Driving test fail.

[Mybabysmylife]

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!😭

As a driver, you need to know how to navigate roadworks and unexpected situations so it's fair you failed on this.

There was no need for the examiner to be rude though. I failed a few times with stroppy examiners on power trips and finally passed when I got a normal person who was just there to check my driving rather be intimidating for the sake of it. I do think some examiners are extremely proud of the fact that they can drive and think this is the best thing ever.

The whole point of passing the test is to provide assurance that you can drive safely on your own. Anticipating what to do in unexpected circumstances is part of it. Instructors will do their best to avoid these situations, but really, they shouldn't.

I find myself in the same situation when I took my test and had to make a rapid judgement to stop, let other cars go, and go around markings. The examiner said I did exactly what I was expected to do and I passed.

As for him throwing things, which inevitably would have distracted you, report it. You did however failed because you didn't show you had the skills to drive on your one safely.

December's not so long to wait, OP, it'll fly by. And you may get a cancellation before then. I had to wait 13 months between my first and second tests, I'd practically forgotten everything I knew by then.

And I'm afraid I sort of agree about the road works. Common sense usualy tells you where to stop even if there are no road markings.

@caughtinanet THANKYOU! Everything I seem to say about roadworks I'm lying. They came that morning of my test I was so gutted! , I have paid two of them cancellation apps and within a day I got 2 different dates! Mine was originally 13th December. I got the 3rd December and now 17th novemeber. So it's moved up a lot which is better than waiting 5 months 😭 but still upsetting to wait that long

[quote Mybabysmylife]@caughtinanet THANKYOU! Everything I seem to say about roadworks I'm lying. They came that morning of my test I was so gutted! , I have paid two of them cancellation apps and within a day I got 2 different dates! Mine was originally 13th December. I got the 3rd December and now 17th novemeber. So it's moved up a lot which is better than waiting 5 months 😭 but still upsetting to wait that long[/quote]
That’s great, what app did you use to get a cancellation please ? And did you do the auto re book or did they ask you to confirm.
DD is desperate, has been waiting for a test which was cancelled in Jan and May and rescheduled to Oct and no cancellations have come up on dvla site, she’s been looking every day for months. Very disheartening.

@Proudboomer

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.

Why are you commenting if you don't know the rules of tests these days,@Proudboomer ?

OP - I'm so sorry for you. It is such an absolute nightmare getting a test right now and this sounds so unfair.

Unfortunately, as with all local government-type activities, it's really unlikely that you'll her anywhere with your complaint, sadly. Your examiner sounds like a total arse.

Really sorry for you ☹️☹️

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.

you go into a driving test with no licence and if you pass you have a licence to drive where you like, including the motorway, past accidents and planned roadworks.

The difference between those things is about 30 minutes? and it really should only be box-ticking for those who pass. You shouldn't even apply to the test if you are not 100% sure you'll pass. Especially now when it's so hard to get a test.

Your attitude is all wrong and i wonder if you were giving off that vibe.

However if Covid rules are that he should have directed you back to the test centre as soon as you failed, you should bring that up with your instructor and the test centre. The SatNav? i guess you would have had to be there and see what that was about to judge.

You were unlucky with the roadworks. On my first driving test there was a fire engine parked across a T-junction blocking my route and I had to go around it. I had never been in a situation like that before and wasn’t sure how to go about it in the correct way. It was years ago now so can’t remember exactly what I did but although I got past safely i didn’t deal with the obstruction correctly and got a major against me, however the instructor admitted it was very unlucky and that most wouldn’t have known what to do to pass without any faults either. Unfortunately in that regard sometimes you are just unlucky in your driving test and face something you haven’t been taught and which even experienced drivers wouldn’t necessarily know how to deal with in the correct way. Nevertheless the instructor can’t let you pass if you failed to stop when you should have regardless of whether it was unlucky or understandable due to the lack of marking.

I can understand that it’s frustrating that there aren’t any tests for months though. Have you tried looking at different test centres? Alternatively fingers crossed you can pick up a cancellation test.

Honestly. Those commenting smugly on this thread - HAVE YOU ANY IDEA what the real world of tests is like at the moment?

It's months and months of waiting for a test -
6 to 9 months not unusual.

Failing on a minor thing means going through the whole effing process again.

Which can mean your theory expires.

Getting a cancellation (which itself takes months) means you can be taking your test in a brand new area, miles and miles away. Not easy to get someone to help you practice unknown territory.

Instructors are FULL. You can't get one for love nor money.

OP is right to be 💯 disappointed that she's been failed on something out of the ordinary.

How about being given some slack and sympathy, eh?

If you had the same attitude as here, no surprises you failed.

I don't think you can complain about failing because of roadworks - roadworks and other unexpected things happen, even on driving tests, and you need to be able to deal with them.

But if he threw the satnav, then that is fair to complain. It's unprofessional, intimidating behaviour.

As for having to wait for another test, that's the same with everyone else hoping to take a test, be it their first or a retake. You might get a cancellation come in sooner - colleague's son ended up with one in June, after first failing in May, rather than in November (which was his first offering.)

The day I finally passed (wasn’t my first) the traffic lights were out at a major junction. I felt sure he’d brought me there deliberately. I even had to contend with another driver who had no idea what they were doing. You have to show awareness of all around you. The driver in front of you was perhaps in the wrong. You can’t take the lead from them

[quote Mybabysmylife]@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.[/quote]
That's why you really need to practise between driving lessons. It isn't a matter of covering all the test routes, it's just a matter of being able to deal with a variety of roads, weather conditions, etc. Dealing with roadworks is largely a matter of common sense and always following the basic safety first rule.

[quote Mybabysmylife]@eightyfourandahalf I don't understand why most of you think I'm lying on the satnav situation now I'm lying that I didn't know I had to
Stop? There was people brought out that morning to re paint the roads due to them been completely work down and not there. A car infront of me was sat waiting so I waited but he said because I waited I failed. But how was I supposed to go when he was infront of me and he waited. Maybe I shouldn't of copied but there was nothing more I could do with him infront.[/quote]

if a car in front of you is waiting, you can't be failed because you are not smashing into it? It makes 0 sense.

I'm glad you didn't pass. There are already too many drivers on the road who don't know how to act when there are unexpected roadworks. Ask your instructor to run through the different scenarios with you in more detail so when you do eventually get on the road you can be a safe & conscientious driver.

I've used a website called faster driving test.co.uk
It has an autobook option and is worth every penny i paid for it.

OP is right to be 💯 disappointed that she's been failed on something out of the ordinary.

How about being given some slack and sympathy, eh?

sympathy yes, but allow us to be relieved that someone who is unable to drive safely is not given a pass when they are not ready. It gets harder to drive once you have the test in your pocket, not easier. You only start to learn then.

On another note, I am amazed that you know in advance which routes you can be asked to pass your test on!

Before the OP has a fit, I am not saying anyone is lying, I am just envious when in my old days you had no idea where you would end up.

[quote Mybabysmylife]@eightyfourandahalf I don't understand why most of you think I'm lying on the satnav situation now I'm lying that I didn't know I had to
Stop? There was people brought out that morning to re paint the roads due to them been completely work down and not there. A car infront of me was sat waiting so I waited but he said because I waited I failed. But how was I supposed to go when he was infront of me and he waited. Maybe I shouldn't of copied but there was nothing more I could do with him infront.[/quote]
Because it doesn’t make any sense so it seems like maybe you are embellishing your story to make the examiner sound unreasonable. Why would he throw a satnav on the floor? Did it break? Who did it belong to?

And now you are saying you were failed because you were behind a stationery vehicle and had nowhere to go. Well no, there must be more to it, because if you had nowhere to go, the examiner would have seen that.

You failed your test, it happens. You do need to be able to drive in unfamiliar territory, or were you just planning to drive around test routes you know for the rest of your life.

OP is right to be 💯 disappointed that she's been failed on something out of the ordinary.

How about being given some slack and sympathy, eh?

She can be disappointed, but she wants to complain. If she was unable to cope with roadworks, the examiner would have been failing in his duty in passing her.

When DH took his test, he had to go up on the pavement to avoid someone who shot out of a side road without looking. He passed and was complimented on his quick reactions.

@Proudboomer

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.

It's been part of the test for a few years now, you have to demonstrate being able to follow a sat nav safely ..

Here's the thing. Life is not fair. Using "it's not fair" as an excuse/argument is NEVER going to cut it as a grownup.

I think I would complain in your situation, OP. It might not get you anywhere, but the attitude of the examiner was definitely and him blatently not following exam rules are unacceptable. His employers should know how he behaved.

He was responsible for getting you to a place where you could demonstrate certain maneuvers. He didn't. And throwing things on the floor of the car is really unprofessional. If you had driven poorly or made a lot of mistakes under difficult circumstances he was right to fail you, but failing your because you did not have the opportunity to perform certain aspects of the test is not right.

@DontDrinkDontSmokeWhatDoIDo roadworks are not out of the ordinary. They happen all the time. Are you suggesting they should just pass anyone as they will have to wait a long time if they fail?

I'll reply this one time.

I had no attitude with my examiner. I was not allowed to talk to him.

Secondly. He threw the satnav , the satnav wasn't mine and no it didn't break.