Driving Test Failure

loskie

really good post Lister, brings some perspective to the whole thread instead of what we think we know.

ManuelG

baza52 wrote: »

have a go https://www.gov.uk/take-practice-theory-test

Passed, thank the lord, but suspect the ratio of mentalist questions helped.

'Accelerate towards a junction as fast as possible' indeed!

cajef

lister wrote: »

. I have sat in on 250+ tests and the only time a candidate has been adamant a serious fault didn't happen is when I haven't been sat in...

+1000...:) That isn't to say the candidate is lying, they are simply recalling what they think they would have done. Students rarely remember details of incidents on test correctly in my experience.

Having also sat in on many tests I have very rarely been able to fault or disagree with an examiners decision and in most of those cases it has been borderline.

I also concur that when a pupil has failed a test very few can recollect or realise and understand what they have done wrong even after the debrief by the examiner and the ADI has usually to explain the reason for failure.

Nick_C

I think that anyone who believes they should have passed a test which they failed is failing to recognise their own weaknesses. I was amazed when I passed my test; I was sure I had failed, but I only had three minor faults. But I do set high standards for myself.

AdrianC

Nick_C wrote: »

I think that anyone who believes they should have passed a test which they failed is failing to recognise their own weaknesses. I was amazed when I passed my test; I was sure I had failed, but I only had three minor faults. But I do set high standards for myself.

Indeed.

I got round the corner from the test centre, the lights changed right in front of me - and I stalled the car. While waiting for the lights, I sneaked a glimpse at the examiner's sheet, and I'd already got a couple of minors for mirror. Soddit. Must've failed. Hey-ho. All the pressure went off me.

And I passed...

lincroft1710

lister wrote: »

So in the case of rolling back on a hill, the questions to ask are how far, how in control was the candidate, what traffic was behind etc. Generally a small rollback would either be no fault recorded or a driver fault. But if someone has stopped really close behind, could easily get recorded as a serious, even if the examiner doesn't intervene, because you are supposed to be aware of their proximity and be extra careful about your move away.

I suspect you believe you know far more about the 1970 driving test than you do. The above point would still have applied.

In fact it was on a test in 1967 (financial circumstances meant I couldn't afford lessons for 3 years) that I failed for rolling back. It may be my memory, but I think I was told by both instructor and examiner not to let car roll back. As it was almost 50 years ago I cannot remember if there was a car behind me.

Red-Squirrel_2

My sixth form boyfriend got I think 14 or 15 minors but still managed to pass first time. I think one more would have been a fail.

Can't tell you how nervous I was getting in that rickety old Fiesta he bought a couple of days later!

Richard53

AdrianC wrote: »

Indeed.

I got round the corner from the test centre, the lights changed right in front of me - and I stalled the car. While waiting for the lights, I sneaked a glimpse at the examiner's sheet, and I'd already got a couple of minors for mirror. Soddit. Must've failed. Hey-ho. All the pressure went off me.

And I passed...

Similar thing happened to me. I was taking the test in my Dad's car which had a very wonky gearbox. Getting second from third was always a bit of a lottery. On the first junction of the test, I couldn't get second and coasted round the corner in neutral, then found second gear and away. I was sure I had failed, so as far as I was concerned it was just a leisurely drive back to the test centre. No one was more surprised than me when I passed. My instructor said afterwards that the examiner would have seen it was not my fault and that I handled it correctly without panicking, so he would have been happy with the standard. That was 1971 - not sure how that kind of thing is handled these days.

Car_54

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

My sixth form boyfriend got I think 14 or 15 minors but still managed to pass first time. I think one more would have been a fail.

Can't tell you how nervous I was getting in that rickety old Fiesta he bought a couple of days later!

Indeed. 15 = pass, 16 = fail.

Your boyfriend is very unusual. Hardly anyone records 15 driving faults without commiting a serious or dangerous fault!

walwyn1978

AdrianC wrote: »

Indeed.

I got round the corner from the test centre, the lights changed right in front of me - and I stalled the car. While waiting for the lights, I sneaked a glimpse at the examiner's sheet, and I'd already got a couple of minors for mirror. Soddit. Must've failed. Hey-ho. All the pressure went off me.

And I passed...

I did similar. Hit the kerb doing my turn in the road, which was done very early on the test drive (presumably due to road layout round the test centre). Assumed I'd failed, drove 'normally', eg not super tensed up due to pressure, and passed. Couldn't believe it.