The Hodnett Family Converting Scotland

[Gobsmacked]

15 hours ago, FrumperedCat said:

Oooh and won't Jody also have to take a hazard perception test! That's probably something he didn't have to do in the USA. Wonder if he's realised that yet. It's quite a tricksy one too and requires you to be fairly alert and aware. I presume that wasn't included in his theory test that he practiced.

Just asked child #1. He passed his tests last November. The Hazard perception test is a different paper to the theory test. All taken on the same day at the test centre. All computerised these days.

Around 15 hazards to spot. He said you have to be quick and alert to spot them.

[PennySycamore]

I know we talked about roundabouts several pages ago, but I remembered another one in upstate SC this morning.   It's in a shopping complex over on Woodruff Road where Costco, ToysRUs  and a lot of newer shops and restaurants are.  I'd much rather cope with that roundabout than the stop signs at the Shops at Greenridge.

I misspoke when I said that people in Spartanburg aren't bothered by the roundabout at Hearon Circle.  According to my daughter who lives in Spartanburg,  many of them do find Hearon Circle tough to negotiate. You'd think/hope they'd learn.

[imokit]

He has a year to take his theory and practical.  The thing is driving test centres often fill up ages in advance (both for theory and practical).  I passed my theory first time, but didn't dare book my practical until after I'd passed because failing a test adds at least a month to the process (depending on how flexible you can be with exam times).

Also the hazard test - great fun, but you can't cheat it and click everything as the computer knows and penalises you for over clicking

[Triplet3]

Unless it's different in Scotland to in England (or unless they changed the rules recently), you have two years in which to pass your practical test after you take the theory test, before the theory test expires. I passed my theory first time last summer, but because of not being able to practice much, it took me until this summer to pass my practical.  I didn't retake the test lots of times,  I just had to wait 2-3 months between each test attempt because the test slots get booked up months in advance unless you can grab a cancellation slot!  I was also restricted somewhat by the fact that I wanted to take the test only in my hometown, where I was most familiar with the roads.

I strongly recommend doing practice questions for the multiple choice part of the theory test, and doing practice hazard perception tests. The official latter ones are from the DVLA (I think) and were well worth the money for me. They cost under £5 for 24 hours of access - I used them the night before I did the hazard perception test and ended up getting 68/75 in the real thing. I got full marks in the theory multiple choice and put that entirely down to memorising most of the Highway Code and doing practice theory tests online for a fortnight or so beforehand!

[tankgirl]

One big thing is these tests are designed for new drivers, not experienced drivers. The hazard test can be very difficult as experienced drivers tend to react differently putting you outside the acceptable response window. Making you fail, just because you react differently.

 

You also see the same issues in the practical. The space the give you and expectations are different then how you real world drive. This is why everyone I know who came to the UK from other countries who needed to do the test for their license again, took lessons, some still failed first time. I heard the written/hazard test has a 60% first time pass rate, the practical has a 40% first time pass rate. They don't play around with driving in the UK unlike some of the very simple US tests some friends have taken. He should be prepared to be very surprised.

[Lurky]

11 hours ago, Triplet3 said:

Unless it's different in Scotland to in England (or unless they changed the rules recently), you have two years in which to pass your practical test after you take the theory test, before the theory test expires.

The problem for the Hods is that Jody is driving on his USA license right now - but if he doesn't pass both parts within the year of arrival, he'll have to stop driving (unless with L plates and a registered driver I guess) and that will put a dint in attending church in Carlisle...

[alba]

3 hours ago, tankgirl said:

One big thing is these tests are designed for new drivers, not experienced drivers. The hazard test can be very difficult as experienced drivers tend to react differently putting you outside the acceptable response window. Making you fail, just because you react differently.

 

You also see the same issues in the practical. The space the give you and expectations are different then how you real world drive. This is why everyone I know who came to the UK from other countries who needed to do the test for their license again, took lessons, some still failed first time. I heard the written/hazard test has a 60% first time pass rate, the practical has a 40% first time pass rate. They don't play around with driving in the UK unlike some of the very simple US tests some friends have taken. He should be prepared to be very surprised.

This is what happened with me. I failed because I didn't brake early enough before red light. I drove safely and didn't brake suddenly, but, as someone with over half a decade of experience, I was driving far more confidently than is expected during that test.

[Gobsmacked]

Jody has been traveling on a double decker bus. Much safer for the good folk of Dundee me thinks!

[Peas n carrots]

The problem for the Hods is that Jody is driving on his USA license right now - but if he doesn't pass both parts within the year of arrival, he'll have to stop driving (unless with L plates and a registered driver I guess) and that will put a dint in attending church in Carlisle...

Maybe then he will have to figure out a trains schedule!

Seriously, for people who are supposed to be living on a tight budget he really is finding ways to make his life in the UK really expensive.

[alba]

35 minutes ago, Peas n carrots said:

 

Maybe then he will have to figure out a trains schedule!

Seriously, for people who are supposed to be living on a tight budget he really is finding ways to make his life in the UK really expensive.

It's not even difficult to get a train from Dundee to Carlisle! There are trains every fifteen minutes from Dundee to Haymarket, and at least two trains an hour on Sundays from Haymarket to Carlisle.

If you buy your tickets in advance, the train can be reasonably budget-friendly, although for a family of five it might actually be cheaper to drive. It's £27.80 one-way from Haymarket to Carlisle, and IIRC it's about £7.20 from Dundee to Haymarket. That's per adult (kids are cheaper).

[Jellybean]

If the Hodnett family were travelling regularly by train, a Family & Friends railcard would save them money. 

The railcard itself costs £30, but gives 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off child fares. Each railcard covers up to four adults and four children for each journey. It would pay for itself pretty quickly if the family travelled by train to Carlisle for church. 

[Gobsmacked]

He has some pics taken from a train from Dundee to Carlise. Not sure when they were taken though.

He is sensible to travel on the train now the weather is wintery. The roads can be hazardous if not gritted.

[Glasgowghirl]

Just catching up on thread disappointed they didn't come to Glasgow. I had visions of them preaching outside Celtic Park and Ibrox Stadium, or Buchanan Street.

[Gobsmacked]

There is time yet!

The church at Carlisle appears to be have a very small congregation from the videos Jody posted.

He is possibly being sent there to draw in the crowds. Roll up Roll up, come hear our new American preacher.  A bit of a side show to entice folk through the doors.

The whole thing seems unorganised. First he posted that the family will be in Glasgow, ( he mistakes Edinburgh for Glasgow). They end up in Dundee. He did seem surprised by that himself.

Then he discovers? Is told? That his services are required in Carlise ( not even in Scotland).

It all appears a trifle odd to me. 

[hoipolloi]

2 hours ago, Gobsmacked said:

He has some pics taken from a train from Dundee to Carlise. Not sure when they were taken though.

He is sensible to travel on the train now the weather is wintery. The roads can be hazardous if not gritted.

Speaking of grit, this cracked me up the other day:

 

[Glasgowghirl]

54 minutes ago, hoipolloi said:

Speaking of grit, this cracked me up the other day:

 

The winner was Nicole Saltslinger to go with the other gritter Gritney Spears. They told Nicole on Saturday's xfactor.

1 hour ago, Gobsmacked said:

There is time yet!

The church at Carlisle appears to be have a very small congregation from the videos Jody posted.

He is possibly being sent there to draw in the crowds. Roll up Roll up, come hear our new American preacher.  A bit of a side show to entice folk through the doors.

The whole thing seems unorganised. First he posted that the family will be in Glasgow, ( he mistakes Edinburgh for Glasgow). They end up in Dundee. He did seem surprised by that himself.

Then he discovers? Is told? That his services are required in Carlise ( not even in Scotland).

It all appears a trifle odd to me. 

They probably don't get the difference between Scotland and England. Some educated Foreigners have asked me if Scotland was part of England. TV shows even get it wrong when the refer to queen Elizabeth as the queen of England when she is queen of all the UK and it was a Scot who united the two thrones.

[mango_fandango]

I still haven't learnt to drive (Brit here), and I've been eligible to learn for four years. The idea of driving scares me. I know I should probably learn, and I bet I will eventually, but I just can't bring myself to right now. 

This man seems nuts. Why not live in Carlisle? Why travel from Dundee? It's a long ass way. He doesn't seem to have a clue what he's doing.

[Palimpsest]

2 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

He doesn't seem to have a clue what he's doing.

And that, I'm afraid, is quite typical of IFB "missionaries."

I feel a limerick is coming on ...

There once was a mission'ry called Jody,

Whose knowledge of Scotland was grody.

He went to Dundee

To convert the Wee Free,

But to Carlisle he drives just to toady.

[Howl]

Would there be different visa requirements if they moved to Carlisle, or is a visa good for all of the UK?

 

[imokit]

@Howl A visa for the UK is good for everywhere. The exception to this was if it was the Ireland/Northern Ireland border they were flipping across as although there aren't usually border checks there, Ireland has different requirements for a visa as its not part of the UK.  But flipping between Scotland and England is fine, they're both UK.

[samurai_sarah]

25 minutes ago, Howl said:

Would there be different visa requirements if they moved to Carlisle, or is a visa good for all of the UK?

 

Their visa is good for all of the UK. They could move to Carlisle. But since they are attending a church there, I guess the church-planting and soul-winning for Carlisle is covered by someone else.

@Palimpsest

Your limerick reminded me of a conversation overheard in Glasgow, between a proselytiser and a lady.

He: I have a message of joy for you!

She: Joy? Joy??? I'm Presbyterian, I want nothing to do with that kind of thing!

And I am totally stealing that response if anyone ever approaches me with a message of joy.

[formergothardite]

Am I understanding correctly that he went to convert Scotland but he ended up working at a church that isn't even in Scotland?He might be in the running for world's most inept missionary. He just needs to lose a plane, a well and some chickens. 

[Lurky]

12 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Am I understanding correctly that he went to convert Scotland but he ended up working at a church that isn't even in Scotland?

Is he actually working at the church in Carlisle, or just attending it?  He was doing some stand-in preaching there, but I'm always a bit confused by the likes of Jody H and Jill Rod, whose missions are literally "preaching to the converted".  I can't see how they can be doing soul winning, or useful work in the community etc, when they live far away. 

(I know that some North American/Aussie/South Africans etc laugh at the average Western European approach to distance, as it means nothing to drive the 168 miles between Dundee and Carlisle, given how long it takes just to drive across Texas/Queensland etc etc, but when it takes over 3 hours each way to drive between home and church, that just doesn't make sense...)

[Palimpsest]

42 minutes ago, samurai_sarah said:

Joy? Joy??? I'm Presbyterian, I want nothing to do with that kind of thing!

Hee!  I'm going to steal that one too. 

37 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Am I understanding correctly that he went to convert Scotland but he ended up working at a church that isn't even in Scotland?

Seems that way.  He wanted to convert Glasgow (but he confused that with Edinburgh) went to Dundee instead (with no explaination to his funders) and is now preaching in Carlisle.

There is a tiny possibility that he realized that he is totally out of his depth in Dundee and that the missionary in Carlisle is mentoring him for a few months before he tries to convert Dundee, but I doubt it.  What the fuck has he done in Dundee so far except for eating fish and chips?

In other news, we are supposed to be praying for his housing.  No word as to why.  A humper asks "What happened to the house in Dundee?"  Crickets so far.  

Also, the container arrived and has cleared customs.  I wonder whether anything got broken, as with Shrader.

My new year prediction for the Hodnutt and family - they move to Carlisle citing as reasons "the natives in Dundee are hostile" and "Satan evicted us from the house in Dundee because we didn't realize we had to pay rent."

Oh, wait - he added something: "we got the house."

What house?  Perhaps it's in Carlisle? 

[formergothardite]

"Landlord is possessed" is what Shrader used and that seemed appease his followers, perhaps Hodnutt can borrow it.