Another path - now we have a map

[chopc]

Chopc - Durham-History
@jano69 -Durham -History
@OnTheBenchOfDoom -Durham - Natural Sciences
@Majaso12 -Imperial - don't know subject
@bendmeoverbackwards -Bristol- History
@Pumpkintopf -Imperial/Cambridge -Natural Sciences
@ChimneyPot -Brown (US) - ? Subject
@Stillcrikey -Bristol -MML
@Tenpastseven - Bristol -also modern languages?
@Longtimenewsee - Durham - Chemistry?
@MidLifeCrisis007 - Durham -History
@BigWoollyJumpers - Exeter- History
@SeasonFinale -Bristol- History

We are still waiting on accommodation move in slot at Durham as well. Hoping that college based but not had positive confirmation that is case.

Hi @Pumpkintopf just popping on as I saw your post about accommodation for Imperial. One of D1's friends was in Kemp Porter last year and loved it. Much cheaper than some of the other options, very close to the central line, very sociable, new, lovely rooms and fantastic big kitchens - D1 was very jealous as she had literally a cupboard with fridge and microwave in her college last year. I know your DS is bound to be disappointed that he didn't get one of his choices, but I'm sure he'll love it when he gets there.

Well what an utter numpty is DS?
Just about to set off for pre-test driving lesson when he checked the email to make sure he had everything.
This was at 8:40 for his test at 9:45.
Turns out, test was actually booked for 08:10! He’s (obviously) missed it 😢
Important (and costly) lesson learned.

Thanks @JulesJules I'll definitely share that with him - all these positives are helping a lot!

@Stillcrikey 😱 oh nooooo!! What a shame. Will you be able to get him another date before uni?

@ChimneyPot how worrying for you. Glad your DD is not sick with it and she has company

@Stillcrikey 🙈🤦🏽‍♀️. Will you let your DS sort it out whatever way he can or will you step in? I think there is somewhere you can apply for a three day short notice cancellation

I think I’ll let him sort it. I may suggest a cancellation app thing but he will need his instructor to be available to use the car too (he’s not taking his test in mine!). He leaves next Friday for Bristol, so not holding out much hope for sorting before he goes.
Alternatively, he will have to see if he can get a date over the Christmas hols.
He’s a knob. It hopefully learned a valuable lesson about checking stuff.
Hey ho.

My dd failed her driving test again. I’m in despair. She won’t pass before uni now, so that means trying to do a test over holidays but she’s been using her brother’s car to practice in and just having a lesson with her instructor before the test as it’s costing too much and he said she doesn’t need anymore lessons, but her brother is hoping to move out soon so won’t be able to use his car. Our other cars are automatic. The test centre she’s been doing the tests in is over an hour away, so it’s costing so much for lessons and the day of the test to go with the instructor. I feel like saying give up and try again when you’ve left uni and working, but all the money we’ve spent on lessons would have been wasted.

Oh @Majaso12 I'm so so sorry to hear this. ☹️ I know you had hoped that everything would go smoothly this time - she's obviously competent if the instructor is saying she doesn't need any more lessons.

A pain with the test centre being so far away too, and losing the use of her brother's car. DH and I were discussing earlier what we'd do if DS fails this month - probably try for a test at Christmas I guess, with a few lessons beforehand to get back up to speed. Could you do that?

Pumpkintopf Think she’ll have to do that. Booked one in Feb at a different test centre which is actually closer, but she can’t do it there because she’s never practiced there. Then put it in the app to try and find a test from 22nd September to the 1st October. Think she can do from 22nd September. I think you include Saturdays in the 10 days after you’ve failed a test before you can do another. If not will have to be Christmas holidays and hope she can use her brother’s car and maybe have a lesson with instructor, but that’s if she can even get a test. Her driving tests have been hanging over us all summer since she finished school. She’s fed up with practising, her brother is fed up with her using his car and we’re fed with going over to practice at the test centre.

When is your ds’ test? Don’t say if you’d rather not.

My ds2 failed first time but to be honest I didn’t want him to pass because if they are nervous then they are not going to be safe . It was a blessing really and he spent 6 months just driving, not lessons, just driving is about ; to the supermarket , to grandparents , anywhere he could. With the pressure off he was much more confident and when the test came around he had one lesson and flew through . It’s a shame your other cars are automatic but if they are not confident sometimes it’s for the best.

She’s been driving loads and almost everywhere we go, she drives and does seem confident. Sometimes wonder if too confident but then she shouldn’t be. Had a mock test Sunday and didn’t even get 1 minor. Then in the test, something always happens.

Fingers crossed then Majoso that you can get a cancellation before she goes.

DS is booked for the 28th sept so definitely a one shot thing, it'll have to be Christmas if he misses it.

What happened with your DD's test today? She does seem to have had a run of very bad luck especially last time with the van overtaking.

Oh no poor her, no chance of a very late cancellation ? Sympathise with the cost though

She had 2 minors and then a serious fault for judgement. She was at a 4 way junction where she had to stop, which she did but at same time as examiner said stop and a van was coming the other way. The examiner said I saw you were stopping before I said, your foot was on the brake. Dd said don’t know why she failed me on that then. Instructor thinks it’s because she steered right a bit to position herself ready. Not sure why she did that. Examiner must have thought she didn’t give enough room for traffic to go past but she said she did. Something like that. It’s all a bit confusing. We’ve got annoyed with her about it.

@Majaso12 a different centre may be more useful? And perhaps just go driving with her as much as possible to get the experience?

Her instructor has advised not to change test centre. I’m not sure what to do for the best. She’s doing it at Avonmouth Bristol at the moment which is an industrial estate. She’s been driving us around a lot with no problems and getting lots of practice and no problems in her lessons with instructor, not that she’s had so many lately. She had a mock Sunday with instructor and had no faults.

Sorry just saw I hadn't read all your messages. Sorry to hear about your DD driving ordeal. I think some time and a different test centre may be the way to go. I was going to suggest going for an auto license but it doesn't sound as though driving per se is the issue

Think I’m going to put one in the app that’s closer to us in case that comes up before she goes to uni, but think it’s very unlikely though as that one is only part time. She’s never driven there though.

Gosh it does sound like she's been really unlucky.

On the basis that she's a competent driver I'd go for the closer centre, practice the usual routes with her (or get the instructor to do so) and hope for the best - at least you wouldn't have all the cost of the journey to the further centre? Poor DD bet she's feeling a bit fed up with it all.

Yes she’s feeling awful, very embarrassed and stupid for not being able to pass. She’s seeing all her school friends passing and doesn’t understand why she just can’t do it. Her instructor said he won’t do the centre which is closer as he doesn’t know it well, so we’ll have to go with her to practice and get her to take the test in her brother’s car. Not confident she’ll get a test though before uni or even in Christmas holidays.

Is the instructor not local then? Doesn't sound like he's being entirely helpful. Your poor DD shouldn't feel embarrassed or stupid, she's just been really unlucky. She'll probably be a really good driver when she does pass, with all this driving practice.

Yes he is local. He is very difficult, never understood why he wouldn’t do the one that’s closer. He only does Kingswood test centre now in Bristol and said she needs to do Avonmouth as that’s what she’s used to but he’s stopping that one for anyone else as it’s too far.

Hmm! Not sure whether she could get up to speed with the other test centre- depending how much time you/her brother have to take her out I guess?

Worried now I shouldn’t have given too much information about where she’s doing tests in case someone she knows reads my messages and realises!

@Majaso12 you can get mumsnet admin to remove the post with the identifying info if you want.

If I were you I would Chuck the driving instructor . DS's one said he is limited to the two local test centres and to be fair the others were far away. However he was flexible with DS test date for example