Any tips on passing a driving test?

Stephen_Leak

Don't panic. Don't hit anything ...

On mine, I was behind a van waiting to pull out from a side road. He pulled out and I started to move forward. He then had to brake to avoid hitting a passing car. I braked as well, but stalled. At that point I thought I'd blown it and just concentrated on getting it over with and getting the bad news.

I couldn't believe it when he said I'd passed. I mentioned the incident, and he replied that I reacted quickly and instinctively and didn't hit the idiot in front. He only made me do the usual emergency stop, because he had to - the rules didn't account for actually doing one for real. OK, I had stalled, but I restarted immediately. He was also surprised that I actually seemed to relax and actually drove better afterwards!

candygirl

I failed a few times on the RRC , but got a parallel park on my last test so passed.Since then i haven't done any of these kind of manoevres, why make life hard for myself .Tell her not to give up though like I did, as there was 16 years between my first and last test with a massive 10 years of no driving in between.the people on the 2 pass forum are great, and you can share your fears and triumphs on there.:p

myrnahaz

Spirit wrote: »

Poor Daughter and you too.

It took my Daughter 8 attempts over 15 months before she passed her test earlier this year. We changed her instructor and test centre after 6 attempts as it had started to feel that she was going to be invited to the staff Christmas party."

Thanks Spirit - Your daughter must have had incredible determination to keep going. Good for her. I keep trying to tell DD that it's not like it's an intelligence test - failing doesn't mean she's stupid.

I'll tell DD about your Daughter's 8 attempts so she knows it's worth carrying on - it'll be better knowing that another young girl had similar problems - the only one I could think of that tried more than her was Maureen off the Driving School programme (and it would be too cruel to compare her to Maureen).

I'll also tell her your 'christmas party' comment - she'll love that!

rio

If the test centre is accessible then get her to drive around there, practise manovering in and out of the bays on a Sunday (so that you don't impede any people actually on a test). Hopefully familiarity with the area will make her feel more relaxed. Also ask her instructor to write down possible test routes - most towns only have three or four and practise everything on these routes.

myrnahaz

Failing tests gives us funny little anecdotes to laugh at in later life (shame that it's so horrible at the time). I failed my first test for not observing non-existent road markings at a cross roads (I assumed it was my right of way as there wasn't a stop sign). It was quite amusing watching the examiner scrabble on the floor trying to flip the dual-control brake pedal over so he could stop the car himself - almost like compensation.

myrnahaz

Thanks, Rio. The test centre has a barrier across the entrance, but I'm sure we could try the same in a supermarket carpark after hours. The only difference is that the test centre bays are angled.

Alikay

I was just like your daughter and took over 2 years and 7 attempts to pass my test. When I finally passed, I took the test in the next city (a bigger, busier place) but probably panicked less as I was too busy concentrating as it was totally unfamiliar. Also I had a terrible cold on the day and felt too poorly to work myself into my usual sweaty, crimson-cheeked frenzy!

Just try not to make too big a deal of it (although the cost means it IS a big deal!), and she will get there eventually. Lots of practise is good, and as much of it as she can afford in the car she'll be using to take her test in.

sonee2405

hiya im cursed because everytime i manage to find a really good instructer and apply for my test my instructer leaves-trust me my driving is not that bad!
I have been insured on the family car which was meant to be mine anyway but i have never managed to pass(3 tests over 4 years) i have a lot of gaps in between and sometimes feel really miserable.Not everybody offers good advice and support some actually gossip and think im really awful and just can't pass and that actually boosts my confidence but it's the test-i have failed on the corner reverese and absolutely nothing else 3 times-i have minor mistakes but never more than 5 or 6 and always at the smae test centre.I knwo and my family knwo that i am a good careful driver but luck is never on my side at testtime!

myrnahaz

Well good luck to you, Sonee2405 and don't give up. It must be extra frustrating when you see the inconsiderate morons that drive around our roads with no thought for other drivers - I seem to be hyper-sensitive to them at the moment. It's a shame that there's no way for an examiner to tell that some confident people are accidents waiting to happen whereas some nervous people would actually make good drivers.

lauren_1

Take each manouver slowly, the faster she is (even whats a normal speed for you will be concidered too fast for the examiner) to do all the mirrors and look out for pedestrians and car without seeming flustered or overly confident she needs to roughly take about 30 - 45 seconds per manouver. You will get marked down for driving too slowly but not for manouvers (unless you are blocking the road or causing an obstruction)

My examiner told me the only way i know i am ready formy test is when the nervous butterflies dissapear when i get in a car or approach a roundabout,