70 years on the road; Peter Grant says happy birthday to the infamous driving test.

Byline: Peter Grant

TEARING up the L Plates after passing your driving test is one of the great joys in life There's nothing like knowing you will never have to sit through that nerve-racking experience again.

Paul O' Grady used to hide behind curtains to avoid his driving instructor and some celebs have never bothered to drive because the thought of someone scrutinising their every move proved too much to bear.

But pre-1935, in the days before officialdom stepped in, life on the roads was heaven. The volume of cars on the roads wasn't too great and there were no driving or theory tests to worry about.

So how did driving come to be such a serious matter?

In 1910 an engineer's apprentice, Stanley Roberts, set up a business instructing people to drive. As his vehicle fleet grew, he based his company in London's Piccadilly and named it The British School of Motoring (BSM).

These days, BSM is one of the most famous UK driving schools and has branches all over Merseyside.

In its infancy, BSM's mechanism and driving course included the complimentary introduction of students to 'ladies and gentlemen requiring chauffeurs' and during World War One it was appointed to run war emergency courses teaching the Army to drive.

But it was not until 1935 that the Ministry of Transport called on the company to help set up a practical driving test. The original examiners were drawn from BSM staff.

The first person to pass the new test was a Mr Beene, who had been taught by them and he received the very first test certificate on March 16, 1935.

Although driving tests were suspended during World War Two, BSM organised the training of thousands ofservice drivers. The official 1935 BSM brochure talked about the 'most radical change in British motoringand introduces learners to the prospect of an 'official compulsory' test.

Now the government claim the test has helped make our roads the safest in Europe.

BSM Liverpool's Emma Tweedle agrees. She said:'While modern day driving conditions and driving tests differ greatly from 70 years ago, the freedom and sense of achievement brought by learning to drive remains the same, and we hope pupils will continue to follow in Mr Beene's footsteps.'

Comedian Micky Finn says hewouldn't be able to pass the test in 2005. 'I took my test about five times - eventually passing in Crosby during the 70s,' he says.

'I was OK with my instructor, Jack, but when it came to the actual test my bottle went - this man with a clipboard walked across the court yard and he reminded me of the Gestapo.

'It was lashing down with rain but somehow I managed to crack it. I don't think I'd pass it now, though.'

Brendan Riley, one of the members of The Liverpool 3 comic troupe, used to be a car mechanic but he packed up his spanners to become a stand-up.

'I think I would be able to pass the new test - but the problem is changing all my bad habits.

'I do remember when I passed on my second attempt though.

'At first I was stressed out - my left leg was operating the clutch and itturned to jelly - the leg, that is. I was praying it would freeze out - luckily, it did.'

Actor and singer Danny Mc Call said the driving test was one of the worst experiences of his life.

'I was told by the angry examiner 'get out of this car - you are a danger to the public'.

'I sat there in St Helens and thought 'thank you, pal'.

'He got a cab back to the centre and I was left sitting there.'

Danny, however, got his act together to prove the examiner wrong.

But would he pass the test now? 'If it was 1935 - yes. I have seen pictures of the old days and the bizarre machines used to help people pass but now I would fail with flying colours.

I'm glad I passed when I did.

'Happy 70th birthday, driving test, but I don't want to see YOU again

CAPTION(S):

STRESSED OUT: Brendan Riley passed his test on his second attempt; YOU'VE PASSED!: A BSM instructor, left, congratulates a pupil; above, a driving hazard tester ; below, a 1968 driving test simulator