How do you pass a driving test?

[jakbrown]

Right, I am now on my FIFTH driving test attempt! (next Tuesday). I am find on lessons but lose the plot on the test (have pulled out in front of a funeral procession on a roundabout, among other mishaps). Anybody else had loads of driving tests? What do you reckon was the secret when you finally passed?
Any tips gratefully received!

The time of day you take the test can help - and the day you take it on. It's better not to have a test during rush hour or when schools are coming out. A good slot is the first test on a Saturday morning, before all the shoppers are out of bed.

I took 5 (I've changed my name to save my blushes) - sometimes people really are just crap - but often - its a lottery.

In my case I think I deserved to fail the 1st - 2nd is debatable but the others no! Must say tho - everyone says I'm a better driver than some first time passers - must have been all the practice.

Its a sh*t experience tho - taking your test!!!

Good luck!

I failed my first as I think I was too cocky and confident and was so sure I was going to pass. I passed second time and began thinking I had failed. I reversed parked into a bay at the very beginning of my test (first thing i did) and my front wheel was on the line so when the instructor checked i started banging my head against the steering wheel (only the once, didnt want instructor thinking i was mad) so i drove around kept thinking to myself i cant be bothered, ive already messed up, dunno why im doing this, ive already failed. when i got back i was so surprised when she told me i had passed i almost cried I used rescue remedy which did help although my sister was joking that i was overdosing on it the first test lol

That's really helpful- have tried rescue remedy, doesn't seem to help! Had my best ever lesson after a Lemsip Max! I've also had the same examiner three times in a row, which doesn't help.
I do think I'm a better driver for taking so many tests but it's now getting ridiculous

Bach Rescue Remedy, a good night of sleep beforehand, deep breaths and a decent amount of time with your instructor pre-test (I had a 90min lesson with my instructor before I went to the test centre to relax me).

Best of luck.

i had the same examiner twice as well. werent sure if that helped, but apparantly she was the worse of the examiners. have you asked your instructor to go over the things that you have failed on?

We have gone over and over and over and over the things I failed on! It's just a case of one test I'll nail it. It's just which one...!
I tend to fail on decision making- I'll suddenly panic about things i've been find on in lessons- roundabouts, turning right at a crossroads, working out what lane I need to be in and getting into it quick enough. Know what I mean?

yeah, i know. my first test i failed because i stalled whilst trying to turn right on crossroads. a couple of pointers i found helpful, although when it comes to the test, they usually fall out your head!

• when waiting for oncoming traffic to stop so you can turn right or you're at a roundabout, use handbrake and put foot on gas pedal to prevent stalling

dont panic if you stall. (i still do now, like today, i was waiting for traffic lights to go green, when they did, i started going forward, this cyclist came out of nowhere, slammed down my brakes, panicked and stalled, had lots of beeps from behind and just wanted to tell them all to f*k off cos i werent going to run down the bloody cyclist!)

Im always rubbish with lanes too, its always last minute when i realise im in the wrong lane.

I failed once (nearly crashed coming out of the test centre ) and what sorted it for me was my instructor (before that I had only learned from my parents).

She said, pretend the examiner is someone you are giving a lift to. Really did the trick for me. Best of luck - you'll get there!

I passed on my 5th attempt with the aid of:

www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100002543.html

Drive a car that doesn't have dual control!!

I used my mums car on my test, and apparently ( i have no recollection) at the beginning of the test i failed to STOP ??? at the end of a small residential road, i obviously thought it was just a bend in the road.

The examiner only told me at the end of the test, and she said if i had been in dual control she would have done an emergency stop and failed me on the spot. But instead she let me carry on and i impressed her so much she passed me, first time!

I would like to add, i have now been driving 10 years and never had an accident, to this day i am baffled how i did that on my test.

So know anyone whose car you could borrow for your test?

I only passed on my fifth-was a nervous wreck for years while learning. Spent a fortune on lessons with different people and once while out with dh, insisted on doing an 11 mile journey in 3rd gear (couldn't work out at the time why caravans were overtaking me on quiet country lanes!)

I knew I wasn't ready the first four times-didn't feel 'right'. Couldn't work out why though. I am not a remotely nervous person, never freaked out by exams and stuff like that. It was horrible though, felt so crushed especially as after I failed the 4th time, I was volunteering at a basic skills night class for illiterate adults and one of my pupils came in jubilant, having passed that very same day!
(He did make me laugh though, telling me this in the corridor whilst having a fag. Janitor passed, pointed to the 'No Smoking' signs and said
'Can't you read?'
'No mate' he replied 'that's why I'm f*ing here.'

The driving instructor recommended Valium and I was going to go that route (although surely it is dangerous to drive a car then?) but weirdly, a sudden calm came over me and I just knew that I
would pass this time and I did.

Hope that the same sense of calm falls on you.
Good luck.

Took me 5 attempts and god knows how many lessons to pass. Eventually I changed the place I took the test in; went from a small but busy city where there were nasty hills on test route to a town where, if you can do roundabouts, you're ok. cos they are the only obstacles! Also ihad the same tester twice in city and got a phobia of meeting him again.
Hope you DO pass on tues but if not, is there another test centre fiarly locally you could try?

Thanks for all your BRILLIANT advice!!!!!!
Made me smile...
Just praying I don't get the same examiner again (he's the chief examiner, too!). Have thought about another test centre. I'm in Brighton but my uncle is a driving instructor up north so may go down that route if I fail again.
I just get SO NERVOUS...

PASSED A MOCK TEST!!!!!
HURRAH!
Test on Tuesday, thanks for all your advice girls...

well done! good luck, will be thinking of you then! keep calm, and do the same as you did today

DID IT!!!! Got a different examiner and your advice definitely helped LOADS

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
Well done!

wooohoooo!!!!!

Took me five goes too (and I was hugely pregnant). Well done!

Well done you!! so happy for you!