Well, bad news all....

[dave87]

..I failed my first driving test.

Stupid things - such as leaving a gap infront of me that let cars through (I know, it could concievably be dangerous - but the learner in front of me didnt move far enough on....) and not making a concerted enough effort to go around a mini roundabout.

Well, live & learn - just gotta wait 10 days before I can get another test.

In otherwise good news - I only got 6 minors - 3 of which I can easily avoid next time as I now know what I did wrong. Some say that I shouldn't have taken the last test of the day, but meh, I'm not going to find excuses for failing - like some I know - it was my fault

The funny thing is - having vastly less road experience & time on the bike - I passed my bike test first time with just 4 minors. The car - after circa 9 months on the road with the bike and 21 hours of lessons - I failed. Ya boo shucks

Bring on the next test

Dave

[Howard]

10 days? In my day you had to wait about 6 months.

Comiserations Better luck next time

[schmunk]

All the best drivers fail their first test

[stytagm]

Originally Posted by schmunk

All the best drivers fail their first test

And the very best ones fail their second too!

[shelley bda]

That was a practise test you'll do it for real next time

[Moonshade]

I agree with Shelley bda, that was just a warm-up . You'll do just great next time, good luck Dave

-- Moon

[FarmerJon]

Unlucky...Not long past my driving myself. All I can say is that just staying calm is the key...especially since you sound like you know exactly what your doing more than most. Also, if your instructor knows what's going on at the test centre then he can probably work out which route you'll be on if you go at certain times of the day. End of school time (about threeish (or just before) usually means only one or two routes are used as they'll normally try & avoid the end of school traffic. Doesn't always help, but can work wonders...

[Howard]

Originally Posted by shelley bda

That was a practise test you'll do it for real next time

A £48 practise test

[dave87]

Originally Posted by Howard

A £48 practise test

£88.50 practice test if you include the test fee (48.50) and the 2 hours you hire the car for - (40). Gotta love the rents

Yea, my main problem was limited road experience in the car - though I made no errors in manourvers, I did silly things on the road that I'd never do on the bike So I've put it down to experience, would have been nice to pass first time - but being a bloke and 18, it would have been very unlikely.

My Minors were as follows -
3 for when they pull you in and then ask you to drive away again - they actually want you to stop - although before I've even stopped he's said move away when you are ready - did the same thing 3 times
1 for signal - was too late - but was there.
1 for mirrors - when changing direction - given the number of direction changes done in the test, I don't think I've done too badly there...
and 1 for Clearance/Obstructions - dont know what I did, but given that it is 1 minor out of a maximum 15, I'm not tooo bothered.

@howard - re waiting 6 months - the minimum limit is 10 days before you can sit another one, though they are currently booking for the 10th August onwards - so I would need to get a cancellation

[Moonshade]

I have heard different stories from my friends that they are especially strict with guys at the age of 18-20...so I guess it's not very weird. Although I don't know how they are in England, but my guess is that it's quite similar over there . Although, good luck mate!

-- Moon

[steve threlfall]

Sounds like you just got unlucky. Still gutting though isnt it

[Mike Fishcake]

Annoying now, but double the happiness when you do pass it

I wasn't at all ready when I took my first test TBH.

Within 10 seconds of pulling away from the test centre, the examiner had to slam the dual brakes on as I went round a mini roundabout and almost made friends with a post box. I then spent about 2 minutes driving around with the handbrake on

Just one of those things really :-/

[Zak33]

let's get one thing straight matey....how long it takes to pass is irrelevent.....it's once you HAVE passed that counts, and how you handle yourself on the roads.

Good luck, keep practicing and don't get down about it....I still crunch gears

[Ruggerbugger]

Originally Posted by dave87

Stupid things - such as leaving a gap infront of me that let cars through (I know, it could concievably be dangerous - but the learner in front of me didnt move far enough on....)

I'm probably going to sound thick here, but do you mean you should have left a gap, but didn't; or left too much of a gap? I'm guessing you didn't leave two car lengths (or whatever it is now). My instructor always used to say give enough space when stopped so that I could see the bumper of the car in front over the bonnet. Separation seems to be something that most people forget when they pass, especially on motorways!

It took me three goes to pass anyway

[dave87]

Originally Posted by Zak33

let's get one thing straight matey....how long it takes to pass is irrelevent.....it's once you HAVE passed that counts, and how you handle yourself on the roads.

Good luck, keep practicing and don't get down about it....I still crunch gears

Sooo true. My driving instructor freely admits that I can drive - and given the time learning self preservation on the bike - am a pretty safe driver. Though I do believe that you can never be too good, and having seen the improvements in my parents driving after doing their advanced courses - will be something I'll be looking into sooner rather than later. (Gotta do my Pass Plus first so that the insurance on a car doesn't bankrupt me )

[dave87]

Originally Posted by Ruggerbugger

I'm probably going to sound thick here, but do you mean you should have left a gap, but didn't; or left too much of a gap? I'm guessing you didn't leave two car lengths (or whatever it is now). My instructor always used to say give enough space when stopped so that I could see the bumper of the car in front over the bonnet. Separation seems to be something that most people forget when they pass, especially on motorways!

It took me three goes to pass anyway

I left a gap that let cars through - which caused someone on my left to stop and potentially could have caused an accident - though at the time, the road behind me was abandoned - but thats what they want me to do, so thats what I'll be doing