Driving test - common mistakes to watch out for?

[Natsku]

Got my test on Thursday (do not feel ready at all!!) and just hoping for some tips and advice on what to watch out for and how to keep calm. And how to always remember to change gears to first when starting off from a stop, I keep forgetting that.

I heard eating a banana beforehand is supposed to help you be calm, any truth in that?

I don’t know whether it’s the same now - my U.K. test was aeons ago - (I’d first passed abroad where it was easier, but the licence was only valid back home for a year.)

I took some preparatory lessons and still remember the instructor making me do a hill start (not in an automatic) over and over again. To me I’d done it perfectly, I couldn’t understand what I’d done wrong.

Eventually he said, ‘You didn’t look over your shoulder. That would be an instant fail.’
I’ve never forgotten that!

Good luck 💐

Great tips. Saving for dd.

I stalled my car three times on the trot at the beginning of the test. I assumed I had failed and therefore relaxed. I passed my test and when I mentioned the stalling episode the examiner said 'Everyone makes mistakes, it's how you get out of them that matters'.

DDs instructor actually schooled her in how to do this deliberately to avoid tricky areas on her test.
She passed

I failed, everything just seemed to go wrong, was too nervous and couldn't calm down. Booked more lessons and booked another test - if I don't keep trying now I know I'll give up and I can't give up, I really need to be able to drive.

Didn't help that they suddenly decided to start fixing the roads so there was roadworks and cones everywhere!

Sorry it didn't go your way today. Well done for getting it rebooked, back on the horse so to speak.

You will get there

Sorry too, that you didn’t pass. Well done for booking more lessons. You will pass your test. 💐💐

Sorry to hear that OP, but you've done the right thing getting rebooked! I failed my first for similar reasons. Just absolutely couldn't get out of my head. Sailed through my second a few weeks later!

Sorry op. To be fair, roadworks can be confusing. Next time. 🌻

Ah sorry OP, it's gutting. I took 6 attempts because I kept quitting then had to start over again each time - including theory and hazard 🤦‍♀️. Keep going and you'll do it.

On my last test I told nobody other than my driving instructor and managed to get an early Saturday morning test. I'm pretty sure that's what clinched it. The pressure was off and I instantly felt more relaxed.

Sorry to hear you didn't pass OP.

It took me two attempts (well, technically three but one was a disaster when I was younger and I then didn't even attempt lessons for another fifteen years!)

I remember the nerves as well - I couldn't get my head around the fact that everyone I knew who could drive had gone through the exact same thing.

I think the best thing for nerves is being confident in your driving abilities - by the time I was in for test number three, I knew I could drive safely and competently so felt a lot less nervous on the test. If you're having to consciously think about things like putting it into first when you move off, that leaves a lot less headspace for the other stuff (and I have sympathy - I did it on one of my (failed) tests!).

Fifteen lessons is not a lot at all - 30 hours? So if your instructor thought you were test ready at that point you probably are quite a decent driver (or you have a poor instructor who is just trying to get drivers through their test as quickly as possible - less likely as it looks bad on them if they get too many fails!). A quick Google tells me the average number of hours of professional instruction required to pass your test is 45 with another 20 hours private practice, so 65 hours in total.

I reckon with another few lessons you will feel much more confident and have a better chance of passing.

It took me 3 attempst and I passed on my fourth. Fingers crossed for next time.

I find roadworks confusing. Chalk it down to experience and smash it next time

It's really reassuring to know that so many took more than one attempt, been feeling so disappointed with myself, its made the whole day miserable, but I just need to shake that feeling, I know I can drive, I just need to be calmer.

Sorry to hear that you didn't pass, OP. You'll do it next time! Maybe swap the chamomile tea for something more stimulant (ginger, peppermint or lemon). Although it certainly has calming effects, chamomile is also sedative - not great when you need to be alert behind the wheel. Good luck!

Just wanted to update that I took my test again today and passed!

I was a ball of nerves yesterday and made all kinds of mistakes on my lessons so my instructor told me to just try and calm down so I went home, heated up the sauna and tried to relax and I think it helped, I wasn't quite as nervous this time although I did still make some nervous mistakes (and a silly mistake of taking the wrong turning after confidentially telling the examiner that I knew where I was going )

Now I need to get used to driving our car.

Congratulations! I'm sure you'll be a better driver for having taken it twice. (Well, that's what I told myself!)

Congratulations op. 🎉

Lovely update, big congratulations OP!!

Well done! Congrats OP 🙂

Well done. Get your insurance sorted and get out! I used to go out Sunday mornings early for a drive about when i first passed and just tried to enjoy it. Getting out everyday can help, lots of small journeys just so it becomes normal.

Well done OP!

And for anyone else who fails tests because of nerves, go to your GP and ask for a beta blocker to help with test anxiety. I get awful test and exam nerves so got a prescription for propranolol before my driving test, took two an hour before and sailed through it

OH is going to find out about the insurance (I don't know how it works here) and then go with me for drives until I get used to the car, then I can take over taking DD to volleyball, and do the weekly shop by myself in peace - looking forward to that!