Driving tests

I worked alongside a woman who also taught advanced motoring at weekends with 100% success for the people she put through for their test. She knew so many tips that we don't automatically think of, things that make you automatically think ahead several stages....what if this or that, so that you would position yourself on the road accordingly. She hasn't had any collisions and has avoided accidents that others wouldn't have seen coming. However, her control of the car was appalling - it would jerk and judder and she would slam on the brakes. I would have expected advanced motoring to cover better control of the car.

I was taught to drive by a retired F1 racing driver, whose command of the car was so impressive. He taught me to drive in all conditions and as though I had a full glass of water on the bonnet so my passengers would be comfortable. He knew optimism speeds for every stretch of road and for the benefit of the car's life, and few of them matched legal requirements! I did pass first time at 18, though.

I had 12 lessons with a 'bus driver who specialised in teaching totally deaf people to drive (his son was deaf). We had no car and I had no practice other than the lessons but I passed first time. We (DH and I) then bought a Morris 1100 and then I really learned to drive. I was 24.

I passed mine 2nd time when I was 21.

The first time I went with a one man band and the clutch was replaced the day before I took the test. It then kept sticking. I more or less went to pieces over this and failed.

I took my second exactly one month later after having another couple of lessons, I was asked the same questions on the highway code and was taken over the same route. The only the thing the examiner asked me, "was I pulled up for speeding" as was going comparatively slow.

My instructor told me he used to put ethnic people in for the test too early so they failed......oh dear very un-pc these days.

DH and I having hit 70 are investigating doing the Institute of Advanced Driving tests. DD also as she has lost a lot of confidence after being badly injured in a road accident that was not her fault.

I had a friend, driving when in his 90s and he took it regularly to make sure he was a safe driver in extreme old age.

I passed my test on Beta Blockers. Like lots of people I go to pieces in a test situation. On my first test I turned right on a rounderbout. That was a horror lol.
At the time I had seen a documentary about snooker players who took them before a match. I thought, that's for me. I went to my Doctor and told him what I wanted and why. This was a month before my test and he wanted to see me regularly to see how I felt.
On the day of the test, no butterflies, no nerves. I did the 3 point turn on the clutch without using the hand break. I made a bit of a fluff on the reversing around a corner and asked if I could do it again. Passed.

Because there is a lot of people who have seen many new years, driving here, sitting on there cushions and peering through windscreens, I decided to go for it. After I had over taken many sheep, a few tractors and holiday makers peddling like mad on their bikes, the examiner thanked me for a delightful drive .

Yes otherwise you're accused of being too hesitant.

You have to drive the speed limit?

I thought that I had driven down a No Entry street and came to an abrupt halt, obviously thinking that I had failed so the pressure was off. I passed but the examiner had a few words with me for stopping.

A couple of the examiners told me that once I knew I'd failed I actually drove really well because the pressure was off.

I passed on my second attempt. I made more mistakes than I did the first time, but I think I drove more confidently and presumably that made the difference.

I think that is excellent

It took me seven attempts to pass my driving test. I wasn't a bad driver but nerves took over when I was in a test scenario. I finally passed by talking through every decision I made. The poor examiner was left in no doubt regarding my thought processes including my reasons for not going at the speed limit on two occasions. The first was because the road was full of potholes and the second was because the streets leading onto the road I was driving along were semi play streets with 20mph limits. I was on a 30mph road but argued that any child would not see the difference between the side streets and the main road and as there was no other traffic around I wasn't going to cause a delay to any other driver and I would rather put the children's safety first. After the test the examiner said that technically I should have failed for not doing the speed limit but he couldn't argue with my logic and felt that I was actually driving more safely than if I'd done the speed limit lol.

I passed the theory test first time though.

I felt my driving skills were OK until my daughter learnt to drive with an ex-policeman. When she passed her test (on the first attempt) I asked him if I could have an hour's assessment to see what I was doing wrong. Basically I was a safe driver in his opinion, but I was knackering the gear box by changing up and down through the gears instead of braking and changing directly to the correct gear. I also felt less confident about driving on motorways or in London (heavy traffic in comparison to the quiet roads of East Anglia).

At his suggestion I had a series of lessons and took the ROSPA advanced driving test - passing at silver level on the first attempt. I was terrified as I had the Chief Police Driving Instructor for Suffolk Constabulary as my examiner. My driving improved enormously.

I would recommend asking either a good driving school for an assessment or contact either ROSPA or IAM for further lessons - it will be money and time well spent.

Has anyone here done any training with the Institute of Advanced Motoring. I always thought of myself as a pretty good driver but perhaps now I could do with brushing up my skills.

I tried the sample theory tests on the DVLA site and passed them both (just!). Son't see how anyone with even half a brain could fail it so many times. I'm hoping my GD is going to get round to doing hers very soon.

The test is so much more difficult these days, I don't think I'd pass .

I would be seriously worried about these drivers to be honest,all those testers can't be wrong can they ?
When I passed my test first time when I was 30 I was over the moon poor mr.glamma has never got over the shock and still to this day insist's the examiner was having a good day

Quite frankly if you need to resit that many times you should not be on the road.