Made a complete mess of reversing round the corner - ended up on the other side of the road!!! Turned to Examiner and said 'I'm going to do it again'. Promptly stalled the car! Put car into neutral. Waved on the collection of waiting traffic. Eventually got back to the 'start' position. Did a reasonable reverse round the corner. By this point I was totally convinced I had failed so completed the test with no nerves. Got back to the test centre and actually argued with the Examiner when he told me I had passed (first time)!
When he stopped laughing he explained that despite completely messing up the reverse, I showed that I could rectify mistakes, had taken control of the situation, and hadn't dissolved into a quivering blob.
Sometimes, it is not what you do but how you deal with your mistakes.
Do you have lots of lessons close together before taking the test? I found that when I had driven alot in the week of my test, by the time I took it I was so nervous and sort of driven out if that makes sense. So on my 3rd test, which I passed, I left it at least a week from my lesson to the test and totally forgot about driving, doing other things etc and so when I was on my test I felt fresh and confident. I know this might not work for everyone, some people like lots of practice before but I felt that the more lessons I had directly before the more worked up I was.
Also when doing reversing etc I always had lots of pauses to look around for traffic and to calm myself, I failed the 2nd time on reverse park because I panicked and did it very quckly and ended up in the middle of the road rather than near the kerb!
Four tests... Four fails.
I've tried everything-- loads of practice, an automatic car, books, Rescue Remedy, positive mental attitude, you name it.
I can drive pretty well. That practice before the test? I drive very well and do my manoeuvres perfectly. Test time? Starts off well and then goes to shit once they ask me to do the corner reverse. Aargh! My problem is me; my nerves just go.
What can I do? I absolutely need to drive, I want to drive, I can drive. I don't want to give up because I'll feel worse.
Did you drive when you lived in the states? What's the corner reverse?
The corner reverse or as I knew it, the "reverse round the corner" is where you pull up to the side of the road next to a junction on your left and reverse into the junction. Also, just because they've learned in an automatic car before doesn't necessarily mean they were living in the US in that time
I'm going to do that. I think that since it's the thing I dread the most, I self-sabotage. It's working out how to change that thinking.
There you go - you know exactly where you're going wrong.
It's a good start to have that knowledge. I felt exactly the same about a test I had to take a while ago (not a driving test), convinced I'd fail and hey presto yes of course I did fail. Yeah, you need to work out why your mind is telling you that and go from there. Good luck.
Did you drive when you lived in the states? What's the corner reverse?
Only for a short time and very badly. I had so many mishaps that I was convinced I was crap so I gave up. I also lived in a huge city. I started lessons almost 2 years ago because I was moving to someplace where I need a car.
GothSarah, I'm American, but I've been here 10 years.
Only for a short time and very badly. I had so many mishaps that I was convinced I was crap so I gave up. I also lived in a huge city. I started lessons almost 2 years ago because I was moving to someplace where I need a car.
GothSarah, I'm American, but I've been here 10 years.
Well, I will repeat what everyone else has said, don't give up.
You will master this and be an awesome driver. Then when you come visit the states you'll be all confused because you'll have to relearn and drive on the right side of the road again. :D
I passed fourth time...when I was 7 months pregnant.
I was so nervous the first three times that I think I failed through the nerves alone but when I took the test that I passed, I think I was so pre-occupied with the imminent arrival of my baby, I was barely bothered whether I passed or not and was quite shocked when I did.
So my answer would be....get pregnant and book a test for next January !!!
Not sure what the answer is if you are male though.....
I passed fourth time...when I was 7 months pregnant.
I was so nervous the first three times that I think I failed through the nerves alone but when I took the test that I passed, I think I was so pre-occupied with the imminent arrival of my baby, I was barely bothered whether I passed or not and was quite shocked when I did.
So my answer would be....get pregnant and book a test for next January !!!
Not sure what the answer is if you are male though.....
Female and I had baby 3 in January! I was pregnant when I took tests 1,2 and 3! I think if I was threatened with another baby that may spur me on to pass!
Made a complete mess of reversing round the corner - ended up on the other side of the road!!! Turned to Examiner and said 'I'm going to do it again'. Promptly stalled the car! Put car into neutral. Waved on the collection of waiting traffic. Eventually got back to the 'start' position. Did a reasonable reverse round the corner. By this point I was totally convinced I had failed so completed the test with no nerves. Got back to the test centre and actually argued with the Examiner when he told me I had passed (first time)!
When he stopped laughing he explained that despite completely messing up the reverse, I showed that I could rectify mistakes, had taken control of the situation, and hadn't dissolved into a quivering blob.
Sometimes, it is not what you do but how you deal with your mistakes.
Well, I will repeat what everyone else has said, don't give up.
You will master this and be an awesome driver. Then when you come visit the states you'll be all confused because you'll have to relearn and drive on the right side of the road again. :D
And when you do go back to the States, your car insurance will be cheaper because you have a UK licence!
Four tests... Four fails.
I've tried everything-- loads of practice, an automatic car, books, Rescue Remedy, positive mental attitude, you name it.
I can drive pretty well. That practice before the test? I drive very well and do my manoeuvres perfectly. Test time? Starts off well and then goes to shit once they ask me to do the corner reverse. Aargh! My problem is me; my nerves just go.
What can I do? I absolutely need to drive, I want to drive, I can drive. I don't want to give up because I'll feel worse.
Do not give up as you will do it - I passed on the fifth attempt, I didn't tell anyone I was taking this final test (not even my Hubby) it was my complete secret and it helped to take the pressure off.
Best of luck with your next test
Like Lucy, I didn't even tell my husband about the test I passed, it did help a bit knowing that if I failed I didn't have to tell a single soul about my humiliatin if I didn't want to - it really did help a bit.
Are you failing on the same things each time or different thing each time?
It took me 5 attempts to pass my driving test, I had to take the theory twice because it the first 1 expired after 2 years, my nerves used to get the better of me too, but I got there in the end.
Like Lucy, I didn't even tell my husband about the test I passed, it did help a bit knowing that if I failed I didn't have to tell a single soul about my humiliatin if I didn't want to - it really did help a bit.
Are you failing on the same things each time or different thing each time?
I was living with my mother at the time and she gave me orders to NOT tell her when my test was and to say nothing about it so I wouldn't feel pressure, so instead of that test pressure I had the pressure of trying to keep my test date a secret.
Really? Are the driving test in the UK harder than in the states?
I've heard it's one of the hardest in the world with Germany first. Those scandinavian countries are high up the list too, I guess because of the weather conditions, I think it's actually part of their school learning, not sure.
So glad I wasn't asked to parallel park on my test, I still haven't mastered that all these years later. Somedays I can do it no problem but for some reason there are days where I just can't do it. I worked in a test office and was too embarrassed to ask for help, tried looking at videos and everything and I still struggle with it, lol.
I've heard it's one of the hardest in the world with Germany first. Those scandinavian countries are high up the list too, I guess because of the weather conditions, I think it's actually part of their school learning, not sure.
So glad I wasn't asked to parallel park on my test, I still haven't mastered that all these years later. Somedays I can do it no problem but for some reason there are days where I just can't do it. I worked in a test office and was too embarrassed to ask for help, tried looking at videos and everything and I still struggle with it, lol.
I don't know how ours ranks, as far as being difficult, with other countries. I do know that I failed parallel parking my first time and I immediately went and took the driving test again and passed. Ive paralleled park five or six times in my life.
WDIW I would'nt put all my effort into the corner reverse.
There is only a 33% chance you will get that manouvre.
I was dreading getting it on my test.Luckly for me I got the turn in the road.
It was raining heavily on my test and I could hardly see out of the wing mirrors.
I think I would have failed if I had got the reverse.
I actually stalled aproaching a mini rounabout on a hill.
Like someone else said earlier,I kept calm and made sure i did'nt roll back.
Restarted and carried on.
My examiner told me he expected people to be nervous and they take that in to account.
I think you are allowed 15 minor mistakes.
By the way,I am in my 60's.
I started to learn when I was young but gave up because I could'nt get the hang of it.
It was the biggest mistake of my life.
Do not give up.
I passed 5 months ago.
Have you thought about having a glass of wine just beforehand to settle your nerves, oh wait, maybe not!
I have a friend who had the same experience as an earlier poster, she thought she's made a big mistake at the start of the test, assumed she'd failed then just relaxed. She passed!
This happened to me on my 6th test, I stalled and asked my examiner if I could just compose myself, then though well that's that and drove really well and passed. Good luck to the OP next time but keep trying.
Just keep trying, don't be tempted to have a long break it will just waste everything you've already learned.
I was exactly the same, fine in all my lessons but crippled with nerves when it came to the real thing and not at all used to failing anything! I passed on my third test and I think what helped me is I was really ill, so I thought I would automatically fail again which took the pressure of myself. I didn't realise until my instructor told me in the practice lesson before that I could cancel and get back my fee if I got a doctors note, but by that point I just couldn't care less about the test and it hurt so much to talk that I couldn't be bothered going through the process of cancelling. I was so chilled about the whole thing because I thought I'd fail anyway, particularly as I'd got the same examiner I'd had on my first, disastrous, test that I was fine.
My daughter took soo many test and spent so much money on lessons.
She failed her first test by the narrowest of margins.
Should have passed the second but failed due to a strange decision by the examiner.
Genuinely failed the third through a silly mistake.
Fourth - totally wound up - never stood a chance
.... and so it went on.
She ended up taking a year out then passed straight away.
Somehow you just need to clear your mind of what has gone before and take the next test as if it's your first.
(I also spotted the aside about your Dad ... hope it all goes well).
I'm not sure if this loophole still works....
you could take a test in an eu country with much lower test standards (eg. greece or romania) and then you simply fill in a form which exchanges the licence for a uk one.
Passed recently on a 4th attempt when I went out not expecting to at all, one thing that I think might have worked was trying not to think too analytically or even hardly at all during the test and focus on the driving itself almost like a robot, it was quite incredibly hard to do for a length of 40 minutes with nerves and apprehension running constantly underneath it. Got into a bit of small talk with the examiner even asking him how long he'd been doing the job and which other test centres he worked at, he even did the same with me, it still felt very officious and austere but it might have helped.
That's a method that could be used try not to think too much, as that can lead to more apprehension and mistakes.
It's so all or nothing that it puts an enormous amount of pressure on people and as we all know that can mean that it often doesn't end up as a test purely of peoples driving safely but how well they can drive under extreme nerves.
I would allow people who experienced those problems demonstrate what they had learned about how to control the car and be a safe driver by completing a series of 12 modules (ending in a short test)about different aspects of driving (say roundabouts, traffic lights, approaching hazards) and graduate towards the licence. It would be less all or nothing, but perhaps there would be nerves taking the 12th module, but it would mean that there was a greater focus on each subject as it would be needed to study more intensely to pass the mini tests and so you might end up with safer drivers.
Another idea is that after so many tests and lessons previous results could be taken into effect and if they were good enough in aggregate a pass could be allowed after say 8 tests, this would mean that people could feel they were building towards the result and the system would always be working to help them drive eventually and not how if often seems the other way round.
I'll add to the people who say keep trying because even under the present system you will get through perhaps when you least expect it, certain mistakes may only be counted as a minor and even when it feels like you have failed you can sometimes find you have not, so you must keep driving to the best of your ability sometimes that in itself can swing it to a pass I feel, as I suspect that might be what happened with me, I accidentally selected 1st instead of 3rd coming off from a roundabout in this last test, I felt pretty doomful as I'd previously failed for accidentally selecting 1st from 4th rather than 3rd and the car had lurched and it was a serious, but I carried on and as everything else had been pretty smooth maybe this contributed to the overall result.
The other thing I felt I failed on was that I had nicked the kerb when asked to pull over and stop, the examiner even moved slightly in his seat as a result (not good for nerves) but that wasn't a serious either.
The test previous to it I took in North Wales and had an absolutely disastrous result of 4 serious, 16 minors, so again if this happens to me you may well have a very different result next time, I "nearly" passed twice in Wirral before it but got 2 serious each time, the first time was the gear change from 4 to 1 and for going towards 40mph on Upton By Pass which I didn't realise was actually a 30 and I was asked by the examiner did I know the speed limit for this road. I later found out that the same stretch of road is now back to 40mph again!!.On the second one I turned right out of a residential road (unmarked of course) too much to the right (should have remained centre as it was not a one way street and so potentially was blocking someone if they wanted to turn left into it) and for stopping too suddenly when a road came to an end suddnely, I feel that was quite a near pass.
I passed with 4 minors the next time.
I don't know if it would help to join www.2pass.co.uk, I did in the end stop reading it as it was making me too nervous but enjoyed reading it again after the pass.
I also concur with the idea that the more you've had to focus on the mistakes they don't want you to make the more better a driver you will be ultimately perhaps than a first time passer, there's logic to that.
Shame I can't drive at the moment personally as two weeks later my old VW Polo broke down, still elated from the pass though as you will be at some point.
Keep going though I felt the same too on all 3 test failures, very much live giving up, humiliated, imcompetent, it's quite a blow to your esteem and worse as you say if you don't have too much trouble in other areas of life that don't humuilate you or trouble your confidence in the same way, I had gone in to it not expecting a pass but to try a series of tests, I knew the theory was running out too as the first test was over a year before but I had planned to take it each month until it somehow worked.
Comments
Made a complete mess of reversing round the corner - ended up on the other side of the road!!! Turned to Examiner and said 'I'm going to do it again'. Promptly stalled the car! Put car into neutral. Waved on the collection of waiting traffic. Eventually got back to the 'start' position. Did a reasonable reverse round the corner. By this point I was totally convinced I had failed so completed the test with no nerves. Got back to the test centre and actually argued with the Examiner when he told me I had passed (first time)!
When he stopped laughing he explained that despite completely messing up the reverse, I showed that I could rectify mistakes, had taken control of the situation, and hadn't dissolved into a quivering blob.
Sometimes, it is not what you do but how you deal with your mistakes.
Also when doing reversing etc I always had lots of pauses to look around for traffic and to calm myself, I failed the 2nd time on reverse park because I panicked and did it very quckly and ended up in the middle of the road rather than near the kerb!
Did you drive when you lived in the states? What's the corner reverse?
There you go - you know exactly where you're going wrong.
It's a good start to have that knowledge. I felt exactly the same about a test I had to take a while ago (not a driving test), convinced I'd fail and hey presto yes of course I did fail. Yeah, you need to work out why your mind is telling you that and go from there. Good luck.
GothSarah, I'm American, but I've been here 10 years.
Oh cool!
Well, I will repeat what everyone else has said, don't give up.
You will master this and be an awesome driver. Then when you come visit the states you'll be all confused because you'll have to relearn and drive on the right side of the road again.
I was so nervous the first three times that I think I failed through the nerves alone but when I took the test that I passed, I think I was so pre-occupied with the imminent arrival of my baby, I was barely bothered whether I passed or not and was quite shocked when I did.
So my answer would be....get pregnant and book a test for next January !!!
Not sure what the answer is if you are male though.....
That's such good advice.
And when you do go back to the States, your car insurance will be cheaper because you have a UK licence!
Do not give up as you will do it - I passed on the fifth attempt, I didn't tell anyone I was taking this final test (not even my Hubby) it was my complete secret and it helped to take the pressure off.
Best of luck with your next test
Are you failing on the same things each time or different thing each time?
Really? Are the driving test in the UK harder than in the states?
I was living with my mother at the time and she gave me orders to NOT tell her when my test was and to say nothing about it so I wouldn't feel pressure, so instead of that test pressure I had the pressure of trying to keep my test date a secret.
I've heard it's one of the hardest in the world with Germany first. Those scandinavian countries are high up the list too, I guess because of the weather conditions, I think it's actually part of their school learning, not sure.
So glad I wasn't asked to parallel park on my test, I still haven't mastered that all these years later. Somedays I can do it no problem but for some reason there are days where I just can't do it. I worked in a test office and was too embarrassed to ask for help, tried looking at videos and everything and I still struggle with it, lol.
I don't know how ours ranks, as far as being difficult, with other countries. I do know that I failed parallel parking my first time and I immediately went and took the driving test again and passed. Ive paralleled park five or six times in my life.
There is only a 33% chance you will get that manouvre.
I was dreading getting it on my test.Luckly for me I got the turn in the road.
It was raining heavily on my test and I could hardly see out of the wing mirrors.
I think I would have failed if I had got the reverse.
I actually stalled aproaching a mini rounabout on a hill.
Like someone else said earlier,I kept calm and made sure i did'nt roll back.
Restarted and carried on.
My examiner told me he expected people to be nervous and they take that in to account.
I think you are allowed 15 minor mistakes.
By the way,I am in my 60's.
I started to learn when I was young but gave up because I could'nt get the hang of it.
It was the biggest mistake of my life.
Do not give up.
I passed 5 months ago.
This happened to me on my 6th test, I stalled and asked my examiner if I could just compose myself, then though well that's that and drove really well and passed. Good luck to the OP next time but keep trying.
I was exactly the same, fine in all my lessons but crippled with nerves when it came to the real thing and not at all used to failing anything! I passed on my third test and I think what helped me is I was really ill, so I thought I would automatically fail again which took the pressure of myself. I didn't realise until my instructor told me in the practice lesson before that I could cancel and get back my fee if I got a doctors note, but by that point I just couldn't care less about the test and it hurt so much to talk that I couldn't be bothered going through the process of cancelling. I was so chilled about the whole thing because I thought I'd fail anyway, particularly as I'd got the same examiner I'd had on my first, disastrous, test that I was fine.
A friend of mine from the States didn't even have to do a test! All she had was a theory test to get her permit.
My daughter took soo many test and spent so much money on lessons.
She failed her first test by the narrowest of margins.
Should have passed the second but failed due to a strange decision by the examiner.
Genuinely failed the third through a silly mistake.
Fourth - totally wound up - never stood a chance
.... and so it went on.
She ended up taking a year out then passed straight away.
Somehow you just need to clear your mind of what has gone before and take the next test as if it's your first.
(I also spotted the aside about your Dad ... hope it all goes well).
you could take a test in an eu country with much lower test standards (eg. greece or romania) and then you simply fill in a form which exchanges the licence for a uk one.
That's a method that could be used try not to think too much, as that can lead to more apprehension and mistakes.
It's so all or nothing that it puts an enormous amount of pressure on people and as we all know that can mean that it often doesn't end up as a test purely of peoples driving safely but how well they can drive under extreme nerves.
I would allow people who experienced those problems demonstrate what they had learned about how to control the car and be a safe driver by completing a series of 12 modules (ending in a short test)about different aspects of driving (say roundabouts, traffic lights, approaching hazards) and graduate towards the licence. It would be less all or nothing, but perhaps there would be nerves taking the 12th module, but it would mean that there was a greater focus on each subject as it would be needed to study more intensely to pass the mini tests and so you might end up with safer drivers.
Another idea is that after so many tests and lessons previous results could be taken into effect and if they were good enough in aggregate a pass could be allowed after say 8 tests, this would mean that people could feel they were building towards the result and the system would always be working to help them drive eventually and not how if often seems the other way round.
I'll add to the people who say keep trying because even under the present system you will get through perhaps when you least expect it, certain mistakes may only be counted as a minor and even when it feels like you have failed you can sometimes find you have not, so you must keep driving to the best of your ability sometimes that in itself can swing it to a pass I feel, as I suspect that might be what happened with me, I accidentally selected 1st instead of 3rd coming off from a roundabout in this last test, I felt pretty doomful as I'd previously failed for accidentally selecting 1st from 4th rather than 3rd and the car had lurched and it was a serious, but I carried on and as everything else had been pretty smooth maybe this contributed to the overall result.
The other thing I felt I failed on was that I had nicked the kerb when asked to pull over and stop, the examiner even moved slightly in his seat as a result (not good for nerves) but that wasn't a serious either.
The test previous to it I took in North Wales and had an absolutely disastrous result of 4 serious, 16 minors, so again if this happens to me you may well have a very different result next time, I "nearly" passed twice in Wirral before it but got 2 serious each time, the first time was the gear change from 4 to 1 and for going towards 40mph on Upton By Pass which I didn't realise was actually a 30 and I was asked by the examiner did I know the speed limit for this road. I later found out that the same stretch of road is now back to 40mph again!!.On the second one I turned right out of a residential road (unmarked of course) too much to the right (should have remained centre as it was not a one way street and so potentially was blocking someone if they wanted to turn left into it) and for stopping too suddenly when a road came to an end suddnely, I feel that was quite a near pass.
I passed with 4 minors the next time.
I don't know if it would help to join www.2pass.co.uk, I did in the end stop reading it as it was making me too nervous but enjoyed reading it again after the pass.
I also concur with the idea that the more you've had to focus on the mistakes they don't want you to make the more better a driver you will be ultimately perhaps than a first time passer, there's logic to that.
Shame I can't drive at the moment personally as two weeks later my old VW Polo broke down, still elated from the pass though as you will be at some point.
Keep going though I felt the same too on all 3 test failures, very much live giving up, humiliated, imcompetent, it's quite a blow to your esteem and worse as you say if you don't have too much trouble in other areas of life that don't humuilate you or trouble your confidence in the same way, I had gone in to it not expecting a pass but to try a series of tests, I knew the theory was running out too as the first test was over a year before but I had planned to take it each month until it somehow worked.
Also I have just been told I didn't get a job I really wanted (and needed) so failing is a feeling I know well