FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. How many lessons will I need?
A. This is both the most common question I hear and the most difficult to answer! For more information click here.
Q. Can I learn in an automatic car?
A. Sorry no, currently I only offer lessons in a manual car.
Q. Do the DSA have a quota for test passes?
A. No! This is one of many myths surrounding the driving test, so I will try to answer them all here.
There is no quota for test passes!
Nor does the time of the week or month affect whether you will pass.
Whether you have taken and failed any tests before is not a factor.
Being previously banned from driving will not affect the result either.
There is only one factor affecting whether you pass and that is how you drive.
Q. What do I need to bring with me on my test?
A. You will need to bring the card and paper parts of your licence and your theory test certificate. If you have an old style licence bring this and your passport. The DSA are very strict about the licence so make sure you look it out in good time. You cannot do the test without it and it is best to avoid last minute panics looking for it.
Q. Will I fail the test for getting a show me tell me question wrong?
A. No, even getting both questions wrong will only result in one driver (minor) error being accrued.
Q. Will I fail my test for stalling?
A. Only if it is deemed to be a serious or dangerous error but more often than not stalling is regarded as a driver (minor) error. If you do stall, keep calm and remember to take the necessary precautions before re-starting the engine.
Q. Will the examiner expect me to drive perfectly on the test?
A. Nobody drives perfectly all the time; it is difficult even for experienced drivers to do this, let alone a nervous test candidate. The examiner will take this into account and you will allowed to make up to 15 minor errors on your test.
Fundamentally, what the examiner is looking for is - are you safe and competent?
Only by committing a serious or dangerous error or repeating the same minor error several times will you fail the test.
Alternatively, you could commit more than 15 minor errors but if you are properly prepared this should not really come into play.
Q. When I go for my test what car will I drive?
A. The DSA supplies an examiner for your test but not a car. Of course you will want to drive a car you are familiar with so you will use the same car as on your lessons.
Q. What is the best time to take a test?
A. The day of week does not matter, although I do prefer to do tests mid-morning as the roads tend to be slightly quieter at this time. Weather should not really affect you as in extreme weather the test would be cancelled.
Q. How can I cope with nerves on my test?
A. In my experience the best way to cope with nerves is to be very well prepared for the test. If you know exactly what to expect and what to do then you will have the confidence to overcome even the worst case of nerves.
Q. Can you guarantee I will pass?
A. That would be nice but the honest answer is no, I can't. It all depends on what happens on the day. However I can guarantee to prepare you very well for test to give you the best chance.
Q. I have seen courses offered which guarantee you will pass, is this true?
A. Nobody can guarantee you a pass. These courses usually offer to give you indefinite tuition until you do pass. Often though, the cost is very high and you may have to travel some distance to take the course.
Q. How do you calculate Pass Rates?
A. I stick with the same method used by the Driving Standards Agency. That is pass rate is the total number of passes obtained as a percentage of total number of tests taken.
This is the only method which gives a true reflection of pass rates and allows for a fair comparison to be made with the national statistics.
Please contact me if you have any other questions, I will do my best to answer them.
