The few, the brave - those of us taking driving lessons right now!

Jenny, Although I couldn't hack it and had to stop, I'm very glad to hear you're feeling better about it and will no doubt succeed on your test.  Best of good luck!!!!

Hello everyone!

Very fun reading the discussions about roundabouts, I can commiserate. Luckily there is only one truly evil roundabout near where I live and it is apparently never on a test route -- phew!

I've been taking lessons since I bought my car in May and I'm taking my practical test in less than a week, eeek! I take it Tuesday morning.

I've had a California driver's license for 8 years but only drove automatics, so I had to learn manual over here. Because I started taking lessons, my only experiences driving a manual were in parking lots in friends' cars for fun.

Jennie, good luck on your theory test! I found it easy, but practicing with a CD-ROM also helped me a ton. I did an hour's worth of practice a day for 2 weeks leading up to my test to prepare for my theory test and totally aced it. I put in a lot of practice because I didn't want to fork over another £24 to have to retake it, plus the closest test centre is ~ 10 miles away!

The Hazard Perception part of the test was completely unrealistic. It was as if any car that had pulled up to a junction on the left that had to give way to you would automatically pull right in front of you without really stopping!

Thanks everyone!
I have a CD/DVD thingy to practice for the theory test.  I do fine on the multiple choice part (although, umm, I do giggle at all of the names for the pedestrian crossings...)--but I had a question about the hazard perception.  The practice test I have takes place in total silence and has FOURTEEN different sections.  Is it really that long? It's surreal to be clicking away in total silence whenever I see what might be in some sort of universe a hazard--I'm still passing it, but I'm not sure I could explain why. Of course, it has NOTHING to do with actually driving.
I'm also learning manual here while learning how to drive "English". (Plus, I'm from California too! Where in CA are you from lilac?)  It's been a riot, really.  And I'm learning to love the parking brake.  It's my best friend on the slight inclines that seem to randomly appear around Manchester.

Took me forever to get the pedestrian crossing names right!

The hazard perception test is really that long. They do have headphones and I think they did have sounds, just the noise from the car, etc. The clips on the practice videos are a lot longer than the actual ones, so it goes much faster (thank god!) during the actual theory test itself.

I'm originally from Silicon Valley, Jennie. I too love the parking break. I know what it's like to have inclines or hills randomly coming out of nowhere. I was constantly nagged to use it by my driving instructor in the beginning but now me and Mr. Handbrake are the best of friends!

NHow--thanks for the support! Lilac--I'm *from* San Diego, but I lived up in the Bay Area for a few years.  The first time we went through one of the Manchester roundabouts, I cracked up--my DI was surprised I wasn't terrified, and I told him they have nothing on some of the on/off ramps I had to deal with in San Francisco.

My DI is excellent--he's very invested in his students having a positive and successful go at it.  I think I got very lucky.  Plus, I am now totally addicted to the *feel* of a manual car.  I'll have to take my dad's sportscar for a drive when I go back and visit! 

Ugghh, I failed my practical test today.

I've been following this thread for a while, but haven't posted in it until now.  Here's my story so far -

My wife and I moved to the UK in mid-September 2008, and decided to buy a car in April of this year.  I have been driving in the US for 21 years.  So, we bought the car, and I just decided I would start driving.  I had two tips from friends to go on:

1.  Always keep the center of the road over your right shoulder.
2.  Always yield to traffic coming from the right at roundabouts.

At first, I was quite nervous, but to be honest after a couple days I started to become comfortable driving here.  Shortly thereafter, I booked my theory test, and started studying.

I aced the theory test, and immediately booked my practical test.  The earliest date I got was about 7 weeks out - July 24th.  At that time, I looked around from a driving instructor, and settled on a local one here in town. 

As mentioned earlier, I had been driving for years in the US.  I origionally (21 years ago) learned on a manual, but hadn't driven one since.  However, I found on my first lesson that it's sort of like riding a bike, and I quickly became accustomed to driving manual again.

I took a total of three lessons just to understand the standards - including all of the reverse maneuvers, and both my instructor and I felt confident I was ready - and to be honest, I was!

Cut to today - did some maneuvers and general driving around to get 'warmed up', then went to the test center.  Met the examiner, went through the eye test, show me/tell me questions, and away we went.  All in all, the test went fine.  In fact, when we pulled back in to the test center, I was pretty sure I had passed.

Then, I heard it - 'Unfortunately, you have not passed today.  Would you like me to review the examination with you?'

'yes'

'Would you like your instructor present?'

'yes'

'You failed to do a proper emergency stop.'

That was it.  I had five minor faults, but apparently because I didn't put the guy through the windshield on my emergency stop, that was a major fault, and I failed. 

Extremely frustrating.  I guess I should've stomped my foot on the brake like I wanted to push it through the floor board. 

Now, I'm getting very close to my year of driving on my CA license, and the next test I can get is at the end of August in a test center further away (and in an area that I'm not very familiar with).  Everything else was after my year is up, and I would have to stop driving my car.

Seriously, I'm a very safe driver, I know how to drive to the standard here, I'm not nervous at all on the road anymore, and I fail because I didn't bang the examiner's head on the dashboard when I did an emergency stop!

Okay, rant over.

Sorry to hear! If I had been given the emergency stop, I know I very well may have failed. I really hate that one! What a complete pain for you, especially since you only had 5 minors.

Yeah, I think you got the bad luck of the draw on that one, robertlewisca, because from what I understand they only test you on the emergency stop in a very small percentage of driving tests - so it's much more unlikely to have to perform that maneuver on your test. 

I had a good lesson today - about 4 weeks to go until my practical!

and I fail because I didn't bang the examiner's head on the dashboard when I did an emergency stop!

That reminds me of the little anecdote my father told of his driving test.  I believe that nowadays the examiner just holds up a hand and shouts "Stop!" or something along those lines, but the signal always used to be the examiner banging his book or clipboard on the dash.

Apparently on my dad's test there were two bangs - The first was the official bang-on-dash signal, the second the examiner hitting the dash and windshield!    I understand dad apologized and the examiner said it was entirely his own fault as he hadn't expected the emergency stop to be done quite so quickly and wasn't holding on tight enough.     (Dad passed, by the way.)

Yeah, I think you got the bad luck of the draw on that one, robertlewisca, because from what I understand they only test you on the emergency stop in a very small percentage of driving tests - so it's much more unlikely to have to perform that maneuver on your test. 

I understand it's one in three tests now.  It's a relatively recent change though; the emergency stop always used to be included as part of every test.

Ugghh, I failed my practical test today.

I've been following this thread for a while, but haven't posted in it until now.  Here's my story so far -

My wife and I moved to the UK in mid-September 2008, and decided to buy a car in April of this year.  I have been driving in the US for 21 years.  So, we bought the car, and I just decided I would start driving.  I had two tips from friends to go on:

1.  Always keep the center of the road over your right shoulder.
2.  Always yield to traffic coming from the right at roundabouts.

At first, I was quite nervous, but to be honest after a couple days I started to become comfortable driving here.  Shortly thereafter, I booked my theory test, and started studying.

I aced the theory test, and immediately booked my practical test.  The earliest date I got was about 7 weeks out - July 24th.  At that time, I looked around from a driving instructor, and settled on a local one here in town.  

As mentioned earlier, I had been driving for years in the US.  I origionally (21 years ago) learned on a manual, but hadn't driven one since.  However, I found on my first lesson that it's sort of like riding a bike, and I quickly became accustomed to driving manual again.

I took a total of three lessons just to understand the standards - including all of the reverse maneuvers, and both my instructor and I felt confident I was ready - and to be honest, I was!

Cut to today - did some maneuvers and general driving around to get 'warmed up', then went to the test center.  Met the examiner, went through the eye test, show me/tell me questions, and away we went.  All in all, the test went fine.  In fact, when we pulled back in to the test center, I was pretty sure I had passed.

Then, I heard it - 'Unfortunately, you have not passed today.  Would you like me to review the examination with you?'

'yes'

'Would you like your instructor present?'

'yes'

'You failed to do a proper emergency stop.'

That was it.  I had five minor faults, but apparently because I didn't put the guy through the windshield on my emergency stop, that was a major fault, and I failed.  

Extremely frustrating.  I guess I should've stomped my foot on the brake like I wanted to push it through the floor board.  

Now, I'm getting very close to my year of driving on my CA license, and the next test I can get is at the end of August in a test center further away (and in an area that I'm not very familiar with).  Everything else was after my year is up, and I would have to stop driving my car.

Seriously, I'm a very safe driver, I know how to drive to the standard here, I'm not nervous at all on the road anymore, and I fail because I didn't bang the examiner's head on the dashboard when I did an emergency stop!

Okay, rant over.

Robert, sorry to hear this, and your story is almost exactly mine too, in almost every detail except the one thing that failed us.

I too had twenty years of experience. I too had been driving alone, on my US licence and felt GREAT on the roads, become so comfortable that I was condifently and safely handling London streets, something I thought I could never do. I too had an instructor that felt I was going to ace it and I was ready and had very few issues that could fail me.

I too had only one major fault that caused my "fail." I had only three "minors" and even the examiner seemed sorrowful, telling me and my instructor that everything else about my driving overall was perfect and I'm fine behind the wheel, I'm great.....hah, cold comfort now that I STILL don't have my licence!  

The objective truth is, this really IS a tricky test to pass no matter how safe and "good" one's general driving standards are, no matter how confident, smooth or experienced, nor how perfectly one is following the letter of the Highway Code.

You can still *bleep* it up on ONE thing that just happens to go wrong that day. Perhaps even something licenced drivers are guilty of cocking up EVERY day, as we speak, but didn't on their test. That's the reality.

So what are you supposed to do on an emergency stop? My DI hasn't mentioned this. I assume from the posts, slam on the brakes and make sure to check the mirrors? My practical is in about a month and I'm nervous as hell (it just feels like the British chalk way too much up to 'safety' that really should be attributed to 'cultural driving practices'). =)

So what are you supposed to do on an emergency stop? My DI hasn't mentioned this. I assume from the posts, slam on the brakes and make sure to check the mirrors? My practical is in about a month and I'm nervous as hell (it just feels like the British chalk way too much up to 'safety' that really should be attributed to 'cultural driving practices'). =)

My DI said you don't check mirrors or anything...just slam the brakes as fast and hard as you can.  He said they are looking for the car to stop within 3 car lengths.

Now, I'm getting very close to my year of driving on my CA license, and the next test I can get is at the end of August in a test center further away (and in an area that I'm not very familiar with).  Everything else was after my year is up, and I would have to stop driving my car.

Okay, well, I kept checking online over the weekend, and at least I was able to get an earlier appointment - August 6th, and at the test center nearest my house.  The only concern I have is that I read on the direct.gov.uk website that you must wait 10 working days between practical tests.  Now, depending on how you count it out, my new appointment is either on the 9th working day (if you don't count the day of my first test on July 24th), the 10th working day (if you do count the day of my first test on July 24th), the 11th or 12th working day (if you count Saturdays, on which they do offer practical tests, so technically they are 'working days').

Anyone have any experience with this?  The online appointment website let me book the test, and it has a record of my last test.  So, I don't know why it would let me book it if I can't take the test on that day.

My DI said you don't check mirrors or anything...just slam the brakes as fast and hard as you can.  He said they are looking for the car to stop within 3 car lengths.

Hmmm - will have to ask my DI about this. We've not done one yet, but he says it's the easiest maneuver. ??  I know you're supposed to slam on the brakes fast & hard, but I remember him also saying about doing it safely & being in control of the car (all at the same time) - like minimal skidding, if any.  His car has the anti-lock brakes though.  The idea being like a child has just run out into the street in front of you, and you are stopping so as not to run over the child.

Hmmm - will have to ask my DI about this. We've not done one yet, but he says it's the easiest maneuver. ??  I know you're supposed to slam on the brakes fast & hard, but I remember him also saying about doing it safely & being in control of the car (all at the same time) - like minimal skidding, if any.  His car has the anti-lock brakes though.  The idea being like a child has just run out into the street in front of you, and you are stopping so as not to run over the child.

That's pretty much what mine said too.  But the first time I did it I took a second to check mirrors and he said I shouldn't do that.  If there were someone in my path there wouldn't be time, and just to hit the brakes hard.