Driving Test Tomorrow (Tuesday)

William · 17 Jan 2006 at 15:40

I failed, I got 7 minors 2 from the actual failing area. It was:

"Hesitation at trafficlights"

Basically if anyone knows it its the Trent Bridge junction in Burton and as if you are coming from Repton. To put it bluntly, I cocked up and took too long to move on, the examiner was a really nice bloke, explained how it worked and sai that the junction in question really does need a filter light as lots of accidents and cockups happen there. But everyone I know who has gone Burton A50 -> Willington -> Repton -> Burton has failed first time round because it is an abosolute pig of an area so I am not too bothered. (edit: I am quite pleased I failed at this junction however, what I did wasn't dangerous, just held up a few mardy cars so it was an S major rather than a D - Hence learning without killing anyone. Plus I won't do it again.

)

Next test is booked 8th Feb.

As to you matey, I can't tell what that road was like but this new "lack of progress law is a load of cobblers" if you ask me, I am always bollocked at by my instructer to keep up with the limit but I still disagree on that point and only drive as fast as I feel is comfortable. Good luck next time.

hogfather · 17 Jan 2006 at 15:57

Unlucky mate, at least you both know exactly what was wrong, and everything else was fine - so next time as long as you dont do that thing again, you've nailed it

chopchop · 17 Jan 2006 at 16:13

if its safe and possible to do the speed limit, then do it. theres nothing worse than following some dimwit doing 25 in a 30, making everyone behind drop down a gear and wasting more petrol.
just like those that do 45-55 on main roads, when its safe to do 60.

ive not driven those backroads, but i suggest you get your driving instructor to drive on that road and see how he does it, say nothing and just watch.

traffic lights? yea you should read them better, if its green all the time that you can see it, its likely to change before you get to it. we all do what you did, but you cant do that on the test

@ william: unlucky

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 16:35

Unlucky William mate, even though you're glad you failed at that junction, I bet your feeling a bit down inside at the moment. Hope you do better next time.

As for me, I've now learnt from my mistake, and this failure will help me improve. Although the next available time slot is in March, so I'll have to wait ages!

Thanks for the support guys, I appreciate it.

el_dazza · 17 Jan 2006 at 16:35

That's really unlucky mate, what a crazy way to fail your test, really harsh too! Best of luck for next time, hopefully you'll get an instructor who isnt a speed demon

matthew_o50 · 17 Jan 2006 at 16:46

Better luck next time guys.

How does this work in Northern Ireland as a learner driver and a restricted (1st year of driving) driver are only allowed to go 45 max at all times even on the motorway?

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 16:57

Over here, learners aren't allowed to drive on the Motorway. We're limited to single/dual carriageways.

William · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:01

Mackass said:
Unlucky William mate, even though you're glad you failed at that junction, I bet your feeling a bit down inside at the moment. Hope you do better next time.

As for me, I've now learnt from my mistake, and this failure will help me improve. Although the next available time slot is in March, so I'll have to wait ages!

Thanks for the support guys, I appreciate it.

Yeah a bit down, I don't get to pimp around in my mondeo for at least 3 weeks, but I guess it helps in the long run.

As to your retest, thats a hell of a waiting list, ring up for cancellations all the time, with that many people there are bound to be some.

Edit:

My safety questions were brilliant:

1)What do you look for to know that your tyres are safe to use on the road.

2)Show me how the horn works. - beep.

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:05

William said:
Yeah a bit down, I don't get to pimp around in my mondeo for at least 3 weeks, but I guess it helps in the long run.

Edit:

My safety questions were brilliant:

1)What do you look for to know that your tyres are safe to use on the road.

2)Show me how the horn works. - beep.

I was asked exactly the same questions. :cool:

William · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:17

I blagged the tyres one, I wasn't expecting that, and I guess you can't really blag the horn.

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:35

I just said, see if there's any bumps or knocks or the outside, that the tread is equally worn and has a minimum tread of 1.6mm. Didn't really come out like that as I was unsure what I was saying myself, but it was accepted.

Phoenix211 · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:11

I got a minor for doing about 50 on a 60, it was a really windy road though and its nowhere near safe to do 60 on that road! The guy was like, I understand why you were going slowly but you need to make progress on a road etc

robmiller · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:19

Mackass said:
So hackedoff.

Got a major for doing around 45-50 on a national speed limit 'countryside-ish' single carriageway as there were a couple of slight turns. There were no barriers splitting the lane, and it is exactly like driving on a countryside road with slight bends. I told her, I felt it wasn't safe to go any faster, but she said that alone was enough to fail me. My instructor started beefing with her...I can't believe it failed me.

Got another one when approaching a traffic light, checked all mirrors and put my foot on top of the brake pedal ready to stop, and as I was literally 1 metre away, it turned amber. I thought to stop but it would have been too dangerous as I was doing 25, plus there was a car right behind me. I told the woman it would have been dangerous to stop, but she said I could have approached it better - I told her my foot was on the brake pedal ready, but she was having none of it. I argued it with her, but no luck. I told my instructor what happened, and he said the traffic light wouldn't have even got me a minor....I'm so hacked off right now.

My instructor said, she didn't want to fail me for the first major only, and that she marked the traffic light down as a major so it makes the fail look more accurate.

As for minors, I got 5 of them. But thinking of it, if I had went 5-10 MPH faster on the single carriageway, I should have passed.

Oh well.

"Could have approached it better" is probably planning - if you'd been coming down a long straight and seen the lights on green for a while, for example, then you should expect them to change and slow down accordingly. Anything like that happen?

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:19

What is this "make progress" thing? I know I got marked for that, but what exactly is it?

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:25

robmiller said:
"Could have approached it better" is probably planning - if you'd been coming down a long straight and seen the lights on green for a while, for example, then you should expect them to change and slow down accordingly. Anything like that happen?

When I was approaching, I had my foot off the gas, and ready on the brake. They turned amber when I was about 1m away from the line and I tapped the brake to stop but decided that I couldn't brake safely in time, that's why I decided to go ahead. I couldn't brake pass it as it was a crossroad.

Can't believe how that can give me a major fault to be honest, as I didn't interfere with any cars at the crossroad because they were probably all stationary when I went through.

fonzee · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:30

I had two rite ***** for examiners... best thing to do is book up asap and forget about it... bad luck mate! hopefully ull get a legend nxt time like i recently did!

EDIT: forgot to mention, i also had a failure similar to that... i was doin 20-25 through town and she (says it all

) said i should really be doin 30!!! i too argued my point but to no avail... there were kids running about on pavements and the roads were slightly wet! i think she musta had a bad day and took it out on me...

Phoenix211 · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:33

Mackass said:
What is this "make progress" thing? I know I got marked for that, but what exactly is it?

Drive like a bat out of hell! lol, I think it just means drive near the speed limit, dont hold other drivers up etc?

Mackass · 17 Jan 2006 at 19:10

Yeah I guess so. Next time, I'll aim to drive within 2/3 MPH of the speed limit. But it's difficult on this Corsa because whenever I go up a slight rise (third gear), it always loses speed. If the speed drops i.e. on a slight hill and I accelerate slowly back up to the speed limit, will I get marked on this?

Mason64 · 17 Jan 2006 at 19:37

passing your test these days is so hard i was lucky to pass first time. all i did was speak to the guy for the whole 50mins

hehe

robmiller · 17 Jan 2006 at 19:56

Mackass said:
When I was approaching, I had my foot off the gas, and ready on the brake. They turned amber when I was about 1m away from the line and I tapped the brake to stop but decided that I couldn't brake safely in time, that's why I decided to go ahead. I couldn't brake pass it as it was a crossroad.

You're supposed to anticipate them changing, though - and that means slowing right down so that you can stop safely and avoid having to go through on amber.

Mackass said:
Yeah I guess so. Next time, I'll aim to drive within 2/3 MPH of the speed limit. But it's difficult on this Corsa because whenever I go up a slight rise (third gear), it always loses speed. If the speed drops i.e. on a slight hill and I accelerate slowly back up to the speed limit, will I get marked on this?

You should drive at the speed limit where it's safe to do so; if you're going to slow, you're expected to pick up speed; if you slip over the speed limit slightly you won't be faulted if you notice and correct the situation quickly. It's times when it's completely safe to be doing the speed limit but you're going too slow that you'll potentially get faulted, not climbing a hill or something reasonable. Like you said:

Mackass said:
What is this "make progress" thing? I know I got marked for that, but what exactly is it?

Making progress is exactly what it says - where it's safe to do so, you should pick up speed and drive at the speed limit. Obviously through some twisties on a country lane it's not going to be safe to do 60 MPH, so you drop it down a gear or two and take it at a reasonable speed, but then when the road straightens up and you're able to, you accellerate back up to 60 again. Same with town driving.

Don't get hung up on one aspect of your drive, you'll end up slipping up on something else - just relax and drive how you normally would.