Driving lessons and covid restrictions

[LonelyInAutumn]

Posting on AIBU for more traffic

So, I've booked my THIRD driving test. Covid restrictions have eased and because of this, the full driving test will now continue even if you have failed early on.

I'm generally a good driver but as soon as I get to the test, I get so anxious and shakey that I can't drive properly and make mistakes. It's really upsetting me and costing me a lot of money, test fee and a fee to take the car for the test (costing me about £150 all together).

Because of the prior covid restrictions, when I failed my test, they just ended the test and told me to drive back to the test centre (as opposed to carrying on and giving false hope that you may have passed).

I don't feel too confident about my next test (at end of May) and this news has just made me feel worse.

I can't afford my own car to practice in right now so don't really have options regarding that.

I feel like cancelling my test and getting my £62 back.

Any tips on overcoming nerves on the test?

Why not view it as a 'mock' to get you used to the test?
So you aren't expecting to pass, and therefore won't get so nervous.
(Thus making you more likely to pass).

Rescue Remedy.

Good luck!

@StCharlotte I have some rescue remedy pastels but they didn't seem to do anything. I've tried other coping methods but it doesn't seem to work for me unfortunately. Thank you though :)

I've tried the "view it as a mock/lesson" but my mind isn't strong enough 😅 as soon as I get behind the wheel, I forget everything I know. I had my fitbit on and my heart was doing well over 120bmp because of nerves

I passed my 3rd time.

I booked it on my credit card so it wouldn't show on the joint bank account so dh didn't know.

I never told a soul. That way if I failed again, I didn't have the embarrassment of telling everyone ud failed again.

Nobody knowing really took the pressure off for me.

Could this be an option for you?

If you cancel you’re one step even further away from passing!
Rescue remedy, meditation, eat a banana for breakfast that day, get beta blockers from the GP if you must. Be so familiar with the test area that you don’t even need to think about things like bus lanes, one way streets, which lanes on which roundabouts and you only need to focus on the other traffic. Keep going.

I've told two people that I've rebooked but nobody knows the date (I think they've forgotten that I've told them). I didn't tell anyone about my first test but because I was so upset I mentioned what had happened.

Thank you for your suggestion though :)

That's so true what you said abour cancelling. With regards to familiarity, I know my area really well until it's time for me to drive 😂 I'm looking for a new instructor as my current one seems to be getting fed up with me (that's how it feels anyway)

Eat a banana for breakfast and take some Calms tablets a couple of hours before your test.

Good luck!

I did try the banana trick but it didn't work for me. Maybe I'm not trying these things out early enough? I'll try the calms next time. Thank you :)

My friends took a couple of Kalms before her test and it worked, after failing 5 times previously. You could say it was just a placebo effect but even so, it worked to calm her nerves.

I passed on my third attempt. I was so nervous and my confidence was so low I was shocked when he said I'd passed at the end!
I took a beta blocker prescribed by my doctor beforehand though, would this be an option for you?

Third time lucky OP!

I know it's difficult but try not to let it get to you. If you cancel this test then you might find you don't rebook again. Just keep ploughing on and you absolutely will get there.

If you don't take the test you can't pass

Good luck

I passed 5th time taking beta blockers. I could drive very well but during the actual test I was falling apart. The nerves ! I was sweating, Car would steam up and legs would shake. Took the beta blockers and none of these symptoms, and I passed. Good luck !!!

I was like this, I finally passed last year on my sixth attempt 😅 I ended up getting hypnotherapy to help me with my driving anxiety. It really worked, I was so calm. I went from being a shaking mess to being completely done!

Another thing you could try is getting propranolol prescribed from the doctor, it will alleviate the panicky symptoms such as increased heart rate, shaking etc, but won't affect your ability to drive.

I honestly never thought I would be able to pass and I finally did. Don't cancel that's the worst thing you can do, after three tests I stopped for years and had to redo it all, I totally regretted it. Best advice would be if you fail, book another test on the same day even if you feel like throwing in the towel!

Good luck, you can do it!

I had beta blockers prescribed too.

Agree with previous poster about Rescue Remedy. Always take that now when I have to face a challenging situation.
I failed a few times as I struggled with nerves and my legs shaking. But I got there.
The time I passed was because I had a uni interview straight afterwards - so was more nervous about that than the test, which weirdly helped.

I recently just passed on my 6th attempt. Keep going!

I was really lucky with the examiner. She was so kind and patient. But to fair they all had been. I don’t know what was different lol hat last time. It just all came together.

Keep going till you finish this!

My confidence is also really low because of previous failures and I'm not sure how to build it back up. Not sure I'm comfortable with taking beta blockers. I've heard that once you take blood pressure meds, you can't come off them

I think I will look into hypnotherapy as I'm not totally comfortable with prescription medication. I think as well because there's such a backlog because of covid, it's harder to get a test booked (months of no availability) and I don't want it to come to a point where my theory expires. Hopefully third time lucky for me. Thank you!

I've just passed my theory test for the 4 th time (I got it each time but keep letting it expire for whatever reason,i must enjoy wasting money? ) and failed the practice 3 times as well.
Don't worry there's no shame, there's also a lot of luck in it! (The instructor, the weather, the traffic... ) so just do the best you can.

Both of my examiners have been so nice so I'm not sure what my problem is 😭 I just think my confidence is on the floor. Thank you for the encouragement :)

I passed 3rd time. 1st time I was really surprised I honestly didn’t know what I’d done wrong, 2nd time confidence was gone so failed miserably

3rd time was same examiner as the 1st so thought I had no chance. I took my mums advice and over exaggerated all the mirror, signal, manoeuvre stuff. I tied my hair back to he could see me 'playing' it

I drove worst the 3rd time but somehow passed. Try playing out the test to show them what they want to see

@LonelyInAutumn

I did try the banana trick but it didn't work for me. Maybe I'm not trying these things out early enough? I'll try the calms next time. Thank you :)

It was my instructor who recommended them to me @LonelyInAutumn

I was a nervous learner and made silly mistakes sometimes but Calms really settled my nerves and I somehow managed to pass first time.

He also recommended tying your hair into a ponytail (if possible) so when you check your mirrors, your examiner can see your head move

I don't know if it helped but I didn't get any minors for observation!