The "I failed my driving test" Thread

[~L~]

hey guys, as you can guess from the title, I failed my driving test today

First time, and I got 4 majors, and 10 minors..you can imagine I really wasn't on top form this morning. Nerves got a hold of me, and I just couldn't focus properly! He actually grabbed the wheel at one point, thinking I was gonna drive onto oncoming..I wasn't actually going to, but it must've looked dangerous enough from his point of view for him to do so.

I had the head examiner, who my instructor told me is extra strict, but that's no excuse anyway. Now the worse bit is the £48.50 for the next test, extra lessons and feeling like crap for the rest of the week!
Anyone else had troubles with their driving tests lately?

 

[Markleshark]

Not lately, but I had 4 goes at it. It's all good though. It makes you a much better driver not passing the first time.

It's not even the fact you fail that gets you, its the fact it almost adds up to £100 everytime. Its a fortune.

Don't let it get you down though, keep at it and you'll get there.

Also, Ironic that your name should be 'L'

 

[tonyeck]

I was a basketcase when doing my driving test 6 and a bit years ago. It seems like their is so much pressure and I dont think the DVLA make it any easier for you.

I failed my first time due to a messed up "reverse around a corner". They do say the best drivers never pass first time!

The I went to America. Their driving test is a JOKE compared to the UK. I couldn't believe it. 10 minute drive around the corner and back it seemed. And I am not exaggerating.

Keep at it and good luck! Its a shame you have to wait a month and pay again

 

[heehee]

If you are able to see, you can pass the driving test here in Canada.

 

[spicyapple]

Passed my driving test on the third try.

First time, I failed because I drove 50 km/h in a 30 km/h school zone.
Second time was just a cumulation of error deductions that put me in the FAIL category.

Given my poor driving record, honestly, I can say I'm a great driver. I'm RoadStar-certified meaning I haven't had an accident in the last few years and have the lowest insurance rate -- 40% discount.

 

[Chaszmyr]

Not to be insulting to you guys, but I didn't realize it was so common for anyone to fail. I messed up on the parallel parking (hit the curb three times), and rumor had it that in some places that's enough to make you fail, but I took the test in a city that has no parallel parking anywhere other than on the driving test. Other than that, I didn't lose any points, and I don't think I personally know of anyone that didn't pass on their first try.

 

[Markleshark]

In the UK the average is 3 goes before a pass. Thats my fact of the day for you there ~L~

Not to be insulting to you guys, but I didn't realize it was so common for anyone to fail. I messed up on the parallel parking (hit the curb three times), and rumor had it that in some places that's enough to make you fail, but I took the test in a city that has no parallel parking anywhere other than on the driving test. Other than that, I didn't lose any points, and I don't think I personally know of anyone that didn't pass on their first try.

That in America?

Hit the curb once in the UK and it's an instant fail, thats it, come back for another go.

 

[heehee]

Not to be insulting to you guys, but I didn't realize it was so common for anyone to fail. I messed up on the parallel parking (hit the curb three times), and rumor had it that in some places that's enough to make you fail, but I took the test in a city that has no parallel parking anywhere other than on the driving test. Other than that, I didn't lose any points, and I don't think I personally know of anyone that didn't pass on their first try.

You live in the states, that's why. Don't you notice alot of people on the road are idiots?

 

[MacBoobsPro]

Passed first time with only 1 minor .

I swerved a bit too much when overtaking a parked car. I did so because there was someone in it and I thought they were going to open the door. It wasnt a crazy swerve just a gentle swerve instead of smooth overtaking.

My examiner was a **** tho so he wasnt having any of it.

Chin up ~L~ more lessons will make you a better driver and your wallet lighter.

 

[BoyBach]

It's a well known fact that all of the best drivers fail their first attempt - at least that what I keep telling my brother.

I passed it the second time despite speeding and 'cutting up' a lorry at a roundabout. The instructor said that I was such a confident and competent driver for the rest of test that he couldn't fail me (result!). Anyway, that was nearly nine years ago and I haven't crashed or anything yet, so it shows what a good judge of driving ability he was.

 

[notjustjay]

If you are able to see, you can pass the driving test here in Canada.

Reminds me of an entry from my blog, November 2001, after I completed my G2 exit test:

------

"You listen to the radio at night... you hear all about the collisions that happened at this corner and that corner... accidents that happen because of drivers like you..."

The parting words from my road test instructor. Not very encouraging, huh? Well, what can I say, I was really, really nervous. Once I made a mistake which I thought was killer for sure, my concentration broke and I got distracted... leading to more mistakes.

The beginning of the test went OK, I guess -- drive into the compound, do a three-point turn, parallel park behind that concrete block (yeah, like I'll ever want to do that...) It was the driving-in-real-traffic part that got me nervous.

Let's see... I exercised bad judgement at a yellow light, slamming on the brakes to try to stop when there was no way I could have stopped in time. Realizing this, I sped up again, lurching through the intersection just as the light turned red. That was the big "OH, CRAP!" that got me thinking, I've failed this test for sure. From that moment on all I could think about was how I'd failed for sure and I'd have to do it all over again in 10 days...

Which led to more mistakes. Speeding while trying to change lanes. Guessing at speed limits for some streets that we went into. Running out of on-ramp before finally being able to merge into the (rush hour!) traffic on the Parkway. Failing to properly signal when I left the Parkway. Not noticing that the light I was waiting on had turned green (!!!) and having the instructor say, "Uh, the light is green..." Almost rolling through a stop sign because I was so bewildered.

And apparently all my left turns are flawed.

You know what the scariest part of all of this is? I passed.

 

[~L~]

thanks for the luck Markleshark! Hope I won't need 3 tries, and do it on the second, it's just too damn expensive.
I think some of it is down to luck on the day, and the test was one of the most nerve wracking ones I've ever sat! The atmosphere in the car is just so..strange!

I have heard the test in the US is not very difficult, and by heehee's statement this seems to be true for Canada as well =p

Most of the male members in my family passed first time as well, so I'm gutted I can't join their 'Passed First Time' club.

 

[BoyBach]

Hit the curb once in the UK and it's an instant fail, thats it, come back for another go.

That's how I failed my first test.

I'd say that I'd 'clipped' the kerb, the instructor said that I'd 'mounted' it.

You say tomato I say tomato!

 

[Chaszmyr]

You live in the states, that's why. Don't you notice alot of people on the road are idiots?

Well sure, but they're idiots off the road too...

 

[BoyBach]

You know what the scariest part of all of this is? I passed.

Does your car have a siren to warn people in advance that you're out driving?

 

[robbieduncan]

My first test was called off due to heavy snow (I'd have still done it!).

I passed at the first attempt on the re-scheduled test with only a few minors.

My Dad on the other hand failed his first test when he reversed into a lamp post

 

[iSaint]

I failed the written test the first time.

Passed the driving test. I had to sit on a pillow, I was about 5'4" at the time.

This was nearly 30 years ago.

 

[0007776]

You live in the states, that's why. Don't you notice alot of people on the road are idiots?

All of them are idiots. I passed my driving test on my first try. I don't remember how much I was marked off because I was just glad that I passed.

 

[epochblue]

I definitely failed it my first time. I did something stupid like not coming to a complete stop once or twice. Stupid nerves....

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

It happens,I failed my first didnt even get out of the parking lot, Instructer was like turn here! as in urgent emergency kind of voice and it was a one way anyways I turned before even noticing the sign. She played me because I was a cracker and she wasnt. Anyways I went back had a different Person and flew through it with flying colors.

 

[notjustjay]

Does your car have a siren to warn people in advance that you're out driving?

Hah. No, but years of experience has been a much better teacher than Young Drivers of Canada was. I did have one (minor) freeway accident a few months after passing that test, a product of overconfidence and not enough experience driving in our winter weather. Realizing that I could have been killed that day was sobering, and I think I'm a much better driver now because of it.

 

[flopticalcube]

Two tries in Canada, two tries in the UK. My wife took 4 tries in the UK, but I would say she should could have done it in 3 had it not been for a particularly anal examiner the 3rd time. Console yourself in the fact that the UK road test is WAY harder than the North American one and the result is the UK has WAY better drivers.

 

[Osarkon]

I passed first time, but I did have an hour's lesson right before it which helped a lot to dispel the nerves. All my ridiculous mounting kerbs etc was done during the lesson (which I never normally did, it was just nerves) and I'd never driven so well as I did in the exam. Got 5 minors, mostly due to the fact that the time of day was when school finished and the buses do stupid things like park on a junction where it doesn't look like they're parked, just waiting to go.

 

[Kashchei]

Don't feel too bad, L, things could be worse. I did pass my driving test on the first try and went out on a celebratory drive with my best friend that evening. When I tried to make a U-turn to head home, I accidentally crashed into the median and did serious damage to the car (neither my friend nor I were injured). I may have passed the test but I was still too inexperienced a driver for that particular situation. I can laugh about this now, but it spoiled the experience of getting my license. I hope this puts things in perspective for you!

 

[extraextra]

The I went to America. Their driving test is a JOKE compared to the UK. I couldn't believe it. 10 minute drive around the corner and back it seemed. And I am not exaggerating.

Yep. No parking test, it's basically just drive around the block once, look around a lot, and don't drive too fast or slow. I passed it on my first try, hehe.


Hitting the curb or hitting the divider (the painted line on the road) when making turns is an instant fail in America too.