Failed driving test 4 times

Hi I’ve just failed my driving test for the fourth time 😭really gutted as I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day. My instructor says I can drive well and naturally but it’s so disheartening hearing I’ve failed again. This time I failed on my parallel park as I was too far away from the curb, the other time was cutting a corner, the third was a roundabout which wasn’t my fault and the first one I wasn’t ready for. Any advice on passing or persevering with it? ☹️

Reply 1

Sana657

7

Original post by Anonymous

Hi I’ve just failed my driving test for the fourth time 😭really gutted as I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day. My instructor says I can drive well and naturally but it’s so disheartening hearing I’ve failed again. This time I failed on my parallel park as I was too far away from the curb, the other time was cutting a corner, the third was a roundabout which wasn’t my fault and the first one I wasn’t ready for. Any advice on passing or persevering with it? ☹️

The best way to calm your nerves down is to speak to the assessor. This way you won't be nervous as you've eliminated the unfamiliar bond between you and the assessor. What I did was I imagined myself as a taxi driver - as stupid as it sounds - and it worked. You have to act and think like you are a pro and are just driving someone about.

Reply 2

FrancescaC2000

13

Original post by Anonymous

Hi I’ve just failed my driving test for the fourth time 😭really gutted as I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day. My instructor says I can drive well and naturally but it’s so disheartening hearing I’ve failed again. This time I failed on my parallel park as I was too far away from the curb, the other time was cutting a corner, the third was a roundabout which wasn’t my fault and the first one I wasn’t ready for. Any advice on passing or persevering with it? ☹️

I picked up driving pretty quickly and could confidently drive in my own car and my instructors after about 3-4 weeks, however it still took me 3 tests to pass - which was super annoying because I should have been a first timer. My friend who was similar to me and again should have been a first time passer took 5 tests to pass. IMO, just seriously keep persevering and trying again and again and again. It's super disheartening and can make you lose motivation for it but the driving test is seriously so largely about luck - the route, the assesor, other drivers on the road, you're nerves / mood that day, the road conditions - so much can indirectly effect whether you pass or fail and it's as simple as that.
Put it down to an act of God, you just wasn't meant to be driving yet, maybe protecting you from a potential accident if you had have passed your test. It's annoying but if you believe in thinks like luck / fate then it helps to take the approach of - well I tried my very hardest and that's all I could do, the rest was out of my control.

If you think you are failing / struggling because of nerves or something like that though, talk to your instructor about trying to calm your nerves. Some assessors enjoy a chat while you're driving, this can really calm you down. Others will literally say "Focus on the road" when you try to talk to them haha but your instructor will know who is friendly and who isn't particularly.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 3

AJRance

12

Original post by Anonymous

Hi I’ve just failed my driving test for the fourth time 😭really gutted as I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day. My instructor says I can drive well and naturally but it’s so disheartening hearing I’ve failed again. This time I failed on my parallel park as I was too far away from the curb, the other time was cutting a corner, the third was a roundabout which wasn’t my fault and the first one I wasn’t ready for. Any advice on passing or persevering with it? ☹️

just keep pushing through

Reply 4

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

20

Original post by Anonymous

Hi I’ve just failed my driving test for the fourth time 😭really gutted as I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day. My instructor says I can drive well and naturally but it’s so disheartening hearing I’ve failed again. This time I failed on my parallel park as I was too far away from the curb, the other time was cutting a corner, the third was a roundabout which wasn’t my fault and the first one I wasn’t ready for. Any advice on passing or persevering with it? ☹️

" I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day" sorry, if it requires luck or good conditions your not ready. You could end up on a motorway at night pissing down with rain and someone slams on their brakes and you need to react, or pulling across a junction of a main road and an ambulance flies by...
Its important nerves or conditions dont impair your driving, im of the opinion that if your ability to drive changes merely by the pressure of a test then your not yet competent, a car can be dangerous and thus requires a certain level of skill and competency.

Reply 5

FrancescaC2000

13

Original post by mnot

" I can drive really well but it all comes down to luck and nerves on the day" sorry, but this means you cant drive. If it requires luck or good conditions your not ready. You could end up on a motorway at night pissing down with rain and someone slams on their brakes and you need to react, or pulling across a junction of a main road and an ambulance flies by...
Its important nerves or conditions dont impair your driving, im of the opinion that if your ability to drive changes merely by the pressure of a test then your not yet competent, a car can be dangerous and thus requires a certain level of skill and competency.

Your eactions can and will change due to nerves. On my second test I failed because I pulled out on someone turning right at a cross road which I had NEVER done before. It was my mistake but it was due to nerves that I just stressed out, half blanked and thought oh yeah I can go now, when in any other condition I wouldn't have. Things like nerves, stress and road conditions will always and do effect the way both new learners, and 10 year experience drivers can drive, that's just a simple fact of life. It doesn't make you any more or less competent, it's human error. We are run by logic, emotion, impulse in everything we do as humans and this doesn't change just because you're behind the wheel of a car unfortunately. The difference is, on test, you are being watched and monitored like a hawk so there is no room for basic human error and therefore some luck of who is assessing you, the conditions of the road and how steady your nerves are on the day will always factor in.

Reply 6

_.jxmes.p.vv

3

I spoke to my examiner, which helped me calm my nerves. I am very confident behind the wheel and did 8 lessons and 5,000 miles worth of driving in my car before I took my test. I passed first time with 3 minors. Try not to be nervous, the examiner is only human. Imagine you’re next to your instructor if that helps. I feel less nervous when I talk so that helped me pass I believe. Good luck and hope you pass soon!

Reply 7

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

20

Original post by FrancescaC2000

Your eactions can and will change due to nerves. On my second test I failed because I pulled out on someone turning right at a cross road which I had NEVER done before. It was my mistake but it was due to nerves that I just stressed out, half blanked and thought oh yeah I can go now, when in any other condition I wouldn't have. Things like nerves, stress and road conditions will always and do effect the way both new learners, and 10 year experience drivers can drive, that's just a simple fact of life. It doesn't make you any more or less competent, it's human error. We are run by logic, emotion, impulse in everything we do as humans and this doesn't change just because you're behind the wheel of a car unfortunately. The difference is, on test, you are being watched and monitored like a hawk so there is no room for basic human error and therefore some luck of who is assessing you, the conditions of the road and how steady your nerves are on the day will always factor in.

Yes I agree with your posts, but driving test are not insanely hard you can have 16 minors, my point is if your making a major or enough minors that it causes a fail its likely your not ready.

When they give a licences, they need to be sure that the driver has enough competence to drive sensibly and safely in all conditions and situations. Yes people make mistakes, yes their are mistakes made on real roads everyday that never effect anyone that could be deemed a fail in a test, but the point is you just need to safely navigate and operate a vehicle for 20 minutes and if you cant do this you will likely be more prone to mistakes with a licence then an average driver.

OP just needs to spend more time learning and practising, hours at the wheel really make a huge difference and experience really does matter. But im glad the tests are what they are, I wouldn't want it to be any easier.

Reply 8

FrancescaC2000

13

Original post by mnot

Yes I agree with your posts, but driving test are not insanely hard you can have 16 minors, my point is if your making a major or enough minors that it causes a fail its likely your not ready.

When they give a licences, they need to be sure that the driver has enough competence to drive sensibly and safely in all conditions and situations. Yes people make mistakes, yes their are mistakes made on real roads everyday that never effect anyone that could be deemed a fail in a test, but the point is you just need to safely navigate and operate a vehicle for 20 minutes and if you cant do this you will likely be more prone to mistakes with a licence then an average driver.

OP just needs to spend more time learning and practising, hours at the wheel really make a huge difference and experience really does matter. But im glad the tests are what they are, I wouldn't want it to be any easier.

I agree completely. The tests are as they are for a reason and it's important that we ensure to the fullest extent that new drivers are fully confident and capable before they are given a license. However my point is just that sometimes a pass / fail can be purely down to luck. I know some shocking drivers who passed their test first time because they just happened to get a very easy route and some other people who failed because they had a super strict examiner that marked a minor as a major.
IMO the test does need to be revamped a little bit. The fact you can have up to 16 minors and pass while another might have no minors and 1 major and fail is :/ when those 15 minors combined are likely to be more dangerous than the 1 major (EG NOT CHECKING YOUR MIRROR WHEN PULLING OFF A ROUNDABOUT - how is that a minor?!)
PS I'm not talking about really dangerous majors where the examiner has to break for you / grab the wheel, but there are certain majors that are like eeerrrmmm well not really that bad haha

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 9

Euphoria101

22

Do you have a car you can drive in with a family member or friend?
I passed first time, and I know I’d never have been able to do it if my brother didn’t have a car I used to drive in with him. I found driving with someone else who didn’t have dual control boosted my confidence in my instructor’s car.

I don’t know what else to say but I did take rescue remedy drops. I don’t think they actually did anything but it’s worth trying if you’re this anxious?

Failed driving test 4 times

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