Car: 1st Cat C: 1st C+E: will find out 6th of Jan, never been great with nerves but usually manage to hold it together for tests (just!). Didn’t think I’d sail through ADR without an issue but I managed to. 
Never took a car test, got my car licence when I did my HGV 3 back in 1979. I did a pre-test drive the day before my class 3 test and made a pigs ear of it but got me to realise I’m over analysing everything and to calm down a bit, which seemed to do the trick for the test and I passed. Something else I did as well was chew gum, seemed to help relax me. I did ask the examiner if it was ok to chew gum as I didn’t want him to think I’m a cocky sort lol… also chewed gum for my class 2 and class 1. Passed them all ok.
mmeessii:
Well… thanks guys for all the replies read them all… quite diverse and interesting… since that last fail i had another one… next week I’m going for 4th try. After reading the replies it feels shameful… last time the “excuse” was i was too slow… also too close to parked cars.
- Never hit or scratched anything parked not even in a car in my life. On narrow side roads where we ve been … and for the first time in my life an all… there wasn’t much space either side no matter who was driving…■■ Whatever
- The lesson before the fail my instructor kept telling me slow down- slow down watch the load on the vehicle- just like a train in the station… so i did… FAIL…?
Couldn’t believe… i feel confident… like driving… done 24 hrs now. Not a pro but should measure accordingly IMO.
Don’t know what to expect next…
Sorry to hear that.
Do your best to put it behind you, focus on what’s coming up. You’ve had plenty of instruction, just go in there and get it done.
In your three fails so far, are you making the same mistakes, or different ones?
Personally, I’d be looking for a different trainer and examiner at this stage - take beaver’s example.
I passed my Class C, first attempt, last month.
I found the test easier than any of my lessons as it was only an hour or so whereas 4 hour lessons can be mentally draining. I also found that not knowing some of the roads too well on my test actually kept me more alert and focused whereas driving on very familiar roads can maybe make you be a bit too comfortable?
I wouldn’t place too much stress on driving round in your own time and wasting your own fuel on trying to suss out every possible road you could take on a test. Just take each instruction from the examiner as it comes and don’t be worrying what might happen or where you might be in 5 turns time.
Finally, if your hitting cones on your reverse manoeuvre in a rigid then either your nerves really must be shot to pieces or your instructor hasn’t made you practice enough.
I passed my Car test 1st time my PCV test 2nd time and my Class 2 1st time. The PCV test was probably the most difficult as I was getting used to driving a large vehicle for the first time. Class C was ok the most difficult part was getting back into the swing of using more mirrors etc
Ron