The scam of learning to drive..
This is a topic which really infuriates me. I have been learning to drive for almost a year and have been shelling out hundreds of pounds to do so. Without trying to sing my own praises, I am perfectly capable driver and could happily and SAFELY be out on the roads by myself, in fact I am probably better than a number of drivers out there. However, I can't do so until I get a stupid piece of paper saying I legally can.
Last month I shelled out £90 to take a test which I ended up failing on something which I didn't think was even something you could fail for and was something that I couldn't do anything about. A similar case has recently occurred with one of my friends. I also know of another person that has failed his test so many times now he has given up with driving.
It seems to me that the DVLA are failing people who deserve to pass and are capable on the road whilst dangerous drivers are allowed free reign of it. They are looking for this 100% perfect driver who makes no mistakes, when in reality none of us are like that. Hence they fail us so we then have to retake resulting in having to pay more for lessons and to take another test. The driving instructors are the ones then gaining and laughing in this system.
I just feel that this system in unfair and wrong. Anyone else agree with me?
Last month I shelled out £90 to take a test which I ended up failing on something which I didn't think was even something you could fail for and was something that I couldn't do anything about. A similar case has recently occurred with one of my friends. I also know of another person that has failed his test so many times now he has given up with driving.
It seems to me that the DVLA are failing people who deserve to pass and are capable on the road whilst dangerous drivers are allowed free reign of it. They are looking for this 100% perfect driver who makes no mistakes, when in reality none of us are like that. Hence they fail us so we then have to retake resulting in having to pay more for lessons and to take another test. The driving instructors are the ones then gaining and laughing in this system.
I just feel that this system in unfair and wrong. Anyone else agree with me?
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Original post by TammieBean
This is a topic which really infuriates me. I have been learning to drive for almost a year and have been shelling out hundreds of pounds to do so. Without trying to sing my own praises, I am perfectly capable driver and could happily and SAFELY be out on the roads by myself, in fact I am probably better than a number of drivers out there. However, I can't do so until I get a stupid piece of paper saying I legally can.
Last month I shelled out £90 to take a test which I ended up failing on something which I didn't think was even something you could fail for and was something that I couldn't do anything about. A similar case has recently occurred with one of my friends. I also know of another person that has failed his test so many times now he has given up with driving.
It seems to me that the DVLA are failing people who deserve to pass and are capable on the road whilst dangerous drivers are allowed free reign of it. They are looking for this 100% perfect driver who makes no mistakes, when in reality none of us are like that. Hence they fail us so we then have to retake resulting in having to pay more for lessons and to take another test. The driving instructors are the ones then gaining and laughing in this system.
I just feel that this system in unfair and wrong. Anyone else agree with me?
Last month I shelled out £90 to take a test which I ended up failing on something which I didn't think was even something you could fail for and was something that I couldn't do anything about. A similar case has recently occurred with one of my friends. I also know of another person that has failed his test so many times now he has given up with driving.
It seems to me that the DVLA are failing people who deserve to pass and are capable on the road whilst dangerous drivers are allowed free reign of it. They are looking for this 100% perfect driver who makes no mistakes, when in reality none of us are like that. Hence they fail us so we then have to retake resulting in having to pay more for lessons and to take another test. The driving instructors are the ones then gaining and laughing in this system.
I just feel that this system in unfair and wrong. Anyone else agree with me?
Original post by Veggiechic6
Given that you failed your test and every other driver out there has passed, I would have to disagree with you thinking you're 'better than a number of drivers out there'.
I think she probably is better than a number of drivers out there - there are some truly terrible drivers on Britain's roads. Undoubtedly, there are also better drivers than her.
Original post by Robbo-92
My instructor always told me you were more likely to pass at the start of month, apparently they have a % pass rate so they like to get it filled at the start of the month, which is wrong if true.
It's not true, it's a myth just like all the other myths about quotas for those kind of things. Traffic wardens don't have to give out a certain number of tickets each week, police officers don't have to arrest a certain number of people, speed cameras don't have to flash on a specific number of people, and driving examiners don't have to fail a specific percentage of drivers.
the butt hurt is strong in this one
Combine that with the obvious illusory superiority of the OP and the fact the OP is probably still at the 'unconciously incompetent' stage with regard to actual driving as a decision making exercise ( rather than the basic psychomotor skills of car control )
Combine that with the obvious illusory superiority of the OP and the fact the OP is probably still at the 'unconciously incompetent' stage with regard to actual driving as a decision making exercise ( rather than the basic psychomotor skills of car control )
What exactly made you fail? 
Original post by anosmianAcrimony
I think she probably is better than a number of drivers out there - there are some truly terrible drivers on Britain's roads. Undoubtedly, there are also better drivers than her.
i forget what the figure given in Roadcraft is but something like 3/4 of drivers think they are in the top 15 % of drivers ...
also
Dunning -Kruger effect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
Original post by Robbo-92
My instructor always told me you were more likely to pass at the start of month, apparently they have a % pass rate so they like to get it filled at the start of the month, which is wrong if true.
That's complete *******s.
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I honestly can't wait to drive and I've only failed one test. I got another one in two weeks. I think the more you want to drive, the angrier you get when you fail. But then it goes the other way because when you pass, it will all be worth it.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
I've heard that they can only pass a certain amount of people.
Like my sister recently failed because, as she was parking up at the end of the test, she supposedly parked too close to the curb or some other ridiculous reason! It sounds like a matter of just getting lucky tbh
Like my sister recently failed because, as she was parking up at the end of the test, she supposedly parked too close to the curb or some other ridiculous reason! It sounds like a matter of just getting lucky tbh
I passed with no faults whatsoever after a month of lessons. U mad???
Original post by AstroNandos
I've heard that they can only pass a certain amount of people.
Like my sister recently failed because, as she was parking up at the end of the test, she supposedly parked too close to the curb or some other ridiculous reason! It sounds like a matter of just getting lucky tbh
Like my sister recently failed because, as she was parking up at the end of the test, she supposedly parked too close to the curb or some other ridiculous reason! It sounds like a matter of just getting lucky tbh
I've had like 3 instructors and all of then have said that this isn't true. I think that the examiner you have also plays a part because some of them are strict and some of them are lenient.
It's a bit like a football match, a player might foul someone, but sone referees would give them a yellow card and other referees would give them a red card.
Posted from TSR Mobile
It does feel like a scam with the amount we are paying to learn! It's really frustrating when you fail because of other road users or the examiner misjudging your intentions but there is nothing we can do 
They are the experienced driver compared to us so what they say goes.
I think the whole driving test is silly anyway. A 40 minute drive doesn't accurately represent your driving ability. Some people who are worse drivers can get lucky and have a good drive on the day. Others who are usually safe in lessons can mess up due to nerves/stuff that happens during the drive and fail. I just find it unfair.
They are the experienced driver compared to us so what they say goes.I think the whole driving test is silly anyway. A 40 minute drive doesn't accurately represent your driving ability. Some people who are worse drivers can get lucky and have a good drive on the day. Others who are usually safe in lessons can mess up due to nerves/stuff that happens during the drive and fail. I just find it unfair.
Original post by AstroNandos
I've heard that they can only pass a certain amount of people.
Like my sister recently failed because, as she was parking up at the end of the test, she supposedly parked too close to the curb or some other ridiculous reason! It sounds like a matter of just getting lucky tbh
Like my sister recently failed because, as she was parking up at the end of the test, she supposedly parked too close to the curb or some other ridiculous reason! It sounds like a matter of just getting lucky tbh
Do you really think that if they had a quota for the number of people they have to fail that it would have remained secret for so long? Do you honestly believe that in the entire duration that the driving test has been around that there wouldn't have been a single examiner who would go and reveal the story to the press? After all, something like that you'd get a nice little payday if you shipped it around to every tabloid.
The reason why no examiner has ever gone to the press with the story is because there is no story. They don't have a restriction on how many people they can pass. They never have, they never will, and anybody who uses that as a reason for why they failed is doing nothing more than looking for an excuse to make themselves feel like less of a failure.
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