Driving Test next week! Any tips?

I've got my driving test in a few days and it's just sunk in!

After wasting many many hours of lessons with a useless driving instructor, who was blantently dragging it on for more money, I've recently swapped to a much better one horraaay :smile:

. By the time I take the test I'd have done 74 hours and spent a grand and a half, sigh. (Mind you, the amount of hours my old instructor was late means I'd have done hell of a lot less hours lol).

Anyway, any tips for the actual test?

Do the examiners ever speak, other than giving directions?

What did you fail on or what are the big no-no's?

I'm so scared!! I'm also so worried about getting worried and nervous on the day lol. I always get an upset tummy when I worry about exams :frown:

not good during a driving test lol.

Thanks for any help!xxxx

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Reply 1

Idiot-Finder

Totally depends on the examiner, mine talked to me about college, his son at uni etc... he did tell me if I wanted him to be quiet all I had to do was say... others apparently just stone wall you if you try to talk.

Reply 2

pouria91

just dont put too much pressure on yourself

Reply 3

LaughingBro

Hope that you don't need the toilet during the test!

Reply 4

Kevin J

If you're nervous have a little drink to settle yourself down.

Reply 5

W.H.T

it helps to stay awake

Reply 6

Hart92

Don't crash, or run over a little kid. Examiners don't look fondly on either of them.
And wow seriously 74 hours?!?

Reply 7

ranbow99

Don't hit the kurb, don't roll back, look at your mirrors LOADS, always check your blindspot!!

Good luck :smile:

Reply 8

jimbo139

As I was literally walking out to my test, my instructor said (about my exminer): "She's a hard woman to please". However I was acceptably pleasurable to her & passed first time. Good luck!

Reply 9

jimbo139

ranbow99

Don't hit the kurb, don't roll back, look at your mirrors LOADS, always check your blindspot!!

Good luck :smile:

This

Reply 10

Muffles

ranbow99

Don't hit the kurb, don't roll back, look at your mirrors LOADS, always check your blindspot!!

Good luck :smile:

Is rolling back slightly when you've stopped, say at a junction or roundabout a minor or serious?

Reply 11

camsterhamster

I passed my test about 2 weeks ago and trust me i was extreeeeeeeemely nervous, however all you have to do is just try and relax and be calm. check all your mirrors more than necessary.
ALWAYS REMEMBER - you only get a minor for hesitation, but a major for making a stupid mistake.
just take things slowly, make sure you just make the safest decision, some instructors talk (mine did) just be friendly and chatty.

Reply 12

Stuthulu

Don't race anyone. I know someone who did (yes, on his driving test)

Reply 13

JamesBlood

Wear a short skirt and low cut top. I did. Although to be honest I failed that one.

Reply 14

jo62

Be confident and avoid running people over.

Reply 15

polomuncher

Yeah definitely look at your mirror loads and make it blatently obvious you are, not just looking at them from the corner of your eye but physically moving your head a bit.

I failed for being too hesistant first time and going round a roundabout in 3rd gear. I was on a long road and I waited for cars that were like 100 metres away lol because I didn't think there was any spaces on my side. The examiner hated me anyway, he kept putting his leg against the gear stick and wouldn't even move it when I tried to change gear. This then made be go around the roundabout in 3rd.

The second examiner was fine, he would ask about my college, my studies, etc. I think having the conversation relaxes you, my answers to his questions were quite vague because I made sure I concentrated as well. He even asked whether I was in his way doing parallel parking.

Always check your blindspot.

Check both side mirrors if you have to do an emergency stop. Brake first, then clutch at the end. I kept doing it the other way around. Don't look behind before you stop because he wouldn't have asked you to do it if there was cars behind you.

When you are doing manoeuvres, keep checking that there aren't cars around. If there are, stop and stare because that is the signal that they could go round you. This means you aren't disrupting them or they won't drive off quickly in impatience and annoy other drivers etc.

Don't start thinking you have failed because he writes things down. I thought I'd failed the second time when I had passed. I spent the last 15 minute not caring and just wanting to get back to the centre.

I think I was asked if I wanted the window open. This could help you if you're nervous if you get quite hot under pressure.

Make sure you go to the toilet before, it could last 20-40 minutes.

Get a good position at the junctions, I tended to get too far back and then have to go forward a metre and then stop again.

Get up the gears quickly. I tended to stay around 25 mph in 3rd but with my second test I went up to 4th a lot more.

Don't be scared to ask what direction or road again.

Also if you see that the roundabout is quite busy then perhaps ask beforehand so you can get into the correct lane. My first test, I was told way too late if it was going to be in the right lane.

Don't get too excited when you are told you are going back to the centre. You can still fail!

Make sure when doing parallel parking that you turn the wheel at the right point. Do it as soon as the back of your car gets past the back of the other car. I sometimes went past the turning point. This could mean some messing about at the end like being paranoid you are too close to the car behind etc. Steering at the right time makes your life so much easier. Also turn the car straight at the last moment so that you are within a foot. I hated parallel parking.

Signal off a roundabout.

Edit: If they don't signal at the roundabout then look at the car position and whether it would tally with being second exit.

Edit 2: Just relax. They are mostly tips that you would know about anyway.

Reply 16

herrond378

Some people write too much for these!

Just relax, don't feel pressured by other road users but most of all, enjoy it!

Reply 17

ranbow99

Muffles

Is rolling back slightly when you've stopped, say at a junction or roundabout a minor or serious?

I think (not entirely sure though) that it's a serious, although it depends whether the examiner notices, or if he lets you off.
Rolling back on a hill start is definitely a serious though :frown:

Reply 18

ranbow99

Oh yeah, and probably an obvious one, but if you stall during a manoeuvre, don't think you've failed!

Just check your mirrors ALL the time, especially when moving off, changing speed, changing directions, signalling, moving lanes, at roundabouts!

Just relax and don't wind yourself up with nerves, lots of examiners are really nice and understand how you feel, so be calm and think of it as another driving lesson, but instead with an examiner! good luck :h: