Agreed here. My daughter takes her text in two weeks. She has a great instructor and has been regularly driving the various possible test routes and key junctions. She will take the test in the instructors car, and the instructor always goes in the test car with her pupils. She has a very good success rate so fingers crossed. It has taken 6 months waiting on the test though the instructor said she was ready back in April.
Driving Test
- Thread starter MrGrumpy
- Start date
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Profpointy
Legendary Member
I managed to pass car and motorcycle tests first time. My dad's car was an automatic, so whilst I had had a fair bit of practice driving around, I had only done a limited amount of lessons in a manual car so reversing round corners and hill starts were a challenge. I remember on the test I got asked about sequence of actions before, say, a junction. As "changing down through the gears" had been drummed into me, I'd been changing down before signalling - this is a fault since you'll potentially have slowed down before the guy behind sees a signal or even brake lights. The examiner still passed me but explained the proper sequence - I've never forgotten. He was said to he a stickler, but I guess he let me off as I was presumably still signalling in good time and observing properly.
My bike test was a good few years later, so I had plenty of on road driving experience by then, and just had to master operating the bike, and the few motorcycle specifics. I knew I'd passed when the highway code question was something rather obscure about what to do if your luggage falls off whilst on the motorway, rather than what a stop sign means. My pal who started riding at around the same time failed by exceeding the speed limit which is pretty dozy. He was a sensible chap generally to be fair
My bike test was a good few years later, so I had plenty of on road driving experience by then, and just had to master operating the bike, and the few motorcycle specifics. I knew I'd passed when the highway code question was something rather obscure about what to do if your luggage falls off whilst on the motorway, rather than what a stop sign means. My pal who started riding at around the same time failed by exceeding the speed limit which is pretty dozy. He was a sensible chap generally to be fair
Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
I passed my motorcycle tests first time as well, but I was rubbish on multi-lane roundabouts. I still am to be honest.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
A friend failed her driving test before it even started as the examiner spotted a bald tyre. It was the driving school's car so she played hell with them, and they had to pay for the re-test and gave her a couple of extra lessons free
presta
Guru
If that's the case it should be easy to demonstrate it again by passing another.
presta
Guru
I became my father's chauffeur for the duration, anywhere we went together, I drove.
Mine was "What does it mean if you see someone with a white stick?"
A guy at work had to buy automatics because his wife had learnt in her disabled father's auto, and she only had an auto licence.
Both of my kids want to learn clutch. I have pointed out that other than their first car, they will likely never drive a car with a clutch, but they want the "full" license.
Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
My cousin's wife only learned in an Auto. She passed her test but the examiner ticked the "manual" box by mistake. She didn't want to be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life, so she got them to re-issue the correct pass certificate!
presta
Guru
If they fancy a clutch challenge they should try this one for size, it's got a leather cone clutch, and it knows no such thing as slipping, it just grabs and snatches: on or off.
OldShep
Über Member
- Location
- South West Scotland
Started driving tractor and trailer between bale heaps aged 11. (1963) You quickly learnt clutch use, aged 12 I was the main grain trailer man where gear change and speed were essential. Aged 13 I was considered good enough to drive the 3 ton Bedford truck and getting around the yard you’d have inches to spare.
Aged 16 passed my motorbike test 1st time. It was a market day Monday in Darlington and stuck in mart traffic I didn’t get to pass by the examiner, stood on the side of the road, many times within the allotted time 😀.
Aged 17 took my car test, didn’t own a car but borrowed one for the day, passed first time. No lessons but I had become a volunteer assistant as an RAC / ACU motorcycle training outfit on a Sunday morning knowing the Highway Code inside out. .
Driving for 56 years now and still not involved in an accident yet my insurance increases like everyone else’s.
Aged 16 passed my motorbike test 1st time. It was a market day Monday in Darlington and stuck in mart traffic I didn’t get to pass by the examiner, stood on the side of the road, many times within the allotted time 😀.
Aged 17 took my car test, didn’t own a car but borrowed one for the day, passed first time. No lessons but I had become a volunteer assistant as an RAC / ACU motorcycle training outfit on a Sunday morning knowing the Highway Code inside out. .
Driving for 56 years now and still not involved in an accident yet my insurance increases like everyone else’s.
Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
gbb
Squire
- Location
- Peterborough
Yep, not worded well. I should said, what percentage of people pass (or fail) first time....
Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
- Location
- Inside my skull
But this is something they will encounter on their own if they pass their test. Better to improve their observational driving skills, rather than pass because of prior knowledge.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I never drove around the test area prior to taking mine. You're either good enough or you're not, and if you're not then simply knowing the likely route won't save you.
