I failed my driving test :(

gbsahne001

passed 3rd time at 17, almost 30 years ago. Wrote one car off at 18, put another in a ditch a few months later and then decided to drive sensibly; touch wood, nothing (points or accidents) since I was 20.

Fireblade96

First Aspect wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

My parents have between them a record of Played 11 Won 1 Lost 10.

It's not hereditary. I'm Played 1 Won 1 Lost 0. Passed at 17, and have become even more awesome with every passing day, natch.

played 2 won 2 lost 0
Can anyone beat that?

Played 4, won 4 lost 0.

LiveGiantly

Passed 4th time!

It's all worth it once you get your licence!!

msmancunia

Passed first time when I was twenty one. Scared my non-driving mum half to death a month later when I put my foot on the accelerator instead of the brake, mounted the kerb and nearly crashed into a shop front window.

A year later I almost got wiped out in my dad's car by a drunk driver on NYE which ended up with me being cut out of the car and whisked off to A&E with a collapsed lung, fractured skull, broken ribs and a broken nose. My dad's response to the policeman who turned up on the doorstep to tell him? "I'm presuming my daughter was at fault?" ?!?!?! :shock:

gingaman

I passed my FLT first time, but that is different from the car test.

How do you manage:

Fireblade96 wrote:

Played 4, won 4 lost 0.

Car, motorbike, and what else?

Fireblade96

gingaman wrote:

I passed my FLT first time, but that is different from the car test.

How do you manage:

Fireblade96 wrote:

Played 4, won 4 lost 0.

Car, motorbike, and what else?

Car & motorbike in both UK and USA ;-)

daddy0

Moominman2 wrote:

Passed 1st time at 17. Thought I failed in the first 5 minutes so gave the 'I don't care' attitude for the rest. Turns out I got 1 minor, and that wasn't for what I thought I failed on.

This. Thought I'd failed 10 seconds into the test as I stalled at the first junction. But just got that one minor fault! And subsequently:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Drove like a dick for a few years completely justifying why young men have such high insurance then calmed right down.

This too. Got a speeding ticket less than a month after I passed - for doing 60 in a 30 zone. Should've gone to court and lost my licence really, but the police officer felt sorry for me and wrote down that I was only doing 55!!! I was the only person everyone knew who'd been caught speeding it was such a rarity, there used to be no speed cameras back then!

I'm much much safer now, but I reckon there are still lots of guys my age who had a similar easy time of it who still drive like they're Damon Hill at Silverstone.

kieranb

Passed first time when I took it a week before my 40th birthday just over 2 years ago. I got one minor, and passed the theory with flying colours. At the time it was nerve wrecking! I think the 20 years cycling in city traffic helped. I was also lucky in that I had a great woman instructor teach me to drive.

The Rookie

BillyMansell wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Passed at 17 first time, in fact both parents and sister passed first time as did my wife and all three kids, must be something in my jeans.......

Not sure how anyone fails the theory!

And yet you failed the OP's theory test by failing to answer the question asked. :shock:

Perhaps you should read his post, he only asked a question of those that didn't pass first time....so I had no question to answer did I?

and yes the jeans spelling was a deliberate play on words.....

prawny

First time for me, and the wife, plus my mom and dad and her mom and dad. Roads are pretty smile round here mind.
Theory test was quite new when I did it, no hazard perception then, managed 100%, I was disappointed there were no streamers going off or anything.

Drfabulous0

I like to think I would have passed it on my first go at 17, but I went out the night before and didn't bother cos I had a sore head. For the last 17 years I have been too embarrassed to go back so I just ride bikes instead.

gingaman

Drfabulous0 wrote:

I like to think I would have passed it on my first go at 17, but I went out the night before and didn't bother cos I had a sore head. For the last 17 years I have been too embarrassed to go back so I just ride bikes instead.

rubertoe

Been out for my first solo drive today. Its amazing how different it is than a car that screams learner...

Applespider

rubertoe wrote:

Been out for my first solo drive today. Its amazing how different it is than a car that screams learner...

Bear in mind though that drivers are generally more cautious around cars with L plates on and give them a wider berth so screaming learner isn't such a bad idea. Hmm... I wonder if I should put L's on my commuter bike

I passed my driving test first time but have rarely put it into practice. In fact, I don't think I've driven at all in the last 6 or 7 years. And I've probably driven more miles overseas in hire cars than in the UK. But there's absolutely nothing stopping me getting in a car tomorrow (aside from not actually having access to one) and heading off... which is slightly worrying.

twist83

Agent57 wrote:

gingaman wrote:

Those that didn't, how many goes did you have?

Three for me.

Failed the first for "undue hesitancy" - basically, not pulling out of a junction when there was time to do so.

Failed the second for "speeding". :roll: Actually, I don't believe I was speeding, but the examiner lived on my street and we'd had a few run-ins prior to my test.

Passed my motorcycle tests first time though. \o/ And my cycling proficiency, come to that.

Same for me almost carbon copy. I failed twice (13 years ago!) My second go I had an examiner who usually did Bike tests, he was still in his leathers. Doing the turn in the round I noticed a car approaching and stopped. This car waved me on, so I carried on. Examiner was looking down at his sheet of paper like he was for a lot of the test and failed me as he didnt see me recognise the car.

I went bananas when I got back as he was clearly not bothered. Even checked his phone once or twice...

3rd time passed with 1 minor. Mind you I passed my test in late 2000, I turned 17 on June 17th, crammed in lessons and failed tests and passed a 3rd in under 6 months. It was a lot cheaper, probably easier test and less people seem to be doing it, so booking up again was a doddle.

Bike test I passed first time about 4 1/2 years ago as well

BigLights

Passed first time at 17. However, my dad then turned around immediately and said (quite rightly) - OK, so you're legally allowed to drive, but that doesn't mean you have the ability to drive (he's a real jedi behind the wheel).

So I was then forced to a defensive course, then an offensive course, then complete the full IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) before I was allowed access to the family cars.

It truly transformed my approach to the roads and I am certain saved my skin several times. I'd highly recommend everyone try to do the IAM, if possible, although it's a big time commitment.

Headhuunter

I passed 3rd time but haven't driven a car since 1996 and haven't ever owned one...

EKE_38BPM

BigLights wrote:

Passed first time at 17. However, my dad then turned around immediately and said (quite rightly) - OK, so you're legally allowed to drive, but that doesn't mean you have the ability to drive (he's a real jedi behind the wheel).

So I was then forced to a defensive course, then an offensive course, then complete the full IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) before I was allowed access to the family cars.

It truly transformed my approach to the roads and I am certain saved my skin several times. I'd highly recommend everyone try to do the IAM, if possible, although it's a big time commitment.

Good idea. I've been thinking about doing the IAM for ages but never have.

The bit in bold, is that where they teach you to swear at other road users?

rubertoe

Been putting my new found skills to use this week.

Not sure I like it much. It took me 20 minutes to go and pick up Mrs Toe from work (she lives less than 2 miles from home)...

Mikey23

Haven't seen any for a while but green L plates used to be popular meaning ive passed my test but be careful around me. Seemed quite a good idea

EKE_38BPM

rubertoe wrote:

Been putting my new found skills to use this week.

Not sure I like it much. It took me 20 minutes to go and pick up Mrs Toe from work (she lives less than 2 miles from home)...

Welcome to driving in London.

On the bright side, you are a cyclist as well as a motorist so can choose which journeys to use the car for. Loads of people don't see riding as an option so are forced to drive, use PT or walk.

roger_merriman

EKE_38BPM wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Been putting my new found skills to use this week.

Not sure I like it much. It took me 20 minutes to go and pick up Mrs Toe from work (she lives less than 2 miles from home)...

Welcome to driving in London.

On the bright side, you are a cyclist as well as a motorist so can choose which journeys to use the car for. Loads of people don't see riding as an option so are forced to drive, use PT or walk.

This.

being able to chose transport as to which one is useful, is darn handy some journeys around here favour one or the other.

I normally drive a lot for work, and 2 miles can take anything from 10 to 45 mins depending on the traffic gods!

prawny

Mikey23 wrote:

Haven't seen any for a while but green L plates used to be popular meaning ive passed my test but be careful around me. Seemed quite a good idea

Round by me those mean 'I have recently passed my test and am not that confident, please be an aggressive w@nker'.

veronese68

rubertoe wrote:

Been putting my new found skills to use this week.

Not sure I like it much. It took me 20 minutes to go and pick up Mrs Toe from work (she lives less than 2 miles from home)...

Don't most people live quite a lot less than 2 miles from home?

BigLights

EKE_38BPM wrote:

BigLights wrote:

Passed first time at 17. However, my dad then turned around immediately and said (quite rightly) - OK, so you're legally allowed to drive, but that doesn't mean you have the ability to drive (he's a real jedi behind the wheel).

So I was then forced to a defensive course, then an offensive course, then complete the full IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) before I was allowed access to the family cars.

It truly transformed my approach to the roads and I am certain saved my skin several times. I'd highly recommend everyone try to do the IAM, if possible, although it's a big time commitment.

Good idea. I've been thinking about doing the IAM for ages but never have.

The bit in bold, is that where they teach you to swear at other road users?

haha - no! Defensive is all about anticipation, maintaining control of your space, and mitigating the propensity of other drivers and circumstances to create danger. Also about driving in bad conditions - skid control, snow, wet, etc.

Offensive driving is less necessary, but a very useful skill and a lot of fun - it's more about aggressive car control (J-turns, how to run another car off the road in a security situation etc, what to do if someone is following you, best way to get through a roadblock etc).

veronese68

Offensive driving is how to avoid being stopped by the police. You learn something new every day.

EKE_38BPM

Veronese68 wrote:

Offensive driving is how to avoid being stopped by the police. You learn something new every day.

Well, you do if you do the course.

BigLights

It's really one of my great wishes that drivers are better trained. It would save so much....accidents, fuel, everything. You look at places like Germany and Norway where it's really a far far higher standard of training and testing and as a result the driving is so much better.

The thing is, unless you've actually done the training, you don't know what you don't know, if you know what I mean. I'm astonished that my colleague's son is now 17 years old and he's totally happy with letting him loose after him taking a basic driving test here....wow.

Headhuunter

BigLights wrote:

It's really one of my great wishes that drivers are better trained. It would save so much....accidents, fuel, everything. You look at places like Germany and Norway where it's really a far far higher standard of training and testing and as a result the driving is so much better.

The thing is, unless you've actually done the training, you don't know what you don't know, if you know what I mean. I'm astonished that my colleague's son is now 17 years old and he's totally happy with letting him loose after him taking a basic driving test here....wow.

It's worse in many other countries though. An Irish friend of mine told me that much of the Irish population drives on provisional licences, they simply don't bother to take a test. Every now and then the government announces an amnesty and offers to swap everyone's provisional licences for proper ones and off they go.

The same Irish friend drove for years around Europe on his provisional licence, he had a job in Antwerp for a while and they gave him a company car! Not sure how he managed that without a proper licence but he definitely had it - I visited him and he had a spanking new VW from his employer. At one point he decided to finally do his test in Ireland so he drove the VW from Antwerp, across the UK (stopping briefly to stay with us in London) down through Ireland to Cork, took the test, FAILED and then drove back to Antwerp again! A few years later he got a job in the US and took his test out there (I think in Boston, Mass). He said it was incredibly easy there and passed 1st time. Basically a bored cop got in the car with him, asked him to drive down a quiet road, do a couple of turns and then passed him..... That was it. Now he is legally able to drive in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

This is part of the problem, many people pass tests overseas and those from certain countries are able to swap their overseas licence for a UK one. I remember doing work experience with an accountancy firm when I was at school, I was paired up with a woman who had been born in Kenya. She told me that no one takes a test out there, they simply grease a few palms and buy them. She was then able to swap her Kenyan licence for a UK one so could legally drive here but she was an utter danger on the roads. I feared for my safety when in the car with her...

BigLights

That's all very true....My understanding is that several of the Commonwealth countries have automatic transfer rights. So Nigeria, Kenya etc can just move across to a UK license. Oh dear.

You're also right in that the standard of driving elsewhere is a shocker. The US is just amusing, but that's because nobody seems to want to pay any attention to the actual driving bit. The number of rear-enders you see is really quite funny. My wife is from Portugal, and that's genuinely scary...there's a reason they have the highest mortality rate on the roads of any developed nation.