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.

You can't have your instructor sit in on your test at the moment, the DVSA aren't allowing due to Covid-19 and social distancing

Try some simple meditation and sleep hypnosis techniques found on YouTube.

Take pressure off yourself by telling yourself that it is just another driving session like any other, and that you will keep doing this until you have your licence.

Also, it's really important to tell yourself that it's not that you're 'a bad driver' - a felt a lot of embarrassment and shame that people would think that about me, and I'm sure some did, because I was actually really proud of how good I was! It's the nerves you need to manage, and that's a different thing.

Sometimes those intensive courses can be good if you can’t practice much between lessons.

Please don’t take diazepam, which has been suggested.

You need to stop making excuses and practise. New driver insurance costs more than learner driver, much more. You have an automatic car. You need to go out every day and keep at it. You will pass in the end. Then you will have to go out on your own! Are you ready for that?

I failed twice. On my third test, I literally spoke through every action I was doing, and talked pretty much non stop to myself throughout the test. It helped me focus and I passed with one minor.

@KTD27

Narrate it! I swear to god it helped me pass third time. I told the examiner I was going to do it before we set off - I just didn’t want to fail on anything silly like not looking in my mirror obviously enough so I basically narrated everything: Right, look in my mirror nothing there, indicate check again and move off Sort of thing. Worked.

This worked for me too! So helpful

“You need to go out every day and keep at it”

OP has already said her DH is not good at supervising her, so going out with him every day could make things worse!

My husband kept failing for really silly things and he also failed once for indicator being left on, it didn't click off after he turned and he didn't notice for 5-10 secs. He also got failed for approaching a junction too fast which he said he didn't. You start to wonder whether they have passed too many ppl that day! U just need to keep going with it.

I passed second time and when I got bk to test centre, examiner said oh I thought I might have to fail u there right at the end. Parked car on my side and I went through as there was enough room but he cld have failed me I suppose so sometimes it's just luck.

I can honestly say I have never been more nervous than when I sat my driving test and I was worse the second time. My leg kept shaking! You can do it just try your best and hope for some luck.

Good luck hope you do it! 3rd time lucky.

You start to wonder whether they have passed too many ppl that day!

That's how I felt when I failed my second test. The examiner said I was doing 40mph in a 30 zone, which was total bullshit. You KNOW when you're driving too fast and I certainly wouldn't be gunning it along a residential road in a driving test

My instructor looked at the GPS records from his dash cam and saw that I'd never exceeded 30mph but he went on holiday, then I did, and by the time we were both home it was past the appeal deadline. Ugh.

Rescue remedy and paracetamol!

I know you said beta blockers don't work - are you on them anyway?

I tried beta blockers and still felt nervous so I took more everytime I thought about it - in the end I sailed round and passed - maybe you could be more sensible than me and actually talk to GP about dosage. You might just need a bit more.

Agree that narrating helps a lot too.

Good luck.

I agree with not giving a f*ck. I passed on auto on my third test - I cut someone up coming out of the test centre, then messed up my manouver in quick succession so assumed I’d failed and just drove - all nerves vanished because I’d failed already.

When he said ‘congratulations you have passed’ I actually asked him if he was sure!!!

I still maintain it was the worst of my three tests and god only knows why he passed me.... fours years later I’m a good safe driver.

So if you can find some way of not caring about the result it helps (don’t cut someone up driving out of the test centre though, god knows why I didn’t fail straight away)

Agree with not telling ANYONE you have a test. I didn’t even tell DH on test three, I just said it was another lesson.

You will do it OP! Just think of this next test as a dress rehearsal/practice test.

@Gunpowder

Agree with not telling ANYONE you have a test. I didn’t even tell DH on test three, I just said it was another lesson.

You will do it OP! Just think of this next test as a dress rehearsal/practice test.

I didn’t tell DH either - I pretended to go to work!

My instructor parked up at the end of the street, I did my final practice with him, then my test, and went home to tell DH the good news.

However, he wasn’t expecting me home and I busted him with a McDonald’s breakfast. I’ve never seen him look so guilty

Try doing an intensive course just before the exam?

amusedblush. That’s brilliant! You got to be doubly smug.

When I was taking lessons years ago as a student, loads of people told me to have an energy drink before the test to make you super alert. I tried it on a lesson and it made me feel a bit too buzzy, but works for some.

I do think sometimes the examiners have a quota to pass/fail and have already made their mind up. I know people who were failed on silly things and others passed after making mistakes they could've been failed on. I deliberately booked my test for a time slot lots of my friends had passed on and I passed, even though I made a couple of errors my instructor said they could've failed me on.

Practice but also I think it's like putting on a performance/acting, so over exaggerating looking in your mirror etc. you're playing a role...

I was in a similar situation. The things I did were - moving to another local test centre without the huge roundabout that everyone (even experienced drivers) can't work out. Beta blockers from doctor. And just kept going till I got lucky enough to get a test that worked for me - 3 point turn as my manoeuvre and no big problems came up. It's a numbers game I think!

Drive as much as you can before your next test. If your DH isn't patient, ignore him. The more driving you do the more confident you will feel.

If you don't want to narrate the drive aloud, do it in your head. That will give you something else to concentrate on, other than nerves.

Above all, don't give up! You know you're a good driver. Try to think of the test as just a final lesson. And once you pass, the sense of freedom will be amazing.

Then you will have to go out on your own! Are you ready for that

Yes totally. I'm a confident driver. I'm just useless under test conditions.

I did what Willowandsage did. I talked to myself all the way through. Is it clear, yes, signal, manouvre, etc. Amused the examiner. Also, I booked an hour's lesson before the test, so I couldn't stay quite so hyper.

Kalms or something and convince yourself it's your instructor once you set off. Keep telling yourself it's your instructor and if you pass you won't have to do it again xxxx

As PP have said, the most important thing for me was to remember that the only consequence of failing was that I would have to book another test. I basically convinced myself it was an expensive lesson.

Please don't take diazepam.