Cancelling driving test 2 days previous to test

jimjangles · 29-07-2025 09:12PM #1

I had planned on doing a driving test on Thursday but I had a lesson today and it went really bad, I made a really serious mistake so my instructor advised me to cancel the driving test, to not go to it. I didn't realise I was that bad to be honest, today was a disaster. I rang up RSA and explained my situation that I had planned on going but it had all gone wrong and they were not helpful, said I would lose my fee and that was it. So my question was is there any point in cancelling online? I've nothing to gain by it. I still lose my 85 euros no matter what the heck I do. I'll probably give up driving completely anyway. I'm just massively disappointed, I'm gutted. I wasted so much money on lessons over the years, don't have any way of getting practice and it's all just amounted to nothing.

User1998 · 29-07-2025 09:18PM

What was the mistake you made? Have you tried changing to an automatic? Cancelling the test will free up space for other candidates.

Fail to prepare.. prepare to fail..

pfftdetail · 29-07-2025 09:42PM

You can only cancel your driving test for a refund if there is more than 10 days before you test date. Don't cancel the driving test, just do the test, you have nothing to lose at this point and only experience to gain, if you fail, at least you will have experience of how the test procedure goes, and you'll be given a marking sheet of what to work on. Best case scenario, you somehow pass the test!

If you cancel the test, you just lose out on 85 quid.

It would be helpful to let us know what the "serious mistake" was, we all make serious mistakes while driving on a daily basis, that's why you are learning to drive, and that's why people get into car accidents, it's not possible to drive without eventually **** up some way or another. Just the other day I completely cut across a lane of traffic without realising and I passed my driving test in April, am I a terrible driver and my license should immediately be revoked? I don't think so.

I would also recommend getting a new driving instructor, they would 100% know that you can't cancel the test at this point and get your money back and I suspect they want you to do more lessons so you give more money. A lot of instructors are like this unfortunately.

No shame of going for an automatic license either if you are struggling with manual.

jimjangles · 29-07-2025 09:49PM

I passed a busy side road that I should have turned left onto. I didn't observe. If anything had been coming there would have been a bad accident. (The side road is where you're supposed to go, merge to the left essentially so I had just gone straight ahead down a dead end instead) I'm probably not explaining it very well but ended up going down a dead end and had to turn back. Yep I thought the lessons would be enough but they're not. I didn't have the option to prepare as you call it, nobody around to prepare with, no driver to accompany me. I don't want to anymore after that anyway. I don't want to risk anyone else's safety or their car. Insurance for learners is probably thousands at this stage anyway. I hate waiting around for buses but there's no option for me really. When the instructor explained what could have happened I was kinda shocked, couldn't concentrate properly on rest of the lesson. So yep I don't know, I'm probably making myself look like an absolute tool explaining it on a forum but the bright side is nobody was hurt and everything is OK. I don't know if I ever want to drive again to be honest. I suppose if it helps someone else I can cancel the test online anyway.

con747 · 29-07-2025 09:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058420632/cancelling-driving-test-2-days-previous-to-test

OP if you planned on doing a test on Thursday and were taking lessons then someone thought you had a chance of passing no? If so go ahead and do the test since if you don't you lose the money anyway. Who knows you might get lucky and pass!

pfftdetail · 29-07-2025 10:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681653#Comment_123681653

So you did essentially what I did, nothing with being able to control the car, you just made a bad decision. Your instructor is an idiot. Every day people go the wrong lane at roundabouts, cut across traffic, go into a one way street or even go through red lights.

GerardKeating · 29-07-2025 10:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058420632/cancelling-driving-test-2-days-previous-to-test

If you cancel you lose the €85 fee but potientaly free up a slot for someone else and might save some annual leave
If you do the test and fail, you get a some written feedback on what went wrong
If you do the test and pass, party time

Certainly you should not make the mistake you made today/yesterday on the test, so that's a positive

Dial Hard · 29-07-2025 10:09PM

Do the test. You may very well fail but at the very least it will give you the experience of sitting the test and you won't have the first time nerves the next time you sit it. You literally have nothing to lose by taking it, but you're 85 quid down with nothing to show for it if you cancel/no-show.

gizabeer · 29-07-2025 10:22PM

100% do the test , you made a mistake and learned from it , do it and you'll at least get the nerves out of the way and you might pass. Try a new instructor too , how was your lessons previous to his ?

jimjangles · 29-07-2025 10:32PM

There were other issues though with raising clutch too high, cutting out, trying to use the footbrake on hill instead of handbrake and not being able to start. Handbrake worked better when I used it but it happened too many times. Instructor said I'm not test standard and would fail. It'd cost me extra to hire his car for test so I'd have that to lose too and that'd be more than the test cost. I think the instructor is right. It does help hearing from others here that I'm not the only one making that kind of bad mistake. My observation needs to be a lot better aswell, there's a lot I would need to work on. I think I need to take a break from driving for a while after today. It was bad. I believe instructor was trying to help me though and it's at his expense as he doesn't get the fee for me hiring his car or for the extra lesson I was going to do before it. Instructor was just being honest. When I go back and think about the things that went wrong if I made all those mistakes I wouldn't stand a chance of passing the test. I'd need to sharpen up a lot which would be impossible without a lot if practice. That not turning at left lane was what took the main emphasis in my mind because it was the most dangerous one.

con747 · 29-07-2025 10:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681767#Comment_123681767

So who told you that you were ready for a test?

billie1b · 29-07-2025 10:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681767#Comment_123681767

The worst thing you can do is take a break away from it, keep going at it or you'll never be able to.

Do you think pilots, officers on ships, train drivers, tram drivers etc etc were all perfectly competent after only 12 hours learning in what they do??? Same as any other car driver on the road, everyone has to learn and everyone makes mistakes, big and small, it's not just you.

Mark it down as a lesson learned, change driving instructor and keep going, you'll be surprised the difference in a new instructor can make.

jimjangles · 29-07-2025 10:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681781#Comment_123681781

The instructor actually thought I'd be ready by the time the test came around. There was a big backlog at the time. I had other stuff I needed to work on so took a break from lessons for a while. It's just the way things worked out. Nobody's fault really.

extra-ordinary_ · 29-07-2025 11:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681653#Comment_123681653

Am I reading you correctly in that the main road follows around a left-hand turn, whereas straight-on is a dead end? Were you familiar with the streets roads you were driving down? Also, if the road was clear, what was the problem with going straight?

JIdontknow · 29-07-2025 11:06PM

To be honest I think taking a break is the worst thing you can do. Get back on the horse, be more conscious of the topics raised going forward and learn from it. Don't let today dishearten you otherwise you’ll keep kicking the can down the road, and it may turn you off learning to drive, so even if you do cancel the test keep the lessons up and stick with it because it’s something that you then have for life, your driving licence.

jimjangles · 29-07-2025 11:12PM

Yes I wasn't really familiar, I missed it anyway. I went into a dead end with a lot if cars just parked around the place. Yep it's a weird road. The going the wrong way was bad enough but the lack of observation made it worse. If something had been coming it could have crashed into us.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681854#Comment_123681854

magicbastarder · 29-07-2025 11:33PM

My first reaction on reading that your instructor suggested you cancel the test was 'is his main concern his claimed pass rate of his students?'

J_R · 30-07-2025 12:14AM

Hi,

Do the test.

And in the test if you make another mistake and - (providing its not a grade 3 like breaking a red light/stop sign etc), and you find your concentration is gone, pull over, park in a safe spot, calm down, compose yourself. Drive off when ready. The examiner won't mind.

I was a driving instructor and always advised my pupils to pull over and park. Several did and went on to pass. An examiner with one pupil told her to roll down the window. Another pupil got out and walked around the car. I never said anything about exiting the car and would never advise it. However examiner said nothing and he also passed.

It is fairly common when an inexperienced driver makes a mistake to completely lose it, so I would not let it bother you.

Good luck

jimjangles · 30-07-2025 12:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681936#Comment_123681936

I had a look out of curiosity and I can't find a pass rate mentioned anywhere.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681862#Comment_123681862

I think I'll just take a short enough break from it anyway. I was just thinking sure if I was using google maps to guide me, I wouldn't have made that mistake. I was making a big deal out of it in my head but sure lots of people unfamiliar with the area could have made that mistake. I'm going to cancel the test anyway but I'll get back practising and taking lessons soon enough again. I won't let this get me down. The RSA 10 day no refund policy sucks though. Well, it does for me anyway. Thanks everyone.

macchoille · 30-07-2025 12:22AM

Do the test

Even if passing is unlikely it will at least put you through the test for real and when you’re more competent then you’ll be more relaxed going in the next time round.
If you actually take on board what the instructor said your weaknesses are going into this test and don’t repeat them you might actually surprise yourself and pass.
I didn’t pass first time so know what it’s like.
Good luck 👊

macchoille · 30-07-2025 12:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681936#Comment_123681936

is there an independent authority that audits the tests and can say what each instructor’s pass rate is ? ….. Might be wrong but I’d say no which means the most useless instructor can stick 99% pass rate on his car and nobody can question it.

LambshankRedemption · 30-07-2025 05:33AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123681936#Comment_123681936

That was my first too!

spurious · 30-07-2025 05:52AM

Your instructor is not very good if they have left you thinking you don't ever want to drive.

If you are still having trouble with the basics, hill starts, cutting out, starting, get a new instructor and get him/her to iron those out for you first. Who cares if you spend an hour repeating hill starts until you get it?

Not worrying about all those things will let you concentrate on the actual driving.

As regards the test, I would say go to it and get the experience of it out of the way, but if you are not going, ring and cancel.

But change instructor. They are not supposed to undermine your confidence.

watchclocker · 30-07-2025 06:14AM

Your instructor is an asshole making you that upset about ever driving

Wish I knew who it was as I had similar happen with my very competent child, instructor almost put him off for life and he hadn't even booked his test yet at that stage, was within his first 12 hours

I'd 100% agree with everyone else, do the test, ring around today different instructors and see who has a car available, just say yours has fallen through

If you fail, you'll have a sheet of things to work on, and find a new instructor to help you pass next time

jimjangles · 30-07-2025 07:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123682099#Comment_123682099

I don't believe it was my instructor's intention to make me upset about driving, it's just the way I took his feedback really. He said I need more practice and lessons in order to pass. I got a fright about that lane where I went the wrong way and the way he emphasised how dangerous that was also rocked my confidence down for a little bit so I don't think that was his intention it's the way I took it. He's not a bad instructor, I did make good progress since I started with him but yep he said I need more practice and lessons, that I wouldn't pass it. It's kind of what you don't want to hear after doing lessons over a long period of time and having a test in 2 days which you can't cancel so I think ye have a good point. His messaging was a bit bad and too negative and what you don't need to hear really. I might see if he'd be for or against hiring his car tomorrow and if he's against it I can try find someone else. Hopefully my instructor doesn't read boards lol. No my instructor is sound, he's alright. It would be good to try out the test and see how it goes. Sure if it's a disaster that's fine anyway. I bounce back quite quickly.

User1998 · 30-07-2025 07:21AM

Just get an automatic if you haven’t already

RGARDINR · 30-07-2025 09:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123682129#Comment_123682129

Would 100% agree. You dont have to worry about gear changes or cutting out. Gives you more time to observe the road etc. instead of looking down at the gears and what your doing wrong there, you shouldn't cut out on a hill or the likes like that as ypu won't need to change gears. Plus a lot of cars being mild hybrid and hybrid and electric are automatic so a lot more out there now then years ago.

AnnieinDundrum · 30-07-2025 09:50AM

shame about that but I can see the additional driving school car costs being another potential waste.
don’t take it too seriously and replan for say 4 months time,,,
I’d echo about switching to an automatic. I drove manuals for decades, and did my test in one, but hire cars are 99% automatic I’ve found and when I was buying a new (to me) car last year nearly all in my limited budget were automatic. I wanted electric or hybrid.

As well as not having to worry about changing gear Hill starts are a piece of cake with an automatic

Tom Thumbless · 31-07-2025 02:43PM

How did you get on with the test🤞

jimjangles · 31-07-2025 03:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123686310#Comment_123686310

Thanks for asking but I didn't do it. I cancelled. I wasn't test ready so I would have failed. I'm going to take a break from driving for a few weeks then go back at it and take some lessons again.

pfftdetail · 31-07-2025 04:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123686484#Comment_123686484

No offence but you cancelling the test was silly, it doesn't matter if you would have failed or not, but you just lost valuable experience that would have benefited you for the next driving test. The next time you are going to do a driving test you will be **** bricks because you won't even know how the driving test goes ahead.

On top of that, because you cancelled the test, you are now on the back of the waiting list, and you aren't on the priority retest list either, it's like you never applied for the driving test in the first place, so depending on your test centre, you are going to have to wait 10+ weeks for your next test.

Taking a break from driving for a weeks is also incredibly silly, the longer you are away from the wheel, the more you will forget how to drive. I'm not sure what the underlying issue is here, but I recommend sorting yourself out, getting a new driving instructor, going automatic, and go do your lessons, otherwise you will never get your drivers license.

Cancelling driving test 2 days previous to test

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