Failed Driving test (C+E)

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

I failed my driving test and got a retest 5-6 weeks later - at Enfield London
I failed on 2 serious faults:

Awareness / Planning
Use of mirrors - Change direction

For the awareness/planning, we were driving 40mph on super tight and super bendy roads, and there was no pavement but just trees. A lady appeared from this small gated area and was walking back and forth on a soily area, and the examiner told me to swing the vehicle over the white lines. So I failed by being too close to a pedestrian, as the mirror may have hit her, the examiner said, but I doubt it, as she wasn’t that close.

For use of mirrors - change direction, the examiner said you were checking the mirrors to not hit the kerb but not the mirror for trailer swing when turning right at roundabouts and other places for turning left & right.

Two questions are:

  1. What should I do when there is a pedestrian close to your left mirror?
  2. When to check mirrors for trailer swing at roundabouts and left, right turns?
2

TIR GO:
Two questions are:

  1. What should I do when there is a pedestrian close to your left mirror?
  2. When to check mirrors for trailer swing at roundabouts and left, right turns?

1 - what speed are you doing when you see the pedestrian :question:
2 - just before losing vision of it

3

Hi ROG

To reply:

  1. I was driving 40mph
  2. Thanks

I’ll just have to slow right down and pass really slowly, or just go over the lines of safe to do so.

I’ll make sure I check my mirror before I lose vision of the trailer.

Thanks :slight_smile:

4

ROG:

TIR GO:
Two questions are:

  1. What should I do when there is a pedestrian close to your left mirror?
  2. When to check mirrors for trailer swing at roundabouts and left, right turns?

1 - what speed are you doing when you see the pedestrian :question:
2 - just before losing vision of it

Thanks for the reply
1)40mph
2) just before turning steering wheel, I’ll check the mirror side where I’ll lose vision of trailer

5

At 40 mph with a pedestrian that close there is the possibility of them getting sucked into the trailer as it goes by so remember to check the mirror to make sure that has not happened if the situation is unavoidable - often called the mirror check through

6

Something seems to have gotten confused because a serious fault for mirror checks for a change of direction isn’t really much to do with the trailer. This is something that would be the same for a car test. Simply follow mirror, signal, manoeuvre.

It is simply the case that you made a change of direction (significant) without doing a mirror check. This could have been on the approach to a roundabout or as you change lane for the exit. It could have been on the approach to a turn where you are moving lane.

Even if you aren’t moving lane, but you do plan on turning ahead, you need to do a mirror check before signalling. You never know when a motorcycle could be filtering down your outside. You need to know about that motorcyclist.

If you are indicating for any reason you need to be checking your mirrors and keeping the all-round observation going all the time with regular mirror checks anyway.

As regards the pedestrian, you need to be aware of the hazard and proceed with caution, which may involve slowing down and/or indicating and moving out. The pedestrian could make an unexpected move at the last minute. If the other side of the road is empty and you can see far enough ahead, you are better being out and away from the pedestrian.

7

TIR GO:
I failed my driving test and got a retest 5-6 weeks later - at Enfield London
I failed on 2 serious faults:

Awareness / Planning
Use of mirrors - Change direction

For the awareness/planning, we were driving 40mph on super tight and super bendy roads, and there was no pavement but just trees. A lady appeared from this small gated area and was walking back and forth on a soily area, and the examiner told me to swing the vehicle over the white lines. So I failed by being too close to a pedestrian, as the mirror may have hit her, the examiner said, but I doubt it, as she wasn’t that close.

For use of mirrors - change direction, the examiner said you were checking the mirrors to not hit the kerb but not the mirror for trailer swing when turning right at roundabouts and other places for turning left & right.

Two questions are:

  1. What should I do when there is a pedestrian close to your left mirror?
  2. When to check mirrors for trailer swing at roundabouts and left, right turns?

I had a very similar situation on my test re a pedestrian, I was in a 30mph zone on a very narrow and bendy road with no pavement where a school kid appeared on my side of the road.

I slowed right down to a crawl and signalled right to cross over the solid white lines to give this boy a lot of space to pass.

Once there was a gap in the oncoming traffic I passed the boy. At the end of my test the examiner said I did very well in doing this manoeuvre.

If you do something similar to this you may be better off.