How the f do I pass my driving test?

[LadybirdInTheWindow]

In an auto. Failed twice now. Both times I failed just on really stupid mistakes because I was nervous (eg living my indicator on which I never do in lessons). My instructor is kind of in despair with me because I am completely fine in lessons and don't really have trouble with any one particular thing, but when it comes to the test I go completely to pieces due to nerves and do ridiculous things I would never normally do.

Third test is on Wednesday next week and I'm already shitting it. Only my instructor knows I'm doing it. I haven't told DH or anyone else.

Beta blockers just don't seem to have the same effect on me as they do on others!!

I also thought I'd failed. 3rd go, at a new test centre with an examiner that my driving instructor told me was a little nervous (that was an understatement). She spent most of my drive clinging on to the door handle. My instructor told me afterwards that she rarely passes people and he doesn't think it's the job for her.
I took a corner badly, it was a lot tighter than I thought it was and basically swung out onto the wrong side of the road. I had a slot first thing on a Saturday so the lack of traffic was all that saved me. I also hit the curb parallel parking. Because I thought I'd already failed I was much more relaxed for the rest of my drive.
I pulled in and she told me I'd passed, I honestly couldn't believe it.

I didn’t tell anyone I was taking mine before, including my husband, which eased the pressure immensely.
Also agree with the person who said learn not to give a fuck.
Maybe picture your instructor next to you.

Just before you fall asleep start thinking about it, but not about the test, feel how good you will feel actually driving, maybe taking your children out or going for a drive through beautiful country side.

The next night think about the day you passed, how happy you were ets.

Count down towards the test in stages so by the time it gets to the morning of your test all you are feeling is how good it will be WHEN you pass.

Oh and if you do cock up on reversing round a corner or another manoeuvre ask the examiner if you can do it again (I did this) the examiner will probably tell you to, "just do as you would if you were on your own", the other thing you can say is, "I know I made a mistake, I'm going to do it again"

@LadybirdInTheWindow

Practising is really hard because I can't afford any more lessons and learner insurance is really expensive.

New driver insurance is more....

I drove worse on my second test so thought I had failed quite early on and also adopted a 'fuck it' confidence that pp's have mentioned. It worked!

I also passed on my third go. By that time I was resigned to failing so I was a lot more relaxed. I also got a lovely examiner who chatted to me the whole way, which made a huge difference.

I honestly think a lot of it comes down to your luck on the day - even my driving instructor said this. Don't be too wedded to the idea of passing, just go in with no expectations and do your best. I absolutely hated the whole process and thought at one point that I'd never get there, but now I'm actually a really confident driver and realised it was learning to drive I hated, not driving itself! One day you'll look back on this and it'll just be a distant memory when you're zooming along

@burrsirr, I was about to say the same thing! Insurance is higher as you'll be deemed a higher risk as you no longer require an experienced driver with you.

I passed on my 6th go! My mum told me to book a test for a Saturday morning which I did. The examiner was so different, it might have been a coincidence but he was so much more relaxed and chatty than other ones I had. I also took beta blockers but you said they don't work for you. The Saturday morning test is worth a try though! Hopefully you won't need it and you'll pass your next one. Just don't give up!
I wouldn't say I'm the best or most confident driver now, and there's still certain places I wouldn't drive such as big cities but it's meant my independence being able to drive, before I had kids I loved the fact if I wanted to go somewhere I could just jump into the car and go, and after I had kids it was my lifeline to the outside world lol

Bearing in mind though that OP may not have access to an automatic car to practice in other than her instructor’s. That’s the situation I was in.

It took me 4 tests to pass. I had beta blockers for the 3rd and 4th and my instructor sat in the back for my 4th.

First 3 tests I wasn't sure whether I had passed or failed during the test but the 4th I had convinced myself I'd failed before we even left the tests centre. I couldn't believe it when he told me I'd passed I told him to shut up then started crying, poor man couldn't get away quick enough .

I don't know if it was the pills, having my instructor there, convincing myself I'd failed or a combination of all 3 that helped but I think it was just my lucky day if I'm honest I can't say for definite if any of these helped.

I read and watched lots of YouTube for tips to pass but nothing made a difference it was just perseverance that got me through in the end. It's disheartening but you will get there don't give up. Good luck.

Yep another one who thought they'd failed and thought fuck it!

Drove ACROSS a corner!
But it was because the corner is tight anyway and as I was turning a cyclist cut out of the queue of traffic in front to ride up the middle/my side and it was an emergency manoeuvre by me to avoid hitting him.

Then some kids were playing tennis across the road, I approached warily, they stopped as we got closer and passed, but then a tennis ball hit the car, both the examiner and I ducked!

Double fuck it.

I passed!

I took 5 tests in an auto. I was a late learner and really anxious. First test a complete mess of it, the rest were clean sheets but 1 serious, hence why I failed. I changed instructors & took the last 3 tests with him, obviously stilled failed, but he couldn’t understand it. Anyway, I gave up, completely. I stopped driving, even in our car, I haven’t drove for nearly two years. It just battered my confidence. That and it was just too expensive, and if I’m honest, DH wasn’t the greatest with me in the car. DON’T do what I did & give up. The thought of having to take another test & fail just fills me with dread especially now as as I haven't drive for so long.

I passed on my 5th attempt. I had so much anxiety and done silly mistakes on previous tests that I would never would've done in lessons.

What helped on my 5th test was trying my best to not give a damn and treat the test as another learning experience.

The thing that really helped was rescue remedy, few sprays when I got up, few sprays when I went out and few sprays right before the test. I also kept the bottle in my pocket as a reassurance.

Beta blockers and have your instructor in the car with you during your test.

I passed on my 3rd go. I had the same examiner each time so when I saw him coming towards me for the 3rd exam, I felt doomed from the start! Maybe assuming that I was going to fail took the pressure off and made me more relaxed.

Hi OP,

I failed my test loads of time on stupid nervous mistakes.

In the end my driving instructor booked me in for 4pm test, picked me up at 8am and we spent the whole day driving the test routes.

By the time 4pm tolled around I was tired, grumpy and did not actually give a shit if I passed or failed because I was fed up and wanted to go home.

I aced the test. My nerves weren't there because I just wanted to go home and was concentrating on completing the test so I could go home rather than over analysing every thing I did.

Might not be the best advice but it worked for me.

How do you practise if you don’t have access to a car? This is my DD’s situation too.

@daisypond you can’t 🤷🏻‍♀️

People kept telling me to but no-one was willing to let me use their car - happy as they were to insist I must be able to use someone else’s!

It’s very frustrating. We don’t have a car, so can’t help DD. We sometimes hire one through Zipcar, but they won’t allow learner drivers to use their cars.

Fairly outing but I finally passed on my 7th attempt. I was broken by the humiliation and like you drove fine during lessons, with parents etc. I just couldn’t handle the performance anxiety and pressure on the day and would literally shake with nerves. I tried rescue remedy, beta blockers, you name it. Nothing worked. I am also the type that puked before school exams so I just hate that set up.

Things that helped;

Telling no-one before I was going to have another attempt.
Having a bit of an ‘oh f it’ attitude and just seeing it like a bit of a practice sesh.
Booking in for a new test immediately after failing so I didn’t have too long to build up the nerves.
Trying a new test centre.
Asking my instructor to be present in the car with me.

Sympathies, as I know how hard it is. I now love driving and am considered good at it.

Oh, and I also ‘narrated’ parts of the the journey on the test I finally passed. Stuff like ‘checking mirrors’, ‘approaching hazard ahead’ etc. I sounded like a twat but it worked!

OP I passed third time. You will get there. I was soo nervouse with the first and second. Totally different person on third go.

@Puddlelane123 😂😂 I did that too!

Hypnotherapy - worked for me on my 4th test. My third I failed on stearing and clutch control because I had fallen to pieces with nerves.

@LadybirdInTheWindow learner insurance isn't really expensive, you need to use one of those compare sites.

With some insurers it's horrific but the ones specialising in it it was around £200 for the year.