FAILED 9minor marks - 1 serious fault

And driving with one hand... my friends seem to be amazed (and/or terrified) at my one-handed driving while the other hand is holding a drink.  Hey... I grew up in Southern California!  Always-Always-Always had a Big Gulp in one hand! 

LOL! I'm sort of a barefoot driver -- went to the beach every summer weekend in RI, so always hopped in the car in my bathing suit and just went! Not really a good idea, but it actually feels more comfy than driving in shoes to me!

when I get comfortable, I drive mostly one handed as well. I tend to ignore my mirrors (at least not as often as they like) and I don't use my handbrake much really.

Sari - so sorry to hear about the handbrake thing, I've done that in lessons before, something for me to think about. I want to get it and i understand about not feeling ill b/c of how well you did despite that one thing. I'm hoping that in the next two weeks I can be positive and know that I will pass this time.

...and they check handbrake usage..

When doing a turn in the road you have to use your emergency break... it's probably the stangest thing to get used to -using the brake at times you never would in the USA....

 

I use the handbrake when I park. What?

We are going to have to test in the next 6 months.

I use the handbrake when I park. What?

We are going to have to test in the next 6 months.

That's weird because neither my instructor nor my examiner made me use my handbrake when turning. Is that because I did my test in an automatic? I did have to use it when stopped at a red light, which was really odd to me. You'll get used to it, though, David. You just have to keep telling yourself to concentrate about things like that until the test is over! Then go back to your wicked ways like the rest of us!

I did the automatic test...

and passed.. so don't know what to tell you....

It was basically turn, brake on, check around me, brake off, turn, etc..

very annoying and I don't do it now...

The "push-pull" steering method and the way you are expected to use the parking brake every time you stop for more than a millisecond are probably two of the most ridiculous parts of the test.

Once you've got the license, you can revert to doing things the normal way. 

When it was my time to go, I released the hand brake, and went on my way.

Examiner says, "Sari, your handbrake light is on".  I knew right then I had failed.  What happened (and I think it was nerves) was that the handbrake got caught on the last tether. 

What probably makes that even worse is that the brake was quite likely not binding anyway.  On a lot of brake mechanisms as you pull up the handle the light will come on long before the brake actually starts to have any effect.  If the car hadn't been fitted with a brake warning light, the examiner would quite possibly have never even noticed that the brake lever was up a notch.

It's not just spouses, but other men (normally) that make strange side comments about automatics.  Must be the stick thing...   

For some reason, automatic transmission has never become as widely accepted here as in the States, and a lot of British drivers seem to have an inherent dislike of it, even those who have never tried one.

For some reason, automatic transmission has never become as widely accepted here as in the States, and a lot of British drivers seem to have an inherent dislike of it, even those who have never tried one.

You're right. Driving an automatic is seen as sort of an old lady thing. But I don't care. What does get to me, however, is the lack of available second-hand automatic cars. If anyone is anticipating getting a UK license and can drive both manual and automatic, I'd suggest taking the test in a manual just to give more options when buying a car. I managed to find a decent new-ish automatic, but they're not that easy to come by. Or maybe it's just where I live?

Ummm, what is the turn-brake thing? You have to use your hand brake while turning? 

Ummm, what is the turn-brake thing? You have to use your hand brake while turning? 

Not sure. Nobody made me do that! Ask vnicepeeps about it!

if you are more comfortable in your own car, and are still legal to drive on your US license, you can take lessons and the test in your own car.  that was a huge help to me....

I was told to do it... to make sure if you get hit that you don't go flying...

but then it may be a thing you should do but is not a minor or major fault if you don't.  I would just do whatever your instructor tells you to do on the test.

It was really annoying to have to use the parking brake so much... at lights.. anytime you stopped for more than a few seconds is the rule.... so even at roundabouts..

basically to keep you more stable in case you get rear ended..  well that's what I was told.

What are the American bad driving habits?  Please tell, so I'll know what I need to break!

Riding the clutch/coasting (manual only).  For instance, approaching a roundabout and being unsure if I could proceed or come to a full stop, I would slap the car into neutral and keep the clutch depressed with the car still moving.

This is a big no-no, and my driving instructor said that most Americans she taught did this.

I was told to do it... to make sure if you get hit that you don't go flying...

but then it may be a thing you should do but is not a minor or major fault if you don't.  I would just do whatever your instructor tells you to do on the test.

It was really annoying to have to use the parking brake so much... at lights.. anytime you stopped for more than a few seconds is the rule.... so even at roundabouts..

basically to keep you more stable in case you get rear ended..  well that's what I was told.

How asinine! I know, I know....I just have to learn all of this to pass the test. I have been practicing my turning and obvious mirror checking (to the point where my family thinks I'm nuts!) but you must admit, some of this stuff is ridiculous! 

Ummm, what is the turn-brake thing? You have to use your hand brake while turning? 

I was told to use it in middle of a 3-point-turn (now called a turn-in-the-road). When pulled my car so that it was sitting across the road she had me put the hand brake on before putting it in reverse. To me, it makes more sense to make the turn in the shortest amount of time possible but she told me that's how to do it.

Riding the clutch/coasting (manual only).  For instance, approaching a roundabout and being unsure if I could proceed or come to a full stop, I would slap the car into neutral and keep the clutch depressed with the car still moving.

This is a big no-no, and my driving instructor said that most Americans she taught did this.

I don't know why so many Americans do this. I was have driven standards almost all of my life and was taught never, ever to do this. It limits your ability to react in an emergency. When I took my driver's test (in the early '70s) in New Orleans almost any moron could get a license. But, if you did that during the test, you automatically failed.