Yael and other test-passers, do you have any driving test tips?

It is ok, I was just thinking I went the long way about something again, and if there was a short cut I was gonna scream...ha ha ha

More good ideas these. I failed my first test withOUT the instructor in the car, and failed the second WITH him in the car... I think the latter went better -- the examiner seemed to think harder about the faults before ticking the boxes, so I will try again with my instructor present. On my second failed test, I booked early in the month, early in the week, early in the day -- all in hopes of getting in on the right side of any quotas that may or may not exist. This time I just wanted to get another test as quickly as possible, so I kept calling the phone line for rebooking and was able to move it up a couple of weeks -- five weeks from my last test rather than seven. But it will be mid-morning and mid-month, so I am hoping for less traffic and not a full quota of passes. (My instructor said there wasn't a quota per se, but if an examiner's pass rate is inordinately high over some time period, they might get a supervisor riding along with them to see if they are still marking as hard as they should... I can see how that might tend to encourage negative evaluation of mistakes as "serious" rather than "minor" at the end of the month -- there is lots of room for subjectivity in the process.

Here is my advice:

Look for cyclists, and when the examiner says that you failed because you were too close to a cyclist, don't reply "what cyclist"

Don't over signal, they don't like too much signalling. Just put your indicators on if there is someone around to see it.

Slow down, use your gears well, don't talk too much about how you have been driving in the US for years and years etc.

Good Luck!!!

Take as much time as you need to on those manoeuvres. I rushed through my reverse around the corner on my first test and found it hard to correct my mistakes,

'Bobble-head' is what my instructor drilled in my head. Imagine being one of those dolls with your head up, down and around looking in all the mirrors.

Anyone else scared of losing your new license?? I am still waiting for the outcome of a speed camera scare and every since then I have been driving the limit to the number. Did you hear the new proposals for stricter penalties for driving penalties? Yikes!

Like others have said, check your mirrors and ALWAYS check your blind spot!

Also, during the exam if you know you made a mistake tell the examiner (eg I know I should have turned into that corner much slower).  This tells them that you are aware of your mistake.  Fix your mistakes..if you do the left reverse and end up too far from the curb, try to fix it.

I think the most important thing is to have confidence in yourself.  Your instructor wouldn't put you up for the exam if you weren't ready.  You can pass, you just need to believe that you can!

I know that sounds a bit stupid, but it really helped me to tell myself "you can drive and you can pass this exam!".

Good luck!

This is making me more nervous.  It's all good advise, but I'm about to take mine as well.  It wasn't a concern before.  I wasn't driving at all and felt fine about it.  I didn't realize that most people use their instructors' cars for the test until late this year, so I didn't think I could take the test as I didn't have a car.  Then I was hired in August for a job that requires me to drive.  I passed my theory exam with flying colors (thank heavens for computer software!), and every day as I'm going to work, I try to imagine that I'm taking the test and drive accordingly, but my US license is about to expire and I'm still trying to book my practical.  As the time comes, I can't help but worry about the consequences if I don't pass--I will either have to be illegal or leave my job which I took most of the year to find.  I'm growing anxious now . . .

Please keep the tips coming!!!!!!

Here's a couple questions: just when do you stop if an ambulance is coming?  I've been told you aren't supposed to stop if they are coming at you from the other direction, for instance, and got really dirty looks from the car behind me when I did it today.

The highway code tells you to not block an intersection if those lines are crossing across it, does that mean it's okay to block an intersection if it isn't marked as a section that we don't block.  In the states it's illegal to block any intersection.

Please keep specific tips coming.  I already know not to cross my hands or to let the wheel slide in my hand. I'm wondering what else is out there that I wouldn't know as an American driver since I will have limited time with an instructor (the one I was planning on fell through.)

Here's a couple questions: just when do you stop if an ambulance is coming?  I've been told you aren't supposed to stop if they are coming at you from the other direction, for instance, and got really dirty looks from the car behind me when I did it today.

The highway code tells you to not block an intersection if those lines are crossing across it, does that mean it's okay to block an intersection if it isn't marked as a section that we don't block.  In the states it's illegal to block any intersection.

For the emergency vehicles, I think you need to look at the situation. Sometimes it may be appropriate to pull over when an emergency vehicle is coming the opposite direction because it will offer a freer or wider lane to pass. Slowing down and observing your mirrors shows you are aware of your environment and you are proceeding with caution.

I never block intersections and when I pointed that out to my instructor she just commented it was good courtesy but didn't say much about it otherwise. The yellow lined rectangles are a definite no no but people don't seem to care where I live.

Use your handbrake!!

Cadenza - have you taken any lessons at all?

Tips:
Feed the wheel, no dry steering, look then signal, handbrake on at red lights or when you won't be moving right away (roundabouts, etc..) and check your mirrors (especially rearview) often.

That's all I can think of at the moment!

I never block intersections and when I pointed that out to my instructor she just commented it was good courtesy but didn't say much about it otherwise. The yellow lined rectangles are a definite no no but people don't seem to care where I live.

I was told to never block instersections. 

no dry steering

what does that mean?! 

what does that mean?! 

The car should be in motion when you turn the steering wheel.

I did this a lot when I first started my lessons when doing the turn-in-the-road and reverse parking maneuvers.

oh, i see... thanks.

Hi, Cadenza, I didn't mean to make anyone nervous with this thread, but realized after my first fail that I probably should have taken it a lot more seriously. I really and truly thought I was a good driver in the U.S. Having done well on the theory, and having taken driving lessons, I thought there would be no problem. I was wrong.

The things I realized late (that I know about so far -- I may pick up more here and on my next failed test, if I fail again) were that shifting with my left hand uses my right brain, rather than left brain as I used in the U.S. When I got nervous -- and one DOES get nervous on a 40-minute driving test -- I made numerous shifting mistakes -- not serious, but enough to rattle me even more. In correcting this in my practice after the first fail, I learned to force myself to transfer the shifting task from right brain to left every time, no matter what... every time I go for fifth gear I force myself to analyze the task and break it in parts, finding the junction in the gear box and pushing to the right.

As mentioned before, lots more mirror use is expected, including when you slow down or even speed up!!! And of course before signalling for and exiting a roundabout. They use the emergency break lots more here... everywhere there is the slightest slope for any length of a stop. (Expected length of stop and degree of slope combine in this equation... If you are stopping for a long time, use the parking brake even with no slope; If you are on a steep slope, use it even if you will be there the briefest of moments...) How good you are with the clutch covers some of the ground in between. The critical thing is NO ROLLING BACK (or forward).

Another thing that I learned early on from my instructor is that they really hate "coasting." This is moving in neutral or with the clutch in (e.g. coasting to a stop). I learned to drive a long time ago and consistently hit the clutch too early. You need to practically let the car sputter to a stop before hitting the clutch.

I think my main mistake was not getting an instructor that was just right for me. It would be good if you could find someone familiar with the problems of Americans learning UK driving... who understands that we are actually TAUGHT to steer hand over hand as the way to keep control of the wheel and have to work hard to unlearn that! Someone who understands that you might not have a clue what they mean when they say "nearside" lane.... And that the place you are most likely to go on to the wrong side of the road is turning right from the right (of two lanes) on a one way street onto a two-way street.

My instructor was great for beginning UK drivers, but just didn't have a clue what I didn't know but needed to know for the test, having driven so long in the US. You really should try to get some lessons with a teacher who really builds your confidence and is encouraging, but who also really "teaches to the test" very specifically and gets you driving not in what is just a safe way, but in a way that will pass the test.

Don't despair if you fail -- many many people fail here; it's just a different system than in the US. I suspect the roads are more dangerous, so they have to do what they can to increase safety by getting better drivers at the one control point they have -- new licensees. Just our luck that, unlike Canadian and EU immigrant counterparts, we can't exchange our licenses without going through the whole new driver testing system. At the moment this feels like bad luck, but in the long run, if we end up being better drivers, you have to acknowledge this is actually a good thing. Good luck to you any another others in the same boat (or car?) with us...

Another thing that I learned early on from my instructor is that they really hate "coasting." This is moving in neutral or with the clutch in (e.g. coasting to a stop). I learned to drive a long time ago and consistently hit the clutch too early. You need to practically let the car sputter to a stop before hitting the clutch.

There's a good reason for them "hating" coasting.  Its dangerous.