Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to feel that driving tests really are designed to destroy every shred of confidence you have..repeatedly!

47 replies

AdelaideJo · 11/11/2009 20:12

HEEEELP!

Is it unreasonable to be unreasonably enraged at how SICK and FEARFUL I am every time I have a driving test? For days beforehand?

I have my 3rd test (with several years apart - must point that out ) this coming Friday and already I've been in floods of tears twice today..just at the THOUGHT of the examiner saying "I'm sorry but you have not reached the standard required blah blah blah ".

I've tried Bachs' flower remedies, I can't take Kalms (pregnant) and I just DON'T WANT TO DO IT!

Isn't it true that its just a bloody lottery on the day anyway?

OP posts:

dickiethepunchlinedonkey · 12/11/2009 20:37

ooh good luck for tomorrow! let us know how you got on. Fwiw i nearly jacked it in about5 mins before my test- i was actually laughing because it was going so bad in the lesson before my test. I reckon i just got my crap-ness out of my system before the real thing.
To be honest i was so sick of bleeding driving by then i just thought sod it let's get on with it. Perhaps fool yourself into believing you don't care!
You have to drive to 'test standard' for 35 mins, then you can do as everyone else does- million point turn in the road, wonky parallel parking, stall the car without getting flustered. And you will never have to reverse round a sodding corner.
Oh yes my friend- it's a whole different driving world on the other side of your test.
35 mins is all.....
good luck

mother3 · 13/11/2009 07:54

friday 13th.bet it brings you luck.hope you pass.Wish i carried on with mine.Too long in the tooth now.Dont go that far any way.But it will give you so much independence.REALLY MEAN IT GOOD LUCK.

NormaSknockers · 13/11/2009 13:10

Good Luck for today Adelaide - let us know how you get on!

lovechoc · 13/11/2009 13:17

well I'm probably one of the few on here, but I passed my driving test on FIFTH attempt (yep, think of all that wasted money).

Most of it was nerves for me and lack of self-confidence at times, but I never stopped trying. I just carried on until I passed it. That's the kind of attitude you need to go in with! I was too determined to let all those lessons go to waste, so just kept booking a test straight after I failed one.

Good luck on passing, just stay as calm as you can. Take your time with the maneouvres and keep checking your mirrors, always check them throughout the time on the road you have with the examiner.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 13/11/2009 13:18

Ohhh I hope it goes well. Ive just come back from one of my driving lessons, my 13th, it actually feels like im driving now not just getting in everyones way and cocking simple things up like pulling off at roundabouts!

NormaSknockers · 13/11/2009 16:18

How did it go Adelaide?

teameric · 13/11/2009 18:10

how did you do Adelaide?

Original poster

AdelaideJo · 13/11/2009 18:53

Hallo friends!

Well I got 2 damn serious

Whats annoying is that if you're down this way (Essex/Tilbury), you'll know that it was flooding/storm conditions here, and I had to take my test in it - bit scary mary but they didn't want to cancel the tests.

It went REALLY well, so naturally i'm a little sad that I didn't reduce to 30 quick enough in a previously-40 zone (really dumb since thats not a characteristic of my driving normally), and secondly, wandered onto some hatched markings in the centre of a roundabout.

Wasn't nervous at all though and the examiner was a cool dude.

Next time (or the time after, the one after that, or the one after that etc etc.) No way am i giving up after all this money!

OP posts:

teameric · 13/11/2009 19:06

those were shitty conditions to be driving in though, DH was off work today and we went Bluewater to do crimbo shopping and had to drive back in that rain, was scary and my DH has been driving for years!

dickiethepunchlinedonkey · 13/11/2009 19:22

Good for you for wanting to get back in there- you've conquered your nerves,got a cool examiner you had shite bad luck with the weather. Try to get a cancellation soon!
good luck

5inthebed · 13/11/2009 20:02

Sorry you failed your test

I failed two tests in 2006, and decided I was never going to drive again as I hated it anyway. The first examiner was a battleaxe, shouted at me before we even drove off, I failed even before we left the test centre.

Fast forward to this year, and I found myself taking lessons again. I failed my test at the beginning of October, 2 minutes away from the test centre after being cut off at a roundabout, and only got three minors as well . I was gutted, beat myself up about it for days. However, I knew I was capable of passing, so got the earliest cancellation there was, which was 23 October, and passed, with just three minors, two of which were made going into the road the test centre was on (last minute nerves).

Would your driving instructor be able to arrange a mock driving test with another instructor from the same school? I had one before my third test, and found it was very helpful to ease my nerves.

BEst of luck for your next test.

NormaSknockers · 13/11/2009 20:11

So sorry to hear you failed but pleased to hear you're geared up to get back out there & take it again! Good luck for next time, you'll get there soon (no doubt you'll be telling me the same thing next week!)

Original poster

AdelaideJo · 14/11/2009 13:05

Thanks for the comments...I'm thinking I might start up a thread (because this one isn't really the place) for learners and testee's somewhere else on MN - there is very little on the internet in general other than one forum thats a bit out of date, and the support I got on Thursday was so helpful.

It really is a minefield, completely different to when i learned at 17 (19 years ago) and its useful to hear about other people's experiences for sure.

OP posts:

purpleduck · 14/11/2009 16:42

Sorry to hear you didn't make it this time AJ - hope you knock 'em dead net time.

Not literally of course

2rebecca · 14/11/2009 16:56

My driving teacher was great. If I didn't like my teacher I'd change. There are enough of them about.

Maize · 14/11/2009 22:11

I opened this ages ago and forgot to reply.

Hi Kathy! We should set up a you can do it driving test club.

I passed fifth time last April. I HATED learning to drive, I am not a natural driver and found the whole process beyond stressful. I stopped and started and after my fourth test when I stopped the test after fucking up a manouver and refused to leave the car and sat there sobbing I took a massive break.

When I did pass there were so many differences. I had a fab instructor who really helped with the psychological side of things. He always emphasised that the point of a driving test was to make a stranger feel safe. So it was about a smooth, confident ride and if you made mistakes they would see that as a blip and not evidence of being unready to pass.

He used no systems for manouvers so it emphasised to the examiner that you knew what you were doing, you were not just blindly following a system and it made it easier to fix things if it went wrong because I felt more in control able to correct it.

I talked about my (very worthy!) career to emphasise that I needed my license and that I would be a sensible person. I tried to be steady and did LOTS of looking etc. I knew the route well so felt confident in that.

I made a mistake that he could have failed on and he let it go with a minor and I believe that this is because he felt I was a good, safe driver. I nearly snogged him when he said I had passed.

You can do it! I am still not natural but I like driving now and am so glad I have done it. Its probably one of the best achievements in my life so far

Carol24 · 20/11/2009 14:15

I felt compelled to reply to this thread

Having passed my test on my 9th attempt. it took me 18 months to finally pass, from my the date of my 1st lesson.

I sat my 1st test on 6th August 2008 and finally passed on 19th Feb this year, so if i can do it anyone can.

I passed with the help of Beta blockers and my insructor being in the car while I did sat the test (this made me much calmer)

Goodluck to everyone who is sitting tests in the near future!

Kaloki · 20/11/2009 14:34

Took me 5 tests (much to my driving instructor father's non-amusement), nerves always got the better of me.

Maybe you should hire the nutcase outside the test centre on the day I passed. Drove out of the centre along with all the other learners straight onto a roundabout, where there was a mad bloke on a bike riding round the learners in circles yelling abuse( he apparently hates car drivers and was trying to discourage us). I ended up giggling so much I forgot my nerves!

So thankyou anti car man for helping me pass my test

Original poster

AdelaideJo · 20/11/2009 15:07

Test is re-booked for 3 weeks time. Gulp!

OP posts:

Kaloki · 20/11/2009 15:15

Sending you lots of good luck and calming thoughts!

Original poster

AdelaideJo · 26/11/2009 19:16

Am i unreasonable I wonder, for having a minor meltdown on the driveway of DS's nursery because 1. i'm 5 months pregnant, 2. it was freezing and 3. i can't freakin' drive and am reliant on cabs to take him there and pick him up?

In fact, I've got to have a LONG conversation with DP tonight about nursery. Its a 35/40 minute walk away (taking in one massive hill), and DS goes twice per week. Until i got bigly pregnant I was walking him; my 'relaxing time' mean't 2 hours of walking in total per day. We agreed I started to get cabs. £20.00 per day every time he goes..I'm sick of it.

While waiting to be picked up I realised that if I keep failing the driving test i'm going to have to take him out of the nursery - I can't stick a toddler and a newborn in the back of a taxi twice per week and pay for the privilege. Said taxi driver picked me up in floods of tears for being such a stupid cow as to have picked a nursery miles from home, oh, and have a family without PASSING the useful life skill that is driving.

Oh, and I have a car outside my house waiting to be driven. Feel very sorry for myself this evening and also feel like a big fat idiot .

OP posts:

meltedchocolate · 26/11/2009 20:18

YANBU OP but YABU to have posted this. I had a driving lesson today (learned everything and am now doing test runs) and you have just made me feel sick with fear!!!! Thanks..

RELAX!!! Worst thing is you fail and do it again, it isn't the end of the world. Keep trying - you (and I) will get there!

Flip

1 2