To think it's impossible to get your driver's licence in London?

[WillNeverGetALicence]

Just failed my test for the second time today

I was behind another learner driver also in an instructor's car. They dithered for a moment, then indicated left as if they were going to park but also started to roll back [no reverse lights] so I was not sure if they were parking, about to continue on or were about to attempt a three point turn.

So I stopped for a couple of moments and the traffic stopped behind me. However when I saw that the car was finally pulling in to the kerb I said to the tester that I would now go around them as they were obviously parking.

Nothing was said by the tester at the time but she failed me on this. She said that I should have kept going and gone around the parking car. By stopping I had caused the cars behind to stop and this was basically not acceptable.

So this is a serious fault

I am just so annoyed as the rest of the test went well and I only got 3 minors in total. I did the bloody bay park perfectly as well. Even my instructor was gobsmacked that I failed on this point. My instructor said that i would also have failed if i had kept going and the car in front had decided not to park [and imo it really wasn't clear what they were planning to do initially].

Am I being unreasonable in feeling that driving tests in London are unreasonably difficult or should I just suck it up and get over myself.

The irony is I actually have a driving licence from my country of origin and have driven for a number of years there so am not a complete newbie. I did lessons to get myself ready for the test here and my instructor has said that I should pass so why the hell do I keep failing

Any stories of either test rage or woe will be gratefully appreciated as I am feeling a bit crap at the moment and really wondering if it is worth my time and money continuing.

Willnever I took my test 3 times at a place where the pass rate was 33%. A mid-sized urban town near London. The low pass rate was caused almost exclusively by a single female examiner who was notorious for failing everyone. She failed me twice for tiny ridiculous things (one was her own fault, she told me to change lanes at the last minute at a big roundabout and I cut someone up. The second time she failed me as she had 'almost' had to take control of the car as I was doing a bay park, she thought I was getting too close to the bollard. I was fine!). 6 friends of mine ALL failed with her.

In the end I went to another test centre in South London and passed first time. No evil examiner.

The pass rate has a bit impact on the likelihood of you passing.

20% at Hither Green the one year???????

How can they justify that.

I passed in London (Hendon, same centre where Prince William passed a week later!), after 3 fails in Surrey. With the first one, my instructor came out and said 'when do you want your retest then?'
I asked if it was that obvious I'd failed. He said that examiner failed almost everyone, but a year earlier they'd got rid of him; he'd only come back as someone was on holiday. The git had ended up shouting at me before I even got in the car as he asked me to read a numberplate of a red something, and having no idea I read a plate of a random red car in the distance - cars parked as far as the eye can see - and had to do a dozen before I got to one he could see. However I did do one of the things he failed me for so couldn't complain.

Can't stand Surrey drivers - too many company cars with company insurance so they don't care if they hit you, as well as the usual Merc/BMW entitlement complexes.

My final test took nearly an hour as it was school pickup/rush hour and we had to go round the Grahame Park Estate for half an hour before I could do an emergency stop! I'd gone with BSM again and asked for an instructor who could get me through the test and didn't have body odour (it was summer when I started with him), and he satisfied on both counts! Clean T-shirt required after every lesson, apparently.

I know Hither Green well - roads aren't 'difficult.' How odd.

Lewisham and Bromley are poles apart though - not surprised there is a difference in number of passes.

Willnever, hither green is where I first failed, then passed. I got to know the area like the back of my hand. There are some tricky roundabouts, bus lanes and lots of 20 to 30 zones. You've just got to be prepared for anything. I highly recommend my instructor David from Every Success Driving. I had four intense two hour sessions and he was great.

Maybe apply for Southend or Basildon next...Basildon is supposed to be a nice easy test route.

I think passing your driving test is down to luck. I was lucky enough to pass first time in NW London but I had made loads of errors I think if you make 3 errors in any one area they fail you and I had loads of areas with 2 errors. The examiner also asked me about changing a tyre and using anti-freeze, I replied honestly that I didn't have a clue and intended to delegate such matters. I was amazed when I passed!

Next time you take your test, ask if you can have your driving instructor in the back of the car with you.

I can guarantee you'll pass.

guarantee.