Basic test of visual acuity. 6/6 is the average good level. Human Aspects of Police Driving suggests that many police drivers have 6/4 vision (at 69 I now have that unaided after cataract surgery and now don't need glasses).. Probably 6/12 is the minimum for the UK for car drivers.

Road signs. Can you discern 50 from 60 at speed and distance, for example?

It’s because they’re a standardised size. We know that if you can read a UK number plate from 20 metres, you have whatever the equivalent is on the Snellen chart in the opticians. It could be bananas at 5 metres or Road signs at 100, whatever so long as it’s a standard that can be applied anywhere for everybody.

Number plates are handy - bound to be some cars with plates near a government driving test center or on a road when a constable wishes to conduct a test on a driver whom they suspect is driving with defective vision (they have legal authority to carry this out). And so allied to the replies given above, it's simply a convenience thing.

@@aztimms Thanks, would dyslexia be taken into account?

Driving course refers to using exemptions - basic still an afternoon's assessment then can use on enquiries and local patrol but no blues and twos just as it was back in't day (some forces also allow compliment vehicle stops but no pursuit). Officers can still foot patrol and be passenger seat observer on an response car crew. Once upon a time driving school would teach young officers to drive and gain a license if at present they had never driven before joining - not sure that would happen today?

Basic driving permit. Non-response. Basic generally allows patrol, a to b, complaint stops, and road blocks.

Any worse than all those police drivers that drove while using their Pye Bernadette/Pocket Phone UHF radio's back in't day - as they aren't cellular phones that wouldn't be illegal even now!

Taking one hand off the wheel isn't bad practice if you aren't making a turn... How do you expect people to change gears. Stop being so boring. This man is one of the best drivers you can find. Very experienced and knowledgeable.

@@OpvectorUK I did day 'could be considered a bad practise' and really if one applies what may be considered as reasonable, ie. such as changing gear, but not changing radio channels. They do in a court case. The taking of one's hand off as he is doing for no apparent reason may not be considered to be reasonable and therefore could be considered to be bad practice and and maybe an offence in law of driving without due care and attention and that may be an offence under S. 3 RTA. .

@rcraven1013 You have no idea, do you? Driving without due care and attention "when your driving falls below the minimum standard expected of a competent and careful driver" Taking one hand off the wheel would not be prosecuted anywhere if all of your other driving skills and abilities are at the minimum or better standard. You would have to prove beyond all resonable doubt that the driving as a whole fell below that standard. Normally, statements, dash cam, cctv of the vehicle in motion, and how it is being driven on a road.

I do not disagree with the first paragraph as regards failing to drive in a reasonable manner etc. but disagree that constantly taking ones hand off the wheel for no reasonable reason such as said changing gear, indicating operating washers etc. can be deemed to be reasonable expected and anticipated as being necessary. The DVSA says that we should at all times drive with our hands on the steering wheel unless operating other necessary controls. Even then to return our hands to the wheel at the soonest possible moment in order to maintain steering control. Waving ones hand for no apparent reason as seen on your video could never be considered to be reasonable and falls well below the standard required of a competent and safe driver. It matters not that all other respects ones driving was without question. For example the same would apply to riders of motorcycles who are seen to ride one handed and with the other hand off the handlebars and being waved in the air and for no apparent reason. That would be looked upon as being unreasonable and dangerous as would a car driver who was continually doing the same thing.