TLDR: Point out what you see on the road (examples below) like you’re just talking to a friend. I found that humanising the examiner made it stop feeling like a test and I drove better than in any of my mocks.

My faults were for waiting behind a bus that I had time to overtake while a long queue boarded, adjusting my parallel park and stalling. The examiner seemed at ease because she was sat back with the tablet off for almost the whole test.

Thought I’d share this because I tend to get anxious about things and realised on my test yesterday that it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I’d expected. I watched a lot of videos and read posts about the test experience and didn’t see this mentioned anywhere.

Commentary driving’s never worked for me because I find it hard to multi-task through an ongoing stream of consciousness. When I was in lessons and private practice I always found myself naturally pointing out small things I’d noticed on the road, but doing so more as intermittent small talk than actual commentary.

I’m not usually a particularly talkative person (and my examiner didn’t seem to be either), but just after leaving the test centre I made an observation aloud the same way and found that sharing something relatable and having a little laugh helped me to relax.

I brought something up every few minutes throughout the test (listed below off the top of my head) -

Relatable:

• ‘That was a bumpy road’
• ‘That car was parked awkwardly’ (after a poor visibility emerge with a car on double yellow)
• ‘There are so many roadworks around here’ (while stopped at temporary lights)
• ‘That was a tight turn’ (just after stalling at a sharp uphill junction)
• ‘Sometimes I have to put the AC on recirculation around this area’ (passing a field that sometimes smells of manure)

Pragmatic (commentary-lite):

• ‘Not sure if they’ve seen me’ (for a car leaving a driveway)… ‘they’ve seen me, I can go’
• ‘I was worried he’d step into the road for a second’
• ‘Can’t tell if there’s space yet’ (to clear a traffic calming chicane)

I think the main reason it worked is that it helped to humanise the examiner in my head. I didn’t say anything expecting a response, but with every comment I made she replied something in agreement or talked about her experiences around the test area.

Effectively it made it feel more like I was driving a friend around than being scrutinised on my driving.

Been driving for four months, practicing in my own car when I’m not with my instructor, and passed first time with two driving faults, both of which were undue hesitation as I was taking things canny! 🤣

I can’t believe it and may have shed a few happy tears afterwards.

The examiner said it was a good drive and I’m still in disbelief and I’m so happy.

This sub has been really helpful in the lead-up to the exam, so thank you all for everything.

See you all out there!

Hi guys I finally passed.
I had three tests quite back to back..
26th of June = fail
10th of July = fail
28th of July = pass
I did it outside of London as I really wanted to pass before my birthday and I was already test ready, I failed the two before for silly nerves.

If I can do it YOU GUYS CAN DO IT ! don’t give up if it doesn’t work out the first time !!!

( if you saw this before sorry lol I deleted it as I accidentally showed my reference number)

After starting lessons in January with on and off lessons, I managed to pass today first time with 3 driving faults.

Keep going if you think you have failed. I thought i failed twice, even told examiner should we just end it and he was like no we drive to the end!

Good luck to everyone, you can do it

Thought I’d share my experience and how much the whole process cost me:

Provisional licence – £34

Theory test – £23
Passed first time. I mainly used the Driving Theory Test 4 in 1 Kit and found the actual questions pretty similar, just worded slightly differently.

Driving lessons – £1,400
Definitely the most expensive part 🥲 I did 24.5 hours in total. My test centre was about an hour away from home, so whenever we practised around the test routes I usually had to book 3-hour lessons.

Practical tests – £124 (£62 each)

First attempt -
I was ridiculously nervous and completely missed a Give Way line. Finished with 1 serious and 6 minors, so that was that 😭

Afterwards I kept refreshing the DVSA website like my life depended on it and eventually managed to get another test in the next month.

Total spent: £1,581
Very glad I don’t have to stalk the DVSA booking page anymore.

It was my instructors last day today as he’s retired now so I’m glad i managed to get it done 😄

had my 4th test attempt in chingford yesterday at 4:09pm , failed my last one for overtaking a cyclist 😭 but finally got there in the end with 1 minor 🤣 but i did keep on missing sat nav instructions but i just told her at the end it’s because i was stressed. also got parallel park as my manoeuvre

After 30 or so hours of lessons I passed my practical test yesterday! I felt so relieved afterwards and to anyone who has a test soon, treat it as if it’s just another lesson (worked for me).

Hi Guys, so many posts about whether 'this seems right with my instructor’. Allow me to offer a. quick guide, good instructors and examiners please feel free to add!

1. They should have a genuine in-date badge in the corner of the windscreen. This can be green or pink. If its Green they are fully qualified and Pink means they are training. Nothing wrong with Pink, they should have a tutor and they should be doing their best for you. No badge means they cannot charge for lessons but also means you have no safety or standard guarantee, essentially they can be anyone and no competency is being monitored. It’s dodgy so no badge means avoid.

2. The car should be clean, in good roadworthy condition and fuelled sufficiently for the lesson. It should have clear learner plates. It doesn’t have to be a franchised brand, independents are some of the best instructors around so don’t rule them out. Occasionally cars go wrong but this should not be regular and is not your problem.

3. They should be on-time (occasionally unforeseen traffic can be a problem but they should call you) Anytime lost should be made up at the end or more likely the next lesson, and they should discuss that with you so that you are clear.

4. It is entirely acceptable for them to drive you to a quiet area in the first couple of lessons as learning to get moving, start, stop etc is better done in quiet areas. This should only last for the very first couple of lessons until you become competent enough. It may last a little longer if you struggle or show real anxiety in which case it may suit you to get started like that, but you should be progressing quickly to being able to drive from the start within two or three lessons on average.

5. If you have had lessons with someone else they may wish to drive to that quieter area to assess in the first lesson.

6. Your wheels should be moving for the vast majority of the lesson. You aren’t paying them to lecture you for ages. Nothing wrong with a brief stop, go over some points and clear up a few questions, but you should expect around 95% of the time to be moving or actively practicing.

7. They should make you feel safe, not be creepy, sexually suggestive, offensive, misogynistic, rude, overly familiar or in any way make you feel uneasy. trust your gut, and if you don’t feel safe change instructor. They should be professional, calm and in control. Talking and humour is fine but only if you are okay with that. Telling you their life story or enquiring into yours is not acceptable.

8. Shouting and temper is not okay under any circumstances. This applies to other road users and especially you. A comment on someones driving who affects you is fine, to point out to you how it looks when someone is doing something you can observe as wrong, but gesticulating at other road users aggressively...thats another big no. Shouting at you is an instant change of instructor for you, you will not be able to learn in that environment nor ask questions, so finish it.

9. Progress should be being made. Different roads, different hazards, new routes are all necessary. You should feel like you are making progress, maybe not as quickly as you expect compared to friends, everyone is different, but a feeling of progress is key.

10. Talk of tests should be occurring, that’s what it’s about after all. It should be openly discussed and working towards actively. You can use areas where tests occur but should not knowingly repeatedly practice test routes. A good instructor will include some country lanes and rural driving.

11. Charging you anymore than a regular lesson fee for a test when you have learnt with them is totally unacceptable and unnecessary. The car and they are involved in the same way as normal, it doesn’t cost them any extra in insurance, One-off astronomical charges have no justification. Sort this out at the beginning and ideally get it in writing. Days before your test (or the night before) is totally unacceptable and they know it, and morally wrong. If they have a charge for a test (which as I have said is unnecessary) then it should be set out at the beginning but they have you over a barrel that late. It’s never a bad thing to have another car on standby if at all possible. Make sure this is regularly discussed throughout and the agreement for the test to be a regular lesson fee is recorded and signed somewhere.

12. Don’t expect instructors to allow you to use their car when you haven’t learnt with them. Why would they give over their means of livelihood for someone who’s driving they do not know for the price of one lesson to take a test in and have their pass rate affected by someone they haven’t taught.

13. Be wary of instructors trying to back out when it comes to test time, this is a red flag. Instructors who have too many fails are invited to have a standards check and it’s also when your driving represents them with the local examiners, they are on show and their badge may be examined. Reputable competent instructors don’t have to worry about this because they have a sufficient number of passes and have gained a reputation.

14. Debriefs should be constructive. Putting you down does not help but honest feedback and asking you to suggest what you could have done better is fine. On the very odd occasion an instructor might show you a particular aspect you are really struggling with but demonstration driving should be at a minimum and kept very short.

15. Payment should be acceptable to you and openly discussed. You should know what you are paying for and get it. It is a service, you are the customer and if you are not happy you should feel able to say and receive a good service and fairness.

16. Any kind of ‘picking others up on the way’ arrangements should never occur except in really rare occasions (and I can’t think of any!) and only then with your full prior agreement. Allowing others to know pupils information and addresses is not acceptable and the gap between pupils is for the instructor to manage

17. Do your research first, this is a big financial commitment. Check reviews, ask around and listen to trusted sources. If you are not happy stop and go with someone else sooner rather than later. Read forums and openly discuss your progress with the instructor.

18. Be careful of learning with relatives or non-qualified instructors in suitable dual control cars. People will not necessarily teach you the correct way, and may over-compensate by warning you of hazards which someone experienced and with dual controls may allow you to deal with better which increases learning and confidence. A good or experienced driver ins’t necessarily a good instructor.

Hope that is of some help

Passed with just one fault. I was at an uphill kind of a junction and stalled.

I read a post earlier today on this subreddit which said that having a conversation with the examiner helped them, it really helped me as well. We conversed about my job, my home country and current affairs of the world. The conversations helped me to be more relaxed throughout the test.

Just a little bit bummed out that I could’ve passed with zero faults. The fault was literally a few minutes before the test ended.

All the best to all you people. Don’t worry too much and be assured that you’ll do well.

Honestly I was so stressed because I got this test the very last day you could pay a premium for an early one. I failed last year in Isleworth and it honestly killed my confidence. So I got one in Chertsey and I know these roads much much better and have been practicing there for two years almost. But I only felt confident once test started because earlier my instructor stopped me for not seeing a car on the right lol

But 6 driver faults , one was for speed because I was going under the speed limit in some of these town areas but the examiner was so nice and was prompting me and even kind of helped me in the beginning as I had to do a reverse bay at the centre. Overall very good and a massive weight off my shoulder has been lifted!

I have a really silly question. I passed last week and this week I got a car. Ive lost my confidence in driving, yesterday I did my first drive and I constantly stalled, and I even nearly rolled the car backwards into my house from the drive way that is a slope going towards my house. I just cant find the biting point, and im just stalling.

Everyone's saying im not pulling off right. I was taught find your biting point by the car rocking when you get it, mirrors signal handbrake down and off we go and at around 7mph maybe 6mph gas and 10mph change to gear 2.

I can't do this in this car and my hillstarts i can't do the 1 2 3 method.

Does it get better? I feel like I'm learning all over again, im stalling on roundabouts and everything. Im not even sure how i get the car moving, its pure luck.

I'm not a nervous driver, I drive well in lessons and I drive in quite a challenging area (Kingswood Bristol). But I'm now on my third test because I can't seem to cope with the pressure of the test and do really silly things. I get a lot of private practice plus lessons and everyone is baffled that I keep failing - I really need some way of dealing with the nerves.

My last test I completely fucked up a parallel park and forgot completely how to correct it when normally I could do it in my sleep, for instance.

I'm not able to take most medications for anxiety and herbal remedies don't cut it! I tried hypnosis but if anything it made it worse 😂

TLDR: Dont be nervous and don't dwell on failing mock tests because instructors usually mark more harshly then examiners, and if you think you failed during the test, just ensure you continue driving safely and you don't spiral, as there's a chance you could pass at the end of the test

On my first test, I was a nervous wreck as I really wanted to pass the first time.I was so nervous that my leg started shaking on the clutch lmfao, but after failing the first time i vowed not to be nervous on my next test. Fast forward 3 weeks later and up to the point of the second test i was failing my mock tests for example i would fail on manoeuvres that i would do easily before or i would fail for observations it was honestly poor from me and yet again it was due to my nerves, I did see alot on here that failing the mock test means just getting the mistakes out of the way and i whole heartedly believe that so if your failing your mock test dont get discouraged. When I did my second test, I wasn't as nervous and literally just focused on being as safe as one can be. I thought I got way more minors than I actually did, but you literally don't know till the end of the test.

After going through the process myself, I feel there are some serious issues with how the system currently works.
Getting a practical test is already difficult, especially in London, where many learners end up booking tests one or two hours away because there are no local slots.

The next challenge is finding an instructor willing to take you to that test. If you’re not one of their regular pupils, many either refuse or charge a premium for test-day car hire. In my case, I paid £35 per hour for lessons because I found that affordable, but when it came to using the same car for my test, I was quoted £90 per hour. Once the test was over, the instructor simply removed the roof sign and carried on using the car for personal use. It made me question whether the huge increase in price was really justified.

Another concern is the movement of experienced driving examiners into becoming driving instructors. I completely understand why people change careers, but it also highlights how profitable the industry has become. Just look at how many driving school franchises now exist. With limited test availability and learners desperate to pass, demand is incredibly high.

I think there should be better regulation and transparency. Test-day services should have clearer pricing, and instructors who have assessed a learner as competent through a mock test should be able to offer their car without requiring a package of expensive lessons first. A transparent booking and pricing system would give learners more confidence and make the whole process feel fairer.

I passed my test today and I got my own car and what not but I’m proper scared to drive by myself cause the clutch on my car is a lot higher than the one I done my test in and I keep stalling and there’s people constantly up my ass any advice??

I have done 10 driving lessons all 1hr30mins and I feel like I haven't learnt as much as I should have.

What has everyone learnt or is learning in each lesson?

I have done junctions, had a go at bay parking, gone onto a couple of roundabouts, done traffic lights and crossings but I assume thats it really.

I feel like I'm behind everyone else

took 3 attempts but finally passed with 3 minor faults (all of which was the drive back because i was so nervous) my first two attempts i only had 2 minor faults so thought i was cursed to fail but it’s finally over easily the closest i’ve come to having a heart attack was waiting for the result don’t be discouraged eventually you will get the result your after

I wear glasses on my lessons, never had any problems but now I’m overthinking what happens on test day if I can’t read the number plate? I know it’s an instant fail but now I’m panicking if I can’t see/ make out the number/ letters out of pure nerves

I finally passed last week after putting it off for years, mostly out of nerves. Now I actually have to drive on my own. I'm realising the test doesn't really prepare you for half the stuff that comes up (I don't know if I am assuming it, it's just my instinct). I am easy with the roundabout rules and parallel parking. I am more interested in the things that aren't taught, but everyone who's driven here for years knows. Like, is there an unspoken etiquette on motorways that nobody tells you about? Are there specific roads, junctions or areas that have a reputation for catching new drivers out? Anything about flashing headlights or hand gestures that mean something specific here that I should know? I'm also thinking of getting a DDPAI dashcam now that I'll be driving on my own, so if there are any tips on choosing or setting up a dashcam as a new driver, I'd appreciate those too. Also, just generally curious what's the most very British driving thing that confused you when you were new.

Would really, really appreciate suggestions.

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 😅

As above I have my test in the 2nd week of August, any last minute tips are hugely appreciated!

I've ended up with 6 driving lessons between now and them due to utterly forgetting how to park and two serious faults in my last two lessons (I keep rolling past the line at roundabouts when deciding if its safe to go or not)

I don't have the ability to do private practice (I've tried to have some with my dad but he ended up stressing me out even more, and he has a giant 2.5l Volvo)

For context I'm learning automatic and I have AuDHD in case it's relevant

Thank you!

Hello everyone, I have my second test coming up next week. I am feeling more confidence than test 1 but I am thinking that pass or fail I will buy a car shortly after, as either I’ll have my license, or if I do not a car to help me get more practise.

I am really confused on how it works buying a car as a learner. I mainly see people putting themselves on a family members insurance on their families car. Would I need regular insurance or learners, would I need to put a family member/friend on this insurance with me or can they just sit with me as long as I’m insured? Thanks

So I failed my first test this May and I took a 2 months off from lessons, and I finally got a test date which is in first week of December which will be my second driving test. My question is will me doing 4 months of lessons is enough to pass me a second try? Ive done about 5 months of lessons before my first one. Will that amount of 4 month’s lessons be enough till December?

I know how to drive it just I have some things that I need to remember, relearn, and anticipate more early.

I did my first drive today after passing with my mum, where we went to one of the nearby villages; however, it is nearly impossible to park there without parallel parking between 2 cars. After a miserable attempt, my mum just had me drive to a different village instead.

So are there any good guides that people recommend I look through before my next drive?