Driving Testers

getonyourboots

The Driving Tester who sits into the car with you on the day of your test is the biggest single deciding factor as to wheatear you pass your test or not. Depending on your luck or misfortune.
Discuss.

3DataModem

4th most important.

1st Level of preparedness of the candidate.
2nd Confidence of the candidate
3rd Luck

getonyourboots

3DataModem wrote: »

4th most important.

1st Level of preparedness of the candidate.
2nd Confidence of the candidate
3rd Luck

I take your point but i personally believe the tester and even the tester's mood is the most vital aspect. You could do an OK test and pass with one tester and do a good test and be failed by some <SNIP>.
How else could you explain the massive discrepancies in the pass rates between some of the test centres?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

amy-marie

getonyourboots wrote: »

I take your point but i personally believe the tester and even the tester's mood is the most vital aspect. You could do an OK test and pass with one tester and do a good test and be failed by some <SNIP>.
How else could you explain the massive discrepancies in the pass rates between some of the test centres?

It couldn't have anything to do with the drivers themselves could it? Oh, no, the tester's are a bunch of cranky eejits out to get you! :rolleyes:

galwaybob

If the tester is in a mood they will screw you, its as simple as that.
They are the most unprosessional shower I have ever come across.

getonyourboots

amy-marie wrote: »

It couldn't have anything to do with the drivers themselves could it? Oh, no, the tester's are a bunch of cranky eejits out to get you! :rolleyes:

Pass Rates Example:

Ballina 64.1%
Rathgar 42.5%

Get real love :rolleyes:

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

DriveSkill

getonyourboots wrote: »

Pass Rates Example:

Ballina 64.1%
Rathgar 42.5%

Get real love :rolleyes:

Will I think you have to take other things into account.

Ballina is a relatively small town with probably lightish traffic at certain times of the day (I'm assuming - I've never driven there ). Rathgar is pretty much in central Dublin and I'm sure there is heavy traffic, complex junctions etc which means the potential for errors is much higher.

Its true the system is not perfect and I'd be willing to bet that a certain percentage of the people who pass in Ballina would fail in Rathgar if they did the test there. However, I dont think its down to the tester - its more down to the cirumstances and a certain amount of luck with traffic conditions, weather etc on the day! That being said a very good driver should pass irrespective of the test center, its the people who are borderline - say get 6 or 7 faults in Ballina and pass but may end up with 9-10 faults in Rathgar and therefore fail which throw the percentages out I think.

getonyourboots

I understand passing/failing is not a back and white issue but in my experience the testers make no effort to make the applicant feel comfortable. They seem to take an guilty until proven innocent approach. Which I think stinks.

Alanstrainor

getonyourboots wrote: »

I understand passing/failing is not a back and white issue but in my experience the testers make no effort to make the applicant feel comfortable. They seem to take an guilty until proven innocent approach. Which I think stinks.

I think people pay too much attention to driving testers tbh. I don't care if they're friendly or not, i just want them to give clear directions and that's it. You start with an empty marking sheet, so you start with full marks, it's only when you make mistakes that you get "points" deducted, depending on the situation.
This whole idea that testers are out to get you in that majority of cases is false. People fail and go looking for excuses, it's never easy to say "i messed up", it is however easy to say, the examiner was unfair etc etc.

Sunjammer

Percentages are also deceiving because it is for example 60% of how many? The test centre in Ballina probably does in a year what a Dublin centre would do in a month so they balance out

galwaybob

Is it possible to say no I don't want that tester if they have already failed you before?

shreksaurus

galwaybob wrote: »

Is it possible to say no I don't want that tester if they have already failed you before?

I was just wondering the same thing for the next time I do a test.

Permabear

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lalababa

I have been teaching driving for a few years and have read books on the psychology of different types of ascessors and from my point of view the mood/inherent race or social bias and other underlying feelings or views of a tester have a negligible affect on the test outcome. What is much more likely to have an affect is the number of faults a candidate makes!!
I have witnessed contretemps between unsuccessful canditates and testers where the candidates have the precieved view that they were failed soely because the tester was 'a prick'. These candidates are of course are idiots with mental problems.

galwaybob

With the exception of a huge mistake i.e a red mark. Most candidates receive 8/9 blue marks. If the tester is in good form you get 8 and thats a pass, if the tester is in a bad mood you get 9 and that's a fail. Negligible difference, huge impact.

3DataModem

galwaybob wrote: »

With the exception of a huge mistake i.e a red mark. Most candidates receive 8/9 blue marks. If the tester is in good form you get 8 and thats a pass, if the tester is in a bad mood you get 9 and that's a fail. Negligible difference, huge impact.

"Most" candidates get 8 or 9?

Where did you get that statistic?

galwaybob

3DataModem wrote: »

"Most" candidates get 8 or 9?

Where did you get that statistic?

Vox Pop

brian076

galwaybob wrote: »

With the exception of a huge mistake i.e a red mark. Most candidates receive 8/9 blue marks. If the tester is in good form you get 8 and thats a pass, if the tester is in a bad mood you get 9 and that's a fail. Negligible difference, huge impact.

While some testers may be a little more lenient than others, there is no question that candidates are failed because the tester is in a bad mood, nor is it true that just because he might be in a good mood, you're likely to pass.

When SGS testers were told that their contracts wouldn't be renewed last year, they didn't go out and fail everyone just because they were p***ed off.

Not every fault that occurs on a test is black and white, and sometimes the testers discretion will determine whether it's a Grade 1 or grade 2 fault, but I can assure you, his mood isn't one of the determining factors. What's more likely to count is the person's overall driving ability, and how prepared they were for the test by knowing the rules of the road & technical checks.

nacho libre

DriveSkill wrote: »

Will I think you have to take other things into account.

Ballina is a relatively small town with probably lightish traffic at certain times of the day (I'm assuming - I've never driven there ). Rathgar is pretty much in central Dublin and I'm sure there is heavy traffic, complex junctions etc which means the potential for errors is much higher.

Its true the system is not perfect and I'd be willing to bet that a certain percentage of the people who pass in Ballina would fail in Rathgar if they did the test there. However, I dont think its down to the tester - its more down to the cirumstances and a certain amount of luck with traffic conditions, weather etc on the day! That being said a very good driver should pass irrespective of the test center, its the people who are borderline - say get 6 or 7 faults in Ballina and pass but may end up with 9-10 faults in Rathgar and therefore fail which throw the percentages out I think.

yes, it certainly is easier to drive around in Ballina than in Dublin- i've done both.
i agree with all of your post. if i'm honest i would certainly have failed my test had i taken it in Dublin. as you say though a good driver, who has prepared for the test, should be able to do a 30 minute drive competently anywhere around the country. so all in all in my case i was definitely lucky. for this reason i empathise with people who are likely better drivers than i am and have failed because they didn't get to do their test in a quiet town like i did

also donegalfellas stat' about newly qualified drivers in sweden being more likely to have an accident within two years... than an accompanied driver is food for thought.

DrivingInfo

There are more factors to fails than you can count, but here are some which will clear it up a little.

The lessons:

• People take lessons with instructors which are not very good!
• People take lessons and don't understand the information given to them!
• On the lessons drivers try to learn turn by turn and not how to driver correctly!
• On the lessons drivers try to learn test routes and not how to driver correctly!
• Drivers worry about one thing when the are doing something else! eg is: driving on the straight but worrying about the reverse.

The list goes on!

The driver:

• Nerves,
• NO Confidence,
• A lot of Fear

I know a lot of tester's and I find that; YES some have the god complex but i tell my pupils to show them that they can drive correctly. What i would add is that i have had the same tester's come to me and say that they liked the attitude of that driver and some people who FAIL say that it was their fault and where the tester was like a pig in the beginning at the end the tester was very fare and sincere.

Don't forget tester's meet people all day who think that they are out to fail them and they enjoy failing people.

Best wishes to all.

Regards

J_R

Hi,

Anyone ever look at the test from the testers point of view.

First. Very basic. As the pass rate is very roughly 50% overall, for half their working hours they are being chauffeured around by incompetent drivers, sometimes dangerously so.

Second.
The examiner sees next test applicant arrive. Unfortunately they are accompanied by an instructor that the examiner knows is absolutely useless.
He therefore knows that more than likely he will be forced to fail them.
He knows they may have spent considerable money on lessons.
He knows applicants job may be on the line or at least may cause grave inconvenience if they fail.
He knows that when he fails them they will be shocked, as their u/s instructor would have given them a mock test immediately prior to the test and which they passed with flying colours.
He knows when they go out, their u/s instructor will also be shocked, will either tell them they do not understand why they failed or more than likely will blame the examiner. Tell them they were unlucky to get that particular examiner. That he/she very strict on coasting, mirrors, road position, observation whatever.
Examiner knows candidate will spend yet more money on more u/s lessons with same u/s instructor.
Knowing all this, he is expected to greet them with a friendly smile. :eek:


To finish, do not understand why people are happy to pay for mock tests lesson after lesson. (Mis-named pre-tests). When someone goes to school/college/FAS course/whatever, do they do a mock test every day. Then told go off and practice.

DrivingInfo

Well said JR and to add a little,

This mock test crack???? why o why would anyone think a mock test will help you. A mock test is only good for a driver who has never taken a driving test, it helps because the instructor will give you an example of how the test is conducted AND THAT IS ALL.
NO! "you would have passed" bull

Please stop accepting a mock test (which should only run for the length of a test Approx 30-45 min) as a Driving Lesson because it is not.

AND if your driving instructor says I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU FAILED when he/she has your report sheet in their hand, well They don't know their job!
NOTE: This statement is based on the instructor seen your report sheet.

When an instructor understands the marking system and guidelines they can read the sheet and give you examples of the marks.
eg. not using your outside mirrors can come under observation and not mirrors.

Regards

Roar

i failed first time due to a grade three, which can't be blamed on the testor.

next time i passed with just one grade two mistake - that had nothing to do with the instructor

however what i will say is the attitude and personality of both instructors made a difference

the first tester i had was dour, surly, looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, never shook my hand, never looked at me, and muttered a few questions for the theory part. that made me even more nervous heading out onto the road.

second tester - i was chatting to someone in the waiting room and when he called my name i was laughing at something. he laughed and said "you're not supposed to be laughing at your driving test ya know?" and before the test started we had a brief chat, nothing too major, but it helped relax me and put me at ease somewhat. even during the test when i made my mistake (leaving the car in neutral on a hill start!!) he looked at me and said "it usually helps to have the car in gear when you do that" and laughed again, so we had a bit of banter about that afterwards.

so, IMO, testers DO make a difference, but there's no way they're the single biggest factor in you passing or failing your test

brian076

DrivingInfo wrote: »

Well said JR and to add a little,



AND if your driving instructor says I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU FAILED when he/she has your report sheet in their hand, well They don't know their job!
NOTE: This statement is based on the instructor seen your report sheet.

When an instructor understands the marking system and guidelines they can read the sheet and give you examples of the marks.
eg. not using your outside mirrors can come under observation and not mirrors.

Regards

So anytime you've seen a report sheet with marks in the "Reaction to Hazard" section you know exactly what they're for?

Any instructor worth his/her salt will tailor the pre-test to the pupils requirements, & if this means doing mock tests well that's what should be done. And whether it's their 1st or 10th test doesn't matter.
Ideally pre-tests should be a combination of mock tests and general instruction, but this depends on how much time you have, and as an instructor you should know what will benefit the pupil most.

Wishbone Ash

J_R wrote:

He knows when they go out, their u/s instructor will also be shocked, will either tell them they do not understand why they failed or more than likely will blame the examiner. Tell them they were unlucky to get that particular examiner. That he/she very strict on coasting, mirrors, road position, observation whatever.
Examiner knows candidate will spend yet more money on more u/s lessons with same u/s instructor.
Knowing all this, he is expected to greet them with a friendly smile.

Wise words indeed J_R!

Roar wrote: »

the first tester i had was dour, surly, looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, never shook my hand, never looked at me, and muttered a few questions for the theory part. that made me even more nervous heading out onto the road.

second tester - i was chatting to someone in the waiting room and when he called my name i was laughing at something. he laughed and said "you're not supposed to be laughing at your driving test ya know?" and before the test started we had a brief chat, nothing too major, but it helped relax me and put me at ease somewhat. even during the test when i made my mistake (leaving the car in neutral on a hill start!!) he looked at me and said "it usually helps to have the car in gear when you do that" and laughed again, so we had a bit of banter about that afterwards

I accept what you are saying Roar but it is a two way street. Many people appear to prefer an examiner who engages in banter and small talk but there are many others who prefer to concentrate on the task in hand and get on with it. Personally I have a preference for the gruff robotic type of examiner rather than having to make silly small talk with a complete stranger whom I don't have any particular interest in. It can be argued that making small talk is distracting to the driver and it is better to refrain from it just in the same way that others find the lack of small talk distracting.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Novella

getonyourboots wrote: »

The Driving Tester who sits into the car with you on the day of your test is the biggest single deciding factor as to wheatear you pass your test or not. Depending on your luck or misfortune.
Discuss.

June 2008, did my driving test, FAILED.
February 2009, did my driving test again, PASSED.
Had the same tester both times.