Hi, I took my test a year ago at the Thurrock/Purfleet test centre and failed it with a manual.
Failed due to braking too sharply 5 times and pulling out at a busy roundabout in a manner that resulted in another motorist having to slow down. The braking I get but I have driven cars and bikes and personally you have to bully yourself onto a busy roundabout at times otherwise you get the people behind you ■■■■■■ off and you get marked down for hesitation. Plus the time you pull off there is a good chance another motorist is coming round the roundabout that you cannot see and he will have to slow down.
So if anyone can give me advice regarding the roundabout issue I would appreciate it.
I didn’t go for a immediate re-test because I got put off of driving trucks due to the poor training I feel I had. But now I’m interested again and motivated and I found a DSA approved company that seem quite good.
My main question is should I do my test in an automatic or manual? I think I had 1 or 2 minors with gears last time but I do remember having to worry about them quite a bit. Seems if I go in a auto it will be one less thing to worry about.
Also should I take it at this test centre? I remember the traffic being crazy going on the m25 and into London etc. it seems it is a lot to deal with compared to taking the test in Ipswich.
Heck I’ve even considered taking my test in Scotland due to the stupidly high pass rates in the northern parts of Scotland.
I just don’t want to go waste anymore money on this unnecessary. Sorry if my post is unorganized I haven’t really written anything longer then a txt message in quite some time so my formal writing is a little rusty. Thanks.
Manual or auto makes no difference and you already proved you can handle a manual so auto would be one less thing
Roundabouts - there is a difference between real life driving and test driving so you need to do what your instructor has told you which if it means waiting a very long time for a safe gap then that is what you do unless the test examiner informs you to do other
You do not get punished for waiting for a safe gap but as you found out you do for causing another to change speed or direction
You can get minors for missing an easy safe gap to progress
Why are you concerned about those behind if you have no safe go to proceed
ROG:
Manual or auto makes no difference and you already proved you can handle a manual so auto would be one less thing
Roundabouts - there is a difference between real life driving and test driving so you need to do what your instructor has told you which if it means waiting a very long time for a safe gap then that is what you do unless the test examiner informs you to do other
You do not get punished for waiting for a safe gap but as you found out you do for causing another to change speed or direction
You can get minors for missing an easy safe gap to progress
Why are you concerned about those behind if you have no safe go to proceed
It makes sense when you say it like that but at the time I was just thinking ‘Don’t ■■■■ up don’t ■■■■ up or your £1200 out of pocket’
Was a very stressful week for me.
I would suggest auto in your case. You already know how to use a manual but changing vehicles could well mean a degree of re-learning. And there’s just no need. Either way, though, I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. If for any reason it’s more convenient to use a manual, do it.
On the matter of roundabouts: this is so common. The gremlins in your head are telling you you’ll fail for hesitation if you don’t go. It’s simply not true. You would have to miss a lot of gaps or ignore a really good, easy gap before it got near a fail. As ROG said, you may pick up the odd minor if the examiner considers you should/could have gone. But as soon as you slow someone down it’s likely to be a serious (fail) mark. So it’s clear which side of the line you want to aim for.
I am familiar with the Purfleet centre and I have to be honest and say that the traffic is not as friendly as it is in Mansfield!!! But plenty of folks pass there so it cant be all bad.
ROG:
You can get minors for missing an easy safe gap to progress
You can also get instant serious faults for this. If you are waiting, correctly, for a long time and you miss an obvious opportunity to advance which results in holding up traffic behind, it can be marked as a serious fault.
Travelling not too much further, things are better at Chelmsford test centre although it’s still busy around here. Ipswich is the next one out and when I did my artic test there found it much more relaxed than my rigid test at Chelmsford.
A few years experience undoubtedly helped but it seemed a better place to test, I went with a Colchester school who being midway between the two chose Ipswich for the quieter roads and more human examiners. The pass rates published were noticeably higher than at Chelmsford which was itself noticeably higher than Purfleet & Enfield. Seems like a good option to give yourself a better chance.
