AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

A load of old Gobblers

26th July 1980, Page 44
26th July 1980
Page 44
Page 44, 26th July 1980 — A load of old Gobblers
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

I HAVE BEEN browsing happily through Gobbledegook, in which Tom Vernon, a radio journalist, dissects some official forms on behalf of the National Consumer Council for the relief of suffering of mankind. The book costs £1 and would induce a comfortable glow on a wet and freezing summer holiday.

The Department of Transport emerges with less egg on its face than some Government departments. The layout of Form D1 (Application for a Driving Licence) enables it to -be completed without too much hairtearing by a reasonably logical and literal member of the population," says Tom Vernon. Some of the text is, however, regarded less generously.

Leaflet D100 ("Driving in the UK and Abroad") is roughly handled. "The language inside is, by and large, uncompromising gobbledegook.'" An explanation of "driving entitlement" is described as leaving the reader "feeling like a laboratory rat suffering from a bad attack of the mazes."

The author continues: "But the flower of D100 is 'Driving Licence Groups and Minimum Ages for Driving'. It tries to be universally useful, with the result that it is universally difficult."

Form V10 (Vehicle Licence Application), which now has to be completed in black ink, "looks a mess".

But Tom Vernon reserves his most choice vituperation for Form 0L26(M) (Application for a Driving Test Appointment in the Metropolitan Traffic Area). "Compared to DL26(M), V10 was a Venus de Milo — beautiful, equable and well, pruned,'' he says, "The only enticing thing about DL26(M) is that it is see-through, with paper that's rather too thin and ink that's rather too black . .

"No polysyllable, no minor inconvience, no petty pedantry is left unturned in the effort to cut the applicant down to size . . . One wonder of verbosity succeeds another in this amazing document . . This fatheaded form has commitment only to the office and the system, and none at all to language and to people."


comments powered by Disqus