Driving test tomorrow! Any tips?!?

[Intrusivedilemma]

I am absolutely bricking it
I’ve got a prescription for propranolol, driving test is tomorrow at 8am and I’m doing it in an automatic. I feel like all the odds are in my favour but I’m so anxious and just really feel like I will never pass! Has any one got any tips for remaining calm and not making silly mistakes?!

Every time I get a bit confident I make a stupid mistake in my lesson and then get really anxious and can’t concentrate!

A tip I had from many years ago was to place your rear view mirror slightly off so you have to actually move your head to check it rather than lifting your eyes. That way the tester actually sees that you are checking your mirror.

Leave the window open slightly for some air.

Don’t forget to indicate. I failed first time as I didn’t indicate at a roundabout.

Try and relax.

@AC12theletterofthelaw that’s a good tip! My instructor is always pulling me up for not checking mirrors because I just flick my eyes over and up so he can’t actually tell I’m doing it! Gosh, the roundabouts! I have two scary roundabouts on potential routes, but hoping on a Sunday they will be less scary. Ahhhhhh

Many of us come factory fitted with a "shitty committee" in our head which manages to convince us we are uniquely rubbish, awful or less capable than other people despite evidence to the contrary.

In your case you have applied for a provisional license, undertaken lessons, presumably passed a theory test, taken steps to manage your anxiety and are aware that you become distracted by focussing on small mistakes; all the evidence suggests you are a competent adult who is we quite capable of passing your driving test. Sack the shitty committee and recruit some cheerleaders instead. If you make a small mistake you cannot alter what is done so refuse to allow it to distract you by focussing on the task in hand. If I need to concentrate on what's right in front of me I repeat in my head what I'm supposed to be doing so if I was doing a driving test I might be repeating something like, "I'm turning left, I'm turning left" etc, it drowns out the self sabotaging thoughts.

Remind yourself your instructor wouldn't not have supported you sitting your test if they didn't think you were ready but also remember that not passing first time will not be the end of the world, many excellent drivers need more than one go.

Good luck.

I thought that you are supposed to just move your eyes I thought the instructor /examiner had a way of checking this... But hmmm not a bad idea to over do it slightly just to show.

My tip is that a minor for hesitation is way better than a major for something potentially dangerous.

My first test I got 2 majors I think for not waiting at junctions and next time I passed with a bunch of minors for hesitation, but hey who cares I still passed!

Good luck OP and even if you don't pass don't be disheartened, most people take multiple attempts and there's no limit to how many times you can take it! But everything crossed for you!!!

Getting a licence was life changing for me, so worth it!

Fake it until you make it!

I know it sounds silly but honestly this has helped me with panic.
Keep telling yourself that all those nerves are excitement.
Excitement because you are going to do something fun. Even if you don't find driving fun, tell yourself that you do. Keep repeating it in your head, write it down etc
Excitement because you are going to pass your test.
Put on this front of confidence and excitement, see it like you are acting the role of a confident driver who isn't nervous.
It feels very silly and odd but it has helped me with panic.
The author Barry McDonagh talks about faking it until you make it when having a panic attack, his book has changed my life- sorry I know that sounds cheesy haha!

Tomorrow you are playing the role of a confident excited driver and that's who you are going to be. You only have to fake it for a couple of hours.
You can do this!

Good luck!
If you feel like you have made a silly mistake just think it will only be a minor fault and forget about it.

Mars bar for energy and 2 paracetamol to keep your temperature down when you inevitably get stressy! Recommend by by instructor...

Keep the tips coming! These are all amazing. I’m going to give myself a pep talk in the morning In the mirror

@Aprilwasverywet do you think the paracetamol as well as the beta blocker? Or will that make me go a bit funny

Also, what the hell do i wear?

A decent night's sleep. No staying up late to watch anything.

As for what to wear, something comfortable. Though please have some personal self-respect and no leggings or tracksuit bottoms.

I failed

Sorry to hear that @Intrusivedilemma
What did you fail on?

Very annoyingly 1 major, he apparently didn’t see me check the mirrors before joining the motorway from the slip road, but I definitely did

Also 4 minors, 2 for stopping at an amber light. Although I was taught that if you have no one behind you then you should stop?! He told me I should have kept going. So two minors for that, it was a pretty abrupt stop though
And then one minor because he told me to turn left but I missed it
It just feels like I made stupid mistakes! So gutted about the mirrors one because I definitely checked, but lingered on my right mirror so I think he thought I hadn’t checked the rear mirror. Better luck next time

Learning curve op... Now you know what to expect....

On the motorway? I didn't think you were meant to have a driving test assessed on the motorway.

Really hope you rebook as soon as possible OP and don't be downhearted - my best tip is not to tell anyone. Not even your closest family/ partner - not one!!! All the pressure of possibly failing fell away from me the 2nd time and I sailed through it! No one would have known if I failed

Oh dear. That’s bad luck. Book again straight away as waits are long.
I asked my family member who is an auto instructor and they said the amber stop situation sounds unusual and they may not have been minors with a different examiner. Did you check mirror before harsh breaking?
The one for missing the left turn you should not have got a minor for. They advise the route. They should not penalise for going off route. Just re-route you.
Your major (I think you mean dual carriageway rather than motorway) you should be doing frequent and numerous checks in the right door mirror whilst accelerating and preparing to join. Glances not watching. And glance through the side window. That is apparently what they are looking for.

@PineappleVision that’s really odd! That’s exactly what I was doing, staring out the window and the right mirror. I assumed he had given me a major because he had missed me check the rear mirror?! I have no idea! Trying not to think about it because otherwise I will pick it apart and feel like it was unwarranted but he obviously failed me for a reason!
He was a bit confusing about directions a couple of times because he had quite a thick accent (really hope that’s not offensive to say! Face masks also don’t help!)
Hoping I don’t get him next time and as you all have said, it’s all experience! I now know what to expect.

Sorry forgot to add I did check the mirror before breaking, if someone had of been behind me I would have continued! But he literally said at the end “no one was behind you so you didn’t need to pull an emergency style stop” 🤣 but it’s definitely the other way right?!? I thought I was going crazy! I even spoke to my instructor after and he said he was right!!?!

Yes my family member agrees with your instructor on the amber ones. On the joining checks. It may have been the staring that did it. What they want is short glances from main front view, to middle mirror, to main view, to side mirror, to main view, to side window. And repeat and repeat etc. So that you are showing that you are staying focussed on the direction you are going, and what’s behind you, and what’s in the lane, moving your head all the time. I believe they are now sending out emails with breakdown of marking. Yes, hope you get someone else next time.

Mirror mirror mirror. Nodding head dog. They watch your head movements not your eyes. Drive as if you have a dozen eggs in passenger seat. And you dont want to break any.

Oh I'm sorry. I failed as soon as I came out the test center as went into wrong lane for roundabout. You will pass and be a better driver, frustrating though!

A tip my DH was given many years ago is that there's only so long they can keep you out, so take your time going round corners, going up to junctions etc. Mirrors are important too, not only in your test but when you're driving, so make sure you're using them as much as you can.

If it’s raining lights on watch your speed.

And then one minor because he told me to turn left but I missed it

That's a bit harsh!!! Re book..keep going.

Oh I do have one! U might already know it but I didn't on my first test.

Look to the left as u exit the roundabout.

It's incase another car is in the other lane. Something I do frequently now too lol. My instructor had never told me to do this and there was someone in the wrong lane next to me. I was a bit ahead so no one had to break etc but it was a fail just because I didn't look/acknowledge there was another vehicle and the examiner said I would have passed if not for that. Only had a couple of minors I was gutted!