Driving Test

[MrsDukeOfHastings]

I know this has been done to death BUT please give me your best tips or the tip that really helped when you passed your driving test.

I've been doing lessons for about a year now (stopping and starting because of covid) and my test has creeped up slowly and is suddenly here 😱😱 next Tuesday.

I have been so confident for months and just thought I was basically driving around in my lessons waiting for test day, but now, It's all suddenly gone to pot! I'm making silly mistakes and failed 2 mock tests and now I'm convinced I won't pass.

I'm 30 years old for goodness sake, it means more to me then just having my license, it's becoming impractical not being able to just drive.

The pressure is so much, if I fail then I'll be spending god knows how much more on lessons because everything is so backed up ill be lucky to get another test for months.

I don't want to take any beta blockers or kalms. I will be doing the 2 paracetamol and banana trick. Anything else??

Rescue Remedy.

Good luck!

I passed at the same age as you. Just try and stay calm, enjoy the lesson before the test and maybe talk your way through the test, like if you're going right, say "turn right", I literally talked my way through the whole test

Thank you!

I'm panicking about how easy it is to get a serious fault
I'm hoping 🤞 my instructor is just being extra tough on me so I don't make any mistakes but I failed a mock because: after I had pulled up on the right, done my maneuver, I had to go back into the flow of traffic, I done my observations and put my indicator on, there was a car passing so I waited for that to pass then went out.

She said I made the right decision in waiting however, I would have failed because I didn't turn off my indicator and wait for the car to pass and then do my obs and indicate again....everyone I have said this too is a bit like 🤨 I didn't do anything wrong it was literally a passing car that I waited all of 5 secs for.

It'd got me all in a tizz and now I am doubting everything and seeing how easy it is to get a serious on something that I wouldn't even have realised was a serious!!

I am seriously stressing out!!!

I passed at 41. It's mostly down to luck on the day, your instructor won't put you forward for a test unless they think you're ready. I failed twice in my 30s, got disheartened and gave up. It was a mistake. Tell the examiner how nervous you are, I did and mine was lovely. I also had the radio playing softly, I always had music on my lessons and o found it relaxed me.

Worst case scenario, if it goes badly, you take the teat again. It's very common, so don't worry about failing!
In which case... find an instructor who will help your confidence.

My tips:
-see it as a chance to show off your driving (move away from test mindset)
-don't let them know it's your first test
-you can't fail for looking in the mirrors too much
-take your time. Take a deep breath when you need it, you're allowed to be nervous!

Good luck!

The luck thing bothers me because I am notoriously unlucky haha!

My instructor didn't actually put me forward I booked it in the height of covid, she does however think I am ready (I think) no I am ready its just my nerves!

*test not teat!
Taking the examiner's teat will probably result in failure! Ha

@Thack if they fail me I'll be taking their teat in protest 😂

@Thack thank you. I am going to try my damned hardest.

I think because I have a lot riding on my pass it's putting me under to much pressure. I know it's more common to fail your first time but with all the back log it will be such a long time for another test and I know me, I'll give up

@MrsDukeOfHastings can you book another test now?
I don't know the refund arrangements, but maybe having that safety net will offer a bit of comfort?

New twist on picturing your examiner in their underwear.... teat image of your choice

I finally passed last year, I was 37!
I failed my first test, passed second.
For my second I used the rescue remedy drops, ate a banana before my test, drank water, and pretended the examiner was someone I was giving a lift to and was just directing me!

@Thack I can't book one while I have one already booked and tbh that makes me laugh actually, thinking about booking a test while i haven't even taken this one 😂 I'm a right off 😂😂

Oh god I suppose I could try the naked thing but my nerves might turn into giggles which is just as dangerous haha...

@hotpink that's a good one to think about and congratulations on your pass, I have actually bought some rescue remedy today, I have a lesson tomorrow so I'll practice run it on that, how did you take them? Just before, an hour before or the night before? And do you think it was a contributing factor?

*write off!! 🙈

Just before the test! Good luck x

I had a banana smoothie and rescue remedy beforehand.

I fluffed in the beginning when they ask you a couple of technical questions. I can't even remember what it was now but I was just not getting it, even with the examiner trying coax me in the right direction! I did feel for her, she was very tall and I drove a banger of a tiny corsa. She was hunched up in the passenger seat!

But anyway, overall I got lucky in that I had no dual carrigeways, no emergency stop etc, just 30mph driving around residential areas. Although I did get the parallel park.

I found what also helped was I narrated my drive. When I could see if I continued I'd hit the kerb on the parallel park and stopped to pull forward and correct it, I said what I was doing. When I was about to come off a roundabout and saw a bunch of kids waiting to cross at that point I said I was slowing down in case one of them tried to dart across and I needed to brake hard.

Narrating it, for me, helped me to feel in control and showed that I knew what I was doing. Got 7 minors in the end, mostly for being too cautious in places but I passed first time.

Thank you for your tips and sharing your experiences. I had a really good lesson today so I came away feeling a bit more confident and positive.

I feel confident with parallel parking and bay parking so hopefully I don't fluff that up. I just need to focus on speed and pay attention to all the signs. I have another lesson tomorrow so 🤞 that's a good one too!