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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be so fed up with trying to book a driving test?

31 replies

imeanwhy · 18/12/2023 18:14

Just this really. I have been trying to book my practical test for ages (weeks) and just no luck. I am almost at the point where my theory test will expire and I will have to pay even more money to retake that too. Argh how do people manage to book? I wake up at 6am most days to go into the system and book but "no test slots available on any dates". Day after day. It's doing my head in. I am in London which is probably not helping. All tips welcome.

OP posts:
MassageForLife · 18/12/2023 18:21

There are driving test cancellation services that help you find test cancellations all over the county - I think you have to pay for them but better that than having to do the theory test again. Would you consider traveling to sit the test somewhere else?

Hwory · 18/12/2023 18:25

How I got a test:

  • book a test literally anywhere (Liverpool seems to have a lot of availability)
  • buy the Testi app
  • set the notifications to the test centre you want
  • jump on a cancellation that works for you
TheYearOfSmallThings · 18/12/2023 18:26

Hwory · 18/12/2023 18:25

How I got a test:

  • book a test literally anywhere (Liverpool seems to have a lot of availability)
  • buy the Testi app
  • set the notifications to the test centre you want
  • jump on a cancellation that works for you

This is what my friend did, and it worked for her.

AMuser · 18/12/2023 18:28

[email protected]

i tried everything for my son - inc Testi and various apps. Nothing worked (London). Paid for the highest package at test ultimate and got it a couple of weeks later. Really worth it. About £200 I think.

Catza · 18/12/2023 18:29

Test dates are released on Mondays at 6am. You need to be up and have your license number typed up in a document and ready to copy and paste. Book any date you can find.
Once you booked a test, register with any cancellation service (they are typically around £20 a year).. You can either request automatic rebook or for them to send you a notification for the available slot (you will have an hour to book the test or the slot will go to someone else). I moved my slot forward by 4 months using this method.
You do really have to have your license details ready to paste as most slots are gone by 6.05

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 18/12/2023 18:31

YANBU

Zitagreb · 18/12/2023 18:36

It is a dire situation with driving tests. We didn't have any luck with the apps and had to go to the WhatsApp groups that can get you tests. They could get you tests quite quickly but I think it was about £100-£150 a time( I think other test centres may be cheaper but the London ones are expensive)

Finteq · 18/12/2023 18:37

Can't believe it's come to this.

And started a completely new business of arranging driving tests for people.

AngeloMysterioso · 18/12/2023 18:45

Hwory · 18/12/2023 18:25

How I got a test:

  • book a test literally anywhere (Liverpool seems to have a lot of availability)
  • buy the Testi app
  • set the notifications to the test centre you want
  • jump on a cancellation that works for you

Same here. Even then, the “literally anywhere” test was more than 6 months and 120 miles away, and the test I ended up getting was only 1 week earlier and was the only slot that became available in my home town the whole time in between.

MumofSpud · 18/12/2023 19:05

It's crazy but this morning I booked one for DD - I copied her licence number I needed and was on the website at 5:55
It turned live at 6
I was prepared to book anywhere (as others have said and then get a cancellation) but I didn't need to as the local centre came up!

I chose the first date (May 28!)

When I went back on to check a couple of mins later the May dates had all gone!

Original poster
imeanwhy · 18/12/2023 22:32

Thank you everyone. I just needed to share my utter frustration - how can this system be this bad for something so very basic like getting a driving license.

I am grateful for all the tips, which I will be trying one by one! Testi sounds promising. Unfortunately I cannot take the test somewhere far as my driving instructor will only accommodate giving me the car for 2 test centres, and I don't own one myself so I need it. But if I can book anywhere and then move it to the preferred location then there's hope!

I just can't honestly believe it's this hard. I had heard there are big delays but this is just ridiculous

Thank for reading and responding. Makes me feel a little more sane

OP posts:
Delphigirl · 18/12/2023 22:34

I don’t know where you are but we have been getting tests in Chippenham at the moment (and only Chippenham. We live in Oxfordshire and there is nothing in oxford, reading, Newbury, Swindon, Banbury, high Wycombe, etc etc etc)

PostmansKnock · 18/12/2023 22:40

You don't need to take your test somewhere else, but book one in any test centre. Then you can change it which is easier than booking in the first place so you have more chance of getting one.

When I was doing it there were often ones in the same week as people cancel right at the last minute if they aren't ready.

everythingwillpass · 18/12/2023 22:41

Warning anyone from out of area who might be thinking of booking Aylesbury - if you do, you need to get to the town a few hours earlier just to practice going round the most complicated roundabout known to man 😂

MrsBlondie · 18/12/2023 22:42

Maybe it depends on area but my son just had 2 tests within 3 weeks.
We booked test for April then used the testi app for a cancellation. Loads of cancellations came up.

Original poster
imeanwhy · 18/12/2023 22:46

@everythingwillpass 🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Globules · 18/12/2023 22:49

Finteq · 18/12/2023 18:37

Can't believe it's come to this.

And started a completely new business of arranging driving tests for people.

This is my frustration with it too.

How many of these tests are being booked by bots in order to make demand high?

HardStareBear · 18/12/2023 23:01

everythingwillpass · 18/12/2023 22:41

Warning anyone from out of area who might be thinking of booking Aylesbury - if you do, you need to get to the town a few hours earlier just to practice going round the most complicated roundabout known to man 😂

And make sure that you practice coming at it from every possible direction too 😂

Original poster
imeanwhy · 19/12/2023 23:06

I signed up with testi and lots of slots seem to come up all the time. However when I go to book they disappear. Is this common? Does it mean that someone is faster than me? I click instantly some times as I happen to be on my phone but still nothing... strange. I wonder if I am doing something wrong

OP posts:
WeRateSquirrels · 19/12/2023 23:17

I found Testi rubbish - never a single cancellation for our centre. I used the DVSA short notice cancellation website instead. This is for tests within the next 3 days and DS ended up getting a same day cancellation. Probably not so good for you OP as you’re depending on instructor’s car (but might help someone else).

DinoDays · 19/12/2023 23:32

Hwory · 18/12/2023 18:25

How I got a test:

  • book a test literally anywhere (Liverpool seems to have a lot of availability)
  • buy the Testi app
  • set the notifications to the test centre you want
  • jump on a cancellation that works for you

Sadly you need to do this. Just book anywhere then get an app that books another for you. There are several you can download.

Def pay for the extras.

I got both my teenagers sorted within a couple of months. Bloody nightmare though.

Sunshineandrainbow · 19/12/2023 23:34

Catza · 18/12/2023 18:29

Test dates are released on Mondays at 6am. You need to be up and have your license number typed up in a document and ready to copy and paste. Book any date you can find.
Once you booked a test, register with any cancellation service (they are typically around £20 a year).. You can either request automatic rebook or for them to send you a notification for the available slot (you will have an hour to book the test or the slot will go to someone else). I moved my slot forward by 4 months using this method.
You do really have to have your license details ready to paste as most slots are gone by 6.05

Is this on testi?
Thanks

DinoDays · 19/12/2023 23:35

Don't book yourself, let the app book it automatically for you.

It doesn't help like dickheads like the ration 1 twat keeps not bothering to attend his tests, hasn't he missed 12 or something. What an ignorant selfish ass!

Catza · 20/12/2023 08:46

Sunshineandrainbow · 19/12/2023 23:34

Is this on testi?
Thanks

Show quote history

No, it wasn't testi I used. I registered with a website of some kind but it was a long time ago so can't quite recall. Looking at my old texts they appear to be called Driving Test Cancellations 4 All.
You still have to book on DVLA website on Monday at 6am before you can use their services.

Delphigirl · 21/12/2023 13:50

I’ve just been on and booked a test. There are cancellations coming and going all the time. Just missed on on 5 Jan in Swindon but got one on 23 Jan in Chippenham.