My Driving Journey - Lesson 58 & uh oh...my driving test!

Usually this little blog of mine is a place to be happy & positive but oh my...there is nothing positive about this post really! Other than experience I guess? & I do get to try again :)

  Monday 3rd February

If you know me to talk to via twitter & email then you know that I managed to fail my first driving test last week. I was feeling really positive about it all until I think reality just sunk in. I had an hours lesson before & it was seriously I'd say my worst lesson ever! I think I managed to stall the car about 4 times altogether between my lesson & on the test itself. I'd just like to point out though that my instructor does have a different car at the minute & I'm really not getting used to it as much. Before my test we practiced an emergency stop & 3 out of the 4 manoeuvres..what manoeuvre did I get on my test? Ohh yes, that would be right...the one I didn't practice :/ typical! I haven't actually done a manoeuvres lesson in a while because I'm usually feeling a drive around kind of lesson when I'm given the option but it is safe to say that this week I'm doing a manoeuvres lesson. Well I'm guessing I am anyway, if not I will certainly be asking if I can. I do think nerves got the better of me in the run up to the test & I did keep asking Sharon if I was actually going to do my test next. I did also ask if I could just go home because I had a feeling that I wouldn't pass anyway. What can I say, sometimes you just have a gut feeling & sometimes it is just right.

I managed to get 2 majors & 9 minors. If you automatically get a major then you've failed...but you still continue with the test. I managed to get a major whilst doing a parallel park...I would like to add in my defence I haven't practiced it in a while & okay, yes I did go up the kerb. But also, if I couldn't manage to park in the certain spot then I would drive off & find somewhere else suitable...don't quite think that's allowed on the test though. Then my second major was ridiculous if you ask me, if I was driving along once I'd passed my test I wouldn't have pulled up anywhere along that road. We was travelling along a stretch of road that is a speed limit of 30, the road then bends & changes to 40mph. I was asked to pull over somewhere safe & suitable, which I managed fine. The next part wasn't great, well I did absolutely fine...I pulled away safely when nobody was coming but at the last minute I saw a car come around the bend but obviously I had to go, I couldn't wait all day for somebody not to be coming round the bend, could I? So because the car behind us braked I got a major. Of course the car was going to brake, it was travelling between 30-40mph! It is safe to say I wasn't overly pleased by this. I do think a lot of people are cautious & think danger once they see a L plate on a car. As for minors I got 9, you're allowed 15 to still pass...I won't go into detail of them because to be honest with you, I can't even remember them now.

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What do you think about driving tests?
Do you feel like you're expected to drive like a robot? Like we are all meant to be programmed the exact same way.
The road & traffic situation certainly has an effect on if you pass.
Plus really, when you're driving around normally will you be under so much pressure?

Out of curiosity, what number test did you pass on?

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Thanks for reading & following along on my journey. Hopefully this journey will come to an end soon, then I'll have to try & get my head around the crazy world that is cars...completely baffles me! Can I walk forever? Just at high speed to be able to travel further away?

- Anna ♥