Days Before Test

SherryD

I have my test in a few days and I just went on a practice drive around the area with my dad. I have been out with him before and when I started to learn he made me very nervous, so much so I would fear going out with him. Now I've improved he's not so bad but he still can make me very nervous, jumping when someone beeps a horn at something else etc. Now I'm really not a bad driver, if anything I'm probably safer than him, but I'm starting to get nervous with him in the car again and I'm afraid I might make a stupid mistake or have an accident over the weekend and it will set me back for the test. So what do I do? Do I just deal with it and practice with him all I can over the weekend or do I just not practice this weekend and hope I'm ok for the test?

MascotDec85

SherryD wrote: »

I have my test in a few days and I just went on a practice drive around the area with my dad. I have been out with him before and when I started to learn he made me very nervous, so much so I would fear going out with him. Now I've improved he's not so bad but he still can make me very nervous, jumping when someone beeps a horn at something else etc. Now I'm really not a bad driver, if anything I'm probably safer than him, but I'm starting to get nervous with him in the car again and I'm afraid I might make a stupid mistake or have an accident over the weekend and it will set me back for the test. So what do I do? Do I just deal with it and practice with him all I can over the weekend or do I just not practice this weekend and hope I'm ok for the test?

Find an ADI in your area and go out with them. They'll advise you how to correct any minor errors that you are showing and could give you a welcome confidence boost.

Good luck with your test

SherryD

I have an ADI and I do have a final pretest morning of test, but I had planned on getting as much practice as possible this weekend.

DriveSkill

The more practice you can get in before the test the better really.

If he is doing things like giving constant advice like "mind the cyclist", "watch this car now", "slow down a little" etc then try and explain that this does not really help and ask if he could try and relax also and not jump at anything unexpected. At the same time you need to understand that its going to be difficult for him After all, its probably his car so it takes a lot of trust to give over control to someone (even his own children!!) who by definition are still only 'learning'! Is there anyone else who could accompany you ? Perhaps get 2 people and ask your dad to sit in the back if he is willing to do that.

Think positively, dont get stressed over it. If you can get some practice over the weekend that is great and if not then have confidence in what you have done with your ADI and take it from there with the pre-test.

Best of luck with it.

SherryD

DriveSkill wrote: »

The more practice you can get in before the test the better really.

If he is doing things like giving constant advice like "mind the cyclist", "watch this car now", "slow down a little" etc then try and explain that this does not really help and ask if he could try and relax also and not jump at anything unexpected. At the same time you need to understand that its going to be difficult for him After all, its probably his car so it takes a lot of trust to give over control to someone (even his own children!!) who by definition are still only 'learning'! Is there anyone else who could accompany you ? Perhaps get 2 people and ask your dad to sit in the back if he is willing to do that.

Think positively, dont get stressed over it. If you can get some practice over the weekend that is great and if not then have confidence in what you have done with your ADI and take it from there with the pre-test.

Best of luck with it.

He's not really giving constant advice, in fact he's telling me to do a lot of stuff wrong ie stopping on a roundabout to let a car on the left go, this is when I'm actually on the roundabout not coming up to it. He's making me a lot more nervous, I'm usually a very relaxed driver and once I don't get stressed on the day I should pass.

My mam possibly could come out with me over the weekend but she's far worse than my dad (not just with me, she's a terrible passenger). I should be able to get about for an hour or more on Monday with someone but I'm just scared that some problem might crop up and I won't have time to fix it, then again if I go out with my dad I will become a nervous wreck. I can't really win.

Thank you both for the advice and luck!

DriveSkill

To be honest you sound like you know what you should be doing while driving and therefore having your dad give you other contradictory advice or info is not going to help and just plant little seeds of doubt about what you already know.

You may be better off just waiting for the pre-test with the ADI and go from there. Dont get too caught up with 'what if..' scenarios, you wont forget everything you already know now in the next few days and an hour with the ADI on a pre-test will get you into the right frame of mind for the test itself. The best thing might be to take the weekend off and enjoy yourself.

SherryD

I think you're right, I know I can do it so there's not point stressing myself out over the weekend might as well just spend time going over road signs and that.

erwinvr101

i would go over all the test routes as much as i can if i were you. i did over 3 hours going over all the possible routes (there's six in dundalk as per my instructor) just days before the exam and that even though i was still nervous, it has gone easy for me becoz the route i had on my test was one of the routes i was practicing (spot on). it was all worth it really.

cynder

I was driving for about 9 months before i did my test, but i never drove with in the test location so didnt know the roads. that was ok because i paid more attention to what i was doing because i didnt know the roads.

i talked all the way through my test, insted of exagerating movements to look inthe mirrows i commented that "all was clear",

i also was speeding at one point 55kph in a 50kph zone, i said " sorry im going a bit fast, im reducing speed".

I had too much space between the car and the curb when i did the reversing around the bend (only ever my third time doing it(im a pro now)), i said " sorry ive gone a bit wide there"


The tester told me i talked my way through the test and passed me.

sometimes it good to talk!

SherryD

erwinvr101 wrote: »

i would go over all the test routes as much as i can if i were you. i did over 3 hours going over all the possible routes (there's six in dundalk as per my instructor) just days before the exam and that even though i was still nervous, it has gone easy for me becoz the route i had on my test was one of the routes i was practicing (spot on). it was all worth it really.

I'm not too concerned about the routes to be honest, I've been going over them on lessons for about 3 or 4 months so I know them quite well and I live local enough. And I guess it shouldn't really matter where I go because to pass I should be able to drive everywhere not just on the normal routes.

SherryD

grindelwald wrote: »

I was driving for about 9 months before i did my test, but i never drove with in the test location so didnt know the roads. that was ok because i paid more attention to what i was doing because i didnt know the roads.

i talked all the way through my test, insted of exagerating movements to look inthe mirrows i commented that "all was clear",

i also was speeding at one point 55kph in a 50kph zone, i said " sorry im going a bit fast, im reducing speed".

I had too much space between the car and the curb when i did the reversing around the bend (only ever my third time doing it(im a pro now)), i said " sorry ive gone a bit wide there"


The tester told me i talked my way through the test and passed me.

sometimes it good to talk!

Thats actually really good advice I would never have thought of! Thanks!

cynder

It was my husband that told me to do it, as he had to do that in the hibernian test.

You are also letting the tester know whats going on, if your going fast realise it and slow down without saying nothing he might tick the box, because he might think that you didnt realise you were speeding.

SherryD

Decided not to go out over the weekend, arrived for test fairly relaxed and passed! Thanks for all the advice

MascotDec85

SherryD wrote: »

Decided not to go out over the weekend, arrived for test fairly relaxed and passed! Thanks for all the advice

Well done, great feeling isn't it

SherryD

It really is! Its such a relief, makes all the frustrations at the start worth it.

DriveSkill

SherryD wrote: »

Decided not to go out over the weekend, arrived for test fairly relaxed and passed! Thanks for all the advice

Congratulations and well done! Safe driving for the future.

cynder

thats good news,

tell me did you talk?

SherryD

grindelwald wrote: »

thats good news,

tell me did you talk?

I was planning on talking but on the day I had quite a bad cough so thought it best not to talk!

greenie

grindelwald wrote: »

I was driving for about 9 months before i did my test, but i never drove with in the test location so didnt know the roads. that was ok because i paid more attention to what i was doing because i didnt know the roads.

i talked all the way through my test, insted of exagerating movements to look inthe mirrows i commented that "all was clear",

i also was speeding at one point 55kph in a 50kph zone, i said " sorry im going a bit fast, im reducing speed".

I had too much space between the car and the curb when i did the reversing around the bend (only ever my third time doing it(im a pro now)), i said " sorry ive gone a bit wide there"


The tester told me i talked my way through the test and passed me.

sometimes it good to talk!

Lol I chewed on gum for my test just to stop me talking!! I found myself talking during my lessons & pretests but I was actually pointing out my mistakes!! Couldn't stop myself!! Things like "Oh Sugar, was I meant to indicate there" or "I think I was too fast there". My instructor said I didn't want to be informing the tester of something he may have overlooked!!:D