Doing my lessons one Saturday morning my instructor asked me if I'd been taking lessons from another company because I was driving flawlessly. I reassured him that I hadn't and was just still a bit pissed from the night before. He just told me to do that the night before my test so I did and bingo, I passed.
I also spent ages constantly refreshing the website for available test times at my preferred test centre (Belvedere) until I got a nice 9am Saturday morning test. Roads were really quiet which made it heaps easier.
Easy to say but it’s just a driving test mate. Worst case, do it again. There are some stressful things in life, that ain’t really one. In a few months you’ll be sitting in traffic wondering why you bothered!!!
Easy to say, but ignore the fact it’s a test. The boy passed his recently and my advice to him was try and pretend it was me and him on a practice. Its a bizarre thing, but a driving test is the easiest thing to fail even if you are good. You can be the safest driver in the world but if some twat pulls out in front of you during your test you can fail. Try and accept that it’s in the lap of the Gods and go with the flow. And good luck! I passed at 17 and I don’t think I would have had the enthusiasm to learn in my 30s
Took me 5 goes and believe me when I say on the second attempt no one has had a 'shit' test like I had.
My first attempt was actually the best until the pass on the 5th, got a major because on instruction to go straight on at a roundabout I sat in a right only lane and because I came back across (no cars in sight) he claimed that if there were cars it was dangerous and I should have don't the roundabout again.
Took a massive break after that, second go I really needed a wiz before the test, as I was pissing I felt a fart coming on, weren't a fart. Ended up being in the toilet for at least ten minutes past exam time, examiner and instructor knocking on the door outside while I've got a pair of shitty boxers in the bin. Knew from that moment it was a write off, failed because on a routine park up I touched the curb, was considered a major.
Third attempt was in Eltham, was pretty confident for this one, went over the fish roundabout, had a complete brain fart and nearly ran a red, examiner used the brakes before I could. I knew I had failed so I just said I'm driving back. He insisted I had to carry on but I told him straight I ain't wasting the time. Rough one.
Fourth go is when I felt like I had a perfect test but was truly hard done by, was pulling out of a junction somewhere in Belvedere and a car came whizzing out of nowhere, could tell even the examiner panicked a bit but I calmly slowed down, let him whiz past and carried about my business. Got back thinking finally done it, she failed me. Said that it was dangerous to stop because there could have been a car to my right and there could have been an accident. So I questioned why did she think I stopped, I made it clear I knew there was no danger, the danger was challenging the speeding car to the road, she said I should have continued as it was my right of way and if the car collided that would have been unfortunate but his mistake! Couldn't make it up, called her a weasel and said she was out of order cause she knew I could drive and that was out of my control.
Anyway, fifth and final go I had the examiner that stopped the car for me on the 3rd, really nice guy, very easy test, don't think I've ever felt the relief like I have that day cause I really hated those tests. Fast forward I'm a postman and drive vans I wouldn't have dreamed I could have back then.
You'll be fine, it seriously can't go as bad as my second attempt, good luck
Managed to pass on my 7th attempt, having my wife on the verge of labor with our first baby and threatening divorce if I didn’t drive her to hospital probably helped. She went into labor on the night I passed, shock, pure relief or coincidence you decide
Well, he passed. I think a lot of people put too much pressure on themselves with driving tests. I mean, you can take it again in a few weeks! That is as good a reason not to get too bothered about it you can get.
I used to be a driving instructor, I taught for 8 years, I loved the job but had to give it up because the income was too unpredictable.
For my nervous pupils I got them to break the test down into two elements, not a 40 minute driving test but two 20 min drives. After 30-50 hours of driving tuition the pupil should be familiar with the area that they will be taking their test and will be able to identify when they are at the furthest point from the test center, which will usually be about 20 minutes in. After this they are in the home straight, as long as nothing major has happened all they have to do is drive back to the test center at which point the route and roads will be familiar so would put them at ease.
Remember - just a 20 minutes drive plus a journey back.
Best thing to do is take as many lessons as you can. I had about 30 lessons before I passed first time. Also helped that I had an absolute c*** of a driving instructor who scared me shitless into passing first time! Remember getting kicked out of the car after cocking up my emergency stop for the 4th time during one lesson.
My instructor told me he found most pupils needed as many lessons as their age - and in my case he was pretty well spot on. Despite being nervous as hell I managed somehow to pass first time with the car, having failed twice about 10 years earlier on my motor bike.
I think any prior road use - pushbike or motorbike for example - is valuable in giving you road sense (and hopefully road manners) which helps, but as a novice driver your mind will inevitably still be full of the mechanics of clutch, gears, mirrors, etc. which will eventually become second nature.
I am shocked at the amount of times some you took to pass, no wonder the roads are full of bad drivers 😀
Well this will really shock you!
OP, I don't have any advice, but learning to drive was a particularly challenging process for me. I have ADHD (only diagnosed six months after passing my driving test) and possibly dyspraxia. It took me well over a hundred lessons with four different instructors and six tests to pass. Whenever I failed, I booked as soon as possible to retake.
I decided to remind myself that it wasn't like a job interview where you only get one chance, and that I was going to keep going until I passed.
Hope that brings you some encouragement. Good luck.
Before my first test, I was a wreck. Before my second, I was completely relaxed - because I realised I could keep taking it until I passed! I also broke the ice with the examiner by being conversational and not taking them too seriously.
You've got nothing to lose. Well, maybe a bit of cash on buying so many tests, but still - there's no real reason to be nervous, it's just driving around in a car with some other person. Maybe they will like the way you did it, maybe they won't. If they don't that's cool - go again in a few weeks.
If nerves are an issue it never hurts to knock one out half and hour before you set off. If you mess up during the test pull over and repeat the process.
Passed 2nd time when i was 17, i think the best advice is to get the examiner talking as its so much less nerve wracking and if they're talking to you they are invariably paying less attention to minor details. Also as others have said, the world isn't going to stop if you fail, just keep going until you get it! Good Luck!
The test itself is not difficult to pass, its just easy to fail
I think that sounds stupid, but it is true. There are many unlucky things that can happen that can make it much harder, or it can go like a breeze. Again, if you try and try again if needed, you will get a good day.
On my first test the examiner had to slam on his breaks 2 minutes into the test. When I passed on my third test the woman grabbed the wheel and swerved when a parked car pulled out on me, I argued with her that I was already mid swerve and clearly saw it coming hence my reaction. I got a bit animated when she tried to fail me at the end, she actually changed her mind when I'd explained my point. Wasn't expecting that. So maybe try kick off a bit!
passing my driving test at 17 with no minor faults I'm going to say was a landmark achievement for me and one I remain proud of
I had 13 lessons and went out practising with my mum loads who showed remarkable patience with me as I thought I could drive the moment I sat my arse down in the drivers seat
What I did do when booking my test was listen to every bit of advice I was given and picked out a couple of key details
Allegedly test centres don't like to get a reputation for passing everyone so by the end of the working week if they had a lot of passes the examiners were rumoured to be a bit overly officious. Also, driving tests can be stressful, so doing one in rush hour wouldnt be conductive to calming yourself down. Easy thought I, test booked for 10.30 on a Monday morning!
Another useful piece of advice was to genuinely keep a proper eye on all of your mirrors, it's a habit I have kept to this day 19 years later. When you are doing these mirror checks, move your head slightly so it is clear to the examiner you are alert and aware of your surroundings and other road users. I'm not saying don't check your mirrors but if you get in a habit of every 3 seconds drawing a right angle triangle with your head even if you aren't looking in all of your mirrors, I believe that went a long way, in fact I remember the examiner commenting and saying he was impressed with my awareness.
Take your instructor in the car with you, I had heard loads of horror stories about examiners failing people for ridiculous reasons and I wasn't having that happen without a qualified eye witness.
Take the test in an area known to you, the rumour was when I was learning to drive was Tunbridge Wells passed everyone. Fuck that, if I needed to drive there to pass I'd have been worrying about different road layouts and having to think about where I might end up. Doing it in Gilingham I knew the roads well already, stay local.
I put loads of pressure on myself to pass and felt failing it would have been letting myself and my instructor down (he was a lovely bloke but capable of genuinely frightening me) as well as my mum who had put up with me thinking I was Colin McRae. In hindsight I would still have put that pressure on myself as with any test you want to aim to pass it and have confidence you can do so. So load the dice in your favour. Get a good night's sleep beforehand, a healthy amount of pressure is fine, it keeps you sharp and focussed, do a mock test with your instructor, take or ignore my advice I feel the little things add up and give you a few less things to worry about
I am shocked at the amount of times some you took to pass, no wonder the roads are full of bad drivers 😀
This!!!! The standard of driving in this country is appalling, well in London anyway. Not just driving but the way people park up these days, on double yellows, zig-zags etc and think if they put their hazards on that makes it ok. Corners cut, tailgating, driving whilst using phones, lights jumped, undertaking, cutting in etc etc...
I am shocked at the amount of times some you took to pass, no wonder the roads are full of bad drivers 😀
This!!!! The standard of driving in this country is appalling, well in London anyway. Not just driving but the way people park up these days, on double yellows, zig-zags etc and think if they put their hazards on that makes it ok. Corners cut, tailgating, driving whilst using phones, lights jumped, undertaking, cutting in etc etc...
Comments
I also spent ages constantly refreshing the website for available test times at my preferred test centre (Belvedere) until I got a nice 9am Saturday morning test. Roads were really quiet which made it heaps easier.
My first attempt was actually the best until the pass on the 5th, got a major because on instruction to go straight on at a roundabout I sat in a right only lane and because I came back across (no cars in sight) he claimed that if there were cars it was dangerous and I should have don't the roundabout again.
Took a massive break after that, second go I really needed a wiz before the test, as I was pissing I felt a fart coming on, weren't a fart. Ended up being in the toilet for at least ten minutes past exam time, examiner and instructor knocking on the door outside while I've got a pair of shitty boxers in the bin. Knew from that moment it was a write off, failed because on a routine park up I touched the curb, was considered a major.
Third attempt was in Eltham, was pretty confident for this one, went over the fish roundabout, had a complete brain fart and nearly ran a red, examiner used the brakes before I could. I knew I had failed so I just said I'm driving back. He insisted I had to carry on but I told him straight I ain't wasting the time. Rough one.
Fourth go is when I felt like I had a perfect test but was truly hard done by, was pulling out of a junction somewhere in Belvedere and a car came whizzing out of nowhere, could tell even the examiner panicked a bit but I calmly slowed down, let him whiz past and carried about my business. Got back thinking finally done it, she failed me. Said that it was dangerous to stop because there could have been a car to my right and there could have been an accident. So I questioned why did she think I stopped, I made it clear I knew there was no danger, the danger was challenging the speeding car to the road, she said I should have continued as it was my right of way and if the car collided that would have been unfortunate but his mistake! Couldn't make it up, called her a weasel and said she was out of order cause she knew I could drive and that was out of my control.
Anyway, fifth and final go I had the examiner that stopped the car for me on the 3rd, really nice guy, very easy test, don't think I've ever felt the relief like I have that day cause I really hated those tests. Fast forward I'm a postman and drive vans I wouldn't have dreamed I could have back then.
You'll be fine, it seriously can't go as bad as my second attempt, good luck
For my nervous pupils I got them to break the test down into two elements, not a 40 minute driving test but two 20 min drives. After 30-50 hours of driving tuition the pupil should be familiar with the area that they will be taking their test and will be able to identify when they are at the furthest point from the test center, which will usually be about 20 minutes in. After this they are in the home straight, as long as nothing major has happened all they have to do is drive back to the test center at which point the route and roads will be familiar so would put them at ease.
Remember - just a 20 minutes drive plus a journey back.
I think any prior road use - pushbike or motorbike for example - is valuable in giving you road sense (and hopefully road manners) which helps, but as a novice driver your mind will inevitably still be full of the mechanics of clutch, gears, mirrors, etc. which will eventually become second nature.
Good luck next time.
OP, I don't have any advice, but learning to drive was a particularly challenging process for me. I have ADHD (only diagnosed six months after passing my driving test) and possibly dyspraxia. It took me well over a hundred lessons with four different instructors and six tests to pass. Whenever I failed, I booked as soon as possible to retake.
I decided to remind myself that it wasn't like a job interview where you only get one chance, and that I was going to keep going until I passed.
Hope that brings you some encouragement. Good luck.
So maybe that's the trick, take a lesson just before and get all the bad habits and nerves out the way.
You've got nothing to lose. Well, maybe a bit of cash on buying so many tests, but still - there's no real reason to be nervous, it's just driving around in a car with some other person. Maybe they will like the way you did it, maybe they won't. If they don't that's cool - go again in a few weeks.
Hope you can get to a relaxed point!
I had 13 lessons and went out practising with my mum loads who showed remarkable patience with me as I thought I could drive the moment I sat my arse down in the drivers seat
What I did do when booking my test was listen to every bit of advice I was given and picked out a couple of key details
Allegedly test centres don't like to get a reputation for passing everyone so by the end of the working week if they had a lot of passes the examiners were rumoured to be a bit overly officious. Also, driving tests can be stressful, so doing one in rush hour wouldnt be conductive to calming yourself down. Easy thought I, test booked for 10.30 on a Monday morning!
Another useful piece of advice was to genuinely keep a proper eye on all of your mirrors, it's a habit I have kept to this day 19 years later. When you are doing these mirror checks, move your head slightly so it is clear to the examiner you are alert and aware of your surroundings and other road users. I'm not saying don't check your mirrors but if you get in a habit of every 3 seconds drawing a right angle triangle with your head even if you aren't looking in all of your mirrors, I believe that went a long way, in fact I remember the examiner commenting and saying he was impressed with my awareness.
Take your instructor in the car with you, I had heard loads of horror stories about examiners failing people for ridiculous reasons and I wasn't having that happen without a qualified eye witness.
Take the test in an area known to you, the rumour was when I was learning to drive was Tunbridge Wells passed everyone. Fuck that, if I needed to drive there to pass I'd have been worrying about different road layouts and having to think about where I might end up. Doing it in Gilingham I knew the roads well already, stay local.
I put loads of pressure on myself to pass and felt failing it would have been letting myself and my instructor down (he was a lovely bloke but capable of genuinely frightening me) as well as my mum who had put up with me thinking I was Colin McRae. In hindsight I would still have put that pressure on myself as with any test you want to aim to pass it and have confidence you can do so. So load the dice in your favour. Get a good night's sleep beforehand, a healthy amount of pressure is fine, it keeps you sharp and focussed, do a mock test with your instructor, take or ignore my advice I feel the little things add up and give you a few less things to worry about
The standard of driving in this country is appalling, well in London anyway. Not just driving but the way people park up these days, on double yellows, zig-zags etc and think if they put their hazards on that makes it ok. Corners cut, tailgating, driving whilst using phones, lights jumped, undertaking, cutting in etc etc...