Can I complain about Daughter's Driving Test?

ArsenalFC

This thread is pretty straightforward. The daughter didn't get the requested special attention/instruction for the test which may well have caused her so much undue stress/not understanding that could leads to the failing of the test. So the OP has a legitimate right to make a complain.

For those do not take what people say at face value on this forum then as others have said why bother to reply as you are providing no assistant.

OP and Wig I dont think you need to response to some of the people anymore on here. They never believe anything what people write as its 2nd/3rd hand infomation and everything they say is 100% facts???

OP - I hope you will get a good outcome for your daughter.

beachbeth

I think you have summed it up nicely, Arsenal. I will let you know what the DSA say (even if I don't agree with it!).

hm71_2

beachbeth wrote: »

Yes, I telephoned the DSA the next day. They have it on record that she was to have a special needs test and didn't know why this wasn't taken up at the test centre. They instructed me to send an email with all the details, which I did.

My daughter received a letter yesterday asking for her permission for me to deal with the matter on her behalf, because of the Data Protection Act. She signed and posted this yesterday and we are waiting for the DSA to now look into the matter.

Thats good. hopefully you will get an investigation into what happened and a soloution that resolves the matter what ever the outcome. good luck.

photome

Inactive wrote: »

Well please yourself, but I can assure you that everything that I stated in the above post is fact.

It seems to me like you are just trying to blame anyone and everyone for your Daughters failure to pass her test, as the ADI said, none of us were there, including yourself.

I don't have a problem with you complaining to the DSA, however they will of course get both sides of the story before making a decision.

Both sides of the story?!

It is simple, they either did or did not provide a special needs test, everything else is irelevant.

The_Undercover_ADI

photome wrote: »

It is simple, they either did or did not provide a special needs test, everything else is irelevant.

Correct, regarding the question of a free retest.

Regarding progress and the instructions, there is an overriding instruction which is given at the beginning of the test and all ADIs prepare their candidates for, which is to continue following the road ahead until they are given further instructions. Sometimes candidates who have been trained on test routes will anticipate an instruction. Unfortunately examiners will quite often ignore test routes if they feel that the candidate is doing this, in order to properly test the candidates ability.

Examiners ARE strictly monitored by the DSA and over a long period (don't start on the end of day/week/month quota myth - that's tosh) and if their pass rate is not within a certain tolerance of the test centre manager's, they will be be assessed and receive any remedial training necessary to ensure that their marking is fair and effective.

As with all test fails (whether correctly carried out or not), they should be viewed for what they are - an expert assessment under the conditions. The majority of the weaknesses on the fault list are not purely to do with the method of communication.

Use this information and knowing the DSA they will ensure your daughter's test will be carried out correctly. With the information to work on from the previous test and better communication I hope your daughter is successful next time.

katiekittykat

Sorry if this has already been asked but maybe you get your dd's ADI to help you out with writing a letter (incase they require your complaint in writing)

xxx

24ctu_2

Sorry to intrude with no business here, but I felt compelled to post to applaud the OP (and Wig too) for putting up with 10 pages of utter drivel.

The issue is a) that the test centre didn't provide a special needs-appropriate test as requested when booking and that b) the examiner made no effort to reconcile the test centre's mistake and acted inappropriately in doing so. That's it.

I am really appalled at some of the accusations made at the OP's daughter. It seems plain to me that she simply requires more time to process some information spoken to her. This would have nothing to do with driving ability, but it's been insinuated that as well as this she is a wholly incompetent driver, a liar, someone with no memory (or a wild imagination) and a complete inability to understand any kind of instruction.

We're never going to get the full story (which apparently should be a minute-by-minute account of everything that occurred to satisfy some people, document scans, maybe a video of the test?), so the "facts", "facts", "facts" brigade ought to calm down.

I'd ensure that you receive a refund for a test that wasn't appropriate for the student, and make a complaint about the attitude of the examiner. If the examiner was half as bad as some of the people posting in this thread, I'd probably fail my test too, out of sheer terror.

What a complete farce. :rotfl:

moneysaver

Waste of time complaining it is a closed shop with any Government agency.

When the theory test first came out years ago my daughter took the test, at the time it was on paper & the result took 10 days. We waited 10 days but no result came through, so we gave a couple of more days allowing for the post. I phoned up to ask where the result was & was told they had no record as she had not taken the test. I was shocked to hear this but was told no record no test was taken. On the day of the test my wife dropped her off at the door & waited on her so we know she took it. I spoke to all sorts of supervisors, managers etc but was in the end told she never took it. No way would they admit it had got lost among all the fiasco at the very start of this theory test nonesense. She took it a second time & passed I hasten to say. Try to go against a government agency you have a slim chance.


Moneysaver

beachbeth

We were a bit disappointed last night as we got an email from the DSA to say they wouldn't refund because it was up to the candidate to make sure the test centre knew she was special needs.

My daughter, however, rang them this morning to explain that she had told the examiner she was special needs when she got to the test centre. She told them the conversation she had with the examiner including the fact that the examiner cut her short and wasn't interested. She was then told that the person who needed to deal with this would ring her back later on. At about 5.15 tonight this person rang back and said in light of the fact that the information hadn't been passed on to the examiner and that my daughter had tried to convey that she was special needs the DSA would be refunding the test fee!!! Yay! Result!

So:
After all this, we are getting our test fee refunded!!! :j :beer: :T

Who says its not worth trying to sort it out and get our money back? I think it was well worth it!:D

beachbeth

PS They are making sure the information gets passed on to the test centre before her next test and I will also ring them up to make sure they know about a week before. If she fails her test this time then so be it. She can only do her best.