u/Responsible-Fill-113

First pic is from 9th June 2026, second is from today.

Sorry in advance for the long story!

I was absolutely devastated when I failed my first ever test and sure, maybe the fact that my instructor had to arrange an replacement instructor to practice and take me to the test centre that day, added to my nerves, but ultimately I think it was the pressure that I put on myself to pass the first time, is what did it.

On the 9th, I was making stupid mistakes, like waiting for a lady on a bike a few hundred yards away (with a queue of cars behind her) pass by me before entering the main road. Or like when there was a massive truck approaching (parked cars on each side of the road) and I failed to stop, so the examiner had to intervene with the brake pedal & adjust my steering (this was the dangerous fault).

Even when I got lost in thought at a roundabout (TWICE🤦🏾‍♀️ - this was the undue hesitation) because I was thinking about my error that led to the dangerous fault and at the end of the test, when I couldn’t correct my reverse bay parking and ended up not even in a bay (I was over 2 bays, slanted😭) - it was just too much pressure!!

But instead of wallowing about it forever (I’ll be honest, I was upset for the rest of the week lol), I just picked myself up and started to look for test dates on the 10th.

Found a test for 9th September on 10th June; moved my test forward to 10th August on 12th June; used my last booking change on 19th June to change my test to 26th June.

In the last 2 weeks since failing, I had not driven - partially because I just felt disappointed about it all and unmotivated (as my provisional was due to expire on 13th July). But mostly because my instructor is still grieving the loss of his family member and has taken time off work (rightfully so).

As soon as I got paid this Monday, I instantly found and called up a driving school in my area & booked 6 hours of lessons (5 excluding the test hour), all to take place in the same week as my test. I’m lucky to have had such a great instructor from this driving school as he built up my confidence & tailored the lessons so I could improve my skills and ability - he did not restart my driving journey at all.

And just in case you think there’s been no improvement since my first test: the two driving faults for progress were made when I was on the dual carriageway (I had actively made a decision to not overtake, in fear that I would miss my exit or make any mistakes when trying to go back into the left lane - I could’ve done this safely with my observations but I did not want any extra pressure to be perfect or not ruin things) and the one fault for control was when I was entering the test centre at the end (I had steered left a little too early and went over the curb at a slow pace). I was also asked to reverse bay park as my final manoeuvre and this time I smashed it!!

I say all of this because I want others to continue to have hope, and not give up on their dreams of driving. 4 to 10 years ago, I was scared to even be in control this massive piece of machinery we call a car, and only saw my provisional as a form of ID for me to get alcohol, but today? Well today, I’ve learnt to believe in myself, with all the flaws and weaknesses I have as a person.

So here are my tips:

- keep checking the DVSA website every half hour or twice every 15 minutes (on different devices) for test bookings and cancellations! The new changes are actually working, just give it time and you’ll see for yourself.

- stay positive! Never give up! Being self-critical or negative will show up in how you drive - your examiner and instructor will be able to see/feel the doubt, panic and anxiety in your mind through your driving, so always think the best and be kind to yourself.

- do commentary driving, it’ll keep you focused and demonstrate to your instructor what you still need to improve on, and to your examiner, what you have rehearsed well.

- take notes after your lessons!! Review them in your spare time and visualise what you need to do; then review the latest notes before your test and be mindful of what your weaknesses are when driving. (Feel free to also watch YouTube or TikTok videos on physical driving and theory questions - even after you’ve passed the theory - to make sure your understanding of the road and regulations are correct when you practice in your lessons.)

- don’t be afraid to break up with your instructor if you feel like they’re not suited to you. A good instructor won’t cancel last minute without good reason; they also won’t shout or make you feel worthless when you can’t pick something up. I’ve gone through 5 instructors (6 with the one I passed with, this week) throughout my driving journey and sure, that’s a lot of money spent but I’ve never felt more confident in driving ever. Find someone who can adapt their teaching style to your way of learning & don’t be afraid to ask them questions on what you need to improve, or decide on the format of the lessons as you are the one in control of your driving journey. If you need a 5 min break between the two hours, ask. If you need to spend more time on spiral roundabouts because you’re anxious or simply don’t understand them, ask. They don’t know what you don’t tell them!

- on your test, either choose to ignore the examiner (and I don’t mean ignore their instructions!) or try and make small talk. I felt self conscious about my driving during the first test (after the first dangerous mistake), so I had chosen to stay quiet, which meant all the negative thoughts in my head became louder. Today I had made jokes with the examiner about the weather, waiting in traffic and a taxi driver cutting me off which made me feel much more at ease (and realise that he was not my enemy).

- last of all, don’t put pressure on yourself to pass the test. Just say this mantra, “I’m going to make sure I go out of the test centre safely, and get back safely.” That’s all you have to do for the whole test - DRIVE SAFELY. The moment you start focusing on the idea of passing or failing, that’s when, for me, it all went downhill, so try to make it easier for yourself.

Thank you to everyone in this sub who posted stories of their fails and passes - it’s kept me going 🤍

TLDR; I passed within 1 week of finding a new driving instructor, and after failing 2 weeks ago; moved my test forward by 3 months within 10 days; I have some tips above to share for those who feel like giving up. Take your time, make whatever adjustments you need and be mindful of how you feel overall about driving.