 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I failed my first attempt at the driving test today. I thought I was driving really well for most of it too! Had a slight bit of roll back on the hill start which was probably largely down to nerves, and moved down the gears too quickly from 3rd to 2nd approaching a junction. Not much else I'm aware of! It seems the way you need to drive to pass the test is a bit ridiculous and not in a fashion that most people would normally drive.
How many goes did it take you to pass the test btw? Do you ever drive like that now??
Also think its a bit crazy that after you pass the test you can go straight on a motorway with no experience of it before.
Didn't the examiner give you a break down of why you failed the test??
Moving down the gears too quickly sounds fairly forgiveable. Rolling back on a hill start slightly less so.
Took me two goes to pass my test, but the first time I failed for an entirely legitimate reason: I came off a roundabout into the left lane of the two lane slip road, when I should have used the right.
Of course I see people do this same thing every single day on my way to work, so yeah it is true that people generally don't drive as they drove on their test.
Passed my test first go. Went on the A19 dual carriageway on my first lesson so motorways were no biggie. Mind you I'd been riding bikes on the road since I was 10 so all the road signs and layouts were familiar, everything else was just using the pedals really. No, I don't drive much like that now but I never deliberately speed in a built up area.
I think rolling back on a hill start might be an immediate fail. There could have been a pedestrian behind you, you failed to be in total control of the vehicle.
You can make a great number of mistakes, but as long as you obey all the laws and signs, and show you are in control of your vehicle at all times, you will pass.
One of my kids failed three times, the last because they couldn't find their provisional licence to present!
Passed first time, but then I am awesome!!!
Surely the examiner told you the reason. Was a major, or just too many minors?
It seems the way you need to drive to pass the test is a bit ridiculous and not in a fashion that most people would normally drive.
Yes, the test drive is far simpler than normal driving.
The main things I got marked down on were road positioning when turning right/ left, stopping, and observation when moving off / changing lane. I was looking around the whole time though! I guess a few times I didn't turn my head 45 degrees to make it obvious...
There's a mostly true adage that when you pass your test is when you start to learn how to drive. Things like shuffling the wheel are a little archaic, and I'd agree wholeheartedly about the motorway thing. I'd respectfully suggest paying for a motorway lesson or taking an experienced driver with you for your first foray onto the motorway after you pass.
I'm surprised that you don't know why you failed, though. You should get a form with a breakdown on it (unless it's changed in the last mumble years since I passed).
Sometimes you just get a wally conducting the test.
I failed my first test for on a major on the way back to the centre. The reason? I went slightly onto the cats eyes on the edge of a DC. I didn't get any minors, just immediately failed for that after driving for 45 mins with no mistakes. Grr.
The next time I got tonnes of minors, drove like an idiot, went over the national limit, nearly hit an old lady and still passed. 🙄
Nothing major just too many minor things.
Passed 2nd time. My first test was in busy rush hour traffic and I was sitting for ages at a side road waiting to get out, there was a set of traffic lights on the main road I was turning left into. I eased my way out a touch to give me some space to get out so the next car in the queue had to let me out - I failed for that. I should have just sat in the side road and my test would have been a breeze.
Well I passed first time, had my first minor bump later that day, and first write off within the fortnight.
Thank **** I dont drive like that anymore.
yeah the driving test a b****x. I passed my second attempt this April, my driving was fine until I sat next to the examiner which made my leg twitch like crazy so I stalled a lot on test. Second time the same shaky leg but fortunately I did not stall so much.
The gears thing is him being very picky in fact is that even a valid reason. The roll back, you need to use your hand brake so you can apply some gas etc. Try to use your handbrake on the flat to get in the habit, of course after you pass you may not do this except on hall starts.
Perhaps book some lessons with another instructor to create a test like scenario. Good Luck.
Some examiners are quite reasonable.
On my test we went down a residential street and discovered a removal truck that was stuck diagonally across a junction. No way to get past without mounting the pavement and no way back due to cars behind us and one-way streets.
We sat and waited for them to sort it for 5 minutes then the examiner said [i]"Right, I'll just close my eyes for 10 seconds and when I open them I'd like us to be the other side of that truck."[/i]
[i]"Rightio."[/i] *thud*...*thud" [i]"Okay you can open them now."[/i] 😀
Also motorways are much like a busy A road, A14 for example is super busy. Perhaps a bit more lane swapping but that's the only real difference.
Passed on my third attempt.
I failed my first test due to minors, including both undue hesitancy (general mincing) and speeding (approaching an island where the speed limit went from 60 to 30, but the 30 sign was obscured by a tree. I obviously slowed for the island, but was doing 36 by the time I hit the 30 zone, apparently).
Second attempt I fluffed reversing around a corner and ended up coming in a bit wide and was parallel but about a foot away from the pavement.
Third attempt was exciting because I had to wait for the instuctor to change the wheel on the car, because the examiner had noticed a ding on the rim from where another student had kerbed it. Passed though!
i failed the first time, 2 majors and 4 minors, the 2 majors were both marked at the same time and is a ong story to expalin, basically it came down to the instructor not seeing me look in my rear view mirror when i did.
For the 2nd test i deliberately set the rear view mirror slightly out so i had to move my head to see what was behind me so there could be no mistaking me looking and passed with 5 minors 😉
Passed first time. I think this is largely due to the fact I thought I'd failed on my reverse round a corner so relaxed for the rest of the test.
I never had a driving lesson apart from with my mum, passed first time and still drive the same way apart from the fact I slow down for green lights now and give way to traffic from the right in town.
During my test on a freezing cold day the passenger window fell inside the door. I carried on commenting only "it often does that, I can stop and put it up if you want". He declined. The car was older than me and had a "crash box".
I passed first time, this was 7 years ago now.
When I passed you were allowed no majors or dangerous's. You were allowed no more than a total of 15 minors. And you were not allowed 4 or more of the minors to be for the same thing.
As mentioned you should get a sheet with all of these marked down on to let you know so you can work on these for next time you take it.
there's no point asking this bunch of middle aged IT guru's how well they did on their test .. I did my test a 'short' 12 years ago and it's twice the length and twice as hard (according to my wife's reports) now.
Passed 1st time btw 4 minor faults.
2 steering, (i'd gotten lazy as waiting list was so long I'd been 'driving' with my parents as passengers only for 6 months by then so regained the steering wheel shuffle for the test only and was taking corners far to 'confidently' to shuffle steer fast enough)
1 on observation,
1 because my 3 point turned into a 5 point turn.
1st motorway excursion was M4 near Heathrow at rush hour having dropped my mum off at the airport coz she missed her coach! in a 750 fiat panda .. scary
Passed first time after 12 or 13 (can't remember) 50 minute lessons. I'm sure I don't drive too much like that these days, certainly don't feed the wheel anymore, but think I could still pass it fairly easily if asked. But it is easy to get tripped up on some fairly "minor" stuff such as the rollback, or touching the kerb on a 3 pointer, but it's there for a reason. Part of the trouble with the roads is most people forget how they drove in their test and don't continue it, for the worse.
There are some aspects of driving for the test that perhaps you don't need to do in real life although they show that you are able to keep control of the car. I am struggling to think of anything off the top of my head other than reversing round a corner. I'm normally not that bothered about the precision required in the test and just get on with it.
Bad gear changes are probably quite common amongst the general population. Not STW as we're all driving gods.
Unfortunately people don't drive in real life like they do on the test which is why you get people not checking their mirrors taking out cyclists as well as the many other dangerous things I see daily.
I did pass plus to get some proper tuition on motorway driving, it helped and I hope it makes me safer. It would be good to see compulsary retesting for everybody or at least those who hit 12 points on their licence. They should also include motorway driving on the test.
I passed first time with one minor fault but. As some one once said though - when you pass your test you are just starting to learn to drive, you never stop...
Good luck next time.
I did mine 4 years ago and was still simple then (but I am awesome) I think the only changes since, are they've taken out one of the compulsory manoeuvres and put in a bit more bandit driving.
I passed 6 or 7 years ago (that's gone fast!) on my second attempt. I now wouldn't get in a car with me back then. If that makes sense?!
They should also include motorway driving on the test.
Genuinely think motorways are significantly easier to drive on than many fast A roads and dual cabbageways, but I know a few people who really dislike the joining and leaving bit.
Of course it's got harder, like 'A'-levels and degrees. (add smiley to choice)
Kids, don't know they're born.
Crash box
hand signals
no power steering (turning the steering wheel whilst stationary was discouraged)
No external mirrors
No ABS for the emergency stop
Banzai traffic with five figure road fatalities and every other car decorated with go-faster stripes and rally lamps.
Cars abadonned rather than parked.
Driving these days has been sanitised to the point it requires little thought or effort and the hardest part is staying awake.
Sometimes you just get a wally conducting the test.
Yep - your second one sounds like he was for passing you.
moved down the gears too quickly from 3rd to 2nd approaching a junction
I thought the approved method was not to move down the gears at all at a junction - just clutch in when necessary and then select the appropriate gear to carry on.
It seems the way you need to drive to pass the test is a bit ridiculous and not in a fashion that most people would normally drive.
Just because it's not the way most people drive doesn't mean it's not an appropriate way to drive. I have to admit I don't do all the driving test stuff in normal driving, but not far off. I have to say I'm just a tad concerned by the OP's attitude that it's "unfair" he failed - not promising for the right attitude to driving once he's passed.
I thought the approved method was not to move down the gears at all at a junction - just clutch in when necessary and then select the appropriate gear to carry on.
I was taught (2007-08) that either was an acceptable method as long as you didn't cruise for any great distance with the clutch down.
Kids, don't know they're born.
Blah blah.. grandad.. grumble.. blah.. 😀
The UK driving test has got measurably more difficult and added a secondary theory test. Plus there are a hell of a lot more cars on the road than back in the day. And these days they don't even have a footman walking with a flag in front of them.
I passed first time - but is was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porirua
Motorways not included as then, there weren't any. There still aren't really just some stretches of what Brits would call "dual carriageway" which is far too quaint for us rustic Colonials.
(I am from Tawa btw, for any Kiwis of a certain age who might find that amusing)
My driving test, as i pulled out of the space, a muppet behind came screamuing round the corner, i braked , he almost hit me, he shouted out the window, sorry mate,please dont drive like me when you pass your test, as im now banned.
The examiner hurridely wrote his number down.
I have to say I'm just a tad concerned by the OP's attitude that it's "unfair" he failed - not promising for the right attitude to driving once he's passed.
I'm just a bit p!ssed off at the moment. I'll get a couple more lessons and practice a ton more before my next attempt.
I surprised so many people have passed on the first try. The people that took multiple attempts aren't speaking up i suspect...
I surprised so many people have passed on the first try. The people that took multiple attempts aren't speaking up i suspect...
The [url= http://www.dsbs.co.uk/driving-test-pass-rates ]pass rate is 45%[/url] so I suspect you're right.
I know somebody who took 8 goes to pass, thats what he will own up to anyway, I suspect it was more. Is still a terrible terrible driver, I was in the car with him last week, fearing for my life on country roads where he drove up the middle around corners. And waits for ages and ages at intersections, until there is a car coming, then pulls out in front of it. And still religiously observes the 10 to 2 position.
So my theory is that if you persist you must eventually fluke it !
first try; 4 minors.
if you fail first time you have to ask whether you were really ready. waay to many shite instructors imo.
I'm not sure the test is hard enough - far too many people i know pass and havbe no idea how to drive!!
I failed in 2005 didn't try again, but passed this January. The 'new' driving test is far harder than the old one. If you show your instructor your test sheet you can work on the faults.
I do drive pretty much as I did when I was taking my test still. No doubt I will pick up bad habits.
*skip to the end*
I did my test a year or so ago. Failed first time despite driving like a boss. Second time I drove like a drunk sausage and passed.
All very strange, but I hear the first examiner had a rep for failing people for very minor stuff.
I passed second time. The first time I almost pulled out in front of an ambulance - which was on the wrong side of the road and the tester just had faster reactions than me. I got the same tester the second time round and he commented that he had had an 'enjoyable drive' and was 'surprised I hadn't passed first time'. I had to bite my tongue to avoid failing a second time.
I passed 1st time 23 years ago when we did O levels and had proper cars, so obviously I'm a driving God. 😆
Of the above failures fewer have stated that they failed due to driving like a muppet, than have accused the driving examiners of not doing their jobs properly, now that is a worry and sadly indictative of the driving attitudes of the general population!
The driving test is not there to see if you are a driving god or not. It's there to (try and) make you less of a danger to yourself and others when you hit the road. So obviously parts of it don't align to your dad & mates driving styles.
My (thankfully) ex wife failed 4 times, in her opinion mostly down to the examiners imcompetence, in my opinion she was an unsafe driver
passed 1st time in '85.... Lazy instructor (who the company I worked for paid directly) taught me as close to his patch as was possible. Test was in a different town -so he took me for a spin on the morning of my test!
During my test, I sailed across a junction (no white lines - on an estate) - that when I looked in my mirror - became apparent I should have slowed down. I told the examiner - about the mistake... seconds after it happened.
I passed.
I have no idea how standards are set now - but I'd have hoped that if you screw up (and know you have) - and tell him/her, it might help!
What's wrong with 10 to 2? Though it's 5 to 3 in my case because I got the pinion a notch out when I put the steering rack back in. I remember a competitor, Mike, from Birmingham police motor club who could shuffle as fast as anyone could twirl. My Group N Samba Rallye on TB15s (no power steering) required shuffling at low speed. I trained for hours with a weighted wheel.
Passed first time,ooh, 22 years ago 8O.
God I feel old, didnt drive again for another 6 years. Then got a job which required driving and nearly smacked into the back of a bus trying to go round it and failing to steer quickly enough.
These days Im confident enough to drive in any vehicle without worrying about it too much. Most of the time it never goes to court anyway.
certainly don't feed the wheel anymore
What's wrong with feeding the wheel?
What's wrong with feeding the wheel?
Difficult to do one handed.
I came to driving a bit late (26), and it took me 4 goes to pass. Quite glad it did really - gave me a healthly appreication that i'm not the greatest driver in the world. When I finally did pass I only got 1 minor (bit annoying really, I went round a corner in 3rd muttered to myself 'should of done that in 2nd', examiner grinned said 'oh' and gave me a minor for it).
Looking back I can see that I should have held off taking the test until I was actually ready, so I'm not bothered it took me so many goes (was a tad expensive approach tho!). On the upside i'm a total nazi when it comes to checking my mirrors!
On the upside i'm a total nazi when it comes to checking my mirrors!
Yup. Those Nazis were sticklers for mirror checking. Did some other stuff as well apparently, but it was mostly about the mirrors.
10 to 2 and a death grip on the wheel makes it hard to change gears, or do anything else whilst cornering, shirley ?
I tend to drive a bit like I have a bus steering wheel, but that's because I have a disability to my hand and can't hold the wheel properly in my right hand anyway, it's more of a claw grip.
I suspect I would be in trouble if I had to resit !!
P.S I should add before anyone gets all sanctimonious, I have a totally clean licence and have never made an insurance claim, in spite of gimp hand, it all works just fine. Honest. Can't carry a kettle of water but can ride a motorbike and drive a car.
10 to 2 and shuffling doesn't mean a death grip. It does mean not getting crossed up, having one hand or the other free at regualar intervals and being able to apply maximum leverage all the time. I do realise it's less of an issue on a power steered car but still an efficient, safe technique. Power steering has brought us "quick" higher geared steering racks so there's less reason than ever to twirl.
Difficult to do one handed.
Fair point if you have one hand 🙂
I was taught (2007-08) that either was an acceptable method as long as you didn't cruise for any great distance with the clutch down.
Fair enough - they've clearly gained a bit of sense on this issue. I learnt before they brought in the suggestion not to move down the gears (before most of those complaining were born), but I understand at one point it was the only approved method.
The UK driving test has got measurably more difficult
In what way exactly apart from the separate theory and hazard perception tests?
Passed 1st time, 4 months after my 17th birthday.
I rock.
What's wrong with feeding the wheel?
Might bite your hand off?
I passed ~11 years ago now; not long after the test was increased in length and the theory came in, I don't think I could pass it again tomorrow (is it even longer now?), I don't drive much like I did on test now, I have too many "Bad habbits" if I'm honest but I do use my mirrors, check blind spots and use my bastard indicators which many people seem to be pathalogically averse to...
Is motorway driving "Easier"? - Arguably once you're comfortable driving at any sort of speed, I can see why it's daunting for New drivers, I know the motorway scares the shit out of my Missus (Currently Learning to drive)...
If your learning to pass a driving test the only opinions that you should really listen to are the examiner and your instructor, don't trust the thought or opinions offered by friends, family or STWers who most likely have some pretty bad habbits and a bit of a "Know it all" attitude to driving
-----------------------------------------------------
Personnally I say abolish driving tests and everyone should drive a car like they would ride a bike:
-Jump Reds
-Mount the pavement at random
-Bang on the roof of anyones car who gets a bit too close
-Race strangers.
-Disconnect your brakes and clutch and stay stuck in one, slightly too high, gear, whilest wearing hippster girls jeans and getting in everyones way (But looking "Bang on trend")...
-Drive home drunk along the pavement late at night with a plastic bag full of tennants attached to one side of the steering wheel...
-Do massive Wheelies/Skid/Endos whenever possible.
-Only ever drive anywhere when wearing suitable (expensive) clothing and a hydration pack, even if your just poping down the shops.
All of the above as applicable...
My brother passed first time after three lessons about 2 weeks after his birthday.
Still - he had practiced loads beforehand by creeping out in the night and driving our dad's car all the time. Well he did until he crashed it into a lap post 🙂
The people that took multiple attempts aren't speaking up i suspect...
Took me three. Nerves were my biggest enemy.
First test, I simply wasn't ready. The instructor was retiring and wanted rid of all his students.
Second, now with a different instructor, drove ok but failed due to being in the wrong lane (turning right off a dual carriageway, there was a small 'right turn' waiting area and I just didn't register what it was) - anything viewed as potentially dangerous is an automatic fail.
Third time, I did something silly right at the start (stalled or something, can't remember), thought "well, that's another one buggered," relaxed totally cos I was going through the motions rather than "being tested," and passed.
My aforementioned friend does the 10 to 2 and a death grip, and trust me it doesn't work, hence excursions onto the wrong side of the road, and rather jerky driving while he waits for a safe bit of road to change down. I've given up saying anything, I could have walked or got the bus, but I do reserve the right to flinch from time to time.
Just don't bother with a test. Or tax/insurance - all you'll get is a 9 month ban if you get caught.
😆
BTW,
I'd say that motorway driving is in no way easier than driving on a dual carriageway.
Unless OFC your idea of "motorway driving" is to enter the motorway at a steady 40mph like Moses on the banks of the Red Sea, carve immediately across the first lane regardless of traffic conditions in order to take your rightful place in the middle lane, then sit there at 69.5mph looking three feet in front of you until it's time to come off again. Then, sure, motorway driving is a piece of piss compared to those pesky complicated dual carriageways where you might have to do something occasionally.
In what way exactly apart from the separate theory and hazard perception tests?
Well I think those add a fair bit to start with. As I understand it you used to just get a few random questions from the examiner during the test, like "What does that sign mean?"
These days you have 50 multiple choice questions to answer in under and hour and you need to get 43 right, then you have 14 hazard perception clips to watch.
Then they still ask you questions during the test, including the Show Me/Tell Me stuff before the test like [i]"Show me how you would check that the power assisted steering is working before starting a journey."[/i] (who actually checks this on a regular basis?)
Plus you have to do reverse parking, which by the sounds of it some STWers won't have had to do (introduced 1991).
And the "independent driving" bit, which [url= http://www.****/news/article-1283667/New-driving-test-ask-learners-memorise-route-10-minute-trip-instruction-examiner.html?ITO=1708 ]the Daily Mail says is hard[/url], so it must be true 😉
My aforementioned friend does the 10 to 2 and a death grip, and trust me it doesn't work
So your friend is a rubbish driver. I'd have a guess that your friend would be just as rubbish if crossing hands.
Sorry I took 3 goes...
Drove faster on lessons and was told off for doing so by instuctor, got marked down on tests for going slow/not making proper progress! (I thought I'd get in trouble if I even approached the speed limit), I don't think the examiners appreciated the nerves aspect of it, apparently I "lacked confidence" not an issue anymore, perhaps to my own detriment...
Also got marked down for not using mirrors enough, but again I think this was because I didn't make a big song and dance out of turning my head, my instructor had a useful game to get you into using the mirrors where he would randomly ask you to tell him what was behind without looking... did the job...
Well I think those add a fair bit to start with.
Well yes, but people seem to manage to pass those bits, then fail the main test - and use the excuse that the test has got harder.
Then they still ask you questions during the test, including the Show Me/Tell Me stuff before the test
So how many people here have failed due to that bit, rather than the bits which us dinosaurs also had to do?
I thought I'd done reverse parking, but clearly not - my memory's obviously going. Yes a difficult skill, but again it doesn't sound like what people are failing on. I'd also argue that it's not the sort of thing you'd accuse somebody of being a bad driver for if they weren't very good at it ("blonde" maybe 😉 )
[url= http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_187179.htm ]Here's an official sample theory test if any of the dinosaurs fancy a go. Should only take you ten minutes or so. (Needs Flash)[/url]
aracer: it would be interesting to compare the pass rates for different years, but I can't find anything definitive online.
So instead I'll [i]reductio ad absurdum[/i] and say it is definitely harder now than it was prior to 1935 when the compulsory test was introduced. 😉
Apparently it's now got parallel parking in it, which it didn't before, ergo it's harder.
What is "crossing hands" btw ? I don't really understand - I learnt to drive in NZ and that term wasn't used. I don't see how you could literally "cross hands" ?
I am driving tonite so I shall test out a few things. Stay off the M90 folks !!
Here's an official sample theory test if any of the dinosaurs fancy a go. Should only take you ten minutes or so. (Needs Flash)
Just rattled through this, got 49/50. I got #30 (warning triangle distance) wrong. It was a guess, no idea.
What is "crossing hands" btw ? I don't really understand - I learnt to drive in NZ and that term wasn't used. I don't see how you could literally "cross hands" ?
Turning the wheel, eg, to the left by letting go with your left hand and turning with your right, then reaching over the right with your left to grab the wheel further round and carry on turning.
Just rattled through this, got 49/50. I got #30 (warning triangle distance) wrong. It was a guess, no idea.
same here. Also got the one about hazards lights wrong. 😳
I've done similar tests before. The gotchas for people who've been driving a while are things like the warning triangle question, caravan questions, and newer terminology like 'toucan crossings'.
Arguably, these aren't showstopper questions; eg, I know what a toucan crossing is and what to do with one, but the only time I've ever come across the name is in driving test questions. Similarly, I don't really need to know about how to tow a caravan given that I don't have a caravan; if I ever needed to, I'd go and read up about it first.
Just rattled through this, got 49/50. I got #30 (warning triangle distance) wrong. It was a guess, no idea.
Same, 9 minutes in.
OP,
If you failed for mulitple minors* then your driving isn't anywhere near good enough to be driving on the road unsupervised. Your attitude suggests you don't understand this. Whilst some aspects of people's driving generally improves (the "you only start learning once you've passed" argument), as you have observed a lot of bad habits develop too - if you've already got them then how low will they go.
To fail on "minors alone" means you need to have made 16 faults, spread across multiple areas.
Did you have an instructor? Did he seem surprised by the number of minors you got (i.e. was your driving in the test worse than normal).
But yes, you need to be aware that what IanMunro says is actually true: "Yes, the test drive is far simpler than normal driving." Nobody will be sitting beside you to provide advice/intervention if you get it all wrong. No directions (yes I know you need to do 10 mins without that - but you are basically following a short local trip, on roads you probably know well). The parking spaces are much smaller in real life. People are much less tolerant when you don't have a big L on the roof. You'll usually be driving somewhere with a time in mind, or people in the car chatting, or something other than driving to focus on... ...if you can't get it right in the 40 minutes you have dedicated and spent a lot of money on being 100% focussed on driving for then you ain't going to manage when doing it for real.
* I think you will find the examiner doesn't refer to them as minor at all. He refers to them as "driving faults". Minor dilutes the significance of them.
Arguably, these aren't showstopper questions
Agreed. There are other even more obscure one in the theory test which you really have to wonder about. The one that always stuck in my mind was "What should you do before entering a tunnel?" where the correct answer was "Retune the radio" 😯
I know the name of toucan crossings though, but only from looking at cycle maps 😀 ("two-can" cross).
47/50 in ~10 minutes - embarrassingly one of my incorrects was not knowing what a toucan crossing is, though as Cougar says I'd know one if I saw one, and what it's called is irrelevant (I was guessing which was which - though probably should have known given I've been looking at the guidance for installation of ped. crossings recently!) I also guessed incorrectly the hazard warning triangle. I also suggested you should stop immediately when flashed by a policeman, which I'd argue is ambiguous.
That test is clearly flawed though as it mentions "road tax"!
"two-can" cross
If you think that's bad, what about the puffin crossing? It's a Pedestrian User Friendly INtelligent crossing apparently. Ouch.
That test is clearly flawed though as it mentions "road tax"!
Yeah, I spotted that too and meant to mention it. Oops.
I also suggested you should stop immediately when flashed by a policeman, which I'd argue is ambiguous.
I rejected that on the grounds that 'stop immediately' translates as 'leap on the middle pedal and stop in the middle of the road. TBH though it's not the greatest question; it could be any of them depending on the surrounding road conditions.
That test is clearly flawed though as it mentions "road tax"!
Perhaps we should lobby for a questions to be added along the lines of:
What is the correct name for 'road tax'?
Why do only some vehicles have to pay Vehicle Excise Duty?
Who pays for the roads?
Why are bicycles just as entitled to use the roads as BMWs?
Anyone fancy starting an e-petition? 😉
Did my driving test 2 years ago. Failed twice in Rhyl on roundabouts. 3rd time went out of my way to Bala. There's no roundabouts (or traffic). passed with 3 minors!
This will sound a harsh - it's meant to. You failed your test because you aren't yet safe to be allowed to drive by yourself on public roads. Observation and car control are the basic skills needed to drive safely and you dont ahve them yet. Come on - how difficult is it to stop a car rolling back on a hill?
As for he pull-push method of steering - it is by far the safest method of steering. Just think how you'd steer away from some plonker who stepped out in front of you at a junction if you had your hands all crossed up.
Contrary to popular belief, the way you are taught to drive IS the best way to drive. All of this "you only learn to drive after you pass your test" stuff is absolute bollocks. You only learn to drive badly after you pass your test.
I am glad you failed your test.
Rant over.
I'd say that motorway driving is in no way easier than driving on a dual carriageway.
Depends on the motorway, driving on the M180 is dead simple, dead boring too.
I failed first time.... leaving the test centre. I had to do the rest of the test knowing i'd failed and things rather fell apart.
The best (worst) I've noted in crossed hands is when people grab the wheel on the inside (palm facing out) as they cross. Holding the wheel on the inside you can only move it about a quarter turn each way. With your hand on the outside of the wheel you can get a half turn each way starting from either 10 or 2. Try it.
Passed about a year ago... 4 minors, 2 each from 2 errors... Can't remember what one was all about, the other was a nervous misjudgement of a corner, and well deserved but never likely to have been a fail.
So, what faults were you given? The gears thing sounds like a minor for control (I was given much the same on my bike test, because quote, "Nobody's perfect") but the hill start could be consider a major loss of control I guess. TBH for the standard maneuvres you can just practice and practice til you can do it with your eyes closed.
From speaking to testers, one of the main reasons that the fail rate is so high is that so many people go to test before they should. OTOH I ended up being ready to test, and having to wait 6 weeks for a booking, so ended up more prepared than I planned. Anyone could fail on the day but there's a fair number of people who go to test who have basically no chance of passing.