Failed 6th driving test. Can't bring myself to book test 7

[bellaella18]

Just failed my 6th driving test this morning. I'm absolutely gutted. I drove pretty well, completed the parking manœuvre correctly. However, when we got to the motorway, traffic was pretty slow and the examiner failed me for not having the appropriate distance from the car ahead ( he said I was too close, about a car's length instead of 2).

I feel embarrassed that I've let myself and family down again. I'm finding it so difficult to book another test.

Any help and support would be greatly appreciated.

@Fuuuuuckit

Fuck me op, if you've driven so poorly that you've failed 6 times, are you sure you should be driving?

You're allowed 15 minor faults and still pass, let's be honest that if things are going so badly that you've exceeded this level, I'd rather you weren't on the road.

£62 a go for the test itself, plus 2 hours of instructor time, never mind lessons in between. The financial cost alone is staggering.

It's perfectly OK not to drive. I have friends who passed first time but have never driven since. I have friends who've had a licence years but hate driving. I have friends who passed but are terrified and daren't drive on their own.

Who is piling on the pressure OP? Driving is HARD, and not all of us get it. Surely it's safer to not be on the roads rather than because you feel forced to.

This . With bells on.

My Mum and my Aunt are examples
of people who just aren't meant to drive. They've tried and failed their tests multiple times and thank fuck they don't drive cos they'd be a total liability on the roads if they did.

I passed first time and am considered a very good and confident driver. I can drive anywhere too, which my opinion, if you can drive , you should be able to do this. It really pisses me off when some people say they avoid ' motorways' ' roundabouts' etc

Passing your test is the easy bit in my opinion. It's when you are on your own in that car that you truly learn to drive.

The fact you've failed to pass your test seven times is to me concerning. Sorry op. I know it's not what you want to hear.

@Fuuuuuckit

*Driving is a basic life skill.

Everyone should have to be able to drive, even if they choose not to drive a car*

I disagree. There are so many people who can't use a knife and fork, engage in conversation, cook a decent meal or manage their personal finances, so they either suffer themselves or outsource it.

Driving a tonne of metal is a very complicated skill to master, and the risks to others of getting it wrong can be catastrophic.

It's not like doing algebra or long division. Some folk find driving easy, some will always struggle and shouldn't put others at risk.

I'm fairly sure you'd not be so keen for your holiday aircraft pilot to have only passed his flying test after scraping through on the 21st attempt? No matter how much they'd spent on lessons?

Yes. Agree one hundred percent.

Meh, my best friend passed on her 8th attempt (aged 35) she was 8 months pregnant when she passed and is convinced the examiner passed her because they felt sorry for her. I passed first time (in my 30s) and I've driven many hundreds of thousands of miles in everything from a tiny Ka to an extra long wheel base van. I drive 500 miles a week just to get to work and back, my best mate lives in central London so hardly drives at all.
I would bet my ass that she is the better, more careful driver and would more easily pass a test today than I would (I've never had an accident but I'm probably a bit complacent and slapdash).
Keep going, all that matters is getting the licence and being safe

@Shehasadiamondinthesky

Do it, and do it again until you pass no matter how many times it takes. Do it for you, never mind what your family thinks. My sister did hers 21 times before she passed.

Christ I hope I'm never anywhere near your sister on the roads! There should be a limit. People who had to take a test 21 bloody times can't possibly be safe on the roads.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

Keep going OP! You’ll manage it!

Does it help that every first time passer I know has either: 1. Written off a car, 2. Had their licence revoked within the two years, or 3. Been disqualified from driving?

People who take more tests seem to be the better drivers once they pass (I passed fourth time and have had three points once in 25 years, and never any kind of accident. I drive frequently)

Bullshit.
In your experience, yes.
I've been driving over twenty years. First time passer and have been as clean as a whistle.
I am a superb driver and proud to say that.

So please don't generalise about first time passers.

You will pass your driving test ignore the minority that are telling you to give up.

@Shehasadiamondinthesky

Do it, and do it again until you pass no matter how many times it takes. Do it for you, never mind what your family thinks. My sister did hers 21 times before she passed.

21 times.

😳

Driving tests are bloody hard. Once you have passed you are highly unlikely to ever have to drive under such pressure and nerves so there is no shame in failing a few. But 21?! Jesus Christ

OP it sounds like your nerves are getting the better of you. Happened to me too. On my 3rd test my instructor decided to come along for the ride as she couldn’t figure out how I kept failing. I turned the car on and stalled it before I even took off, mixed up left and right but luckily for me otherwise held my nerve that time and passed. Also helped that the guy running the test could see how nervous I was but could also see I could drive. Which I would not say about the first two.

I just couldn't pass on the manual.. I wasn't a natural at all! Switched to automatic and passed in my 30s. 4 attempts in total.

If driving is not coming to you naturally you should just switch to automatic!

@Brainfogmcfogface

Rescue remedy op. My driving instructor got me some before my last test, having failed a few times before, my nerves were just awful each time, even physically shaking on one try! May have been a placebo effect and not done anything for all I know but knowing I’d had it, it certainly helped on the day!

Rescue remedy is a placebo product and it's been proven it has no scientific evidence whatsoever

I passed on my 7th. Don't give up, keep going!

I passed first time (at the new tests centre) 🤣🤣. Keep going, my instructor decided to get me to take my test in a different town, it was enough to break my mindset of fearing a certain road junction. And I’m not actually sure now how many I failed in my own town.

Definitely try an automatic as so much easier to drive in. I would also investigate different test centres the one down the road from me is known as being relatively easy. This link shows some places are definitely easier to pass.

www.veygo.com/learner-driver-insurance/guides/revealed-uks-toughest-driving-test-centre/

@Fuuuuuckit

Fuck me op, if you've driven so poorly that you've failed 6 times, are you sure you should be driving?

You're allowed 15 minor faults and still pass, let's be honest that if things are going so badly that you've exceeded this level, I'd rather you weren't on the road.

£62 a go for the test itself, plus 2 hours of instructor time, never mind lessons in between. The financial cost alone is staggering.

It's perfectly OK not to drive. I have friends who passed first time but have never driven since. I have friends who've had a licence years but hate driving. I have friends who passed but are terrified and daren't drive on their own.

Who is piling on the pressure OP? Driving is HARD, and not all of us get it. Surely it's safer to not be on the roads rather than because you feel forced to.

I completely agree. There is a weird number of MNers utterly obsessed with driving. Some people just can’t seem to comprehend that not all of us have a natural aptitude for driving - and even fewer understand that it’s perfectly acceptable to admit that.

I wonder if a lot of MNers live in a very provincial suburban world, where public transport is poor and everyone has off-road parking. To drive where I live, I’d need to pay out for a parking permit, with no guarantee of a space - and the car would be virtually useless, as there is almost no parking near my office (not that I’ve been there in 18 months). I accepted a long time ago that I’m not a good driver and shouldn’t put myself or others at risk, before you even consider the cost. I planned my life accordingly and am very happy with my choices.

Can you imagine anyone encouraging others to take a 21st test to operate any other piece of heavy machinery? You’d have the sense to say ‘Maybe it’s not for you’ after the fourth or fifth test.

Unfortunately many of us MNetters do live in a provincial suburban/semi rural/out in the sticks world where the last bus home is at 7pm or in some cases only twice a week. And yes we might have more parking spaces but would rather have decent public transport.
Hence why some of us do need to be able to drive.

*Fuck me op, if you've driven so poorly that you've failed 6 times, are you sure you should be driving?

You're allowed 15 minor faults and still pass, let's be honest that if things are going so badly that you've exceeded this level, I'd rather you weren't on the road.*

This is dramatic. The whole point of the driving test is that she wouldn't be on the road until she is deemed safe enough anyway? So even if she took 25 tests and passed, she would then be at the required standard of driving.

You can have a flawless drive and fail on one thing - often times things that seasoned drivers do on a daily basis. A serious fault - different from a dangerous fault is one where you've inconvenienced another driver, making them slow down or stop etc. On an otherwise flawless drive that can lead to a fail.

Like PP said once people pass their test, bad habits can creep in and I'm sure a lot of people, while able to drive properly would not pass a test due to these habits.

Your comment is harsh and isn't helping anyone. Obviously she is still doing lessons and is still learning. Some people really do need to drive, especially if they live rurally and have kids they need to ferry about. Yeah there may be an alternative, but why make life longer for yourself if you can learn to drive.

Takes some people longer than others.

Well that’s fine, @TracyBeakerSoYeah. But surely you have the autonomy to decide whether to live in such an area or not? My point is that it’s perfectly possible to get by without a car if you plan your life accordingly.

As we know from all of these boards life doesn't always go exactly how it's planned.

After 20 failed attempts at learning to drive, it’s time to try a new plan.

Plan to pass on your next attempt

Though I would think planning to pass your driving test on your 158th attempt is a bit of a long shot. But it happened.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-9126383/amp/Britains-luckless-driver-flunked-theory-test-157-TIMES.html

I agree completely with @Tee20x

That was the theory test passed on the 158th attempt.

The most attempts taken on passing the practical driving test was 43 before the candidate passed

@Sonex Keep going, you'll be an awesome driver when you get it, far better than people who passed first or second time!

How do you work that out?

The best support i can give you is:dont look at all your failed attempts as failure .
Everytime you make progress is some way or another
Look ahead rather than behind

Continue going. And if you dont succeed the next time you just keep going. I believe in you.

@Fuuuuuckit

Fuck me op, if you've driven so poorly that you've failed 6 times, are you sure you should be driving?

You're allowed 15 minor faults and still pass, let's be honest that if things are going so badly that you've exceeded this level, I'd rather you weren't on the road.

£62 a go for the test itself, plus 2 hours of instructor time, never mind lessons in between. The financial cost alone is staggering.

It's perfectly OK not to drive. I have friends who passed first time but have never driven since. I have friends who've had a licence years but hate driving. I have friends who passed but are terrified and daren't drive on their own.

Who is piling on the pressure OP? Driving is HARD, and not all of us get it. Surely it's safer to not be on the roads rather than because you feel forced to.

Ignore this OP. I took loads of tests and an a very safe driver. I passed when I relaxed enough, assumed I was going to fail but that I'd just put in again until I passed.