Driving test next week!!

I've got my test next week as well. I'm not feeling too optimistic: this is my fourth attempt at it.

What have I messed up on in the past?

1st time: I was approaching a roundabout literally 5 minutes into my test. I really don't know what was going through my head but I didn't stop when it looked busy, I just seemed to keep going and was about to pull out in front of someone. The examiner had to put the brakes on for me. Obviously, instant fail.

2nd time: Really, really messed it up this time. I did almost the exact same thing at the exact same roundabout except it was much quieter and I would say it was more a case of me not leaving enough room between myself and the driver coming around who was going much faster than I realised. The examiner didn't put the breaks on this time, so I thought it hadn't been bad enough to fail but it was. I continued on to mount the curb when coming out of a stop junction. I was a complete and utter disaster. Again, I haven't got a clue what was going on in my head.

3rd time: My instructor suggested that he came along with me to see if it could help me. I think he thought I'd just been unlucky and that it hadn't just been awful driving from me. This time I got through my dreaded roundabout and was taken up to an estate area with really steep hills with busy junctions at the end of them. I didn't have enough power when I was going up the last of them and then pushed the clutch in too early to give way at the junction, and I stalled. Because I was on such a steep hill, I couldn't get moving again; I just kept rolling backwards. I began to panic and I must have been there for 15 minutes trying to get up this hill, sobbing my heart out. In the end, the examiner asked me to stop and he handed me a tissue to let me calm down. He told me that I was doing everything right to fix the problem, and he talked me through it and helped me up the hill. I had to pull over at the side of the road after the junction and was violently sick in some poor person's hedge safe to say, the test was terminated.

I didn't mean to scare you, but I kind of just wanted to put this out there I don't even really feel that I can put my failures down to nerves, it's just been very very poor driving. Nevertheless, I went to my doctor and have been given some medication to help me stay calm. I'm just really demoralised by it now, and I cry whenever I think about having to sit the bloody thing again. However, each of my examiners were lovely and understanding, and I think it's important to remember that they want you to pass. They're not out to get you. If yours is anything like mine, your instructor wouldn't let you sit the test if they didn't feel you were ready/thought they could squeeze more money out of you.

I wish you the best of luck, my friend!

REMAIN CALM...take your time with everything especially observation
I got my second test next week and i failed first time because i looked right when i was on the roundabout...you have to look right on approach and dont forget to check your blind side when pulling off...good luck

Is your test in the morning? That's the best time because you don't spend the whole day worrying about it! Also make sure you have a lot of practice driving out of and back into the test centre. And honestly don't rush anything! Take your time and analyse the situation.

If you have any specific questions feel free to ask, I passed first time about 2 weeks ago.

take your time! I was incredibly nervous, uncontrollably, that after failed attempts at using Kalms/Rescue Remedy my instructor told me to go to the doctors and they gave me beta blockers. It's so easy to rush things just so you can try and get the test over and done with, but you have to remember to give yourself a chance to breath so you can do what you need to do.

I failed my first test within a few minutes of it starting stupidly (but I do think the examiner just wasn't interested in doing a test either ha!).. the start was at a busy junction, as I got through it and gained speed on the road the examiner asked me to pull over in a safe place which I did, I did all the mirror checks/indicated but as I was only stopped for a couple of seconds I didn't go handbrake/neutral just left my foot on the brake. As he asked me to move off again, I was so concerned with the checks that I forgot to change gear again, I was in 3rd, stalled. Thought it was just first test nerves, tried again. stalled. By the third attempt the examiner said perhaps I should change gear. awkward!

I have also stupidly failed on parallel parking, he asked me to pull up next to a car and reverse into the space behind it, checked mirrors etc and executed the manoeuvre perfectly.. but turns out as I was concentrating on steering and being so pleased I'd nailed that part, once I was reversing I wasn't checking mirrors/behind me anywhere near as much as I should have. so I'd failed.

So I learnt my lesson! The test I passed on I had to do a horrible hill start (I've always hated them and still do!), although in my head I was thinking oh wtf why this road, I knew from my previous attempts to take my time with it cause it's better for me to take a few extra seconds moving off again than rushing and failing an entire test. So once I pulled over on the hill, did handbrake/neutral, took my foot entirely off the brake until he told me to move off again. Put the car in gear and checked the mirrors, indicated then started to move off but the car did roll back a bit so I stopped. Took a breath, did the checks again, indicated and checked my blind spot again and then took it slower and I was fine

so yeah my advice is take your time, if you feel flustered try and remember to take a deep breath and take a few seconds to get yourself together, check your mirrors and blind spot! My instructor always used to say examiners will fail you if you cause other drivers to change speed or direction, so in regards to roundabouts if you're not sure if you'll make it then don't risk it, just make sure when you're waiting to go you keep looking so they know that you're not hesitating but waiting til it's safe.

good luck!

Hey guys I was just wondering how long does it take in total for you to take your driving test, I know it's 40 minutes driving, is there any activity you have to do after the exam? Cos I don't know whether I should miss the whole day of college or not .

Has your instructor told you how long before the test, he will be picking you up? I would say that it depends on that really. What time is your test?

Well I'm having an hour lesson before my test, it's at 12:32 I think, and I have a college lesson at 2:45 do you think I can make it to my college lesson, seen as though my driving test starts at 12:32?

You should be able to. Your test will finish at like 1:10/1:15 and then your instructor will drop you home, so it depends on how far the test centre is from your house and how far your house is from your college haha.

Good luck on you driving test next week 😊

Tips from me is try it remain calm and think of it as a 'normal' driving lesson. Make sure you don't get too close to park cars (2 of my minors) and always check your mirrors (1 minor there but I swear I checked). I can't remember what my forth minor was. Also make sure you don't move off on neutral (did that 3 times but quickly put it into first so I don't think he noticed). I passed first time despite my nerves. Luckily my examiner was nice and made me feel calm. Just think positive!

I almost fail for almost coming off at the wrong exit at a roundabout but managed to correct myself without endangering other road users.

When doing your maneuvour don't rush it. Take your time even if there's cars behind you. I normally panic when someone is waiting behind me.

One last thing. Lane discipline. Make sure you're in the correct lane and don't cut across to other lane on a roundabout. I did that on my mock test 🙈

You got this!

Everyone says it, but just relax. I find being nervous just makes your judgement of speed/distance waver a bit and ultimately, you do something stupid which you never would have done if you were relaxed.

I failed my first time. Did the whole test with 1 minor and as I was parking at the test center thinking I had nailed it, I misjudged a car's back bumper and nearly hit it. Duel controls saved someone an insurance claim...

Second time passed with 2 minors. Initially was very nervous because the first fail hit me really hard, got a minor for hesitation on a junction because I didn't want to pull out infront of someone but they were going much slower than I thought. After a few minutes I settled in and the rest went fine.

Another tip would be to not dwell on what just happened. If you messed up a gear or maneuver of some kind just forget about it. Thinking about it makes you more nervous.

I saw lanes mentioned above, If you do find yourself in the wrong lane just follow the lane. Don't try to cut across in an attempt to correct course. They are looking for safe driving mainly. If you believe it to be safe, change lanes. But if in doubt, don't.

And Finally, Remember your examiner has done thousands of tests. They would have seen MUCH worse drivers than yourself. And If you do fail, it isn't the end of the world, you can try again. All the best drivers fail the first attempt .

EDIT: Oh and one more thing. If it is a sunny day wear sunglasses. Did this on my first test and managed to get away with not a lot of mirror checking because I didn't like looking away form the road back then. Although beware, they cant see your eyes so could claim you were not looking...

Hey guys can you get a fail/fault for not changing gear smoothly? I mean when I change gear it's not jumping forward or anything but it's not really smooth ?