Hi all
This will be my first post. I’ve been reading the forums and i know there’s plenty of frustrated and dissapointed trainees, but i’ve failed yesterday on my second attempt and need a shoulder to cry on 
I’ve done my training with Craig Baker driver training in Wigan. Found the reversing excersice very easy. Please mind i do not find actual real life reversing easy, just the excersice required to pass the 3a test! So i’ve past my 3a early and i’ve had positive feedback from 2 instructors who reassured me i’m ready and my confidence was high.
With such a high demand for tests its hard to book a spot so my test was in Bredbury so a place i’ve never been to. I have failed 1st attempt with a few minors and majir for pulling out on somebody on a juncion on very first minutes of the test. I blame nerves but it was my fault and while i failed, ny confidence was still very high. I was thinking “i made a mistake but otherwise my drive was good enough to pass so i can do it next time!”
I’ve paid for 2 hours of extra driving with my school and i had new instructor who said i’m ready and helped me with any issues/mistakes i was making. Again this built my confidence that i can do this.
Yesterday i had my 2nd attempt in Kirkham, again all new roads as i’ve never been there before. I made sure i’m not pulling out on anybody and was fairly happy with my performance. Unfortunately, i failed “undue hesitation” and when giving me feedback the examiner just destroyed me. He said” no, no, again no not even close, it was horrible”. Apparently i was even making turns on junctions too slow and generally slowing too much and stopping when there is no need to. Oh boy in my head i went from “i can do this” to “i don’t have a clue even how to drive from a to b in my car”.
I assume i overcompensated after my first fail and wanted to make sure i’m not blocking enybody. Obviously i’m frustrated as it’s not easy to get an early retest.
I try to stay on track. This is what i want to do so i will just carry on. I’ve booked my CPC mod 4 for next week as it’s the last thing left for me to do apart from passing 3b.
Anyway, congrats to all who passed recently, this is not easy. This forums is great and i’ve learned that after passing the test there will be other obstacles. Finding a job, learning how to drive irl and reversing so theres a journey ahead
Regards
Sounds like you’ve had a bad experience, it is worrying that you say you have had 2 tests on roads you are not familiar with.
As part of your training you should have been taken around all tests routes you are likely to have been tested on.
It does not sound from what you have said you have been given a fighting chance if you haven’t been taken round all the test routes on your lessons to me.
When I did mine with PSTT we were taken around all the local test routes, so you know where you might be going on test day, and all the pitfalls to avoid on those routes.
Sorry to hear you failed.
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I commented recently on a similar thread. I recently passed B to C+E. For me and many others I expect the nerves and anxiety of a test can affect you a lot. One of the reasons I chose to train with PSTT was they do a pass protection deal where you pay an up front fee which gives you an extra three tests should you need it.
As it happens I passed first time but knowing I could try three more times without shelling more money out each time really helped me on the day to treat the test just like another day’s training in the cab.
It’s definitely not an easy or cheap process so you gotta give yourself every advantage possible.
Also I didn’t know the Sutton/Mansfield area at all but 5 days of training in the area was much better than taking a test in an area you’ve never driven in before.
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simcor:
Sounds like you’ve had a bad experience, it is worrying that you say you have had 2 tests on roads you are not familiar with.
As part of your training you should have been taken around all tests routes you are likely to have been tested on.
It does not sound from what you have said you have been given a fighting chance if you haven’t been taken round all the test routes on your lessons to me.
When I did mine with PSTT we were taken around all the local test routes, so you know where you might be going on test day, and all the pitfalls to avoid on those routes.
Sorry to hear you failed.
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The only counter I’d have to this, is that I’m very similar to the OP. I did mine round the exact same area as him, and I didnt know the roads either. I live 60 miles away from where I did the training. Ironically, I live in the same area he did his second test ha.
Not knowing the roads at all made me super alert to everything. I was scanning every tiny detail of the road, signs, lanes, positioning etc and I think it helped me really, because one lapse in concentration and you can fail your test.
I’m also of a firm belief that its down to the examiner. I clipped a kerb with the trailer on mine, took about an inch of the kerbstone with the wheels and was sure I’d failed but nailed every other junction. The examiner put it down as a minor and passed. I imagine if he was in a bad mood, it would have been a fail.
Hi again and thanx for all replies 
I’ve just passed today on my 3rd attempt, and no driver faults at all. That’s better then i thought i can do really, and i had a few dodgy meeting situations and kept daubting my decisions, but i guess the examiner liked what she saw and she even said it was a really nice drive
Thanx again to everybody at Craig Baker driver training. It’s been a few frustrating and stressfull weeks for me, but my intructors all believed in me and kept reassuring me that i can do it and i think i’ve had big confidence problem after my second fail. The school also managed to book each retest for me in about 1-2 weeks time so its a small miracle in itself these days
What a fantastic feeling. In hindsight it does not matter what test centre you have, but i think a little bit of luck is needed and it depends the most on examiner. Today i tried not to overthink it, and stick to my decision. On one box junction been asked to turn left but there was a car in the box waiting to turn right, just enough room to maybe squeeze in but decided to wait. It was a long wait for green to turn red and then green again. But i must have made the right call there to wait.
On a meeting situation a car coming from opposite direction mounted a kerb to pass at the same time as me but examiner said i’ve acted right and it was his decision and i did not force him to do it. Lol.
Long story short- i can’t believe i’ve finally passed. Now waiting for licence to come back and off for an interview. I hope assesments will not be THAT stressfull hah!
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Please read forum rule #5. dd.
Shodan:
With such a high demand for tests its hard to book a spot so my test was in Bredbury so a place i’ve never been to.
I’ve got the same issue, I live in Warrington but have gone with a company in Manchester. So I’m doing my training & Test in South/East Manchester on roads I don’t know.
Shodan:
I have failed 1st attempt with a few minors and majir for pulling out on somebody on a juncion on very first minutes of the test.
Unfortunately, i failed due to “undue hesitation”. Apparently i was even making turns on junctions too slow and generally slowing too much and stopping when there is no need to.
Not had my Driving test yet, but have a similar issue. I’m told my actual driving & cornering is spot on, but during each lesson I get pulled up by my tutor at approx 25% of junctions for either going to early & causing a car half a mile away to slow down, or taking too much time at the junction slowing cars down behind me.
Whilst I appreciate my tutors efforts to get my timing spot on to compensate for any inconsistenty of the examiners, it can be frustrating.
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Not had my Driving test yet, but have a similar issue. I’m told my actual driving & cornering is spot on, but during each lesson I get pulled up by my tutor at approx 25% of junctions for either going to early & causing a car half a mile away to slow down, or taking too much time at the junction slowing cars down behind me.
Whilst I appreciate my tutors efforts to get my timing spot on to compensate for any inconsistenty of the examiners, it can be frustrating.
There is no doubt that examiners will assess varying situations differently - that’s life. But stick to this rule and you’ll keep 99% of examiners happy 99% of the time.
NEVER MAKE ANYONE CHANGE SPEED OR DIRECTION
Btw, it’s not just for passing the test. It’s the basis of good driving in the future as well.
Hope this helps, Pete S 
Pete S:
WideWolf:
, or taking too much time at the junction slowing cars down behind me.
.
NEVER MAKE ANYONE CHANGE SPEED OR DIRECTION
:
I think you’ve oversimplified the rule Pete. He’s trying to balance who he has to affect, oncoming traffic on the major road or traffic behind him.
I understand the balance completely. But adherence to the straightforward rule will inform his judgement and keep him out of trouble.
Pete S
Pete S:
I understand the balance completely. But adherence to the straightforward rule will inform his judgement and keep him out of trouble.
Pete S [emoji38] [emoji38]
Ok great, so just stay at home then and no one will be inconvenienced.
