The Ultimate "Driving Test" Thread!

[Kiki1993]

I brought it up jokily like "so when do you think you will be rid of me" and he told me to book the test after my holiday so i did but wish i didnt because i knew i was physically ready but i wasn't mentally ready at that point x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Yeah my driver kept saying "when are you sacking me then" LOL

I am glad I had a nice instructor, I saw him the other day and we went for a quick coffee

 

[MrsBandEgglet]

thanks girls. I wouldn't say I am completely ready but I want to feel like I a, working towards my test and not just taking endless lessons to provide somebody's income. Were you all having perfect lessons, with no mistakes/comments/advice from your instructor? I'm still making a few mistakes every lesson although some are better than others and my instructor has to write down what I need to work on and also what is good. It's my manouvres I really need more practice on and I haven't yet done a bay park, does this come last? Any tips on how to nails these manouvres? Particularly the left hand reverse?

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

thanks girls. I wouldn't say I am completely ready but I want to feel like I a, working towards my test and not just taking endless lessons to provide somebody's income. Were you all having perfect lessons, with no mistakes/comments/advice from your instructor? I'm still making a few mistakes every lesson although some are better than others and my instructor has to write down what I need to work on and also what is good. It's my manouvres I really need more practice on and I haven't yet done a bay park, does this come last? Any tips on how to nails these manouvres? Particularly the left hand reverse?

My last menouvers was the parallel. I did them all though about 3 mths before my test although they were not "perfect" I also made mistakes right up until my test lol but as long as they are minor things I wouldnt worry about it. My instructor said no one drives perfectly.

For the left hand turn do you use markers? My instructor pretty much knew the corners they were likely to use on the test route and took me to them lol. For a full lock it would be a corner like a right angle and turn when the curb disappears, half turn would be a sweeping corner and turn when just past corner and anything in-between would be 1. I used to mess up the left turn but as long as you go slow, observe the road and look out the back then you should be able to correct it as long as you are going slow enough!

For parallel I just used markers which I was taught. My teacher was a avid Everton fan and for the turn sequence (L, R, R, L) he told me to remember Liverpool Rubbish Rubbish Liverpool. Ask your instructor for some points to remember when to turn the wheel.

Ask your instructor what routes are used in the test and get him to take you on them ( I know the test routes 15miles away better than the town I live in now haha)

Also dont worry about feeling overwhelmed. I remember thinking I would never remember it all. Its very overwhelming. I messed up my parking quite often and even before my test but main thing is to observe around you, move slow and you have more chance at correcting it. xx

 

[LulaBug]

One thing I'd say about booking your test is give yourself lots of time.

See, although I'd had lessons before, I don't think I was ready for some of my test's looking back, because my driving hadn't been consistent.
I know people say that when you drive, it's a skill you don't normally forget and although I had learnt to drive, it wasn't enough to get me through a test. I think the lesson's need to be consistent. I had too many gaps in between lessons so misjudged how ready I was for my test.

You've had 13 hours so far, I would give yourself another 13 or so with consistent and regular lesson's, because you do need to keep doing the lesson's for your driving skills to improve vastly. Mine never got past the basics and both me and my instructor held our hands up to that with realising we had both misjudged how ready I was.

Having said that, that was my situation, you might be completely ready but from personal experience, I would give yourself more time, because as ready as I thought I was, I wasn't really. It's only now after almost a year of regular lesson's and being on my 5th attempt that I really do feel confident that I can pass.

Like I say though, that's just me, you might find that you are completely ready and will sail through it and if you do put it for your test, I hope you do because as I'm sure the other ladies will back up, passing is a wonderful feeling and I can't wait to feel that myself. xxx

Sorry for the ramble lol! xxx

 

[Kiki1993]

Last one i did was bay park too I didn't do every manouver perfect every time, i always messed up a little bit e.g. squint in the bay but tbh i was squint in my last test and the one before that and they dont care as long as your in, they also dont care if your closer to one side than the other! My instructor would always be like "you a bit close to the white line" but who cares so long as your in?!
Just book it when both instructor and you feel ready

BTW can i have some help because in lessons i never really got taught this but how do you park normally between 2 cars without parralel parking? my back end always sticks out ...also how do you judge distance from cars when your reversing the going forward etc? I was in the car with mum and we parked where she normally does between my neighbours cars but i couldnt get near the kurb, she was like "theres enough space to just drive in" but i cant drive in! took me ages to get within a metre to the kurb! So embarrassing! Any suggestions?

 

[LulaBug]

I think it;s just one of those things that takes practice Kiki. I feel the same so might mention it to my instructor on Monday and see what he says and see if he'll teach me so I can relay decent help back to you.

Maybe ask your neighbour if you could practice parking in between his cars so it doesn't look like you've gone insane trying to do it? I think most people would say when the wing mirror is in line with the middle of the bonnet, you turn then? So maybe try using that as a point of reference until you've found the correct point in which you can turn in??

 

[Kiki1993]

I think it;s just one of those things that takes practice Kiki. I feel the same so might mention it to my instructor on Monday and see what he says and see if he'll teach me so I can relay decent help back to you.

Maybe ask your neighbour if you could practice parking in between his cars so it doesn't look like you've gone insane trying to do it? I think most people would say when the wing mirror is in line with the middle of the bonnet, you turn then? So maybe try using that as a point of reference until you've found the correct point in which you can turn in??

Thanks Any info would be great! it was soo embarrassing it took 15 minutes and like 10 times reversing then forward revering than forward and i was still really far from the kurb! Also my mum is the WORSE backseat driver in the world! Good thing i will only use her car to drive her to doctor appointments every now and then or i'de go insane
Was driving her to pick up my nephew as she had a sore neck and I was reversing outh the bays, no cars and then just before i was about to move off i was mid lanes and a car was slowing down behind meto wait for me and she was like "STOP YOU FRICKEN IDIOT THERES A CAR" so i shouted back, " I KNOW BUT IT WAS SLOWING DOWN COZ I WAS IN ITS WAY!" all the time my sister was in the back asking why i was going so slow...it was a fricken 20 zone and she was like "you have passed now though" and i was like..."i want to keep my license thank you very much" ...cant WAIT till she does lessons and sees how hard it is Sorry needed to get this out and also NEVER under ANY circumstances drive with your mum when she clearly is not meant to be a passanger!

 

[LulaBug]

LOL!!! I'm a bit of a dodgy passenger myself now to be honest. When my son's nan is driving, at a point where I would normally brake and she's still going, I'm like "WOOOOAHHH STOPPPPPPPP"

I think we're all a bit doo lally to be honest.

 

[Kiki1993]

haha im a backseat driver but i try bite my tongue! And i know what you mean sometimes they will do pretty much an emergency stop when coming to a junction

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I nearly kicked my OH out the car the other day he was driving me nuts. I gad to do my first parallel today on school run and was so nervous LOL but it was ok actually x

I had over 100hours of lessons!

 

[Kiki1993]

I nearly kicked my OH out the car the other day he was driving me nuts. I gad to do my first parallel today on school run and was so nervous LOL but it was ok actually x

I had over 100hours of lessons!

Oh i can only park using the manouvers, i physically cant drive into a bay, drive between to parked cars etc but mums always like "just drive in" haha, im considering doing a pass plus thing but dont want to waste more money! I just think its a money making scheme tbh i mean ive had 11 months of driving with my second instructor and 10 lessons with my first (he was shite though) !! Overall i've had about 60 hours driving which comes in to about £1250 and i dont want to spend anymore on driving while paying someone elses salary :/ Plus i would rather save my money for a car or spend it on things for me

 

[Kiki1993]

update on my first test - on my first test you might remember how i was concerned how he had my age circled, well my instructor said it would have been test route so i brushed it off. I found out my town only has 14 test routes so it couldn't have been my test route number as it said 18. Also my best friend had him for her test last month and he had her age, 17, circled beside her name too and surprise surprise- she failed! So right now im sitting on the dsa complaints page wondering if I should bother! It seems like such a lengthy process which i really dont have the time to do (even though I promised myself once I passed I would complain) - about the age thing and also the way he spoke to me! It would take months to do and I doubt they would do anything but at the same time I dont want him victimizing young people and making it even more impossible to pass
I mean my SIL passed her test in August with one instructor even though she MOUNTED the kurb leaving the test centre (she is 27) and even our instructor said she should have failed whereas my friend touched the kurb (agreed with instructor) with the guy who circled her age (same as my first examiner) and she failed for it

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I dont know hun. I know you can appeal but it wont change result. All you can do is prove to them you are a safe driver. If you dont do anything serious then he can not fail you for no reason so dont worry. What did you fail on before?

P.S I dont like driving in forward between 2 cars, I am scared of hitting one LOL.

Pass plus can give you cheaper insurance (some places) Its mainly how you feel about it. I personally have decided to do pass plus because I dont feel confident with motorways and over taking. I have my kids in the car and I dont want to do something I am not happy with IYKWIM? I am only going to do 6 hours pass plus. That shouldn't break the bank and safety is priceless really for me.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I may feel different if I didnt like my instructor but he was brilliant and I miss our lessons a bit lol.

 

[Kiki1993]

I agree i should have failed on that attempt, i was incredibly nervous and didnt feel ready to sit it my first time but i disagree with him knowing my age and i think he made up his mind on failing me before we left the centre, he was being very cold and mocked my career choice and made it very obvious when i made my mistake, he looked behind him, sighed loudly and wrote on his paper and the way he behaved scarred me for the following tests as i was terrified i would get him and he would treat me like a piece of shit again. He even shouted at me as he said "pull up beyond that red car" but it hought he said "along" and he shouted your not listening over and over ...then said "try again at the black car" and again shouted "your not listening" and i was like "well repeat the question then" almost crying... the only outcome i would want is for him to get a warning for treating people so badly, especially young females, he spoke to me, my friend and my sisters friend like shit but he was nice to my OH and nice to one of the college girls who is in her 30s when she sat it...just feel like it seems he is discriminating but then again it will always be my word against his and maybe we just got him on off days. I dont feel bitter about failing at all, i agree because i now feel confident in driving whereas then i wasnt but people might see it as differently i am fine with the fact i failed, what i'm not okay with is the manner he spoke to me, there was no need wish i could just confront him, but ide probably get arrested haha

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Oh thats not fair at all I had a woman examiner and she seemed stern but was fine. How did he know your carer choice? x

 

[Kiki1993]

he asked me what i studied (just assumed i was a student i guess) and i said childcare and he replied with "you dont even need a qualification for that, its common sense, courses like that and hairdressing are just a waste of money" to which i said "my course is more complicated than that." ... felt like spitting in his face!

 

[Leafy]

I think you should put in a complaint about him. You could just do a personal complaint about his attitude, and not take the lengthy route of complaining he failed you etc. You never know, other people might do the same if they were treated in such a horrid way and if more than one person complains, chances are he will get a warning, which can only be a good thing! You might save someone else the anxieties & upset he caused you.

About driving in to spaces....I don't think it can be done without reversing and going forwards again a few times! I've never seen anyone do it first time anyway unless there is LOADS of space...I always have to reverse back once or twice and i'm still not usually happy!! I just think ''sod it, that'll have to do!!''


xx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

my car is so little that I can park wonkey and still be in the line lol