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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take driving practical knowing I won't pass?

94 replies

Patapouf · 19/09/2015 00:48

After passing my theory, in a euphoric state I very stupidly booked my practical test for next week (they'd had a cancellation)
I only did this because the next soonest available test at my nearest centre is the end of November.

I'm confident with my general driving but don't have a clue how to park. It gets worse, I'll have to do it in my car too

I had about 40 hours of lessons 6ish years ago and I got back in touch with my old instructor but he has a waiting list Hmm and no one else locally could fit me in for a lesson anytime soon.

Aibu in thinking that taking the test is pretty good prep for the actual test when I'm ready to pass? (Trying to justify wasting £60 here).
I'll know what to expect next time around and maybe it will help with nerves? Gah, what have I done?!

OP posts:
Kessia24 · 19/09/2015 01:01

Do it, you might pass!

I did mine more than once. Tbh I still can't park.

ShadowLine · 19/09/2015 01:05

Do you have any family or friends who'd be willing to take you out and let you practice parking in a quiet car park?

justalittlelemondrizzle · 19/09/2015 02:12

Are you who I think you are? Patapouf hehehe!
Go for it. You could surprise yourself. Book your test for rush hour and spend half of it in traffic ??

VimFuego101 · 19/09/2015 02:16

Go for it. I don't think you can get a refund anyway can you? So you may as well use it as a practice session rather than waste it.

Good luck! Giving up and not caring any more was when I finally passed mine after ahem attempts.

grobagsforever · 19/09/2015 06:51

Do it. I can't park at all but passed because I only had to do a turn in the road! But get someone to take you out - a couple of hours with an instructor will make all the difference

cashewnutty · 19/09/2015 07:05

If you haven't had lessons for 6 years then i think you stand no chance of success. You are not ready. If you have £60 to burn then go for it but i would log on and move it to a later date before you are too late. I can't remember how soon before your test you can cancel and re book without losing money.

cashewnutty · 19/09/2015 07:07

You need to give 3 clear working days to get a full refund. If you have booked it for Thursday or Friday you are not too late.

Junosmum · 19/09/2015 07:36

You've got insurance on your car right? Go for it.

FishWithABicycle · 19/09/2015 07:46

Get some practice in and you have a chance. They don't test you on all the maneuvers anyway but you might find that giving yourself "permission" to fail takes the pressure off and improves your skill. I have been driving for 20 years and I can park fine when I an relaxed but if I am in a hurry or my dad is in the car or another motorist is beeping for me to get out of their way my parking is terrible.

Make sure you are making it really obvious that you are looking in your mirrors when approaching junctions and during maneuvers. When I failed my first test I had been marked down for not looking in my mirrors several times when I knew I had but I had just been doing glances where only my eyes moved, so in my second test which I passed I made sure I moved my whole head to show I was looking in the mirrors every time.

stairway · 19/09/2015 08:09

If your only issue is parking go for it! The only manoeuvre I am able to do is a turn in the road. I took 9 tests in total. 6 tests only had to do turn in the road and 3 tests reverse around a corner.

mileend2bermondsey · 19/09/2015 09:07

If you haven't had lessons for 6 years then i think you stand no chance of success. You are not ready
^This.

I took 9 tests in total
9 tests and lucking your way through maneuvers, wow. Now I really feel safe knowing there are such drivers on the road.

CookieMonsterIsOnADiet · 19/09/2015 09:12

I don't think it will help with the nerves for next time, if you can't park and lessons were six years ago then realistically you are nowhere near ready and the instructor has the right to stop the test if he feels the same.

Passing the theory is easy, it's just memorising questions. The practical is much harder and not just about the driving, there's sign reading, questions about the car etc.

I'd cancel and let somebody actually ready have the slot who won't be wasting the examiners time.

PacificDogwod · 19/09/2015 09:15

What kind of 'parking' are we talking about here?
Reversing in? IMO that has more to do with good spatial awareness and practice than lessons tbh.

I'd say go for it - God loves a trier!

ALemonyPea · 19/09/2015 09:26

If you don't see it as a test but as a dummy run,mthen go for it. You might surprise yourself and pass.

What parking can you not do? Reverse bay parking or parallel parking?

TheMissingSheep · 19/09/2015 09:55

I'd cancel. My first 2 driving tests, I knew I wasn't ready for but did them anyway and of course failed. I then failed another 4 which I WAS ready for, just due to performance anxiety on the day. I could drive absolutely fine in lessons, it was the pressure of the test that got me. The more times I failed, the harder it got the next time as my "number" crept up and up, and I regretted having made it higher by doing those first 2.

(I did finally pass on my 7th attempt - found a great driving instructor who helped me overcome the nerves problem!)

Original poster
Patapouf · 19/09/2015 21:49

Thanks all! Nope, no refund possible so I may as well have a go. I've got to buy an extra rear view mirror and just go for it. It's on Tuesday! I'm the policy holder on the car, DH doesn't bloody drive it Angry I assume this covers me to use it for a test?
I've spent a couple of hours today practicing parking and I'm reasonably okay, I just need to make sure I'm seen checking mirrors etc.

lemon drizzle in RL? I don't think I know you, unless you mean on MN?

fish love "permission to fail" I think that will take all the stress out of it and allow me to relax.

I know I will not pass, I'm not going in hoping that I might at all, because it would be worrying if they passed me if I can't bloody park under pressure. I've driven around since I last took the test a lot but never parked, I've just switched with the supervising passenger!

cookie I'm not going to cancel and let somebody have a slot I've paid for!

Yes pacific it's the reversing part of the test, could be reversing around a corner, turn in a road, parallel park or bay park. Apparently they only do one now.

I'm not too worried about my 'number' it won't affect my insurance, only my bank balance short term.

OP posts:
Thisismyfirsttime · 19/09/2015 22:23

How are you going to get the car to/ from the test if you're the only one insured on it?

Original poster
Patapouf · 19/09/2015 22:50

I'm not, there are other named drivers on the car. But I only need someone who meets the requirements for supervising a provisional licence holder, not somebody who is able to drive the car IYSWIM?

OP posts:
PacificDogwod · 19/09/2015 22:54

Well, reversing, whether in a straight line or around corners or to park, is all about just going by your mirrors and NOT thinking too much about it IMO Grin
Not sure that is helpful. It took me years to 'get it', but since then it's been very very easy.

ComposHatComesBack · 19/09/2015 22:54

Seens bloody daft way to spunk sixty quid up the wall especially as that money could have been spent on driving lessons. To echo this how are you going to get to and from the test centre?

ExasperatedAlmostAlways · 19/09/2015 22:54

What day have you got it on? Mines is Tuesday, I keep going between feeling really confident il pass and really certain I won't! What type of parking don't you know how to do? Maybe I could tell you what I do to do it as advised by my instructor.

ComposHatComesBack · 19/09/2015 22:55

Sorry x-post!

GriefLeavesItsMark · 19/09/2015 22:58

Oh, I thought you hadn't driven for six years. Might as well give it a go - why have you taken so long to sit your test? sent

Original poster
Patapouf · 19/09/2015 23:03

I've been living abroad and didn't fancy loo fusing myself by driving on the other side of the road!

It's parallel parking I don't seem to manage Sad
Mines Tuesday too!

OP posts:
Original poster
Patapouf · 19/09/2015 23:06

Fuck knows what loo fusing means, I meant confusing.

OP posts: