Keep failing driving test, NEED to pass, try automatic?

colino

Be realistic, the driving test is pretty basic and you have tried alternative training and medication and can't pass. You also say you have no problems with gears or clutch control, then what would an auto really do for your sutabilty for the road? A driving licence, even with the pretty low barrier to entry of the current test, is awarded on some kind of merit, not time served or eagerness to gain one.
Face facts, you might just be one of the many that shouldn't get a licence until you get a lot more training or come to terms it's not for you.

WantToBeSE

Hi OP.
I am in agreement with everyone who says that you should stick with manual.
You are familiar with a manual now, and dont have any problems with actually driving. Changing at this stage, to an auto, could (and probably would) cause you MORE problems as you'd have to get to a new way of driving.
If you were having problems with getting to grips with the gears, i would recommend an auto, but in this case you are better off sticking with a manual as its just the nerves on the actual test day that prevents you from passing.

I agree with the peson who suggested taking your test in an 'easier' location, with less traffic.
My instructor also always advised nervous drivers to book their test for about 9.30am on a Monday morning, as it was the quietest on the roads.

Good luck OP, you can do it

oliverr

IMO I'd stick with it, from what you have said you feel confident in driving a manaul car and can do so without trouble, it seems that the pressure of the test is what is causing you to fail.

Maybe ask your doctor for some kind of remedy to keep you calm, and if you fail it doesn't matter because you can just try again. Try and keep calm and I'm sure you'll do just fine

lil.smartie

I'd say go for the auto test. Step-son failed 6 manual tests but again could drive, sent him for a 7th in a Smart car, auto licence no problem! Since passed a manual one too.

Kate

artbaron

When the fail rate stacks up you need to ask yourself, are you cut out for it? To be honest, with 10 years' driving and 4 tests it's not looking good. You hear of people taking 20+ tests before they pass and with the best will in the world, these people cannot drive and will never be able to drive. Driving tests aren't perfect but the upshot is that if you fail you've been judged unfit to drive unsupervised. You don't just fail because of an inconsequential error. If I throw enough darts at the board I'll get 180 but that doesn't make me a professional. On a slightly more positive note you might want to address your anxiety issue, because if you can drive in a non-test situation as you say then the problem doesn't lie with the transmission system of your car.

dacouch

Sorry for it being a link from such a nasty paper but use this amazing guy as inspiration.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261352/War-hero-lost-limbs-Afghan-bomb-blast-passes-driving-test-time.html

Jonesya

If not driving is going to force you to put your life on hold then try an auto, you've got nothing to loose.

There seems to be a certain macho thing about getting the full manual license but I'm not sure why, driving down the road no one knows who's driving an auto, who's in a manual and frankly no one cares.

Only issue might be if you're in a job where you need to be able to drive company vehicles, hire cars etc and can't guarantee getting an auto.

Johnmcl7

Sorry if I've missed this but has the OP said what they've failed on with any more detail than making muck-ups? My feeling is the same as some of the posts above that with so much time spent driving I'd expect clutch control and gear shifting to be a very automatic process that doesn't need much thought whereas for those who haven't been driving that long clutch control and gear shifting can still be quite manual.

I drove an automatic for the first time over a long distance it did seem strangely easy, I think if the OP goes down that route it will be even harder to go back to a manual but that's perhaps not that big an issue as modern automatics are pretty good these days.

John

neilmcl

OP, what exactly have you been failing on?

gabbleRatchet

If you feel that you can pass the auto test then certainly do that. At least it'll get you driving unsupervised which is your main requirement in the short term.

It seems that your main problem is simply confidence, and once you've got some experience of driving solo and also removed the requirement to pass before a deadline it should take some of the psychological pressure off on test day.

My wife couldn't pass in a manual but passed ok in an auto. Clutch control and matching gears to speed and conditions is quite a tricky art at the best of times and it was just one extra skill too far for her.