Driving at "Driving Test" standard.

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Driving at "Driving Test" standard.

197 posts & 74 voices | Started 7 months ago by michaelmcc | Latest reply from cyclehard

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michaelmcc - Member

I failed my first attempt at the driving test today. I thought I was driving really well for most of it too! Had a slight bit of roll back on the hill start which was probably largely down to nerves, and moved down the gears too quickly from 3rd to 2nd approaching a junction. Not much else I'm aware of! It seems the way you need to drive to pass the test is a bit ridiculous and not in a fashion that most people would normally drive.

How many goes did it take you to pass the test btw? Do you ever drive like that now??

Also think its a bit crazy that after you pass the test you can go straight on a motorway with no experience of it before.

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

Didn't the examiner give you a break down of why you failed the test??
Moving down the gears too quickly sounds fairly forgiveable. Rolling back on a hill start slightly less so.

Took me two goes to pass my test, but the first time I failed for an entirely legitimate reason: I came off a roundabout into the left lane of the two lane slip road, when I should have used the right.

Of course I see people do this same thing every single day on my way to work, so yeah it is true that people generally don't drive as they drove on their test.

Posted 7 months ago #
midlifecrashes - Member

Passed my test first go. Went on the A19 dual carriageway on my first lesson so motorways were no biggie. Mind you I'd been riding bikes on the road since I was 10 so all the road signs and layouts were familiar, everything else was just using the pedals really. No, I don't drive much like that now but I never deliberately speed in a built up area.

Posted 7 months ago #
TuckerUK - Member

I think rolling back on a hill start might be an immediate fail. There could have been a pedestrian behind you, you failed to be in total control of the vehicle.

You can make a great number of mistakes, but as long as you obey all the laws and signs, and show you are in control of your vehicle at all times, you will pass.

One of my kids failed three times, the last because they couldn't find their provisional licence to present!

Posted 7 months ago #
IanMunro - Member

Passed first time, but then I am awesome!!!
Surely the examiner told you the reason. Was a major, or just too many minors?

It seems the way you need to drive to pass the test is a bit ridiculous and not in a fashion that most people would normally drive.

Yes, the test drive is far simpler than normal driving.

Posted 7 months ago #
michaelmcc - Member

The main things I got marked down on were road positioning when turning right/ left, stopping, and observation when moving off / changing lane. I was looking around the whole time though! I guess a few times I didn't turn my head 45 degrees to make it obvious...

Posted 7 months ago #
Cougar - Member

There's a mostly true adage that when you pass your test is when you start to learn how to drive. Things like shuffling the wheel are a little archaic, and I'd agree wholeheartedly about the motorway thing. I'd respectfully suggest paying for a motorway lesson or taking an experienced driver with you for your first foray onto the motorway after you pass.

I'm surprised that you don't know why you failed, though. You should get a form with a breakdown on it (unless it's changed in the last mumble years since I passed).

Posted 7 months ago #
retro83 - Member

Sometimes you just get a wally conducting the test.

I failed my first test for on a major on the way back to the centre. The reason? I went slightly onto the cats eyes on the edge of a DC. I didn't get any minors, just immediately failed for that after driving for 45 mins with no mistakes. Grr.

The next time I got tonnes of minors, drove like an idiot, went over the national limit, nearly hit an old lady and still passed.

Posted 7 months ago #
michaelmcc - Member

Nothing major just too many minor things.

Posted 7 months ago #
Gary_M - Member

Passed 2nd time. My first test was in busy rush hour traffic and I was sitting for ages at a side road waiting to get out, there was a set of traffic lights on the main road I was turning left into. I eased my way out a touch to give me some space to get out so the next car in the queue had to let me out - I failed for that. I should have just sat in the side road and my test would have been a breeze.

Posted 7 months ago #
sweepy - Member

Well I passed first time, had my first minor bump later that day, and first write off within the fortnight.
Thank **** I dont drive like that anymore.

Posted 7 months ago #
tails - Member

yeah the driving test a b****x. I passed my second attempt this April, my driving was fine until I sat next to the examiner which made my leg twitch like crazy so I stalled a lot on test. Second time the same shaky leg but fortunately I did not stall so much.

The gears thing is him being very picky in fact is that even a valid reason. The roll back, you need to use your hand brake so you can apply some gas etc. Try to use your handbrake on the flat to get in the habit, of course after you pass you may not do this except on hall starts.

Perhaps book some lessons with another instructor to create a test like scenario. Good Luck.

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

Some examiners are quite reasonable.

On my test we went down a residential street and discovered a removal truck that was stuck diagonally across a junction. No way to get past without mounting the pavement and no way back due to cars behind us and one-way streets.

We sat and waited for them to sort it for 5 minutes then the examiner said "Right, I'll just close my eyes for 10 seconds and when I open them I'd like us to be the other side of that truck."

"Rightio." *thud*...*thud" "Okay you can open them now."

Posted 7 months ago #
tails - Member

Also motorways are much like a busy A road, A14 for example is super busy. Perhaps a bit more lane swapping but that's the only real difference.

Posted 7 months ago #
Mrs Toast - Member

Passed on my third attempt.

I failed my first test due to minors, including both undue hesitancy (general mincing) and speeding (approaching an island where the speed limit went from 60 to 30, but the 30 sign was obscured by a tree. I obviously slowed for the island, but was doing 36 by the time I hit the 30 zone, apparently).

Second attempt I fluffed reversing around a corner and ended up coming in a bit wide and was parallel but about a foot away from the pavement.

Third attempt was exciting because I had to wait for the instuctor to change the wheel on the car, because the examiner had noticed a ding on the rim from where another student had kerbed it. Passed though!

Posted 7 months ago #
Rusty Mac - Member

i failed the first time, 2 majors and 4 minors, the 2 majors were both marked at the same time and is a ong story to expalin, basically it came down to the instructor not seeing me look in my rear view mirror when i did.

For the 2nd test i deliberately set the rear view mirror slightly out so i had to move my head to see what was behind me so there could be no mistaking me looking and passed with 5 minors

Posted 7 months ago #
ebygomm - Member

Passed first time. I think this is largely due to the fact I thought I'd failed on my reverse round a corner so relaxed for the rest of the test.

Posted 7 months ago #
Edukator - Member

I never had a driving lesson apart from with my mum, passed first time and still drive the same way apart from the fact I slow down for green lights now and give way to traffic from the right in town.

During my test on a freezing cold day the passenger window fell inside the door. I carried on commenting only "it often does that, I can stop and put it up if you want". He declined. The car was older than me and had a "crash box".

Posted 7 months ago #
crispo - Member

I passed first time, this was 7 years ago now.

When I passed you were allowed no majors or dangerous's. You were allowed no more than a total of 15 minors. And you were not allowed 4 or more of the minors to be for the same thing.

As mentioned you should get a sheet with all of these marked down on to let you know so you can work on these for next time you take it.

Posted 7 months ago #
Imabigkidnow - Member

there's no point asking this bunch of middle aged IT guru's how well they did on their test .. I did my test a 'short' 12 years ago and it's twice the length and twice as hard (according to my wife's reports) now.

Passed 1st time btw 4 minor faults.
2 steering, (i'd gotten lazy as waiting list was so long I'd been 'driving' with my parents as passengers only for 6 months by then so regained the steering wheel shuffle for the test only and was taking corners far to 'confidently' to shuffle steer fast enough)
1 on observation,
1 because my 3 point turned into a 5 point turn.

1st motorway excursion was M4 near Heathrow at rush hour having dropped my mum off at the airport coz she missed her coach! in a 750 fiat panda .. scary

Posted 7 months ago #
coffeeking - Member

Passed first time after 12 or 13 (can't remember) 50 minute lessons. I'm sure I don't drive too much like that these days, certainly don't feed the wheel anymore, but think I could still pass it fairly easily if asked. But it is easy to get tripped up on some fairly "minor" stuff such as the rollback, or touching the kerb on a 3 pointer, but it's there for a reason. Part of the trouble with the roads is most people forget how they drove in their test and don't continue it, for the worse.

Posted 7 months ago #
jonba - Member

There are some aspects of driving for the test that perhaps you don't need to do in real life although they show that you are able to keep control of the car. I am struggling to think of anything off the top of my head other than reversing round a corner. I'm normally not that bothered about the precision required in the test and just get on with it.

Bad gear changes are probably quite common amongst the general population. Not STW as we're all driving gods.

Unfortunately people don't drive in real life like they do on the test which is why you get people not checking their mirrors taking out cyclists as well as the many other dangerous things I see daily.

I did pass plus to get some proper tuition on motorway driving, it helped and I hope it makes me safer. It would be good to see compulsary retesting for everybody or at least those who hit 12 points on their licence. They should also include motorway driving on the test.

I passed first time with one minor fault but. As some one once said though - when you pass your test you are just starting to learn to drive, you never stop...

Good luck next time.

Posted 7 months ago #
IanMunro - Member

I did mine 4 years ago and was still simple then (but I am awesome) I think the only changes since, are they've taken out one of the compulsory manoeuvres and put in a bit more bandit driving.

Posted 7 months ago #
chvck - Member

I passed 6 or 7 years ago (that's gone fast!) on my second attempt. I now wouldn't get in a car with me back then. If that makes sense?!

Posted 7 months ago #
coffeeking - Member

They should also include motorway driving on the test.

Genuinely think motorways are significantly easier to drive on than many fast A roads and dual cabbageways, but I know a few people who really dislike the joining and leaving bit.

Posted 7 months ago #
Edukator - Member

Of course it's got harder, like 'A'-levels and degrees. (add smiley to choice)

Kids, don't know they're born.

Crash box
hand signals
no power steering (turning the steering wheel whilst stationary was discouraged)
No external mirrors
No ABS for the emergency stop
Banzai traffic with five figure road fatalities and every other car decorated with go-faster stripes and rally lamps.
Cars abadonned rather than parked.

Driving these days has been sanitised to the point it requires little thought or effort and the hardest part is staying awake.

Posted 7 months ago #
aracer - Member

Sometimes you just get a wally conducting the test.

Yep - your second one sounds like he was for passing you.

moved down the gears too quickly from 3rd to 2nd approaching a junction

I thought the approved method was not to move down the gears at all at a junction - just clutch in when necessary and then select the appropriate gear to carry on.

It seems the way you need to drive to pass the test is a bit ridiculous and not in a fashion that most people would normally drive.

Just because it's not the way most people drive doesn't mean it's not an appropriate way to drive. I have to admit I don't do all the driving test stuff in normal driving, but not far off. I have to say I'm just a tad concerned by the OP's attitude that it's "unfair" he failed - not promising for the right attitude to driving once he's passed.

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

I thought the approved method was not to move down the gears at all at a junction - just clutch in when necessary and then select the appropriate gear to carry on.

I was taught (2007-08) that either was an acceptable method as long as you didn't cruise for any great distance with the clutch down.

Kids, don't know they're born.

Blah blah.. grandad.. grumble.. blah..

The UK driving test has got measurably more difficult and added a secondary theory test. Plus there are a hell of a lot more cars on the road than back in the day. And these days they don't even have a footman walking with a flag in front of them.

Posted 7 months ago #
hels - Member

I passed first time - but is was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porirua

Motorways not included as then, there weren't any. There still aren't really just some stretches of what Brits would call "dual carriageway" which is far too quaint for us rustic Colonials.

(I am from Tawa btw, for any Kiwis of a certain age who might find that amusing)

Posted 7 months ago #
project - Member

My driving test, as i pulled out of the space, a muppet behind came screamuing round the corner, i braked , he almost hit me, he shouted out the window, sorry mate,please dont drive like me when you pass your test, as im now banned.

The examiner hurridely wrote his number down.

Posted 7 months ago #
michaelmcc - Member

I have to say I'm just a tad concerned by the OP's attitude that it's "unfair" he failed - not promising for the right attitude to driving once he's passed.

I'm just a bit p!ssed off at the moment. I'll get a couple more lessons and practice a ton more before my next attempt.

I surprised so many people have passed on the first try. The people that took multiple attempts aren't speaking up i suspect...

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

I surprised so many people have passed on the first try. The people that took multiple attempts aren't speaking up i suspect...

The pass rate is 45% so I suspect you're right.

Posted 7 months ago #
hels - Member

I know somebody who took 8 goes to pass, thats what he will own up to anyway, I suspect it was more. Is still a terrible terrible driver, I was in the car with him last week, fearing for my life on country roads where he drove up the middle around corners. And waits for ages and ages at intersections, until there is a car coming, then pulls out in front of it. And still religiously observes the 10 to 2 position.

So my theory is that if you persist you must eventually fluke it !

Posted 7 months ago #
thomthumb - Member

first try; 4 minors.

if you fail first time you have to ask whether you were really ready. waay to many shite instructors imo.

I'm not sure the test is hard enough - far too many people i know pass and havbe no idea how to drive!!

Posted 7 months ago #
catflees - Member

I failed in 2005 didn't try again, but passed this January. The 'new' driving test is far harder than the old one. If you show your instructor your test sheet you can work on the faults.

I do drive pretty much as I did when I was taking my test still. No doubt I will pick up bad habits.

Posted 7 months ago #