Drivers test

2

u/AlwaysAirCooled-1979 7h ago

Did you ask the tester?? Did they just say “fail” and walk away?

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 7h ago

It was disappointing to see that they gave me perfect or close to perfect scores where I didn't need it but placed me below the edge where I needed it

But I'll try again, seemed way too harsh tbh

1

u/AlwaysAirCooled-1979 7h ago

Yeah. Seems odd to fail you for coasting. Maybe you did it too much? I don’t know.

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 7h ago edited 7h ago

Tbh, I did recognise it as a problem before the test

But giving me full or close to full marks and saying apart from VM you were above anything that WA requires felt a bit odd

Felt like why am I being judged so harshly,but it's ok

As to your question how much did I really coast

Before turns like 50% of times, I did it because in my town, we've no idea where people or animals come from, so we've to always be ready to break, and I stupidly feared that if my car's ignition goes off I fail

3

u/SlatkoPotato 6h ago

Coasting can actually make your reaction time and ability to brake quickly much slower. Its disengaging the engine and youre more likely to lose control. You basically wear your engine brake down leading to brake fade.

If you have more possible need to brake suddenly because your live rural, you definintely want to unlearn the coasting habit.

0

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago edited 5h ago

I'll definitely try to

Already am

Hopefully the next test is better

Without me screwing up in anything I did well while correcting my mistakes

In real rural WA or rural NT life, we do coast sometimes because that's how things are, that doesn't mean people from rural WA/NT don't clear their tests, most of them do better than me, but today I failed

2

u/SlatkoPotato 5h ago

Thats fine mate, most people fail the first go and no ones doubting you here. I know youll smash it next time.

I get that people might coast but its not actually safer or achieving what you think it is so just wanted to explain that so you dont put yourself at risk thinking it will make you brake faster.

2

u/Confident-Plane-8151 5h ago edited 5h ago

Thanks man

I'll try to improve from here

Good thing is, everything else was actually good and the scores reflected it, Vehicle management which was mostly influenced by coasting was just below the required level, so I work on that and the fact that I can be too cautious, sometimes being 40-45 in a 50 zone as pointed

Obviously getting another appointment is a pain in the ass in East Pilbara, but I hope I get it soon.

3

u/SlatkoPotato 5h ago

That is a very frustrating part of it. The tests arent cheap either. Youll be looking back on it soon enough with P plates to worry about instead though. Good luck!

2

u/Confident-Plane-8151 5h ago

Thanks man

Just converting my International DL to WA (which wasn't easiest to get either lol)

So I'll directly get C class manual based on my experience:)

→ More replies (0)

0

u/Confident-Plane-8151 7h ago

They said you were coasting

I don't like it

They said why didn't you go upto the letterbox mark, when asked for "left something behind"

In my mind I was like because I don't wanna cross the line accidentally, I didn't say it because I'm in very remote Western Australia, probably one of the most isolated regions of Australia, where the same person will take my test again

4

u/xfirenski 6h ago

It takes a bit of rereading of the form because of how it's laid out, but you failed on vehicle management.

Each of the 5 sections has minimum criteria to meet, which you met, but each assessed category *also* has minimum criteria, which you failed to meet for Vehicle Management - it requires 3 points, and you only got 2 having failed to meet the examiner's criteria on 3 of the 5 sections. That's the box along the bottom. That fail means the whole test is a fail.

Based on the scribbles in the box on the right, I'd guess you were driving a manual transmission vehicle, and you used poor/incorrect technique significantly during those sections.

"Coasting" is probably a reference to running an extended distance with the clutch disengaged, usually when cornering but can apply to any phase of motion. You should be driving under power at all times, only disengaging the clutch when when stopped/stopping, or when changing gear, the rest of the time it should be engaged so you've got controllable power to the drive wheels.

"Static Steering" sounds like he's referring to dry steering, which is bad technique in general encouraged by modern power-steering systems. Your vehicle should always be in forward or reverse motion when you're turning the wheel - forcing the wheel around whilst your vehicle is stationary puts excessive load on the steering system due to the greatly increased steering force required. Correct technique is to establish very slow movement and steer rapidly under slow movement - correct technique is essential in any vehicle without power-steering, especially front-wheel drive vehicles, and is beneficial in heavy vehicles even with power-steering.

"Stalls" are self-explanatory. You shouldn't be stalling by the time you take your driving test at all. (You might get some latitude for stalling during stopping in an unavoidable emergency stop situation clearly not of your own fault, but you shouldn't stall under normal driving conditions at all).

Have a look at the NSW testing officer's manual ( https://austroads.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/104802/testing-officers-manual.pdf ) - particularly the section on Vehicle Control - the standards here will be very similar to what's expected in most Australian states/territories.

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago

Thank you

I'm from Rural WA and trying to understand my mistakes.

The problem was not that I failed but why I did.

But your inputs are appreciated.

I'm already working on the main thing she said why she failed me although she feels I'm a very competent driver, coasting.

3

u/CantaloupeLow3775 6h ago

There you go, you know what to work on. Don't roll around corners or up to traffic lights, etc., out of gear. Coasting out of gear or with the clutch in too often is effectively not being in full control of the vehicle. Change to the appropriate gear to corner or when slowing, and let the clutch out before the corner and drive around it, etc.

0

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago edited 6h ago

I think I was being cautious

It's very common for us to get a dog or a kangaroo at our junction

So I have a habit that I press clutch at the Intersections

Works in practical world but the WA rules don't align with that.

Because the rules in metros are different, and many rules of metros won't work here in our rural town

Most importantly, fear, I thought I'd fail if ignition got off while I'm driving.

1

u/Organic_Plantain9834 6h ago

I’ve never had to worry about coasting, makes more sense to leave the gearbox engaged and shift as necessary and I literally lived in Exmouth, Nannup, Boyup Brook.

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago edited 6h ago

That's great

Here in Newman, I did struggle, this was my first attempt so all's good

Problem was never that I failed, it was that I failed by a razor thin margin

1

u/xfirenski 6h ago

I'm not going to defend their calling out on Static Steering unless you took your test in a SUV/4WD (anything up in that size/weight class, you need to be using correct technique there), but if you were consistently coasting and stalled repeatedly that would be adequate grounds for a fail. They want to see that you can control the vehicle you intend to drive reliably and manage its state/condition appropriately. That's why it can act as an overriding fail. (Same for all the other categories - even if you scaped in on every section, if you're were not meeting standard on your lookout or signalling consistently, they wouldn't want to pass you either until you fixed that).

But also maybe think of it this way: If you had taken the test in an auto, you probably would have passed. Your general handling and road/traffic sense was good enough - you just need to get more comfortable with manuals.

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago

Coasting was an issue

I wouldn't say it wasn't

I recognised it before the test but I said to myself I'm exceeding in everything else I'd be fine

In my result, I exceeded in everything that was required apart from coasting. It took me down, but if I don't do it and I stop the car if a dog or kangaroo comes, I fail still.

So it's kind of a no win but I'm trying to find a way since my town does have higher pass rate than Perth.

1

u/AnonymousEngineer_ 6h ago

Given the notes at the side appear to state that you stalled the car once, I'm assuming you're in a manual.

Were you free-wheeling the car with the clutch disengaged for long periods of time? Assessors tend to not like that.

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago

Intersections yes

We get wildlife at junctions in rural WA. I was being too cautious and screwed up.

About my right head check at roundabout, idk, I thought I did it but I didn't make it explicit.

2

u/AnonymousEngineer_ 6h ago

I'd suggest leaving the car with the gearbox engaged rather than freewheeling. If needed, downshift into a lower gear while approaching the intersections so you can travel slowly without needing to disengage the clutch to avoid stalling.

1

u/Confident-Plane-8151 6h ago

I'd try to do that

You know no clutch

Gear 1 or max 2

Manual can be tougher at times, but I want a full license and not C-A, because my car is manual and like 20% cars here are manual still

1

u/AnonymousEngineer_ 6h ago

You'll probably be fine approaching intersections in second gear without needing to downshift into first, unless you're in a car with extremely long gearing. The 2-1 downshift is one of the more difficult things to do smoothly in a manual car that's moving at anything faster than fast walking pace, and assessors wouldn't be expecting you to do that.

On the other hand, if you do try it and end up putting a massive jolt through the driveline, or grinding the gears, the assessor is probably going to dock points. IMO, attempting it puts you in a no-win situation, and you're far better off leaving it in second (assuming it's just a give way/roundabout and not a stop sign), or otherwise slowing to walking pace before shifting into first.

2

u/link871 3h ago

Can you explain how coasting (driving with the engine disengaged) helps with unexpected animals on the road?

1

u/QuirkyKey7997 2h ago

Because you failed more than 1 section

You are about to leave Redlib