Hello,
Really need some advice please
I took my practical test yesterday. And the examiner failed me for stopping at a pedestrian crossing. It was a Light controlled crossing and it was flashing amber and there were lots of people about to cross and there was this woman with a pram who looked as if she has stepped out.. "The traffic from the oppposite side remained stationery too*..
Am sure they were thinking the same thing that I was thinking, that this woman was crossiing and it was still flashing amber.. t
I had jusst exited a mini roundabout and the traffic was crawling anyway..
so, it wasn't as if I slammed the brakes for the flashing amber or anything like that at all..
And indeed, the woman crossed and so were others.
The examiner quoted highway code and said flashing amber means that I should have gone. have just checked the same and it says "if the amber lights are flashing and there are no pedestrians on the crossing, you may proceed with caution"
And I was doing exactly that. On a practical note, for such a situation isn't it safer to interpret the "proceed with caution" part of it rather than rushing to pass ? I feel that I will be inclined to do the same thing of stopping if I were in a similar situation.
I had only 3 faults totally; the other 2 were minors.
This is my 5th attempt and I can't tell you how shattered I am to have failed it on the 5th attempt on something like this. I spent most of yesterday crying. So much hinges on this. We are spending 36 pounds on taxi everyday to ferry my daughter to and from nursery. There is no public transport; we were hoping to move to that area etc, Long story. I work part time and it doesn't even break even, at this rate of expenditure.
I really feel that I ought to appeal this decision if at all here is some procedure to do it.
What will you do ?
To give some context , the same examiner has examined me 3 of the 5 times(1,4,5). He recognised me and even my car this time. THe first time, he asked me what I do for a living and what my "Dr" title stands for and when I said I have a doctorate and that I do research, he said "Maybe you have studied too much , spent too much time studying, but your driving isn't simply flowing"
At that time (6 months back), I took it in my stride and though I though it was none of his business to remark about my occupation having an impact on my driving, I decided to ignore it.
BUt, this time, I am furious at the way he has failed me.
And more importantly, I am scared that the next time around, I will get him again and he might do something similar. I don't want to take it in another centre as I have practised a lot in that area and the test routes there.
Please, please, share your thoughts