Driving test tomorrow but I can’t drive

[Toottootbang]

Do I cancel? There are still times (not often but at least once or twice a lesson) when my instructor has to brake for me or tell me to steer away from a parked car. My test is tomorrow. I’m not ready am I? I still can’t reliably reverse park either. I feel like crying. I have 1 hour before test tomorrow to somehow magically learn how to drive. Instructor says she thinks I’m ready. I just don’t see how.

You never know what will happen. On my first test the examiner said I was veering over the lanes of a roundabout and took the wheel. I was mortified. Then I worked on a lot of roundabouts. My second test I had to do an emergency stop in pouring rain and the examiner said do you really call that an emergency stop. Instructor said I wouldn't get it. Passed fourth time😂

Bless you. You've come this far, you can do it. Sending love.

Oh yeah and the one I passed I had to do a bay park and went over the lines. I did the rest of the test thinking I'd already failed and passed! That examiner saw me do it on my second test so I think he'd had enough of me by then ha ha. Good luck OP

Have a banana and two paracetamol just before the test. Try it and see what happens. If nothing else it will be good experience of driving with a different person in the car.

If you fail, so what? I failed three times, twice with major faults (first a road sign was barely noticeable, my instructor knew exactly where I'd failed, the second I was trembling with nerves the whole time). Passed with two minors. If I can get there you will too, if not tomorrow then sometime soon.

I failed my test so many times all because of nerves. The final time it was snowing and icy and I was sure it would be cancelled. And then when it wasn't, I decided it didn't matter if I failed cos, sure who could pass in the snow!? So I had no nerves cos it didn't matter and I passed. Treat it like a mock, don't get too invested in the outcome and you might just surprise yourself. Also a driving test is such a basic level - you Learn so much more in the weeks after passing as you actually drive in real life so if you pass you are only just starting to learn really.

Contrary to what a poster has said above, it’s not ok to drive slowly on your test. You have to keep up the traffic and make expected progress. I got a minor for driving at 40mph on a very windy country lane in the pouring rain. This road was 60mph.

I knew I might fail for that - someone else had the week before. I think he only gave me a minor because of the weather and the fact I was driving a large, heavy car (Land Rover) which has a longer stopping distance.

I passed that test, and I was more relaxed than on the first test because I knew what to expect. It’s always worth it, if just for the experience.

Good luck.

I failed 3 times. First two tests I failed for approaching junctions too quickly. Third I failed for parallel parking too far away from the kerb. My 4th test I had to reverse park before I even left the test centre. It was the one thing I hated even more than parallel parking and my heart sunk when he told me to reverse park. I was silently crying while doing it and at one point I almost stopped and was going to just abandon the test altogether. Somehow I managed it and I passed that time but I couldn't believe it. I really struggled learning to drive it took me 18 months and I felt like I just couldn't process the instructions being given. If I'm honest I didn't actually know how to drive until I got my car and went out by myself. I didn't even want to do that I actually had a thread on here under a different name about how nervous I was to try. I wouldn't cancel the test I'd use it as experience and then if you pass its a bonus. I knew I wouldn't pass first time so I treated my first test as a trial run. I just didn't plan to have another 2 trials after that 🙄.

Oh and I always reverse park now! 😂

You never know, you might just surprise yourself!! My hour driving lesson before my test was probably one of the worst ones I'd ever done, it was literally as though I'd stepped back all those months and was right back to day 1. I was utterly convinced I would also then go on to stuff my test up as well. At first I was mega nervous having the examiner sat next to me but then I started to make small talk and started to relax a bit more. The driving part was absolutely fine, although doing the turn in the road I was certain I'd rolled back too far and touched the kerb and I'd stuffed it up which by then I just relaxed massively because in my mind I'd already failed. The part where you have to follow a series of road signs I also thought I'd fucked up on cos I turned right instead of left but I just made a joke about having such a crap sense of direction. Thankfully the emergency stop was done on the way back to the test centre because as I'd hit the brakes my seatbelt jammed and locked tight and felt like it was strangling me. I daren't ask if I could pull over to adjust it so just drove the short drive back again. Pulled in fully expecting to have failed and got told I'd passed with just a few minors. Apparently the edge of the road near the kerb I thought I'd hit dips down and it was the wheel dipping into that I'd felt, the wrong directions on the left and right were also fine because I although I turned the wrong way I did everything I was meant to and didn't flap. I think I stalled once but again didn't flap, just did what I'd been taught in my lessons and carried on driving. Oh and I got muddled at a cross road over who had right of way. It was me but I sat waiting for the over car to come across first. The worst part for me. The sun was that low and it had rained heavily so it literally reflected off absolutely everything and anything. I do sometimes joke the reason I passed is because the examiner couldn't see a great deal, of what was going on. Oh and as it turned out also knew my ex mil so that was also a running joke for a while that he only passed me to stop him getting his ear chewed off. I couldn't drive for a good 12 weeks after I passed though as I literally passed right before that bad snowstorm we had in 2010 although it was used to my advantage during my pass plus when I drove to Middlesbrough in the snow and then over to Doncaster with fog that thick I couldn't see to the end of the bonnet. You'll also find you will gain more confidence once you start driving by yourself. Even if it's just round the block a few times. Even after passing I barely drove anywhere. My exH did all the driving unless he wanted a drink. I think the furthest I drove on my own was 18 miles up the road to another seaside town. Now I drive daily for work and will drive further afield. Still try to avoid motorways though!

People are being very harsh to you OP. From another anxious learner driver.
The person claiming her instructor only had to brake once for her is likely talking shite, or learned rurally. The ones saying driving into parked cars is ridiculous are forgetting that instructors like you to be very very far from the cars, further than most people would normally drive.
Pretend it’s not a test, just think of it as driving practice. Hopefully we both pass one day!

OP ignore the posters telling uou to cancel. So mean.
I was like you. Late learner. Much later than you. Always felt I'd be crap.
Manoeuvres were also my big worry. Especially parallel and reverse parking. I simply don't think I learned or practiced enough.

Day of my test I wasn't as worried as I thought id be, but dreaded the manoeuvre bit.

I got reverse parking. I almost walked.Wasn't perfect and I tried to correct and in the end I thought fuck it. Who cares? I'm a grown woman, not a schoolchild!!!
I passed first time with only a couple of minors😊
However, read some of my other posts/threads as a couple or so years down the line I'm still a limited and anxious driver. That's my issue though and I think I'm safe!!!

Wasn't perfect**

Good luck OP. Fwiw, I doubt many people sit their driving test feeling confident they are going to pass!

I would but I really wouldn't go out driving on my own, if you pass, without a lot more lessons.

Having passed my driving test just recently, I have to be honest and say that I feel that instructors are rushing people into their tests at the moment due to Covid related backlog. I didn't feel ready to take my test either, and for the first month or two after passing my test I was a nervous wreck whenever driving alone. I'm 5 months on now and still avoid the motorway, roundabouts, and any routes or areas I'm unfamiliar with. I basically use my car to drive to work and back and to visit my Mum!

I also feel that many people are passing their test who maybe wouldn't have pre Covid. I haven't heard of one single person failing their test since the lockdowns ended......

Just take the test, try to stay calm and focused. Remember your examiner is there to help with any dangerous situations. If you fail just put it down to experience, take a few more lessons and try again.

Good Luck!

Good luck today. I hope that you haven't been awake worrying all night. What time is your test?

Good luck with your test OP.

if you do pass, maybe you could do some follow-up lessons until you feel more confident?

Thank you for the good luck messages. I’m a nervous wreck which is probably going to turn me into an even worse driver. The advice to just treat it as a (very expensive) mock seems good to me so I’m going to try and do that. By the time I am ready at least it will be my second go round and I’ll be less nervous because of it. Hopefully

You may as well take it.

Five hours is a lot so a small lapse in concentration might be more expected.

If you don't expect to pass you may relax more.

But if you do pass, I'd book a pass plus to increase your confidence before going out alone. Very useful for motorway experience as wey

I passed third time round with a lovely examiner who asked me to pull up early on and I thought I'd failed.
Instead she said 'we are just going to sit here for a minute as I think you'll find it a lot easier when your leg stops shaking '!

My husband passed at 38 so there is still hope!

If you've time, get some rescue remedy to calm your nerves so at least you get something out of your mock test.

P.S. I passed at the age of 51! Never give up!!

I've advised my son to do what you are doing tomorrow.

If you are fairly safe on the road, go into your test as a learning experience.

They will tell you which parts you fail on and then you know which parts to concentrate on for next time.

You are putting too much pressure on yourself to pass.

Go, learn from the process. If you have the mindset that it's contributing to your learning experience you might even pass!

I got a minor for driving at 40mph on a very windy country lane in the pouring rain. This road was 60mph

That sounds like an eminently sensible speed to be doing on a windy country lane in the rain. Speed limits are far too high on a lot of country lanes.

However, I agree you can't go too slowly. I passed first time, but I was told "happy to tell you you've passed but remember, he who hesitates is lost" so I obviously was a bit too cautious at times (but not too cautious to fail, fortunately).

You will loose your money so take the test and see it as good practice