Test this saturday... EEK!!!

af_thefragile

And I'm starting to feel the nerves now.
I've really really really gotta pass my test cuz I desperately need that full license. Or else all I have is a car I can't drive and another excruciating wait till the next test.

Anyway, don't wanna think of next time. Just gotta make sure I do whatever it takes to pass it on saturday!

I think my biggest problem is I keep forgetting little things.
Like things like indicating or getting in the right position or looking over the shoulder, little stuff like that.

I'ld consider myself a safe driver and I have good control over the car. But doing the test seems like a completely different ball game. And I tend to make more mistakes when I'm nervous. Which I'm sure I'll be when it gets to the test...

So anyone got any good tips and such for me that can help me pass my test.
Cause I really really reeeeeeeeeaaalllly need to pass it on saturday!!
I've been waiting for this day all my life!

Tech3

I passed mine under 2 years ago and I felt the nerves just as bad. Just try not to get too bogged down on the test. Give it your best and you can always try again if you barerly fail, waiting times have reduced significantly.

Have you carried out any pre-tests with your instructor? I find these a great help which will find the weak points of your driving if you have any, it's also worth doing a practice run on the day of the test.

Make sure you have all the questions revised too, common ones usually, when do you dim your headlights, etc.

cbmonstra

You might think this is kinda silly, and nothing to do with driving skills, but positive affimations can really help you with building confidence and losing nerves.

I posted here a while back after my very first lesson. I was wracked with nerves and could barely keep it together to go out for another lesson.

I've started doing positive affirmations, saying things like:
'I'm a good driver',
'I'm calm and in control',
'I drive the car, the car doesn't drive me'... etc., etc. over and over to myself. I write them down sometimes as well, over and over.

The change in me has been amazing. I actually look forward to my lessons now!!

I can tell from your post, you're not too bad with the aul nerves, but when I was researching these affirmations, I saw that athletes use it too, they envisage their race or competition or whatever... Go through all the steps and imagine themselves winning at the end.

I'm thinking of trying the same for my test. Going through the route in my mind, imagining each and every step and envisaging that I do the correct thing at every step, and pass the test . Again, I think you need to repeat this over and over.

I don't know if this is any help to you, but the techniques I've been doing have worked a treat for me so far, so I said I'd share...

Best of luck in your test!!

MascotDec85

Try your best not to think of it as a test. I bet you don't get nervous when you go on a lesson with your instructor! Try and imagine your examiner as your instructor. You're at test standard, you know how to drive, he's only there to direct you around the route.

If you keep forgetting things try studying even when you are not in the car. Imagine a scenario eg. you are driving along a straight road and you are asked to turn right at the next available road ahead. What do you do? What's the sequence of observations and changes to the controls that you make on the approach to the road?
Write them down, go over and over them. Do this for everything, moving off, turning left & right, emerging left and right, turnabout, reverse, hill start, roundabouts etc etc. If passing is important as you say make time this week to go over and over this so that it's 2nd nature.

If your are unsure of something pick up the phone and ask your instructor. I wouldn't mind if a pupil called me.

Go out a lesson before your test on Saturday, hopefully you'll get all the small mistakes out the way.

Remember, you're at test standard. Go out, relax and drive the car.

Good luck

af_thefragile

I guess, its really more important for me to "feel" confident on the day of the test than anything else.

What I'm mostly scared of is making a big "grade 3" fault that could fail me. Like if I forget to indicate while turning or hit the curb while reversing round the corner or turning into a roundabout and a car comes from the right, anything that could put me off.

I don't have a car to drive everyday so I've only been driving when my instructor comes for the lesson. It always takes me about 10-15mins to relax before I start driving more confidently. Altough I think on almost all of my lessons I have made a mistake equal to a grade 3 fault. And almost all of these times it was for something stupid like forgetting to do something.

I'm taking a 2hr lesson with my instructor on friday in Tallagh (where I'm doing my test) so that should be like my pre-test. And then I'm doing the test in my instructors car as well next morning (saturday) at 9am... So hopefully I should be relaxed enough by the time I get to do the test.

But I'm still scared I might forget something stupid and fail my test as a result of that!

MascotDec85

af_thefragile wrote: »

I guess, its really more important for me to "feel" confident on the day of the test than anything else.

What I'm mostly scared of is making a big "grade 3" fault that could fail me. Like if I forget to indicate while turning or hit the curb while reversing round the corner or turning into a roundabout and a car comes from the right, anything that could put me off.

I don't have a car to drive everyday so I've only been driving when my instructor comes for the lesson. It always takes me about 10-15mins to relax before I start driving more confidently. Altough I think on almost all of my lessons I have made a mistake equal to a grade 3 fault. And almost all of these times it was for something stupid like forgetting to do something.

I'm taking a 2hr lesson with my instructor on friday in Tallagh (where I'm doing my test) so that should be like my pre-test. And then I'm doing the test in my instructors car as well next morning (saturday) at 9am... So hopefully I should be relaxed enough by the time I get to do the test.

But I'm still scared I might forget something stupid and fail my test as a result of that!

This post highlights why you should try what I've suggested.

Forgetting to do something can be caused by nerves or simply that you don't know this routines inside out. If you do know them inside out imagine how much more confident you'll feel. It'll take away a good bit of the, "What if....?"

Remember. If you make a mistake, don't let it phase you. Just get on with the rest of the test.

I passed my test 17 years ago. At the beginning of the test I did something stupid. I thought to myself, "Ah well, that's that!" I relaxed in my seat and drove the car. I passed first time.

When I sat my ADI test I used my mirrors a bit too much on the reverse. The examiner had me reversing back after the corner for a good distance. He told me afterwards he was waiting to see if I looked out my back window again. If I hadn't he'd have marked me. What I'm getting at here is they will give you a chance to correct and error or omission.

Get a good nights sleep on Friday night.

**Timbuk2**

Mine's tomorrow, and I'm very nervous. I wasn't planning on telling many people, but I ended up saying it and I'm regretting it now, as it'll be more people to tell that I've failed, if I fail.

My friend bought me 'Rescue Remedy', a nice gesture but I'm not sure whether drugging myself up before a driving test is a great idea. (OK, it's not a drug but you know what I mean. I want to be as alert and 'on-the-ball' as possible. For those that don't know, Rescue Remedy makes you feel less nervous, apparently).

MascotDec85

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Mine's tomorrow, and I'm very nervous. I wasn't planning on telling many people, but I ended up saying it and I'm regretting it now, as it'll be more people to tell that I've failed, if I fail.

My friend bought me 'Rescue Remedy', a nice gesture but I'm not sure whether drugging myself up before a driving test is a great idea. (OK, it's not a drug but you know what I mean. I want to be as alert and 'on-the-ball' as possible. For those that don't know, Rescue Remedy makes you feel less nervous, apparently).

RR won't do you any harm. It's herbal and non-drousy.

Best of luck

leesmom

af_thefragile wrote: »

I guess, its really more important for me to "feel" confident on the day of the test than anything else.

What I'm mostly scared of is making a big "grade 3" fault that could fail me. Like if I forget to indicate while turning or hit the curb while reversing round the corner or turning into a roundabout and a car comes from the right, anything that could put me off.

I don't have a car to drive everyday so I've only been driving when my instructor comes for the lesson. It always takes me about 10-15mins to relax before I start driving more confidently. Altough I think on almost all of my lessons I have made a mistake equal to a grade 3 fault. And almost all of these times it was for something stupid like forgetting to do something.

I'm taking a 2hr lesson with my instructor on friday in Tallagh (where I'm doing my test) so that should be like my pre-test. And then I'm doing the test in my instructors car as well next morning (saturday) at 9am... So hopefully I should be relaxed enough by the time I get to do the test.

But I'm still scared I might forget something stupid and fail my test as a result of that!

i did my test in tallaght the first time a month ago, i failed but wasnt prepared and hadnt even driven on the test route before and didnt know my rules of the road which i got a grade 2 for.
its not that easy to get a grade 3 if you're concentrating, stop where there is a stop sign, practice reversing around a corner over and over and over, i did this before i did my test again last week and my reverse was perfect because of the practice. its not that easy to mount a kerb in fairness if youre watching where you're going and taking your time. in my test in tallaght he made me reverse around a corner which had a speed ramp immediately at the turn which i didnt even notice, ended up thinking i was on the kerb and proceeded t
drive back and foward till i realised what it was so beware! at that stage i had never tryed reversing around the corner before!

as regards things to remember- observe , signal, maneauvare(sp!!!).
i wont go into detail as i dont want to confuse you or give you wrong information as you'll always find different people will tell you different things, just ask your instructor questions , make a list of them to ask before your test, it'll help!

oh and as regards the nerves, my hands were shaking before both of my tests but i found after a few mins i relaxed as soon as i got over the fact that the testers arent there to make conversation!