 at 16:35)
"Driving Examiners = the most pedantic, witless, authoritarian people on earth."
Which Test Centre do you work out of? Seriously, those that pass first time seldom concur with your view.
Having not read the highway code since 1964 when I passed my test, I thought I would give it a butchers: "Sections: 204-225: Road users requiring extra care": 206
Drive carefully and slowly when driving past bus and tram stops.
Section 226-237 (Wet Weather): 227 take extra care around pedestrians...
mylifeinthemafia (09/09/2008 at 16:56)
Ron Kershaw (09/09/2008 at 18:57)
She has demonstrated not only an ignorance of the law but also an ignorance of common manners and decency.
What gets my goat is that she has the gall to say it wasn't her fault. Well, she was driving the car and should have been aware of her surroundings, puddle and all.
She also says there is nothing she could have done, forgetting that she could have simply slowed down.
If more ignorant people like this were banned from driving our roads would be a lot safer and less congested - people need to realise they need to be considerate when using the roads and if that means stopping them until they learn that then so be it.
tom tom, Manchester (09/09/2008 at 20:20)
Iain Monks (10/09/2008 at 00:43)
With this sort of mentality she should be forced to use public transport for the rest of her life!
If it's not safe to maneuver round the puddle, then she needs to slow down.
Blue Chris, On The Blue Moon (10/09/2008 at 08:49)
mylifeinthemafia"
Neither should idiots who can't use roundabouts properly..the amount of times I have to slam the anchors on when someone cuts across..if it wasn't for my anticipation I'd have about 50 claims on the go at the moment with driving through Fallowfield & Longsight every day.
LeeC22, Manchester, UK (10/09/2008 at 12:21)
I also hope the pedestrian sues her for damaging their clothes.
I'm sure she hoped everyone would be on her side, instead, she has just made a fool of herself. I bet the payout she got for her story has been worth the embarrassment though.
Drew Peacock, Hulme (10/09/2008 at 13:13)
only a tyrant would splash somebody like that.