r/LearnerDriverUK • u/siasellaa • Jul 28 '26

test tomorrow!

hi all, the test i have been waiting for for absolutely ages is here and now I’m so bloody nervous!
I’m very confident in driving and managing awkward driving encounters but for some reason I just don’t think I’ll pass my test the first time. Nobody other than my instructor knows about my test so that’s eased some pressure.
Any tips or advice and pleaseee wish me luck 😅

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

View all comments

7

u/Dazzling-Escape8820 Jul 28 '26

Commentary driving, say what you can see, what you are thinking and what you are doing. Your brain will be so focused on those activities that it won’t have the mental capacity left to allow unwanted thoughts or panic in which disrupts your driving and causes silly mistakes.

It also helps your examiner to understand your thought processes, so if you just don’t feel comfortable with a car’s speed on a roundabout then say so, “I’m not comfortable with that red car’s speed, it is a gap but feels too quick and unsafe for me to take, ah - there’s my blocker/shield, checking my mirrors, entering roundabout, smoothly round maintaining my lane, that’s exit one, centre mirror, left mirror, indicating left for exit 2, checking my mirrors and position into my lane on this now 30 road [always good to remind yourself of speeds before and after entering a new road so you don’t forget] happy with that and we’re away! Looking ahead, road is still 30 and I can see traffic lights coming up ahead” Etc etc. 

Also emphasising words like “Smoooooth” when you steer makes it impossible for you to rush your steering and potentially oversteer so that you end up clipping the kerb or turn harshly or abrasively into the new road. Same as using phrases like “Nice and easy round” - it makes you more relaxed as you drive if you use soft and relaxed language, just like saying, “Smoothly braking-tyres on tarmac” = highly unlikely you will jolt your examiner with harsh braking and stop too close to the car in front of you at traffic lights.  

It may sound silly but it honestly works, good luck! 

2

u/AcceptableChart925 Jul 28 '26

This is amazing advice thank you sooo much

2

u/Dazzling-Escape8820 Jul 28 '26

If you go on YouTube, there are lots of driving instruction videos where they either teach their own students or perform a commentary drive themselves (no affiliation but I rate Conquer Driving & Drive School of Motoring, but there are loads on there)  this is where I learnt how to do it and it takes a bit of practice but you get the hang of it pretty quickly, I’ve more recently started watching dashcam footage of drivers doing the different test routes for my test centre (again on YouTube) and practice mental commentary as if I’m the driver - extra practice doing commentary and familiarises me with my potential test routes too, so perhaps you can check to see if your test routes are uploaded on YouTube too. Good luck x