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Joderest

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Location
East sussex
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2003 ML270 Silver
My daughter is on her forth test this week, getting expensive at £62 a try.
The test must be so much harder than when i took it 48 years ago !!!!, as she is a good little driver.
Test 1, failed on wrong lane at a roundabout (can understand that) Stopped too abruptly at zebra crossing when pedestrian walked out on her !
Test 2, failed for not looking over her shoulder enough, and slightly incorrect approach to round a bout.
Test 3, not enough observations, stopping too quick at zebra crossing.

The examiner stated that as she had stopped quickly the car behind might have not been able to stop. My thought on that is the car behind would have been at fault as not leaving enough room to stop in emergency.
She has test number 4 on Wednesday, and she has, understandably, lost a bit of confidence in herself. Her driving instructor stated there is nothing else he can really teach her, as she drives well.

Any advice ?
 
Not an instructor but did teach my son right to test standard and passed.
My advice is take her out for experience and observation, clearly missing that as you should see someone walking up to the crossing let alone stepping out.
She needs to be aware of everything not just whats on the road and that only comes with pushing and watching the driving, make sure the head moves a lot, life saving.
 
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Try a different centre, one outside of the city. Less room for issues.
 
Isn't it all about hazard perception?
If she's approaching a zebra crossing(twice) and not noticing the pedestrian approaching then she isn't aware of her surroundings.
By the sounds of it she's only looking at her near field vision.
 
I have to agree with comments, we do drive as much as possible. Like this morning she drove to college, in the rush hour which is about an hour. She tries to drive her car every day, but either me or the wife have to be about for her.
On her last test, she told me that she saw the pedestrian walking before the crossing, and had her brake covered, he just walked straight out, she said she was about 10 meters from the crossing, so she stopped. As i am not there, i have to believe her, just thought its a bit harsh.
But yes, you are right what you say and i do tell her she needs to be aware of everything going on around her.
 
Devils advocate, but have you considered that the examiner is correct? - has it been the same instructor each time?
Nerves can be terrible and she may well be messing up due as a result, even though she is fine when with yourself or the standard instructor :) - I mean this in the nicest possible way :)
 
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Maybe the difference is related to the fact the driving examiner has to assess the necessary level of competence for her to drive alone. This a very difficult thing to judge for an instructor or parent. Someone who appears confident and competent when " accompanied" by people she knows may simply not be exhibiting enough of that ill defined quality of technical competence coupled to sound decision making that convinces the examiner that she can manage on her own? As already said its ---practice practice practice --to gain confidence. Chances are when your daughter really starts to believe she can pass the test is when she will.
 
All good comments, my main point seems to have been missed, in that kids today have it much harder to pass the test than i did all those years ago. I feel for them.
 
The examiner always asks if Mum or Dad (who ever is with her) wants to sit in the back during the test, but i think that will make her more nervous, we never do. I still think that some of the fails these kids get are harsh, but i suppose things have changed, more traffic and faster traffic than when old gits like me started.
 
I know Wednesday is almost upon us but take her out in the car and get her to talk non stop about what is going on around her. Not just in the car but what other vehicles and pedestrians are doing and what hazards she can see. When I taught my lad this helped him a lot as it made him a lot more observant. I know it sounds like one more thing to focus on but I did it on my advanced course where I was travelling slightly over the national limit and I can honestly say it helps. As Roy Walker used to say "Sat what you see".
 
good suggestion, i am taking (or she is taking me !) to college tomorrow morning (as next test during rush hour) and she is driving me home again in the evening, so i will try and do this for at least one way of the trip, but to keep my daughter talking for an hour is a challenge in its self !!!! (there was a time we could not shut her up !)

As a footnote, one of her friends had a test from same centre some time ago, he drove out of centre into a traffic jam due to an accident, and sat in the traffic for 40 mins, just crawling along, he was told to go round the first round a bout and back to the centre. He was given a pass.
 
Well I would take her out and pick all the worst areas to drive in,you know a route that requires concentration,make sure she is looking in the rear view mirror move it slightly so she has to turn her head slightly,I took my stepson on driving lessons,I took him over a industrial estate for the parking between two vehicles we started with a big gap and over the days I found smaller and smaller ones until I felt sure he would not be able to park the Fiesta between the two cars,but he managed it ,I took him up the multi car park into the filling station I payed,the added problem with him is he is stone deaf that makes giving instructions interesting,well he passed first time.
 
I know Wednesday is almost upon us but take her out in the car and get her to talk non stop about what is going on around her. Not just in the car but what other vehicles and pedestrians are doing and what hazards she can see. When I taught my lad this helped him a lot as it made him a lot more observant. I know it sounds like one more thing to focus on but I did it on my advanced course where I was travelling slightly over the national limit and I can honestly say it helps. As Roy Walker used to say "Sat what you see".
Absolutely this. And show her how it is done so that she can see how you are using your observational skills to pick up things she might not...
"I've just picked up a puff of smoke from the exhaust of that yellow car. He might pull out. Two kids on the pavement hidden by the parked cars. There's a bus up a head. He WILL pull out, signals or not. That car isn't positioning itself very well. He may do something stupid. Just noticed a motorcycle filtering down the middle. Checking my mirrors and a quick glance to see if I can give him a bit more room".... That sort of thing. I do it a lot when I'm on my own just to check my own obs. skills.
 
Book her driving test for 8:30 in the morning so she gets stuck in traffic and she ends up going round the block and driving straight back to the test station!
 
Just in my opinion, I have found that young drivers in the main lack the ability of being able to read the road. I put it down to the fact that mostly they have never ridden a motorcycle, where you learn to read the road very quickly, or suffer the consequences.
All the Hazard Perception training is all very well but it often never simulates real life experiences. Such as drivers, using their phone, pulling out with out signalling, or just plain non use of signals at all.
What about the morons that just walk across the road these days texting on their phones... we have all seen them.
Young Ted above, (note motorcycle rider ! ) offers sound advice on reading the road. Its not about about whats happening 10 metres ahead its about what is and what might happen 50 metres plus away. As your speed increases so the need to be aware increases profoundly.
I find motorway driving hellish these days. On a journey up to Scotland, the M6 fron Jnc 1 is the Highway to Hell until you get to Lancaster and the traffic thins out, and the traffic becomes more peaceful.

@Joderest, I hope your daughter does pass her test, but the reality is, that she is still learning for a long time after that and she can still use your guidance.
I suppose this why young drivers insurance is so high.
If she fails again then get another instructor to be critical of her driving skills. Your daughter is the apple of your eye, and Dads are not always best placed at being critical.
Safe driving everyone.

Steve
 
Have to agree, bike rider for over 48 years before hung up my crash helmet. Funny thing was that both daughter's wanted to go moped route at 16, but we, as parents would not let them due to dangers on road.
Daughter number one driving skills I do not think are her problem, it's her "eyes every where" that is letting her down, she fails to see things.
Well, we will find out tomorrow
 
I'm a motorcyclist so I do it anyway but even very basic advanced driving training such as provided by your employer will major on looking into the distance to read for potential hazards. Providing a running commentary of your observations is also useful and would make clear to an examiner that you had actually seen a hazard. Are you permitted to do that on a test ?

I do feel for young drivers as the test must be much more demanding than mine was 47 years ago. Back then it felt like they focused more on your ability to control the vehicle instead of tripping you up on technicalities. The test centre was opposite Strangeways prison in Manchester and the typical route included a lap around the prison walls. On the bike test you were hardly ever visible to the examiner except when he jumped out in front of you for the emergency stop. In retrospect the motorcycle test did very little to prepare you for safe riding in those days. I suppose a driving test is similar to an MOT in that having an easy pass is not necessarily doing you any favours.
 
ERM, it's tomorrow
 

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