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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Driving test fail.

111 replies

Mybabysmylife · 30/07/2021 22:26

Should I complain about my examiner? So I took my 1st test on Wednesday and failed. There was major roadworks everywhere one being were they was ready to repaint the floor as there was no markings. This meaning I didn't no where to stop as I hadn't drove there before he said I failed on that part but i didn't know till the end of the test. With Covid he's supposed to say I failed straight away and take me back but he didn't. He was very rude and moody. He took the sat nav off the dashboard and threw it on the floor then at the end all he said was " well today you failed bye" then got out the car? My instructor argued on my behalf that I wasn't to no where to stop if there was no road markings and that's what they was supposed to do( road works) he said. She's a good driver but failed on that. I got an arsehole of a examiner that day he was very rude and made me feel like shit to be honest. I came home and I've cried since as test are so backlogged due to Covid I don't want to run into having to do my theory next year in September again. I got another test for DECEMEBER! Which is over 20 weeks away!😭

OP posts:

RedHelenB · 30/07/2021 22:29

Yabu. As a driver you need to be able to drive safely on roads you haven't seen before. Was your instructor in the back of the car when you took the test?

WellErm · 30/07/2021 22:32

I once had a really rude twat of an examiner. He is/ was notorious for it. Wondering if it's the same guy.

Aquamarine1029 · 30/07/2021 22:33

Basic rules of the road, and common sense, apply when encountering unusual situations such as that work zone. It is your responsibility to make sure you can handle these types of situations, and the examiner doesn't feel you're able to. I'm sorry, but that's their job, to not pass people who aren't safe on the road.

HurryUpAndWait23 · 30/07/2021 22:35

YABU.
I experience road works all the time, all drivers do.
You have to figure it out.

Did he really throw your satnav on the floor though? Let's be honest.

wantmorenow · 30/07/2021 22:35

That's shit. On a more positive note, download one of the apps that allows you to book a cancellation, they're great. It won't be 20 weeks unless you are very unlucky.

HurryUpAndWait23 · 30/07/2021 22:35

@WellErm

I once had a really rude twat of an examiner. He is/ was notorious for it. Wondering if it's the same guy.

Really?!

SchrodingersImmigrant · 30/07/2021 22:38

This isn't a "I can do it on few clear roads i trained, i will learn the rest later" situation
As much as it stings, and it does, you failed rightfully imo

Mybabysmylife · 31/07/2021 09:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Proudboomer · 31/07/2021 09:08

Why did you have a sat nag on during a driving test?
And some errors are automatic fails so without being in the car with you it is hard to say whether they should have cut you some flack for the lack of road markings. I can’t see why they should as these things come up all the time when driving but without being in the car and knowing what they failed you on no one can really comment.

PheasantsNest · 31/07/2021 09:12

You need to demonstrate you can drive in different situations. You obviously failed to show him that. There will always be roadworks so you need to be able to drive in the correct manner.

Cancellingadvice · 31/07/2021 09:14

Can you talk to your instructor about practicing around the test routes next time? When I was coming up to my test we spent the whole lessons around the test centre so that the roads were familiar - I’m surprised that isn’t what normally happens

rosie39forever · 31/07/2021 09:14

Sorry you failed but you need to suck it up and move on, get out and drive on some unfamiliar roads and look for test cancellations and hopefully you'll pass second time.

MrsFin · 31/07/2021 09:16

Driving with a sat nav is part of the test now. Not for all of the rest, but you need to demonstrate you can follow the sat nav safely.

I'm with everyone else though - you should be able safely to navigate road works on a road you don't know. Your instructor should have made sure you had driven all the test routes several times before your test.

snowy0wl · 31/07/2021 09:18

Proudboomer - I believe part of the driving test now requires you to follow sat nav instructions.

OP - sorry you failed. It sounds like the driving examiner had had a bad day. You may not have been the first person they had failed that day. And I agree with the others who say that you need to be able to cope with all sorts of road conditions in order to pass the test. Hopefully your driving instructor can cover this over the next few weeks so that you pass next time.

NeverMetANiceOne · 31/07/2021 09:20

Was your sat nav attached to your windscreen? He may have moved it because like many others it was actually a hazard and blocking your view?

He quite rightly failed you, but he probably could have been a bit nicer about it. Your attitude so far in this thread does make me wonder if you were perhaps giving as good as you got though....

JollyHolly30 · 31/07/2021 09:21

@NeverMetANiceOne

Was your sat nav attached to your windscreen? He may have moved it because like many others it was actually a hazard and blocking your view?

He quite rightly failed you, but he probably could have been a bit nicer about it. Your attitude so far in this thread does make me wonder if you were perhaps giving as good as you got though....

This...

Howshouldibehave · 31/07/2021 09:22

Why did you have a sat nag on during a driving test?

Because it’s part of the driving test

Shadedog · 31/07/2021 09:22

30 years ago I had an awful examiner and he didn’t explain at all what I had done wrong at all, just said I’d failed and got out of the car. It wasn’t as bad as I could resist again in a month but I’m still convinced I should have passed that test. I don’t think there is anything you can do when the professional examiner says you failed. You are biased and inexperienced, your instructor wasn’t there, there is a good chance he’s correct (good chance I’d be horrified by how I drove on my first test too). Get the app for cancelled tests and hopefully it won’t be long. Lots of people are cancelling due to isolating or missing lessons due to covid etc.

Original poster

Mybabysmylife · 31/07/2021 09:22

@MrsFin I understand. But you cannot cover 21 test routes when Covid hit every couple of months and forced lockdown so then I was having over 6 month of no lessons etc.

OP posts:

eightyfourandahalf · 31/07/2021 09:22

YABU

I seriously doubt you were supposed to randomly stop and couldn't have guessed, so it doesn't matter if there was no marking, it should be obvious enough that you stop to be safe?

OverTheRubicon · 31/07/2021 09:23

@wantmorenow

That's shit. On a more positive note, download one of the apps that allows you to book a cancellation, they're great. It won't be 20 weeks unless you are very unlucky.

Agree it was an annoying but necessary fail, but do have sympathy with the late booking. People who haven't had to book a test since covid have no idea how crazy it is now, even December would be very very lucky around here. It's not at all fair to learners.

Original poster

Mybabysmylife · 31/07/2021 09:24

@NeverMetANiceOne what attitude? I wasn't allowed to talk in my test?! I had an attitude because someone's basically telling me I'm lying about him throwing the satnav on the floor. I was very polite when I met him he had a attitude before I even got in the car and my instructor noticed also.

OP posts:

eightyfourandahalf · 31/07/2021 09:24

@Howshouldibehave

Why did you have a sat nag on during a driving test?

Because it’s part of the driving test

if you think about it, it's so much easier with a sat nav than follow last second instructions form the examiner

Unanananana · 31/07/2021 09:24

You failed fairly. You are meant to be able to adapt to road conditions. You'll just have to wait now and maybe try driving more on unfamiliar roads to practise.

This is AIBU by the way. If you want molly coddling, you are in the wrong place. If you spome to the examiner like crap, no wonder he didn't chuck your sat nav on the floor. Good luck in December!

ShowOfHands · 31/07/2021 09:24

I understand that you're upset, that's disappointing for you but you really have been nasty on here for no reason.

As frustrating and annoying as it is, your test is to check you are safe on all roads and if you can't manage an unfamiliar, admittedly challenging situation, you're not ready to drive.

But driving tests are brilliant in that you can take them as many times as you need. Get in some practise outside of familiar routes, it really will help you be a better driver.

If the examiner was rude, then challenge that separately.

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