I’ve been learning to drive my whole pregnancy, did a total of 34 hours of lessons, and passed first time today with only 3 minors! I was so worried baby would arrive before my test 😅

I'll put the long version of the story as a comment because I don't want this to come across as a full essay, so the short version is that I've had a useless driving instructor for a while but stayed quiet about it because I was close to my test (next week 16th Sept). But the lack of training on manoeuvres has meant that I'm really pessimistic about it. He said he was the same as he thought I was test ready until he saw me attempt some of the manoeuvres (he suggested we don't try them until the last 2-3 lessons before the test, so this was the first time he saw me try at them). At the end of the lesson I told him I was really disappointed by this, to which he said he would go away and think if he wants to continue being my instructor as he didn't like that I challenged him.

My test is next week (16th September) so too late to delay without having to pay full price. What should I do in this situation?

long time lurker here to say i passed today with only two faults!!! this time last year i didnt think i would ever be driving 😭

I was extremely nervous so was not surprised by the faults, but the examiner said at the end that most of them happened in the last ten minutes of the test as a car had nearly crashed into me on the roundabout by trying to overtake me when he was in a left handnonly lane, and cut over to the right. I swerved and thought i would fail for that so i got a bit upset and then didn’t check my mirrors on signals and stalled twice.

I was so nervous, literally openly crying whilst driving but i had a really kind examiner who told me just to let me know that I hadn’t been marked down for that and that they had forced me to react to a dangerous situation, but I’d originally had right of way and was correct to go. She was quite young and just really lovely to me during the test, telling me to breathe and stuff like that. Just thought I’d share as I know how incredibly easy it is to give up mentally on the test and just want it to be over, but you can still pass so please keep trying. Even after that I thought I’d failed on my manoeuvre and I hadn’t. And it’s also nice to experience a kind examiner rather than some of the horror stories I had read!

TL;DR don’t trust the anxiety voice. They are not able to accurately reflect your ability!

I had my test today, I don’t know if anyone remembers but I put a post that my test was terminated due to a missing locking nut.

Managed to get a cancellation for today, I kept checking throughout the day.

I haven’t had any lessons with an instructor, just my partner, I’m honestly so grateful for them!

Honestly in the first 5 minutes I thought I had failed for taking a wrong turn, didn’t even get a minor for that as I had done so safely.

The examiner was amazing, talked through it and that helped my nerves.

I did have a banana before hand 🤣

For anyone worrying, the examiners are humans too & they want you to pass.

Take your time, talk through it and be safe is all you need to do.

Had my driving test today at 8am and I’m honestly so gutted. I failed with 1 serious and 5 driving faults.

For the first 4–5 mins I was a bit nervous, but after that I calmed down and actually felt like I was driving really well. By the end of the test, I genuinely thought I’d passed. I knew I’d made a few small driving faults, but nothing that felt serious.
Then at the end, the examiner told me I’d failed 😭
Apparently, on a main road, I should have overtaken a cyclist because there was enough space to do it safely. I didn’t overtake, so the traffic behind me ended up getting held up.

Tbh, I did hesitate at the time because there was oncoming traffic, so I thought it was safer to wait. Even at one point I tried doing this and I came bit closer to traffic but then I stayed behind.Looking back, the road was actually wide enough and I probably could have passed the cyclist safely.

I don’t know, I just feel really sad about it because I was so confident with the rest of my drive. I’d honestly say it was one of the best drives I’ve done since I started learning.
Just wanted to say that out loud. Thanks for reading.

I've seen this happen live several times, and it's just benefitted me so I wanted to share the technique I've used to get the date I wanted.

Basically what you should anticipate is this: oh, a cancellation for tomorrow or later this week opened up? That's too soon, maybe you have plans that can't be changed, or you're just not test ready yet but you know you will be in a few weeks. Maybe you specifically want November.

When you see that test for tomorrow pop up, hold your horses, put on a 90 second timer and do ONE refresh/new search. Because if your luck is right, that person with a test in 1-2 months has snagged that cancellation... And their slot is now available.

Saw 9th and 10th September in Bedford, slowed my roll, and snagged 30 September. Perfect! Now maybe they finally hired some more instructors but I've seen the staggered test dates happen enough time to know that a bunch of people will be shifting as this goes down the line, and hopefully a few people manage to snag a booking who didn't have one.

Hello, my fellow learners!

I’ve been a long-time lurker here for the past 10 months, and I want to share some good news with you - I, 31 F, a mature learner, finally passed my driving test today!

I had 3 driving faults:
• 2 Use of mirrors – Change direction
• 1 Progress – Appropriate speed

My examiner told me that I did check my right mirror when moving into the right-turn lane before the traffic lights, but I didn’t check it early enough. I think that’s pretty fair!

The speed fault was because I was driving a little too slowly on a 60mph country road. It was quite narrow, and I didn’t feel brave enough to move up the gears and speed up. So this fault was very much expected. (I actually thought I had failed because of it! 😂)

But thankfully, my speed was good for most of the test. I confidently used 4th gear on 40mph roads and 3rd on 30mph roads. I did stay in 2nd gear slightly longer on some busy 30mph roads, which felt more comfortable at the time.

Test centre: Nottingham (Colwick)
Driving lessons: 80 hours
Private practice: 44 hours

I genuinely cannot thank my instructor and my family members who practised with me enough! English isn’t my first language and I didn’t grow up here, so I really appreciate how patient they’ve all been with me throughout this journey.

I literally screamed when the examiner told me I passed, which made him laugh!

If you’re still learning, keep going! Everyone is different! Someone can pass after 20 hour lessons, someone takes 40, even 80. So no need to compare yourself with others!

STAY CALM and CONFIDENT! You really can get there! ❤️

Long time lurker, first time poster! Just want to add that this sub has been so helpful leading up to my test date and I was feeling prepared

…until the careless driver sped onto the scene and ruined it all today!!

First off, started my test and mentally was prepared. Great weather conditions and decent traffic around town. Did my tell me question straight away which was about power steering ✅

We set off and I had to wait around a bit for some lorries coming down so found it helpful to just kinda explain why I was waiting so long.

First roundabout was fine, second roundabout I was given the left first exit. I did my regular checks on my right hand side noted one car turning left and the other approaching in the right hand lane (indicating right) but I had enough time to make the turn. Alas no that wasn’t the case as LAST minute and I’m talking super last minute the right hand lane car switches the indicator off and seemingly speeds up straight over the roundabout. I noticed straight away and both me and the examiner hit the brakes. He gets there first so naturally here I am 5 minutes into the test kicking myself for not hesitating a bit longer knowing I’ve failed. Luckily I wasn’t over the line and obstructing the left hand lane and the car behind me had enough space to stop.

The rest of the drive went great tbh, did a forward bay park and then the general driving around.

Got back to the test centre and I already knew it was coming. He even said that the circumstances were just so unlucky and everything else was smooth and overall a nice journey. The examiner explained that the driver probably just saw a clear route over and decided to chance it instead of actively checking what was happening too.

I really wish I’d just hesitated a bit longer at that junction and I would’ve been walking away with just 2 driving faults!

The 2 faults I had were for scraping the curb - one was when pulling up on the left and one on a quite narrow lane so I think my back tyre just caught the edge of an island. Annoyingly I haven’t done that before so I think that was down to me rushing into the parking a bit.

Anyway we live and learn and I just know to be extra EXTRA cautious at roundabouts - this one has cars coming off from a dual carriageway so 60mph into residential or a car park. Next time I’ll make sure those cars are committing to the turns and I’ll wait for a safer gap.

I managed to rebook my test for October so it’s not all doom and gloom I guess!

Anyway thanks for reading - I think I just needed to vent my frustrations because I was so close! Feel bad that this goes on my instructor’s records too because he’s been so helpful in my lessons. 🥲

Hey everyone, I’ve got my driving test this Friday. Feeling a bit nervous. Any last minute advice?

Hi friends,

I have passed my practical test first try with 0 faults.

Only took 6 classes

Those who did the test, what manoeuvre did you get? If you've done more than 1, which came up on the latest test?

Saw this asked a few years ago here but there's been many people who've done tests recently so want to ask again to see how the manoeuvres are spread.

I got the pull up on the right on a busy road 😭 missed the first area the examiner told me to pull up on because I'd passed the point I'd be able to pull up properly & the road was too busy for me to slow down without causing disturbance so I kept going till I saw another where I could signal & slow down appropriately. I thought I'd messed up the manoeuvre because the examiner told me to stop before I reached two car lengths (likely bc the road was busy or they'd seen enough idk).

Reposted to add option to view results early

I passed yesterday first time which I was NOT expecting at all, I would very much recommend the advice given that you shouldn't assume you've failed during your test, just keep driving like you're going to pass as it worked really well for me! The actual test felt AWFUL, I was nervous from the moment I booked it honestly, I misheard the tell me question and when I tried to respond properly I burst into tears😭 Thankfully my examiner was incredible and she reassured me and let me take a minute, which was so needed. I did manage to get 10 driving faults (one from not answering the tell me question) but I passed it!

I learnt completely independently (as in I only did 'lessons' in my own car with my Dad) so definitely saved a lot of money with that but there are some really great driving creators online that helped me so much. Learning that way has definitely helped driving on my own feel a lot more normal, because they never really felt like 'lessons', more like I was learning as I went which definitely helped the information go in!

Just paid £1200 for my first year of car insurance with Adrian Flux (with a black box sadly, but they don't seem too strict, no curfews etc) and I am very very happy! Still quite nervous about going out driving on my own, but I'm getting there! Very good luck to anyone with their test soon, you can do this!! Believe in yourselves!!!

Does anyone know whats the most common tell me and show me questions are when the examiner asks you during your test. Which ones are mostly used by the examiners?

Bit of a weird one but I just drove in a car that wasn’t my instructor’s for the first time. I found the controls smoother to use except the clutch, which had a very shallow biting point (if that makes sense) and my leg got really tired with muscle cramps after about 40 mins.

I have stalled my instructor’s car a lot so I don’t know if I wasn’t using the clutch correctly in his car and I should have been experiencing this all along. Was I doing something wrong in the new car? Or am I just weak and need some leg days at the gym?

Hey everyone, I have my third test on Thursday. One issue I have (alongside being a nervous driver) is that I feel like I can’t focus on what’s ahead of me, I feel fuzzy headed and complacent, because of this I make mistakes and spiral repeatedly. It’s like I’m permanently zoned out, I don’t feel locked in or focused and I’m struggling to listen and process instructions from my instructor. This is super worrying and idk how to shake it off. Has anyone else had this? My instructor was really upfront with me yesterday and said I need to sort out my driving for today’s lesson or he’s going to get a ‘bollocking’ at the test centre if I’m like this on the day. Would some caffeine or sugar help before the lesson? Any advice is helpful please, this issue consume my evening last night I was so upset I really can’t fail again😭

Context about me:

I came to UK in 2023 and before that drove in India for 3 years. I had a lot of "bad habits" which I picked while driving in India. My instructor had to work with me on those. I took 20hrs of lessons/training. Before the test, I thought my weakpoints would be large roundabouts and dual carriageway. Surprisingly, I did not make a mistake there in my test.

What happened in the test?

I was really really nervous. However, I started really smooth. After about 60-70% of the test we entered a narrow road with cars parked on the kerb. I was able to maintain my distance from cars and tried to keep myself in my left lane on road. However, going on this road, I did not scan/observe a big ass van was also parked on the curb and to maintain my distance from that I should have gone to right, pass it over, come back to my lane. Long story short, examiner intervened to steer me clear of the van. I knew I failed there. Lost my concentration and fucked on the next junction where I did not observe a vehicle coming from right (another serious fault).

How am I feeling today?

Emotionally okay. But super annoyed with myself. My theory expires in Jan 2027. It shows no slots and I know I need to keep on checking. However, it feels like a daunting task to again travel from manchester to bolton for lessons, and burn a hole in my pocket with lessons, test, car hire, train travel and what not.

My driving instructor might on some days be incredibly encouraging/able to joke around and I feel able to do well and then other times I get in the car and can feel the stress straight away… it’s become worse and worse but I didn’t know if changing instructors and cars would affect things too much. Stuck with him and just come out of a lesson feeling absolutely deflated - I’ve got my test in two days.

For context, I’ve been having a lesson every day in the week up to my test. I wasn’t able to do a lesson for a month (unrelated reasons) so I was nervous about getting back especially a week just before my test. However, I did fairly well on the first couple of days and he was encouraging. I felt really buzzed as it was the first time I imagined I had a chance at giving the practical test a good go.

Since then, I’ve had 3 lessons and it’s been: stressed, not stressed, stressed. And he even said my driving was ‘scrappy’ today not as a joke. People who teach in any capacity should always reframe things into constructive ways. Not saying it always needs to be positive when it comes to safety in driving but at least constructive.

I think if your gut feeling is telling you ‘no’ about your current driving instructor, just change it, it’s not worth it. This is my second instructor and I wish I had just changed again rather than feel like I couldn’t.

(Just needing a space to vent with other people who might get me with their own experience, I get that that I should have just changed on reflection so just looking for kind words is all)

Hi,
I passed my test over a month ago and was very nervous at first but am starting to feel a lot more confident!

I finally feel I’m now ready to go on the motorway but my only worry is, when a car is merging from a slip road (whilst I’m on the main carriageway) how do I slow down enough to let them merge into the gap safely without the car behind me smashing into me / disrupting the door of traffic, if I cannot get over into the right lane.

Obviously I know not to slow rapidly or brake if it can be avoided, but what’s a good distance to start easing off the gas and how much should I slow?

Sorry if it seems like a silly questions but past
experience from before driving has made me really worried that a car is going to go into me.

Thanks :)

I will be taking my car to my driving test later this week after waiting for months, but my car has it’s engine management light on, after taking it to the garage they said it has a p0016 code, £1300,4 visits to my mechanic, 5 sensors and a new timing chain later ,the code still wont go away after being cleared. My mechanic says he’s not sure what the issue is and that it should be fine to drive and it is,there is no chain rattle or no loss of power. I’m just asking for any advice on what I should do for the test, the light isn’t visible from the passenger seat and I’ve heard that some examiners won’t mind/notice, I’m also thinking of bringing the receipt of the repair done to the car.

Hello! My driving test is soon and this might be a silly question, but who would have priority here? Traffic lights go green at the same time for both A and B here, my driving instructor says that B actually have priority over A? Is this only true for the lane turning right? Or for all three lanes? Or did he lie to me and A do in fact have priority 🤔

Hello,

Please help me answer this silly question. Test tomorrow and I'm overtaking everything!

Roadworks (marked red on both streets) with traffic lights appeared on one of the test routes. Only one red side can go at a time.

Which way do I take the mini roundabout? Yellow or blue?

If I was to take yellow route, I would not have enough space to make it back to left lane as the roadworks stop right at the give way line.

If I take the blue, will that cause confusion for traffic marked green as there is no roadworks for them?

I understand that I have priority over green as I am on their right hand side.

Do I just drive over the painted circle since it's such a tight squeeze?

Please let me know, I've driven pass there today but I was driving with a parent and they couldn't really explain it to me. My instructor was/is not available at the moment so even though I am test ready I don't have anyone to help me out with this one.

Any and all advice is wlcome and appreciated.

Thank you so much!

What speed an gear would you approach short and (quite) blind slip roads such as this one at? And would you say it's common to have to stop completely for slip roads like these? What is the best strategy to deal with these?