Unsuccessful - post here

J_R

Garzard wrote: »

Another fail today - incredibly disappointed. Had a pretest beforehand and the only thing the instructor advised to improve on was coasting and braking too early, but he didn't feel it was bad enough to fail me. I wasn't feeling any nerves either. My observation and control of the car according to the tester was also absolutely perfect, but I was failed for coasting multiple times on approach to stopping, and also being too slow to take off from traffic lights, which I didn't feel was the case at all! Because of the traffic, the tester also became slightly indecisive with his directions - there were 3 occasions in which he told me to abort turns due to the traffic in these areas, which caused me to leave my indicator on after aborting a turn.

Straight onto the cancellation list the second I got in, but the anxiety of not having a licence is getting worse the more I'm suffering setbacks like this. I know we all get there, but you honestly feel sometimes you can't win.

Hi,
You say in your pretest the instructor said you were braking too early and coasting. ??

In the test, when stopping, did you depress the clutch first, then start braking. Otherwise I do not understand how you could be repeatedly marked for coasting to a stop.

punisher5112

You are best getting down into 2nd gear and brake with your left foot hovering over the clutch pedal ready to depress it as soon as you feel the speed is low enough.

You need to get your instructor to work on this with you.

J_R

punisher5112 wrote: »

You are best getting down into 2nd gear and brake with your left foot hovering over the clutch pedal ready to depress it as soon as you feel the speed is low enough.

You need to get your instructor to work on this with you.

Hi,
would it not have been better if his instructor fully explained what he was doing wrong and how to correct it before the test, instead of a simple "advised to improve on was coasting and braking" ???

Stephen15

After doing a test there last January and being one serious away from passing which I could understand at the time and have worked on since as you may be able to read in my previous post here.

I decided to try again and guess what failure again and I felt it was extremely unfair and felt there may have been other reasons for failure other than my driving as I felt I drove fine with maybe one or two very minor mistakes but definitely not enough to warrant a fail.

To say I'm disappointed and dejected is an understatement as I feel I have failed through no fault of my own it's a load of bullsh*t tbh I feel like giving up on driving for the time being as I've been wrecking my head wanting to pass. I feel the reason they failed is because I'm a young lad I as I'm only 19 and if I was 25 they would have passed me not obviously an official reason but i think it's the case as they don't want young lads driving cars even if they're perfectly safe drivers and maybe the quotas are real but I don't know.

I practice as much as I can which is at least 3 or 4 times a week and I'm a grand driver and anyone I've driven with would agree. I put a lot of time and money into passing and this is my return more disappointment, more annoyance and a lack of will to go on.

Markitron

Stephen15 wrote: »

After doing a test there last January and being one serious away from passing which I could understand at the time and have worked on since as you may be able to read in my previous post here.

I decided to try again and guess what failure again and I felt it was extremely unfair and felt there may have been other reasons for failure other than my driving as I felt I drove fine with maybe one or two very minor mistakes but definitely not enough to warrant a fail.

To say I'm disappointed and dejected is an understatement as I feel I have failed through no fault of my own it's a load of bullsh*t tbh I feel like giving up on driving for the time being as I've been wrecking my head wanting to pass. I feel the reason they failed is because I'm a young lad I as I'm only 19 and if I was 25 they would have passed me not obviously an official reason but i think it's the case as they don't want young lads driving cars even if they're perfectly safe drivers and maybe the quotas are real but I don't know.

I practice as much as I can which is at least 3 or 4 times a week and I'm a grand driver and anyone I've driven with would agree. I put a lot of time and money into passing and this is my return more disappointment, more annoyance and a lack of will to go on.

There are things about the test that you cannot control or practice for. Just forget about it and go again.

Stephen15

Markitron wrote: »

There are things about the test that you cannot control or practice for. Just forget about it and go again.

Yeah like makey uppy reasons for failing

Posy

What reasons did they give for failing you?

Stephen15

Posy wrote: »

What reasons did they give for failing you?

I got 10 grade 2s but only 6 grade 2s in my last test which I failed because I got a grade 3. Some of the reasons given the main ones which the examiner told me were for positioning turning right and for observation turning right which I thought was a load of codswallop if you ask me yes I will admit I made one minor mistake when turning right but it definitely wasn't enough for failure.

I made one or two other very minor mistakes aswell which I was aware of but oddly enough the examiner didn't pick up on these. I felt I drove to the same standard as I did on my last test minus the mistake that cost me the grade 3 which I will admit was dangerous.

punisher5112

Would love to see these tests recorded so people can be shown how bad they are.

Testers are all given exactly the same sheet to mark.

Yes I will admit some are harder on people then others but they are looking to see is the driver competent.

ayux4rj6zql2ph

Have you a copy of the test report that tells you what marks you got and for where? Have you compared the 2 to see are there any similarities in the marks between both?

Stephen15

punisher5112 wrote: »

Would love to see these tests recorded so people can be shown how bad they are.

Testers are all given exactly the same sheet to mark.

Yes I will admit some are harder on people then others but they are looking to see is the driver competent.

I've been out 3 or 4 times a week for the last year I'm a competent driver and most people who have been in the car while I'm at the wheel would agree. That's not to say I don't make the ocassional silly mistake which everyone does.

Look I'm not a bad driver even the tester admitted that he told me I'm not far off it so if I'm not far off why can't you just give the benefit of the doubt. I definitely feel age is against as I've said before I'm only 19 but maybe if I was 25 they may have passed me as I feel they don't want young lads on the road.

Stephen15

Bodhi Puny Plankton wrote: »

Have you a copy of the test report that tells you what marks you got and for where? Have you compared the 2 to see are there any similarities in the marks between both?

Yes and not many similarities. I'm not going to share them here as that would be giving out a little too much information.

dudara

You need to drop the daft ideas. You’re letting your own prejudices work against you. The testers don’t care if you’re young or old, all they care about is if you’re competent.

Look, a grade 3 is a serious error. The fact that you don’t see where you committed that error concerns me. You’re dismissing it as a minor mistake, rather than thinking how you don’t make that mistake again.

Stephen15

dudara wrote: »

You need to drop the daft ideas. You’re letting your own prejudices work against you. The testers don’t care if you’re young or old, all they care about is if you’re competent.

Look, a grade 3 is a serious error. The fact that you don’t see where you committed that error concerns me. You’re dismissing it as a minor mistake, rather than thinking how you don’t make that mistake again.

I think you mistook my post the grade 3 was on a previous test I did and yes I will admit it was stupid and dangerous on my part I've learned and moved on from it. I didn't get any grade 3s on this test only grade 2s which were in my opinion makey uppy as they were very slight.

It just annoys after putting so much effort into trying to get a pass only to be failed for stupid reasons. This my third time failing and I've had enough the first time I failed I realise now that I wasn't ready, the second time I would have passed if it wasn't for a silly grade 3 on my part but on the third time I should have been passed as I felt I drive good enough. I really don't want to have to the test 20 times to no avail.

dudara

Apologies, I misread. I know it’s frustrating, I failed my first test before passing. But they’re not out to get you. You are in control at that test.

An accumulation of grade 2s signifies a wide range of issues, that while not individually minor, accumulate into a bigger concern. I personally don’t want to be in the car with a driver who is correct only 50-60% of the time. I want 99%.

The good news is that if you focus on a few areas, and bring down the number of grade 2s, you will pass.

Stephen15

dudara wrote: »

Apologies, I misread. I know it’s frustrating, I failed my first test before passing. But they’re not out to get you. You are in control at that test.

An accumulation of grade 2s signifies a wide range of issues, that while not individually minor, accumulate into a bigger concern. I personally don’t want to be in the car with a driver who is correct only 50-60% of the time. I want 99%.

The good news is that if you focus on a few areas, and bring down the number of grade 2s, you will pass.

I am in control of the driving but the tester is in control of the result. I've been driving one year now and feel I'm more than capable of passing. I feel there's a stigma attached to passing after 4 or 5 attempts. I've had enough of practising now at this stage and all I want is to get out and drive on my own.

I also think it's unfair that they're coming down with these penalties for unaccompanied drivers as if the test was a piece of cake to pass. I've always felt been taught if you put in the hard work which I've done you get the results but that doesn't seem to be the case with the driving test

ayux4rj6zql2ph

Stephen15 wrote: »

Yes and not many similarities. I'm not going to share them here as that would be giving out a little too much information.

I wouldn't expect you to share them here, merely for your own records so you can review where you have gone wrong even if you feel you didn't make that mistake it is an area classified as needing improvement.


Did you get 4 or more grade 2's under one category during the test?

Stephen15

Bodhi Puny Plankton wrote: »

Did you get 4 or more grade 2's under one category during the test?

No but did one get 2 under the same area twice

ayux4rj6zql2ph

Stephen15 wrote: »

I've been driving one year now and feel I'm more than capable of passing.

Don't eat me for saying this, but there in is part of your problem, you are convinced you are more than capable of passing but have not shown the standard deemed appropriate by the tester, i don't believe there is a stigma or a quota in existence but some people want others to believe that.

Just like the guy down in Cork who has failed the test 17 times, he says it is x,y,z person's fault but never looks in the mirror and thinks maybe he is for some aspect or another.

You accept that the previous grade 3 was correct?

As Punisher mentioned earlier in the thread about the recording of the test, the only reason that might be a good idea is if the result of the test was challenged in court, but other than that it might not be wise to share it too much. If it was shared with you and your instructor does it stop there? does an instructor share it with other students and make an example out of another student?

The test i sat in January i got 2 grade 2's for it, the tester gave me feedback and he was 100% correct to give me those marks.

The same tester gave a grade 3 to the person out directly before me, the test candidate completely disagreed with the result blaming everyone but himself, after explaining it to our instructor it was clear why the grade 3 was awarded, in fact the candidate had a clean sheet bar that 1 mark.

Boards.ie need to do an AMA with a driver tester or at least a former one who has left the job in recent years.

We seem to have a lot of various professions on these boards so i have no doubt there is a tester/former tester amongst us who could answer alot of these questions anonymously.

I ask you not to take this post personally and it is very very understandable that you are frustrated, you wouldn't be human if you weren't.

Keep the chin up and go again.

ayux4rj6zql2ph

Stephen15 wrote: »

No but did one get 2 under the same area twice

Did you have a look at this?

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/ADI/Information%20Pack/DrivingFault_Marking_Guides.pdf

Stephen15

Bodhi Puny Plankton wrote: »

Don't eat me for saying this, but there in is part of your problem, you are convinced you are more than capable of passing but have not shown the standard deemed appropriate by the tester, i don't believe there is a stigma or a quota in existence but some people want others to believe that.

Just like the guy down in Cork who has failed the test 17 times, he says it is x,y,z person's fault but never looks in the mirror and thinks maybe he is for some aspect or another.

You accept that the previous grade 3 was correct?

As Punisher mentioned earlier in the thread about the recording of the test, the only reason that might be a good idea is if the result of the test was challenged in court, but other than that it might not be wise to share it too much. If it was shared with you and your instructor does it stop there? does an instructor share it with other students and make an example out of another student?

The test i sat in January i got 2 grade 2's for it, the tester gave me feedback and he was 100% correct to give me those marks.

The same tester a grade 3 to the person out directly before me, the test candidate completely disagreed with the result blaming everyone but himself, after explaining it to our instructor it was clear why the grade 3 was awarded, in fact the candidate had a clean sheet bar that 1 mark.

Boards.ie need to do an AMA with a driver tester or at least a former one who has left the job in recent years.

We seem to have a lot of various professions on these boards so i have no doubt there is a tester/former tester amongst us who could answer alot of these questions anonymously.

I ask you not to take this post personally and it is very very understandable that you are frustrated, you wouldn't be human if you weren't.

Keep the chin up and go again.

Sorry if you thought I was going off on a rant there. I was very pissed off at the time after failing I hope I didn't come across as being cynical.

What I'm annoyed about is that after the feedback I got from my last test which I failed I thought I would pass this time if I cut the grade 3 I got in this test which I did as this time I didn't get any grade 3s. I honestly thought I'd comfortably pass as I got 6 grade 2s last time which would have constituted a pass but I got a grade 3 which I agreed with at the time as it was something admittedly dangerous on my part.

However I felt I have moved on now and today I drove just as well as I did last time but didn't do anything to warrant to a grade 3 and my driving has improved in general since then. I would agree the idea of putting a dash cam in the car during the test.

Maybe next time I do a test I will use a dash cam however I've heard for reasons I don't know why that examiners have been annoyed at the idea although this is just hearsay I've read online. But one if true I don't see why anyone would have a problem being filmed if they had nothing to hide.

ayux4rj6zql2ph

Stephen15 wrote: »

Sorry if you thought I was going off on a rant there. I was very pissed off at the time after failing I hope I didn't come across as being cynical.

What I'm annoyed about is that after the feedback I got from my last test which I failed I thought I would pass this time if I cut the grade 3 I got in this test which I did as this time I didn't get any grade 3s. I honestly thought I'd comfortably pass as I got 6 grade 2s last time which would have constituted a pass but I got a grade 3 which I agreed with at the time as it was something admittedly dangerous on my part.

However I felt I have moved on now and today I drove just as well as I did last time but didn't do anything to warrant to a grade 3 and my driving has improved in general since then. I would agree the idea of putting a dash cam in the car during the test.

Maybe next time I do a test I will use a dash cam however I've heard for reasons I don't know why that examiners have been annoyed at the idea although this is just hearsay I've read online. But one if true I don't see why anyone would have a problem being filmed if they had nothing to hide.

You're fine, it would be more worrying if you didn't get upset.

Were you mainly focused on not getting the grade 3 and let that distract you from other area's of the test?

I don't think a tester will permit it to be switched on during the test, i know the nct turn mine off every time.

The only time i have seen a camera used on a test was the one below, maybe the tester did allow it, does GDPR cover driving tests does any one know?

Stephen15

Bodhi Puny Plankton wrote: »

You're fine, it would be more worrying if you didn't get upset.

Were you mainly focused on not getting the grade 3 and let that distract you from other area's of the test?

I don't think a tester will permit it to be switched on during the test, i know the nct turn mine off every time.

The only time i have seen a camera used on a test was the one below, maybe the tester did allow it, does GDPR cover driving tests does any one know?

In a way maybe. Looking at it now some of my family members thought I was over doing it going out practising and I was too determined and not relaxed enough perhaps I've been practised reversing around the corner and turnabout a bit too much.

I don't see why an examiner would a have problem with a dash cam though NCT is a different scenario what if you want it for insurance purposes say.

maddy1026

You know I would love it if they allow the tests to be recorded or have your instructor sit in the test with you. This way you know exactly the mistakes that were made and so does your instructor and you can work on correcting them. Wonder what the pass rates will be then.

SweetCaliber

maddy1026 wrote: »

You know I would love it if they allow the tests to be recorded or have your instructor sit in the test with you. This way you know exactly the mistakes that were made and so does your instructor and you can work on correcting them. Wonder what the pass rates will be then.

In the UK your driving instructor is allowed in the car with you for the test. I agree that a dashcam pointing at the road should be allowed, how it would breach GDPR is beyond me.

It's your car at the end of the day, regardless of who is in it, and it can serve as good proof if you were to appeal.

Stephen15

If dashcams are not allowed it gives the impression that they do have something to hide. Why would anyone have a problem being filmed if they didn't have something to hide? Driving testers are a job I've never actually heard anyone doing I've yet to hear any of them talking about their profession either current or former in the media and I have never met anyone or known anyone in the profession.

SweetCaliber

Stephen15 wrote: »

If dashcams are not allowed it gives the impression that they do have something to hide. Why would anyone have a problem being filmed if they didn't have something to hide? Driving testers are a job I've never actually heard anyone doing I've yet to hear any of them talking about their profession either current or former in the media and I have never met anyone or known anyone in the profession.

Exactly. While I do think they they have the right to their own privacy (no cameras pointing inside the car) I do believe you should be allowed have a dashcam pointing at the road. They are acceptable to everyday driving so why should the driving test be any different?

The mind boggles.

maddy1026

I asked my driving instructor why they can't sit in the test and he said the testers didn't agree to this proposal. Apparently it was wholeheartedly opposed by all testers. Not easy to fail someone when you have another witness. Total money making scam !

MascotDec85

maddy1026 wrote: »

I asked my driving instructor why they can't sit in the test and he said the testers didn't agree to this proposal. Apparently it was wholeheartedly opposed by all testers. Not easy to fail someone when you have another witness. Total money making scam !

There was a pilot scheme and the uptake was poor so it didn’t go ahead

maddy1026

There was a pilot scheme and the uptake was poor so it didn’t go ahead[/quote]

Obviously, it's easy to fail someone. Not easy if you have to give valid reasons. Any idea when the pilot was run ?