Driving test

[MamaOfBothTeams]

Wasn't sure where to post

I have my driving test this week and wondered if anyone had any tips, I've been told to exaggerate looking in mirrors but that's about it

Thank you :)

I think consciously changing anything now won't be helpful and will just be distracting. Take your time (there are no time limits for manoeuvres as long as you're safe) and remember anything your instructor has told you to watch.

If you have long hair put in a pony tail so it swishes when you make your observations.

Tell your examiner you are nervous, it sort of breaks the tension. I told mine I was going to keep talking at him to ease my nerves and he chatted back.

When you pull over before manoeuvres or instructions turn off the engine and have a sip of water.

Repeat the instructions and directions they give and ask for clarification.

I remember having to do the emergency stop. The examiner would look to our rear before telling me to stop, so there was a kind of warning therefore that he was about to tell me

Thank you

In my head I know I can do it - otherwise my instructor wouldn't of told me to book it - but the nerves have just kicked in

Hopefully I'll get an examiner who is nice and I can talk to to make me feel at ease

I hate the emergency stop, I can do it but I hate it, would be different in a real life situation though

Take a ton of Kalms and a beta blocker lol

I agree with PP that rescue remedy or kalms might help if you're likely to be very nervous. I actually decided my first test was a practise run and that helped me not too much pressure on myself.

That's a good idea @HolesinTheSoles if I look at it like that and I pass it's a bonus 

I wouldn't recommend taking any drinks with you on your test - it might make you need a wee which is distracting, plus the ambiguity of the law around being distracted while driving even if you are stationary. We all do it while driving, but I wouldn't take the risk on test day.

Just try and relax. I know it's the most annoying thing for someone to tell you, but at this stage, only your nerves can let you down.

A chatty examiner helped me a lot!

Take a couple of conscious very deep breaths in and out before you set off, just to bring your heart rate down and calm your nerves.
I had to do an emergency stop for real on my test - some teenage idiot on a BMX swerved right in front of the car! Still passed

Don't try and rush to do things. Take your time, obviously not ridiculously slow but I failed my first test because I was trying to show off that I could do it and went to fast round corners 😱😱

Just pretend it's a normal driving lesson with a new instructor and if you think you've made a mistake don't panic/let it play on your mind just take a deep breath and carry on. I though I made an error early on but I only got 1 minor and it wasn't even for the thing I thought I'd done wrong.

I agree with PP about telling your examiner you're nervous and saying you'd like to chat to them. My examiner was lovely, and we talked all about our kids etc during my test and Christmas was coming up so we spoke about that too. Just think of them as another instructor, and try not to panic. Drive how you do in your lessons, and don't put pressure on yourself to pass. Make sure you know the area of your test well, I.e where alot of cars park on the road so you know to stop carefully. Also if you end up in traffic keep a good distance from the cars ahead, I got a minor for being too close but there was alot of road closures in the area so it was gridlocked.

Good luck, and I hope you let us know the result! Xx

Thank you all, some good tips there, test is Wednesday morning so I'll let you know either way :)

Deep breaths. You’ve got this. Good luck.

Fingers crossed! Try to think that if you don't pass, it's not the end of the world, you can retake it again. Imagine you're just having another driving lesson. And your instructor wouldn't put you forward for the test if he or she didn't think you were ready

My biggest tip has nothing to do with the dricing at all. I had failed my test 6 times (long story) and was desperate to pass.
I went to see a hypnotherapist and we got to the root of the problem (equally long story)
He gave me advice for on the day. Go to the bathroom 10 mins before test and do some breathing exercises. He also showed me how to tap pressure points as I breathed (check out on YouTube)
As I say, i was desperate and prepared to give anything a go. I felt a ut stupid death g deeply and tapping my wrists and shoulders and head, but it must have worked.
I had a perfect test, and this from someone who failed twice before I even left the test centre (EXTREMELY LONG STORY!)

Typos typos typos
Apologies. Hopefully you get the gist

Just remember they're looking first and foremost for a safe driver. You dont need to focus on being absolutely perfect.

Good luck.

Just imagine you’ve got a collection of Mumsnetters positioned on the streets cheering you on, like in a marathon

You got this!

Completely agree with chatting to the examiner - we spent the whole test talking about the Harry Potter studios tour.

I think it actually distracted him as well as relaxing me because there was an incident (bumping the kerb during 3 point turn) which the examiner failed me for in my first test but this examiner didn't even mention.

Good luck OP!

Good luck OP.

Yes mirrors, mirrors, mirrors!

Don’t be put off, the examiner may not be friendly or want to chat, based on my sons experience! But he still passed 😂

Whilst trying to get some rapport with the examiner and certainly say that you are nervous, don't chat too much. You should be concentrating on driving not chatting.

Proper deep breathing before can help with nerves and you can learn it from YouTube if paying for a session with a professional is not possible (although with the cost of driving lessons, if you got a good one it could be an investment). Mindfulness can help too.

And the other good advice is to tell yourself that you instructor has set you up with another instructor to make sure you are test ready and that it is just a trial run.

It helped me to have my driving instructor in the backseat during the test.