Can I complain about Daughter's Driving Test?

Inactive

Driving Test Results from Driving Examiners at the same Driving Test Centre are evaluated constantly by the DSA to ensure that the correct standards are applied by all examiners over a long period.

So the theory that Jo Bloggs fails more than Fred Smith is all in the mind of the beholder.

The OP makes comments about the actual driving test, she wasn't there, so how would she know?:rolleyes:

espresso

Not what you want to hear but it sounds to me like she was not really ready to take her test, nothing to do with special needs. The test ascertains if the driver has reached the bare minimum standard of driving. Any competent driver should be able to safely reverse around any corner on the test route, and if she was properly prepared for the test, this manoeuvre would not have presented a problem. As you said "its just one of those things and you have to move on" so there is no point wasting time registering a complaint about the examiner.

Conor_3

beachbeth wrote: »

Also, she had to do a 3-point turn on a steep hill and was asked to reverse round a corner where the road went down a hill and my daughter couldn't see down it properly. She marked her down for not looking in her mirrors, which is one thing she is good at. She got the feeling that the woman was trying to make her fail.

Because she's never ever likely to come across that scenario in her driving career is she?

Oh wait....
:rolleyes:

TiTheRev

Conor wrote: »

Because she's never ever likely to come across that scenario in her driving career is she?

Oh wait....
:rolleyes:

Maybe they should just make the test very easy, and allow the odd mistake so that we can all pass 1st time and clog the road even further with poor drivers!? :rolleyes:

I passed 3rd time, and it took me a lot of saving (I paid myself, a lesson in itself) and I learned a lot more about good driving and it made me a lot safer than most kids ive been in a car with who passed 1st time...!

hm71_2

I'm sorry to hear about your DD test, my ds1 passed his test recently and by christ I don't know how!!! we do have a real mare of an examiner at our local test centre & it is well known that she isn't keen on passing anyone!! I have several friends who are instructors and it is a common thought, but those are the breaks. You could complain & she may well get her next test free, if you feel that strongly then perhaps you should. I have a realtion who has now failed her test 4 times, when asked what she failed on she says "well the examiner said..." last time was she reversed around a corner and went over the white line in the middle of the road- therefore not staying on the correct side of the road. She really couldn't see that this was an issue, I said to her "so you were on the wrong side of the road? But she really felt she had been hard done by. It is frustrating but her time will come.

Stephb1986_2

i passed third time tbh, my mate passed last month fourth time. 3 years ago i had a car crash because someone pulled out infront of me the girl had only passed her test 2 weeks before. now i have to wear hearing aids because its made me severly deaf in 1 ear and tinnitus in both ears.

I think now, knowing what i know now that everyone should be made to do the pass plus as compulsorary, and should not only drive during the day but also learn to drive at night.

Im sorry that the OP's daughter failed first time its heartbreaking i know but im sure she will pass next time. I guess its just down to what happens on the day.

Steph xx

cajef

hm71 wrote: »

You could complain & she may well get her next test free, if you feel that strongly then perhaps you should.

On what grounds do you think she should complain, just because she disagrees with the result?

I always found that pupils that failed a test always thought the examiner had it in for them, while others that passed with that examiner thought they were great. It always amazed me that 90% of pupils who failed thought they should have passed and 80% of them could not remember making any mistakes on a test.

I used to sit in the back of tests and could see pupils making mistakes and even if they passed or failed when you talked to them after they did not know why they had received points.

The test routes and places where pupils do manoeuvres are set routes and while examiners can deviate from them it is usually only to avoid jams or road works etc.

I am sorry but having worked as an instructor I cannot see any reasonable grounds for a free retest, she should put it behind her and make sure she is ready for a second test.

Indout96

I have honestly never known anyone fail through their own fault, its always "the instructor" "the examiner" or "some other road user".
And not to be harsh but the only reason I can see for what you call clear instructions are if deafness is an issue, if we are talking slow reactions due to learning disabilities ?? then are you really happy with her driving a leathal weapon when she will have to make split second decisions most days?
As Jeremy Clarkson one said "I can't play football - I'm f****** rubish and I accept it but why does EVERYONE think they can drive" not everyone can or should.

Inactive

Indout96 wrote: »

I have honestly never known anyone fail through their own fault, its always "the instructor" "the examiner" or "some other road user".
.

True, anyone who passes tells their friends " I passed ", but anyone that fails says " the examiner failed me ", when of course it was in fact the individual that failed.;)

beachbeth

My main gripe is that she should have been put down as special needs and wasn't. Wouldn't you expect someone who is dyslexic to get different treatment to someone else? (They do, by the way, if they book their test as a dyslexic). By different treatment I don't mean a more lenient test but for the instructions to be put in such a way that they understand them? For example, she gets confused between left and right. This is nothing to do with driving skill its just a confusion as to what direction the two words mean. She needs someone to indicate with their hands the direction as well as saying "right/left".

I rang the DSA today and they said they had a record of the fact that she was special needs and couldn't understand why the test centre hadn't taken any notice of this. They are looking into it for me because yesterdays test was a complete waste of time for my daughter as she found it stressful trying to understand the instructions. I know she moaned about the turn in the road and reversing round a difficult corner, which I then posted about on here, but my main annoyance is the fact that her needs were ignored. It was a waste of £59 when she was set up to fail from the start.