Failed driving test - question about my major fault

[RoyMi6]

You don't usually fail because of one major fault, the examiner will have taken a view over the whole time on the test and made a judgement. He then list some of the things that went wrong. At the end of the day you need to inspire confidence in the instructor, it's not always black and white.

Andi.

As others have said - you absolutely do fail for one major fault.

https://www.gov.uk/practical-driving-test-for-cars/your-driving-test-result

Sometimes I think it's funny how people think that showing a high degree of competence means the driving instructor "will give you a better score" when likely all you're seeing is a "better score because you did less wrong BECAUSE you have a high level of competence".

Still, we're all human. Being smooth and confidence will no doubt be picked up on by the tester and it wouldn't surprise me if this was marked just like every other aspect.

On topic - 1 foot behind any vehicle is too close. Hell, even parking with only 12 inches of space is asking for a bump if the person next to you doesn't notice.

 

[DampDog]

You don't usually fail because of one major fault, the examiner will have taken a view over the whole time on the test and made a judgement. He then list some of the things that went wrong. At the end of the day you need to inspire confidence in the instructor, it's not always black and white.

Andi.

Sorry Andi, but I don't think you have a proper understanding of how the driving examiner marks the test and what constitutes a "fail"

Driving Fault – (not an immediate fail).
Low Risk - Any sufficient deviation from the defined outcome that does not compromise safety, or can be a matter of control - to justify a fault being recorded.
For example – the candidate took observation before emerging at the junction. However, they misjudged the distance of an approaching vehicle, causing it to slow down, safety was not compromised.
(Sixteen or more of these faults would result in failure of the test.)

There can however be occasions when one specific driving fault could by constant repetition, be regarded as serious and therefore a significant risk; for example when a candidate habitually fails to take mirror observation when appropriate.

Serious fault - (entails immediate failure)
High Risk - Significant deviation from the defined outcome with safety, control and/or legal requirement breached
For example – the candidate did not take effective observation before emerging at the junction, unaware of any other road user who may have been expected to be there.

Dangerous fault – (entails immediate fail).
Actual Danger - Safety, control and/or legal requirement breached that would have caused actual danger
For example – the candidate did not take effective observation before emerging at the junction completely misjudged both speed and distance of an approaching vehicle. The examiner had to take appropriate action to avoid a collision.
Examiners may have to take ‘action’ when it becomes necessary to do so in the interest of public safety, including their own and that of the candidate. Such intervention may be either - VERBAL (ETA-V) or PHYSICAL (ETA-P).

 

[Greboth]

It does sound like you were too close when the bus pulled in to the bus stop however, depending how close you were to the bus at the lights and other vehicles during the test, it could have been;

There can however be occasions when one specific driving fault could by constant repetition, be regarded as serious and therefore a significant risk; for example when a candidate habitually fails to take mirror observation when appropriate.

So it may have been a repetition of the same minor and as the bus was the fault that tipped it from a minor to a major the bus is the reason given.

 

[Hxc]

Also, they do have quotas as to how many they need to pass etc so wouldn't totally believe Fox's comment. No doubt many of the older blokes doing the testing pass the pretty young girls too!

No they don't. That's completely made up.

 

[Nasher]

Lol, 1 foot away?! That'll be why right there...

Also, they do have quotas as to how many they need to pass etc so wouldn't totally believe Fox's comment. No doubt many of the older blokes doing the testing pass the pretty young girls too!

A place near us were caught doing the quota thing about 13-14 years ago and ended up in court. They were failing people so they paid to take another test, so were doing it for profit. A scam basically. But it was quite blatant and they had tonnes of against about them. I think they got a big fine, sacked a few people and were allowed to carry on.

 

[The Flying Phil]

But that's not why I failed, and not what I wanted to ask about. The examiner told me that my major (a "Serious" fault, not a Dangerous) was getting too close to a bus.

He probably thinks you didn't leave enough space to get around the bus. If it is safe to do so then you will be expected to overtake the stationary bus. As you're the first one behind the bus then no one behind you would be able to overtake until you do.

It also sounds like you don't know the width of your car. A good tip is to have the wing mirrors showing a slight bit of the bodywork. The effect is to show how much space is between your car and the road or lane. By doing this you'll naturally develop a sense of the size of your car.

 

[rodenal]

It also sounds like you don't know the width of your car. A good tip is to have the wing mirrors showing a slight bit of the bodywork. The effect is to show how much space is between your car and the road or lane. By doing this you'll naturally develop a sense of the size of your car.

I'm struggling a bit to make sense of that

 

[Dr Who]

We recommend you stop far enough back that you can see tyres touch tarmac, usually 4-5 feet back.

If I am honest, with some of the minors you had, he probably decided you werent ready to drive unsupervised just yet.

If your instructor is having you a meter from the curb at all times, and you didn't adjust your passing distance on a narrow section of road with cars parked both sides, it is him that has failed you.

 

[mattyg]

If that bus had stopped at the bus stop for his break. You would have had to reverse in order to give yourself enough room to pull out. And then you would have still had to pull right into the other lane to swing the front end round.

Unless you reversed 10 foot'(ish)

 

[markweatherill]

curb,

FAILED RIGHT THERE

 

[Thaifood]

1 foot, way too close.. you should always be able to see the bottom of the wheels of the car in front... this will give you plenty of room to manoeuvre pass the car/bus if they break down in front of you with out the need to reverse