I am currently in the process of getting my Class 2 I have past the multiple choice test and am now getting annoyed the failing the Hazard Perception. I have the Official computer “game” and when I use it I score in the %90 area but when I go to the actual test I get just a smidge under the pass mark. I now have my next test booked for the 23rd of April fingers crossed this time
When I see the developing hazard I click 2 or 3 times I spot them nice and early I don’t get nervous during tests I was wondering if anyone had any extra tips, my strategy so far is this.
I sit leaning back further away from the screen so that you see more with less scanniong,
On the count down look at the area i’m in.
whilst going along the road I scan the road and pedestrians for potential hazards as you would normally.
when I see the hazard I click I wait a shart while then I click again (mayby half a second to a second) if it’s a long drawn out one I double click in the same manor again later on when I think it’s changed.
I have spotted a load of things wrong with the test and also wondered if anyone else had issues with it too
The fact that you spot the hazards nice and early May be the problem.
If your first clip was just a fraction too soon you will have missed scoring 5 then if you have waited a second before clicking again you may only be scoring 1 or 2
When you see the hazard try holding back a smidgen on your first click.
And let’s just get this out the way - yes the HazPercep is a P.O.S.
BUT… it is there and you have to pass it.
What you seem to have mentioned is exactly correct in my opinion.
Any kind of exam or test should be fairly intuitive.
But I would bet my bottom dollar that a lot of people (even skilled/experienced drivers) would fail that test if you just sat them down with no prior explanation and/or training.
From what I can see, you do seem to be preparing in the best way possible.
I also took the test recently and so experienced the ‘newer’ CGI style - and I have to say that it is much more vivid and clear than the older Video Clips they used. And somehow the ‘hazard’ did seem quite obvious when it presented itself.
As an example, my clip with 2 Hazards was a Moorlands road with 2 lots of sheep that waddled out into the road on 2 separate occasions
You mention that you are already thinking about the type of hazard as the countdown is going - which is good as it normally narrows down what you could be looking for. So I am thinking it is more down to your ‘technique’ than not knowing what to look for.
May I ask if you are ever getting penalized for clicking too often?
If not, then there is certainly more leeway for you to be putting more clicks in around the time of the Hazard.
And I would suggest that, as you have software to practice on, you play around with this and see what you can do before the system starts picking you up for over-clicking (and in it’s book ‘cheating’).
Aside from that, the problem I experienced when I first started, was that I saw the hazard ‘too early’ if you will. At that point I clicked once only, and then moved on in my mind to be looking for the next potential hazard.
But that is dangerous as, if you have clicked before the actually scoring band, you will register a 0 score
The solution is to still make that instinctive first click, but then to also add a 2nd or even 3rd click very shortly after.
The way I could refine this with my software was to go in afterwards and review the clip - it saved the timing of my clicks and showed me where in the official scoring bands they were.
Do that often enough and you start to become more consistent in your scoring.
As you probably appreciate already, the worst thing you can do in this test it to get too many 0 or 1 scores as this means you have to get more and more 5’s to make up for it. And at some point it just becomes virtually impossible to achieve the pass-mark.
Good luck - keep preparing and try to work out a ‘strategy’ of clicking that works for you and the system.
Many thanks for the in depth help. I have set the test 3 times
1st I scored 63, clicking 3 times per hazard then on about clip 13 the camera car went round a parked vehicle when cars were on coming and I thought W.T.F are you doing! got 0 on 2 clips but not for “cheating”
2nd I scored after testing out a new strategy on the software of clicking 4 times per hazard not scoring 0 for doing it so i did it in the test and got a score of 0 for 2 clips again but these were for “cheating” this probably annoyed me and i made it known in the post test survey.
3rd test I scored 65, and scored for every clip. this was clicking clicking twice per hazard but was sitting a lot further back so could scan easier, also i had a couple of clips i’d had before which does help particularly one with 2 women leaving a house walking along the road behind a parked car then crossing the road in front of the camera car, being unsure of when they would class it as a developing hazard I clicked when i saw them clicked when they passed the parked car then clicked when they started to cross the road. double click each time.
I’ve done the same as you by going back and seeing when I was clicking in relation to the score zones in the DVLA software.
I’m currently thinking of an initial double click like you would on a file on a PC then a very short pause and a 3rd click. it would be like 12 … 3 any thoughts?
Crusher75:
As an example, my clip with 2 Hazards was a Moorlands road with 2 lots of sheep that waddled out into the road on 2 separate occasions
That’s the double hazard clip I had in my test - missed the sheep until far too late both times and scored only 3 from a possible 10. Thankfully did much better elsewhere and got 84% overall.
Crusher75:
As an example, my clip with 2 Hazards was a Moorlands road with 2 lots of sheep that waddled out into the road on 2 separate occasions
That’s the double hazard clip I had in my test - missed the sheep until far too late both times and scored only 3 from a possible 10. Thankfully did much better elsewhere and got 84% overall.
Haha nice!
It just twigged somehow as the most obvious one for me once it got rolling.
It also was the most ‘dodgy’ in terms of the new CGI graphics - every other clip I can say I thought was very, very well implemented. But this one, I’m not sure if you noticed, but the legs and hooves of the sheep were animated like match-stick men and kinda ‘clipping’ through the terrain
Overall though, as I have mentioned a good number of times, much more a fan of the CGI style than the old grainy,pixelated videos.
+1 on the seeing hazards too early. The test is flawed and imo you should be giving a commentary on what you are seeing as a hazard. Someone would have to “judge” that… so it wouldn’t be consistent.
I scored one under the pass mark the first time but got just over the next time. It’s more technique than judgement, although you have to use your judgement when to click… and it’s a lot later than I felt comfortable with. In a wagon, you need to be looking ahead to avoid heavy braking etc. although brake systems are better than they were a few decades ago, they still have limits. It saves money too, my grandfather used to say of driving a car “Every time you touch the brakes you spend sixpence.”
Good luck next time.
A big thanks to everyone,
I did finally pass it was by the skin of my teeth but passed it! I even had the infamous Hazard Perception sheep (thanks for the heads up on that one)
The hazard perception is a load of tosh. I passed mine for both bus and class 2 by the skin of my teeth. And thats because I was clicking too early. Using the smith system since my dad taught me for my car test,I saw hazards develping eg bikes,parked cars whatever and clicked. But it was in the distance and outside the “window” of acceptability,I got marked for not seeing it.
Apparently what they are teaching people when learning to drive is that its not ok to see a hazard well in advance and deal with it. You need to wait till its closer
Now while it may have benefits to new car learners for first license to get them to recognise a hazard,for more experienced drivers I feel it is grossly unfair since said experience puts you at a disadvantage because you see the hazard a lot earlier than is deemed acceptable. And is it ever “too early” to see a potential hazard?
But keep going mate,you’ll get there
I’m just got the official 2015 software for ‘helping’ you to get ready for your test and I’m having truble.
I’ve been riding a motorbike for about 7 years and a car for 5, I’ve now been driving for a living for about 6 months and want my class C
When I took my test for my bike and car (did them both in the same year) I ‘cheated’ on 2 of my clips but still passed comfortably with plenty of 5s 4s and a few 3s (not a single one below 2)
Because I’m supposed to have ‘cheated’ on my car one for seeing ‘too many hazards’ and ‘clicking too much’ I’m now so paranoid i’m getting loads of below 3 because i’m waiting to see if its a ‘real hazard’ or not.
How many times can i click? Does anyone know? It seems clicking for everything that might become a hazard is classed as cheating but clicking once you know THAT IT IS a hazard its too late.
When I took the test for my car I was told that the hazards where things happening that WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO ADJUST YOUR SPEED OR DIRECTION. Some of these ‘hazards’ I’m getting low scores on seem to just be normal driving conditions to me. For example buses that stop at bus stops, WHAT A SHOCK! Cars on a slip road will join the motorway instead of driving into the verge, who would have thought. Some of these ‘hazards’ I’m getting 0 for don’t seem to require the driver of the cam car to do more than just keep an eye on it… he/she never slowed or turned, then, same clip, he/she DID have to slow and turn but some how it wasn’t the hazard.
I’M SO CONFUSED!!! HELP!!!
Edited: Ok I’ve tried some of the sucestions on here and in the programs read up and did a lot better with a 79 out of 100. I still have to agree with a lot of people who have posted that the hazard perception is warped by what the people who made it consider to be hazards and not, and also how many pixels you should be able to spot the hazard in… some of them within much less than 1/3 of a second i’d say. At least I know what kind of strange minds i’m up against.
I do still have one question if you can help. I’m using “The Complete LGV and PCV Theory and Hazard Perception Tests” 2015 program. Does anyone know if this program will tell you if on the real test you would have been done for ‘cheating’ in the way you responded in mocks? and if yes how close is this to how the real tests ‘cheating’ detector responds?
but got just over the next time. It’s more technique than judgement, although you have to use your judgement when to click… and it’s a lot later than I felt comfortable with. In a wagon, you need to be looking ahead to avoid heavy braking etc. although brake systems are better than they were a few decades ago, they still have limits. It saves money too, my grandfather used to say of driving a car “Every time you touch the brakes you spend sixpence.”
