[learner280407]

Hi guys, i saw this website and wanted to upload my story of my recent driving test fail as i think its so undeserved and need opinions.

So last week on Friday at 9:37am, I took my 2nd driving test after failing my first driving test for stalling before a roundabout due too much due to nerves. I am 100% test ready and my instructor agrees and have passed various mock tests with my instructor in my lessons. So I got a cancellation for my 2nd test and went to do it. So all is going well on my test, and when it came to the manoeuver I got parallel parking, chill I can do those. So I pull up next to the car, and begin to do it. I was told online and by my instructor that if cars were coming I was to stop and let them pass before continuing, so I do. Cars are coming at me both from behind and in front as we are down quite a busy road so I wait quite a bit before I make significant progress as I keep stopping for cars to come past me both ways. I do the parallel parking and fix it quickly and take the minor for fixing the parallel parking. That is all good. All whilst I keep stopping I ensure my mirror and blindspot checks are spot on and I know for a fact they were. So when it came to the end of my test I thought I passed, but he said I failed for waiting to long for cars to pass when doing my parallel park so got 1 major for reverse parallel park observation. But like I said online and by my instructor I got told to wait if cars were coming and only continue when they have passed.

I am genuinely so confused as to how I failed my test for this as it seems so stupid when I was clearly stopping and making sure it was safe before I did my parallel parking but I got a major for observation. I dont know wether its to do with that myth that examiners have pass and fail rates and need to keep them at a specific level who knows, but this has really annoyed me as now I have to book another test and wait god knows how long. If any instructors or ex examiners could give any advice as too what I should do next time that would be great. As it seems like you fail when you continue with cars passing and I failed for waiting pretty much.

[Drivingforfun]

Sadly this site or anyone can’t help much, the most you can get awarded is your test money back

It does sound unfair to me but not unbelievable.. a family member of mine got a major for waiting for pedestrians at one of those zebra crossings with an island in the middle. He was given a fault because you’re to treat it as two separate crossings; if they’re crossing one, you don’t stop at the other one

Even if true I’d have thought a minor at most, he waited unnecessarily by what, 2-3 seconds at most

He is known to be a little cocky; he was asked to read “that number plate over there” and the smart arse decided to read out his own number plate… not that that should make a difference but may well have affected the examiner’s lenience 😆

[olduser]

Without being there it is hard to comment but hesitancy is taken as lack of confidence, which of course can result in stalling in potentially dangerous positions, and worse.

It has never been proven that examiners have pass quotas, they may well have a number of tests to do in a day as a guide to work done.

In the meantime get in as much practice as you can ready for the next attempt.

Best wishes.

[Beelzebub]

Unless it was a very narrow road (which is unlikely to be chosen for this) the manoeuvre shouldn't affect oncoming expect a candidate to wait until oncoming traffic.

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by olduser

It has never been proven that examiners have pass quotas, they may well have a number of tests to do in a day as a guide to work done.
.

Indeed. Our governments have never been good at keeping really important things secret, so you would think that hard evidence of such a low-level conspiracy as the existence of quotas would have emerged by now, if it existed.

Examiners do indeed have a set number of tests, and a strict timetable. It may have changed slightly, but they used to have seven tests a day, with 57 minutes per test. That is why some test appointments are at strange-sounding times: 8:10, 9:07, 10:04, etc.

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by Beelzebub

Unless it was a very narrow road (which is unlikely to be chosen for this) the manoeuvre shouldn't affect oncoming expect a candidate to wait until oncoming traffic.

For some unknown reason the system won't let me edit the above. It should read:
"Unless it was a very narrow road (which is unlikely to be chosen for this) the manoeuvre shouldn't affect oncoming traffic

[Santa]

Originally Posted by Drivingforfun

He is known to be a little cocky; he was asked to read “that number plate over there” and the smart arse decided to read out his own number plate… not that that should make a difference but may well have affected the examiner’s lenience 😆

When I took (and failed) my first test, I was asked to read the plate on "the red car". When I read it out, the examiner was puzzled. It turned out that I had picked a red car further away than the one he intended.

I have always felt that that, combined with it being the last test on a Friday, contributed to me failing.