Can I complain about Daughter's Driving Test?

Inactive

beachbeth wrote: »

She doesn't need to though! Ive already phoned on her behalf and they have explained how to take it further. They are now looking into it for us so why does my daughter need to write? Its already ongoing.

Quite simply because there will be a documented paper trail if they receive a letter from her.

Wig

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

surely she should be the same standard of anyother driver, i can imagine how instructions could be any clearer

That would be because you can't imagine how the OP daughter interacts with the world around her. Perhaps a day in OP daughters shoes would help you to imagine in future.

Wig

LandyAndy wrote: »

Perhaps the instructor is covering his @rse because he knew your DD was a likely fail.

It's a good point but the instructor should have tsaid the student was not ready. My instructor did this with me, after I had booked the test, canceling it would have left me out of pocket, so I might aswell take the test and gain some experience. Instructor refused to let me have the learner car. So I went with a friend in a big heavy ancient car with no power steering, ROFL I scared the examiner that day! Still I passed the next time - and the 1st test really helped me gain experience.

Wig

cajef wrote: »

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

No, I would say the grounds for complaint/refund/free next test are clear. The DSA (is that what they are called?) obviously have procedures in place for special needs people, this was applied for and alledgedly granted. The examiner when asked about her awareness of the need for special test conditions, replied "I don't know anything about that!" Clearly indicating that the condition which was "offered" "applied for" and alledgedly to be "given" was not satisfied.

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.

None of which is relevant to the real issue (I know OP has clouded the real issue) That services offered & booked in advance and obviously thought to be necessary so as to offer them in the first place were not provided.

Wig

espresso wrote: »

Surely that could have been sorted out in the first couple of minutes of the test, if she had actually mentioned it to the examiner.

Surely that's exactly what she did do, as it says so in the OP.

She (the daughter) then did not handle the situation very well* by not, saying
"Can I suggest that we return to the centre to get this clarified before we begin the test?"
EDIT: In hindsight after reading the rest of the thread this would have been fruitless as she had already enquired at the test centre about the issue and they couldn't care less "Computer says no" syndrome no doubt.

But everyone is different and people cope with stressful situations in different ways.

Wig

Errata wrote: »

If she can't tell the difference between left and right she may have problems full stop. Isn't one of the points of having to pass a test being able to demonstrate timely reactions to whatever's happening, and so demonstrating the driver is in charge of the car ?

And how does that relate in any way to an ability to understand the spoken words "left" and "right" instantly?

Wig

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

did she not think to double check on arrival at the centre?

She double checked with the examiner, is that not sufficient? It is in my opinion. The examiner should have been the one to announce the special conditions first without any input from the student.

Wig

beachbeth wrote: »

She did and they said they had no record of it and her examiner cut her short when she tried to explain and said "my instructions are clear!"

*Absolutely unacceptable behaviour from the examiner. Your Daughter should definately make a formal complaint against this examiner, on top of asking for a refund.

Wig

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Just hope she doesn't come across any "No Left/Right Turn" signs in words and without symbols. Many years ago a former colleague tried to remember the difference using the fact she was right handed, I think it worked!

This would be covered in the theory part of her test. Which she would have to pass in order to gain a licence.

Wig

Inactive wrote: »

Were you actually in the car at the time?

I don't understand the relevance of the question? Are you implying the daughters recollection of the conversation is somehow flawed? And what makes you think that it would be?

Just get her sorted with more lessons that she obviously needs and stop trying to lay the blame for her failure at the examiners door, they simply assess driving standards, period.

And in the meantime ask for a refund of money given in good faith that a service applied for was not given.