Failed my driving test this week... How many attempts did it take you?

Passed first time with one minor on the 19th August. Show Me, Tell Me is easy. As is the independent driving part, if you know the town or city well enough (which you should if you've taken any lessons) then all you need to do is glance at a couple of signs every so often.

Didn't think I was good enough to pass, it took me almost two years to put in for my practical driving test because of this :o
 
First time, I'm not sure if they have stuff like minors/etc over here but I wasn't told anything other than, you passed!
But it's totally out of balance and too easy, some people pass that should not be on the road, at all, ever.
 
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TurnipHead said:
Took a mock test recently. Got 8 minors, which were just observations. I was just glancing at the mirrors instead of turning my head and making it obvious, and 2 serious which were driving at 33mph for a split second and briefly entering a cycle lane.

Got my first test booked up for 23rd November.
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Ah good luck! My 2nd is in a few weeks :)
 
Cybermyk said:
Wonder how many could say with absolute certainty that they would pass tomorrow if they had to take their test again. And, if that was the case, how many would have to adjust the way they drive in order to do so.
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I'm not convinced I would pass tomorrow if I had to take it again and I'd almost certainly have to adjust my driving style to incorporate much more visible checking of the mirrors as well as to have two hands on the wheel most of the time etc.

However I also think I'm probably a better driver now than when I passed my test even with the bad habits that I've picked up over time.
 
First time for me. I had a fantastic examiner. He was into his cars, so we just spent the whole test talking about them.

On the bad habits thing, I personally think 'ten to two' hands is a load of **** :D

I didn't even do it properly on my test, if I remember correctly. It was more of a ten past eight :p

I do think the council's stupid roundabout systems etc. in some towns really screw over new drivers. There's a big interchange in Trench, and a roundabout by the town centre in Telford, and those are always a free-for-all unless there's only two cars on it. Nobody knows which lane they're supposed to be in, so they just flip a coin, get in the wrong lane, and then shout at people who 'cut them up' :rolleyes:

Lark: I'm pretty sure a UK licence is transferable anywhere in the world. Not sure if it's the only one. Also, I want your internet! :D
 
Second time for me. First time, the examiner was a bit of a **** and made me feel very uncomfortable. Did really badly. However, second time round, felt much better with the examiner, and passed with 1 minor.

Same happened with my bike test, but that's because I ****** up massively on the test, but second time round on that I got 2 minors.
 
Passed on my 2nd attempt. I was prepared for the 1st one but panicked at one point and messed up, I took the failure well at the time and considered it a learning experience. Then towards the date of the 2nd test I started feeling very under confident, the knock-back from the 1st failure was finally getting to me and though I knew everything, I was making silly mistakes due to under confidence. However I calmed myself as best as possible on test day and it went smooth as silk, got 4 minors but I was surprised I even took the test!
 
Al Vallario said:
It certainly hasn't gotten easier, has it? The procedure itself is now much more complicated and demanding than it used to be. The theory test was introduced in 1996, hazard perception in 2002, the "show me/tell me" questions in 2003, the theory test was made harder in 2007, the "independent driving" segment introduced this year, etc.

Pass rates have shown a steady and consistent decline, consistent with the test becoming more difficult. But don't take my word for it. In 2007, Edmund King, now president of the AA, said: "It's not like A-levels where people complain that it's got easier over time. I don't think you can say that about the driving test - it has got quite a bit harder."
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Is that the one you click before each hazard? 10 years since I can remember.

I passed first time. Though, I've not seen anyone mention the other test that you take with your instructor after you've passed. It's not a must do. I took it anyway right after. Sadly I can't remember what it's called. Defensive driving? you've to go on the motorways and such and the super busy junctions. 45 minute test or something...

If you pass, it greatly helps reduce your insurance fees since you're a new driver. That's one of the main reasons I took it since you're such a high risk.

My instructor said if you wish he could come back to you in the winter for the snow/ice driving. I took him up on it. Fun stuff. Not on public roads of course.

It was such a great experience with my instructor. Every lesson felt like 5 minutes. I just wanted to drive all day. So was driving at night since he wanted to add variety of course. Though to be honest driving at night was boring. Hardly any cars were on the road. Most of the time it was 3 point turns and reverse/parallel parking because of it. It being a quiet town. All the busy back roads were dead as well.

Though there was a time it was not boring at night, in fact a little frightening. It was one of those Y shaped junctions but where you turn off you're sitting in a blind gully. The boy racers use this road where you can hit up to 90Mph. The bikers go even more on the sunny evenings. You just see the lights glowing like a silhouette but sadly you don't know when it'll be on top of you before you know it.
If you know the area well you can anticipate it. Hence you have to keep the car in momentum before turning gradual right. Patiently slowed up.... keeping pace... as the light just kept glowing... as it's a main road you just can't stop on. I said to my instructor, shall I just take it? he said yeah as you don't want to be stationary here as there were some cars coming in view behind me. So I just floored it full control of course and right enough, a white Nova with neon florescent lights (mobile disco) misses us by half a car length. We could even feel the speaker bass going through the ground. They didn't slow down at all. Everything was safe and well.


The actual driving lesson gave me butterflies. In a good excited way, like as if the start of a race. It just seemed to fly by.
 
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