The Student Room Group

Test Tomorrow - Haven't Drove In A Month

I failed my first test a month ago today, when I got home I booked it again straight away managed to get a cancellation for tomorrow.
Problem is I haven't drove since my last test and now that's playing on my mind making me feel like I'll fail again. I failed on a roundabout last time, done something I'd never done before and knew I'd failed as soon as I'd done it. So I know I can drive, well I could then but will a month's gap affect me that much?
My instructor seems to think the months gap will really affect me but I'm not so sure, if I could drive at test standard before, surely I still can, obviously there might be a few things I need to get used to again, but won't that sort itself out in the hour or so before my test?
Opinions welcomed,
Thanks

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Reply 1
Is it possible to arrange a quick meeting with your instructor and to drive for half an hour or an hour tonight or even tomorrow in the morning?
Reply 2
Original post by SkyT
Is it possible to arrange a quick meeting with your instructor and to drive for half an hour or an hour tonight or even tomorrow in the morning?


I've got an hour with her before my test but that's it.
Hoping the general driving won't of been affected and just going to go over the manoeuvres. Is this realistic or am I expecting myself to remember and be able to do things I actually won't be able to?
Reply 3
An hour is great because it might help you to get into the feeling of driving. But other than that you will have to decide if you feel comfortable in taking the test.
Why haven't you been doing lessons since you failed the test?
Reply 5
Original post by TornadoGR4
Why haven't you been doing lessons since you failed the test?


I had planned to, but my instructor had a lot of other tests booked the two weeks after, meaning her diary was near enough full plus the times she had free collided with my hours at work which I couldn't change. Then last week I had a week away in London so wasn't around, and seeing as I booked that before I'd even booked my first test I didn't want to cancel it. So yeah, that pretty much takes up all the time.
And I don't have a car that I can private practice in either so that was also out of the question
Reply 6
Original post by SkyT
An hour is great because it might help you to get into the feeling of driving. But other than that you will have to decide if you feel comfortable in taking the test.


Thanks, yeah that's what I'm hoping, an hour to iron things out then crack on with the test. I'm definitely going to take it now, just got this nagging thing in the back of my head telling me I'll fail cause I haven't drove in a while. Hoping that's just nerves talking though?
Original post by ChellyStar
Thanks, yeah that's what I'm hoping, an hour to iron things out then crack on with the test. I'm definitely going to take it now, just got this nagging thing in the back of my head telling me I'll fail cause I haven't drove in a while. Hoping that's just nerves talking though?


So how did it go? :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by Lyrical Prodigy
So how did it go? :smile:


I failed :frown:
Was such a stupid mistake on my part though, definitely feel like I'll pass next time though
Original post by ChellyStar
I failed :frown:
Was such a stupid mistake on my part though, definitely feel like I'll pass next time though


Aww I'm sorry to hear that :hugs: Hopefully you'll pass next time. Remember, you can't actually 'fail' a driving test. It just means you weren't ready. What was the problem? Speeding? Hit a kerb etc?
Reply 10
Original post by Lyrical Prodigy
Aww I'm sorry to hear that :hugs: Hopefully you'll pass next time. Remember, you can't actually 'fail' a driving test. It just means you weren't ready. What was the problem? Speeding? Hit a kerb etc?


I guess that's a better way of thinking about it. Yeah speeding, something I've never done before and definitely won't be doing again. Turned into a new road, saw the 50 sign, but never saw the 30 sign that was placed near to it, so just started increasing my speed til I saw the next 30 sign and realised what I was doing.
Hopefully next time I'll get there
Original post by ChellyStar
I failed :frown:
Was such a stupid mistake on my part though, definitely feel like I'll pass next time though


Unusual to see somebody take responsibility on this forum. Normally it's other road users, the weather, the examiner has a quota etc. Well done on admitting that you made (an arguably easily made mistake) and you will smash it next time if that was your biggest woe!
Reply 12
Posted from TSR Mobile

I know I've blamed others for other mistakes I've made during lessons, but the more I've drove the more I've realised that the only one that can be blamed is me.
Hopefully next time is the time. Actually feel pretty good about it even though I failed.
Original post by ChellyStar
Posted from TSR Mobile

I know I've blamed others for other mistakes I've made during lessons, but the more I've drove the more I've realised that the only one that can be blamed is me.
Hopefully next time is the time. Actually feel pretty good about it even though I failed.


Good stuff. Keep the morale up. Remember, a road with lamp posts is a 30 unless you see a speed limit sign for it telling you otherwise. Try and stay about 5 under the speed limit. Gives you valuable seconds to react to anything that may come your way!
Original post by ToastyCoke
Good stuff. Keep the morale up. Remember, a road with lamp posts is a 30 unless you see a speed limit sign for it telling you otherwise. Try and stay about 5 under the speed limit. Gives you valuable seconds to react to anything that may come your way!


This won't go down too well with examiners, if there's no good reason to be doing so.

Yeah on a dual carriageway, or in a national zone, but in a 30, just no
Original post by kernow24
This won't go down too well with examiners, if there's no good reason to be doing so.

Yeah on a dual carriageway, or in a national zone, but in a 30, just no


HAHA alright then. The clue is in the name. Speed LIMIT. Not exact speed at all times.

The fact that you're a learner driver is a good enough reason.
Original post by ToastyCoke
HAHA alright then. The clue is in the name. Speed LIMIT. Not exact speed at all times.

The fact that you're a learner driver is a good enough reason.


Examiners like you to get close to the limit if the conditions allow now
Like in a 70 they like you to be like 66 or 67 or more and not to drop too much.
Original post by Mmmmmmbgh
Examiners like you to get close to the limit if the conditions allow now
Like in a 70 they like you to be like 66 or 67 or more and not to drop too much.


Absolute nonsense. If you're doing 50 in a 70, they'll give you a major for speed. If you're doing 60 or 65 in a 70, you're absolutely fine. 25 in a 30 is perfectly acceptable as these are normally residential streets.

The amount of **** you see on this sub forum.
Original post by ToastyCoke
HAHA alright then. The clue is in the name. Speed LIMIT. Not exact speed at all times.

The fact that you're a learner driver is a good enough reason.


But you're not a 'learner' are you, your trying to show you're capable of going on the roads alone, to build up further experience.


Yup, it's a limit that your expected to be able to reach if the conditions permit.

I've passed my test recently, and held a full motorbike licence for a decade, and failed once for doing exactly as you and others advised

If there isn't a good reason not to be getting to 30 in a 30, 20 in a 20, 40 in a 40 etc etc, then you will get marked down on it, inconvenience other road users with your caution and you'll receive a major for it, if you consistently go under the limits, you'll rack up a few minor which the examiner can turn them in to a major if they so wish.

They have 30 odd minutes to make an assessment on your driving, not showing that your capable of keeping up with traffic will go against you

Overcaution is just as bad as overconfidence on a test.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by kernow24
But you're not a 'learner' are you, your trying to show you're capable of going on the roads alone, to build up further experience.


Yup, it's a limit that your expected to be able to reach if the conditions permit.

I've passed my test recently, and held a full motorbike licence for a decade, and failed once for doing exactly as you and others advised

If there isn't a good reason not to be getting to 30 in a 30, 20 in a 20, 40 in a 40 etc etc, then you will get marked down on it, inconvenience other road users with your caution and you'll receive a major for it, if you consistently go under the limits, you'll rack up a few minor which the examiner can turn them in to a major if they so wish.

They have 30 odd minutes to make an assessment on your driving, not showing that your capable of keeping up with traffic will go against you

Overcaution is just as bad as overconfidence on a test.


You are a learner. You're a learner until you pull up at the test center and are told that you've passed. There's no two ways about that.

Taken from GOV.uk:

You mustn’t drive faster than the speed limit for the type of road and your type of vehicle. The speed limit is the absolute maximum - it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.

Absolute maximum. I can tell you right now, that about half of people on motorways and dual carriageways will sit at 60. This is why there's the outside lane. There is absolutely no need to constantly be trying to get your speedometer needle bang on the speed limit. That's just stupidity.

You will not be marked down for doing 25 in a 30. If you're going 15 or 20, yes you will be. Something tells me that on your test, you weren't sitting at 5 below the limit.

Please, stop talking absolute bull**** in order to feed your ego. Learners on this sub forum will read it, be totally misinformed and it can result in them failing their test. It's a lot of money for people to sit their test with mis-information.

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