Page 2 | DS theory test in a week, has done no revision

Thunderpants88 · 23/03/2026 20:53

DuchessDeuce · 23/03/2026 19:47

DS has his theory a week today. Was bought all of the books, flashcards etc as well as the official app, and I've asked him repeatedly if he's confident, feels ready, would like me to test him. "No, im fine. Feel OK about it" etc.

Asked tonight if he's done ok on the hazard perception parts, and its basically come to light that he's done fuck all.

Im fuming. We're £1000 into practical lessons and he's got a little car waiting for him, being gifted by his grandparents. Seems to be enjoying the lessons, so i dont get it. So annoyed by the apathy!

What are the chances of him passing? They're not gonna be good are they?

I failed my first theory. My Dad made me pay for (and book and arrange travel) to my second test

I jolly well made sure I passed the second time! It was also a great life lesson

Generallychill · 23/03/2026 20:57

I had mine last week i didn't really have a lot of time to study but did watch Anne theory test on tiktok and youtube she has brilliant videos and does lives on there and explains things so well. Not sure of anyone's mentioned her but have him check it out. And do the questions on the app my test had a lot of the same questions as the app.

tinyspiny · 23/03/2026 20:57

If he’s had a lot of practical lessons , which he must have if you are £1k in he may do ok . My daughter did her theory test after about 4 hour lessons as you can’t book a test until you’ve passed the theory and it was taking months to get a test .

Savoretti · 23/03/2026 20:57

A week is plenty of time! Mine just did the practise tests on the app over and over til they knew the answers.
if he does a few of those every day he will learn it so quickly

Siriusmuggle · 23/03/2026 20:59

Mine started revising thr night before and failed every mock test. He didn’t sleep at all the night before but he passed. I doubt he’d pass again mind.

Sofado · 23/03/2026 21:00

A week is plenty of time. My young lodger passed after just studying on a two-hour plane journey the day before, and English isn’t her first language.

XenoBitch · 23/03/2026 21:01

TBH, a lot of it is common sense, and probably things he might know already such as what various road signs mean.
The only bits I really had to revise was things like braking distances.

I started revising 2 days before my test and got full marks.

begonefoulclutter · 23/03/2026 21:07

The hazard perception things are a nightmare. I've been driving for decades, and when dd was doing her theory test I had a go at some of them online. They really don't like it if you see the potential hazard too soon. Not at all. I could see some of them coming a mile off, yet I constantly failed because I was too early. They want you to react at a specific time and if you haven't practiced these damn things and got the hang of when you are supposed to react, you Will Not Pass.

One memorable one was a car travelling (too fast for the conditions as far as I was concerned) down a country lane in the snow with a large deer in a field making its way towards the road. It might as well have had a giant neon arrow sign above it. But... you have to wait and wait until it practically jumps in front of the car before going "Ooh, there it is!!" and reacting to the hazard. I did that particular test about five times before I left it long enough. Madness.

boyohboys · 23/03/2026 21:11

3 years ago when my DS was 17 and a little shit we paid for everything he needed to drive and took him out to practise. He did t even open the app we paid for so inevitably failed. He then retook and bar about 15 minutes the night before, again didn’t bother revising for it. By test 3 we’d had enough so stopped lessons & he paid for the retake plus stopped all nagging/cajoling. This time he failed because he overslept (I kid you not !!!) and then got angry about having to retaking and said he wouldn’t bother so we sold his car.

3 years on and he’s finally applied for his provisionally and booked his theory and does appear to be learning it.

op, there are times in their lives when they need to fail to learn a lesson and I’d strongly suggest you leave him to it to do just that.

Babyboomtastic · 23/03/2026 21:13

XenoBitch · 23/03/2026 21:01

TBH, a lot of it is common sense, and probably things he might know already such as what various road signs mean.
The only bits I really had to revise was things like braking distances.

I started revising 2 days before my test and got full marks.

Similar here. I did some revision but passed the mock test I tried before I even looked at the material. The hazard perception can be tricky as it's easy to press too early, but I think he shutting stuff have a decent shot if he's got some common sense.

Beesandhoney123 · 23/03/2026 21:20

No lessons here unless you've passed your theory. Ds has failed, doesn't revise, announced it was a scam:)

We said we would only pay for one, and all the apps and what not.

There is no car and no lessons until he passes theory. He seems to want to do things the hard way.

Apfelkuchen · 23/03/2026 21:24

He has a week, so my tip
is to point him in the direction of the James May app, it’s really engaging, much more so than flash cards and the official websites. He has enough time to use it to learn and practice the hazard perception test.

Alpacajigsaw · 23/03/2026 21:24

My youngest was doing shit on his practice ones until a couple of weeks before his theory a couple of weeks ago. He knuckled down and ended up with 50/50 on the multiple choice and 57 out of 75 on the hazard perception! I wasn’t convinced he was going to pass so he paid for the theory and I told him I’d refund him if he passed!

Fingers crossed for your son, although trying to get an actual test is still a shitshow anyway

begonefoulclutter · 23/03/2026 21:25

Babyboomtastic · 23/03/2026 21:13

Similar here. I did some revision but passed the mock test I tried before I even looked at the material. The hazard perception can be tricky as it's easy to press too early, but I think he shutting stuff have a decent shot if he's got some common sense.

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Surely the entire point of hazard perception is that you DO spot it really early. So early in fact, that you have plenty of time to adjust your speed and be well ready for it when it comes. If you have anticipated it, then you don't have to 'react' to it when that car does pull out of the side road in front of you, you'd already allowed for it because you guessed what they were going to do.

I genuinely do not understand why the theory hazard perception tests teach you to wait and wait until the last second before slamming the brakes on.

LazyLaurel · 23/03/2026 21:27

I think they can do this using common sense to some extent so may not be a huge panic. Mine all just did the DVLA practice tests and that was it. Think they only did a few to familiarise themselves and figure out timing on the hazard perception test. They didn’t bother reading around or through the Highway Code to learn the material.

Alpacajigsaw · 23/03/2026 21:27

begonefoulclutter · 23/03/2026 21:25

Surely the entire point of hazard perception is that you DO spot it really early. So early in fact, that you have plenty of time to adjust your speed and be well ready for it when it comes. If you have anticipated it, then you don't have to 'react' to it when that car does pull out of the side road in front of you, you'd already allowed for it because you guessed what they were going to do.

I genuinely do not understand why the theory hazard perception tests teach you to wait and wait until the last second before slamming the brakes on.

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I’m too old to have sat the theory but when my son told me he was getting rubbish marks as he was spotting the hazard too soon I thought he was bullshitting me
😂

Springup24 · 23/03/2026 21:32

Oh my goodness. I could have written this post. Although my son's theory is 10 days away. And he has actually opened the app twice, scoring 4 out of 10 and 6 out of 10 on practise questions. So unsurprisingly nowhere near to a pass. And that's that.

If he passes on the day, I will bring him home. If not, he will make his own way home (over 2 hours with a combination of walking and buses) and pay for the retest.

Not that he really cares. Nothing much incentivises him. Including gcses and upcoming a levels.

begonefoulclutter · 23/03/2026 21:32

Alpacajigsaw · 23/03/2026 21:27

I’m too old to have sat the theory but when my son told me he was getting rubbish marks as he was spotting the hazard too soon I thought he was bullshitting me
😂

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Totally true. You literally have to wait until the very moment it changes from being a potential hazard to becoming an actual hazard, and that's when you have to take evasive action. In other words, they don't encourage you to anticipate it at all, but just to react when it does. Bonkers. If that's how they are teaching people to drive these days, God help us.

Pixiedust49 · 23/03/2026 21:46

Springup24 · 23/03/2026 21:32

Oh my goodness. I could have written this post. Although my son's theory is 10 days away. And he has actually opened the app twice, scoring 4 out of 10 and 6 out of 10 on practise questions. So unsurprisingly nowhere near to a pass. And that's that.

If he passes on the day, I will bring him home. If not, he will make his own way home (over 2 hours with a combination of walking and buses) and pay for the retest.

Not that he really cares. Nothing much incentivises him. Including gcses and upcoming a levels.

I am so relieved to hear that other parents are going through this torture 😂. DD passed her theory through some miracle after zero preparation. Her attitude towards her test is extremely laid back to say the least. Don’t even talk about the A levels!

Overrunwithlego · 23/03/2026 21:53

begonefoulclutter · 23/03/2026 21:32

Totally true. You literally have to wait until the very moment it changes from being a potential hazard to becoming an actual hazard, and that's when you have to take evasive action. In other words, they don't encourage you to anticipate it at all, but just to react when it does. Bonkers. If that's how they are teaching people to drive these days, God help us.

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My dad was a driving examiner when the hazard perception test was introduced and all examiners had to take the test and get a pass in it. None of them could pass it due to identifying hazards way too early! In the end they had to have someone stand behind them and tap them on the shoulder to indicate when they should press!!

Fabvegetablegrower · 23/03/2026 22:01

I think I’ve found my people same issues with my son. 😂

XenoBitch · 23/03/2026 22:04

Babyboomtastic · 23/03/2026 21:13

Similar here. I did some revision but passed the mock test I tried before I even looked at the material. The hazard perception can be tricky as it's easy to press too early, but I think he shutting stuff have a decent shot if he's got some common sense.

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Yeah, you need to practice the hazard perception test to know how to pass it... but it is not like real life. And much of it is timings anyway. I never looked at every single pedestrian who was just walking down the street as a hazard... yet you had to click on them in the exam.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 23/03/2026 22:11

You’ve spent a grand on lessons?!

My dd had a PT job and paid for her own driving lessons, I paid to put her on my insurance (was about £200 I think) and took her out loads.

She also paid for her theory test and failed it twice despite revising 🙈 passed on the 3rd attempt.

Sometimes it does them good to fail, it’s a bit of a kick up the ass.

MadisonAvenue · 23/03/2026 22:14

begonefoulclutter · 23/03/2026 21:32

Totally true. You literally have to wait until the very moment it changes from being a potential hazard to becoming an actual hazard, and that's when you have to take evasive action. In other words, they don't encourage you to anticipate it at all, but just to react when it does. Bonkers. If that's how they are teaching people to drive these days, God help us.

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I did my theory a few years ago and hazard perception was the part of the test I couldn’t get my head around when studying for it. I was also seeing the hazard and pressing too early. That made no sense to me, especially when on lessons I was taught to anticipate hazards early on.

tripleginandtonic · 23/03/2026 22:17

None of mine really revised for their theory tests and all passed first time, a lot is already learned if you're used to being observant on thr roads and have sone common sense. He may surprise you. He's time to learn the stopping distances in wet/dry conditions and the speed limits of each vehicle before tomorrow.