The Learner driver progression thread

Oh dear.....I have been concentrating on the question part too much, haven't done Hazard bit for weeks. Just tried it and got 2/1/0/2/3/5/2/2/3. Oh dear.....

Although I think it's slightly harsh. I spotted a flashing yellow light of a crossing coming round a corner, but because the "driver" was concentrating on overtaking a car the first chance the thing gave me to recognise the crossing was after he had moved back to the left.

Probably a good thing I brought my test forward so I can have another one soon, don’t think I’ll pass the Hazard bit…. Will be nice to see what the real questions are really like though, a lot of people say it’s easier than the DVD

The Hazard Perception on the practice disks are always more difficult than the actual one. I found the real one alot easier, the hazards were very easy to spot.

From what I heard, hardly anyone takes practical tests around christmas time so there's alot of free test dates around christmas time?

Wow. Whereabouts in the UK are you? Obviously it all depends on how many test centres there are in your part of the country.

Started on 3 point turn today.

Is it a minor if you do it wrong (go onto the kerb or something)? If it is I'll just do that and drive on!! I'm thinking it might be a major for failing to complete it correctly

Importantly, the manouver is not a '3 point turn', it is a 'turn in the road'. So in your test if you don't manage to do it in 3 points it is not a fail. (However, if it is a wide road and it is easily possible to do it in 3 points then you may be penalised for it).

If you mount the curb in any part of your test it is an instant fail. If you touch the curb I think it is a minor, however I think that can depend on the situation and the examiner. Not entirely sure.

My test is in 4 days and my Instructor cancelled on me today!
GAH! I'm so annoyed.
Also, I have my Cervical Cancer jab the day before... not fun. My arm's gonna be so sore.

Holy crap, my test is in 6 days! i REALLY want to pass!

My test is in 4 days and my Instructor cancelled on me today!
GAH! I'm so annoyed.
Also, I have my Cervical Cancer jab the day before... not fun. My arm's gonna be so sore.

I had that jab last tuesday and had a 2 hour lesson wednesday morning. Don't worry i didn't notice any ache when driving.

Started on 3 point turn today. Only got to do it once (drove to Keynsham and around a bit so took a while). Reversed in a straight line a bit to get used to it, it was proper strange though. He did 2 examples then I had to do it.... I kind of did it but he had to say like turn it right/left quickly so he might as well have done it himself! He used the brake as I sped off to quickly too lol. Got to do more on Friday....... not looking forward too it.....

He slightly used the brake to stop me hitting the kerb too so I slammed it down and he said well done.... yea only because he did it for me! I have got no hope of this or reversing round a corner, I can never judge it properly

Is it a minor if you do it wrong (go onto the kerb or something)? If it is I'll just do that and drive on!! I'm thinking it might be a major for failing to complete it correctly

I had a lot of trouble with manouvers before my test - i just couldn't get them right! But they work out in the end. See if your instructor can get a tiny mirror which is clipped onto the top of the left wing mirror.. and you can see the wheel in relation to the curb! I was so thankful to have it there for my test

And it might seem that the instuctor is doing a lot of the work, but everyone starts like that. How many lessons have you had now?

Zack: If i'm honest, by what you've said in your above post it looks like your instructor is taking the piss.

Nine lessons just driving around, and not even reversed? No instructor does that. Normally you do the manouvers and combine that with driving. For example, I had done all the manouvers by my seventh lesson and after that it was driving around and throwing in manouvers whilst doing so. It was more realistic, and this is what will happen in the test too.

Then your instructor says ''people use alot of lessons'' - If he's a good instructor it shouldn't take ''lots'' of his pupils ''lots'' of lessons to perfect arguably the simplest manouver.

Perhaps I've misinterpreted what he said, and his method may be very good - but this is just my opinion.

I totally agree with you. While doing manouvers you're practising your general driving, and therefore improving as you go. Trying to get your general driving perfect before starting manouvers would take an extremely long time.

Not true. My instructor spent a few lessons getting me confident on the main roads before start maneuvers. Getting the general driving right helps with clutch control (otherwise you'll constantly stall and lose confidence when doing the moves) and maneuvers don't help with things like roundabouts, dual carriageways, one way systems, etc, which are arguably far more important to be confident with. There's no point knowing how to park if you can't approach a roundabout without tearing your hair out.