Driving test is tommorow, :/

Havana_UK said:
Don't worry man, all the best drivers fail their first test! :)

My first test was 3 minors, 1 major - the major was approaching a roundabout at too high a speed on a slightly damp road; because of the road conditions an oil/diesel spill wouldn't have been visible and had there been one there (there wasn't) I might have had a problem (I didn't!). Ho hum.
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These are interesting - I've had a few people talk to me recently about past test failures for "something that wasn't there", just like your diesel spill that wasn't there.

In reality, the examiner failed you for driving too fast for the conditions. (Most) learners don't have the experience to read conditions as well as someone with many years driving under their belt, and are less well equipped to deal with a loss of control. The examiner probably thought "crikey, even I wouldn't be approaching the roundabout this fast when the road is damp ", and thought a fail with a mark on the test report to indicate to your instructor that junction/roundabout approach speeds need working on would sort that bad habit out before it caught you out (maybe even years down the line) and make you a safer driver.

It's also interesting how the brain remembers things. In your mind, the approach speed to the roundabout was fine (else you wouldn't have done it!), and for the last 5 (or 10, or 15 years - depending on how long ago it was), it's probably always been "fine" in your mind - just a mean examiner. I bet if you were to go back in time and sit in the passenger seat next to your inexperienced 17 year old self on that test on the roundabout approach, you might be gripping the door handle slightly tighter than usual....!
 
ViRuS2k said:
Well guys i failed first time... 4 minors 1 serious. :(
was right at the end of the test aswell 5 minutes from the end.. was for something that i didnt even think i would fail on.

was aproching a junction, turning left, light was green, looked over to my right to see if there was any emerging traffic, by the time i looked back to my front/left the light had changed to red.

was one of those bloody traffic lights that did not have any amber signal...... by the time i looked over i had passed the line and i hesitated on breaking and she did it for me = there for i new i had failed right away.

i was gutted to say the least cause i did everything i thought i would messup on perfectly...

ohh well i have rebooked today for oct 10th at 2:37pm

really bad time considering my time this time was at 9:17am...

....... dam stupid silly mistake can really do you in :(
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Sorry to hear you failed chap, but there aren't any traffic lights (in the UK, to the best of my knowledge) that have no amber phase when changing to red.

Be very careful with your observations at junctions - it's the number one reason for failing your test, and has been for many years. You need to keep looking all ways (including ahead, especially if it's a crossroads) on the final approach to the junction, as the scenery opens out and you can see the traffic on the new road.

If (as it seemed happened here), you ran out of time to look both ways, your approaching speed was probably too high - try getting your speed down, into 2nd and clutch up a couple of car lengths earlier, and get the speed riiiiight down for the last car length up to the junction (no gas - car can be just rolling). You should have plenty of time then for checks both ways, double checking the lights are still green, and time to stop comfortably if anything changes and you can't go.

By the way, if you actually move out from the junction (turning left) whilst still looking to the right, that's pretty much a guaranteed auto-fail as well - simply for not looking where you're going.
 
timbob said:
These are interesting - I've had a few people talk to me recently about past test failures for "something that wasn't there", just like your diesel spill that wasn't there.

In reality, the examiner failed you for driving too fast for the conditions. (Most) learners don't have the experience to read conditions as well as someone with many years driving under their belt, and are less well equipped to deal with a loss of control. The examiner probably thought "crikey, even I wouldn't be approaching the roundabout this fast when the road is damp ", and thought a fail with a mark on the test report to indicate to your instructor that junction/roundabout approach speeds need working on would sort that bad habit out before it caught you out (maybe even years down the line) and make you a safer driver.

It's also interesting how the brain remembers things. In your mind, the approach speed to the roundabout was fine (else you wouldn't have done it!), and for the last 5 (or 10, or 15 years - depending on how long ago it was), it's probably always been "fine" in your mind - just a mean examiner. I bet if you were to go back in time and sit in the passenger seat next to your inexperienced 17 year old self on that test on the roundabout approach, you might be gripping the door handle slightly tighter than usual....!
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I'm sure you're right! For reference this was 17 years ago now...funny how you remember some things so well. I clearly recall the moment I failed the test (although at the time I didn't realise I had) vividly.

Something else I remember well was hearing on the radio (again, years ago) talking about driving and some expert chap talking about roundabout approaches. He said too many people approach roundabouts expecting to be able to drive straight on to them and hoping they won't have to stop, whereas the right way is approaching the roundabout expecting to stop, but being prepared to go if you are able. Always stuck with me and served me well ever since.
 
Yeah, i was told that to lol i actually should not have even needed to look to my right at aproching traffic, as if the light ahead had been green if anything hit me it would have been there fault.

i agree it was a silly mistake to make, and right at the last 5 minutes from the end of the test we where actually on our way back to the testing station when it happened.
i new right away i failed.

hahah thoughout the test i had much harder stuff to do, compaired to the mistake i made. lol my test is rebooked though and i know not to make that mistake again. such a simple spot aswell as i was practicly in the left hand lane turning left when the mistake happeened. stupid dumb fast light lol, it was actually at a point where the light changes from green to amber to red really fast...(possible that there was a amber i just missed it) again my mistake... hahaha could have been the very cute girl next to me, or my learning instructor behind the seat behind me :D i had girls all around me, what do you expect :D
 
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ViRuS2k said:
Yeah, i was told that to lol i actually should not have even needed to look to my right at aproching traffic, as if the light ahead had been green if anything hit me it would have been there fault.
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Nonononono! Green doesn't mean "go". Green means "go if it is clear". What if there's an ambulance or police car, or even a guy in a stolen car racing through a red light coming from the right...?

A quick glance to check is all that is needed, but if you don't look and end up with a crumpled car, being not at fault isn't going to mend it!

(For reference, you will also fail if you don't look right)
 
At least next time you hopefully won't be nervous, there's nothing to be scared about except failing will cost you the price of another test and lessons, relax on the next one :)
 
If you did the first 95% of the test without any problems then you know in your head you passed it already. The second one should go like clockwork.
 
I failed three weeks ago. Nerves. There's no other excuse. I could drive well enough to pass, but on the day I fluffed up. Pulled over without signalling and then used the wrong lane going on to a roundabout on a route that I regularly drove on lessons, and cycle daily (it's between my house and work). Two majors, one minor.

Passed today. 6 minors. Minimal nerves. I'd had one lesson in between, so it's not like I practiced much. The test is much easier the second time - you know what to expect. The only person I know that passed first time was my Sister, and she literally drives text-book perfect even now (over a year on).
 
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