Driving test anxiety

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So, whilst this to some this may seem like a ridiculous issue to me I feel as though I am about to be sent to North Korea on holiday!
I am due to take my driving test and I am SHITTING myself. Not just a bit but a lot. I don’t know what to expect, what to do/say. Iv given myself the shits with amount of Rescue Remedies iv troughed and I desperately need some tips on staying calm and what to do! Iv got to this age without wanting to drive for fear and I started learning in August and now here we are! Any tips?!
 
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Be confident !
I imagine that they fancied me and that helped. Sorry that may be terrible advice.
 
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Be confident !
I imagine that they fancied me and that helped. Sorry that may be terrible advice.
I will be a sweaty blotchy mess, with a twitchy left leg! It will be a struggle to pretend anyone will fancy me!
 
Okay, then think of a big treat for when you pass.
Shopping spree or the car or a night out?
I was so excited to have my own car keys 😂
When is the test? You can do it !!
 
Okay, then think of a big treat for when you pass.
Shopping spree or the car or a night out?
I was so excited to have my own car keys 😂
When is the test? You can do it !!
Wednesday!! I’m not very good with directions and this is worrying me!
 
Wednesday!! I’m not very good with directions and this is worrying me!
Although I did my test about 7/8 years ago, I remember being worried about directions! It was slightly different back then, but just keep an eye on any signs and don’t panic! You won’t get a fault for going the wrong way and if you go wrong and you’re not sure which way to go or can’t see any signs, ask the examiner.

Best of luck!! I’ve heard a lot of people say to eat a banana before your test 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 I can’t imagine there’s much science or logic to that, but it’s advice I’ve heard a lot 😂
 
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My instructor told me to remember a few key things for my test: (I passed last year!)
- ake some actions obvious: such as looking at your mirrors, use your head to turn and look and don't just dart your eyes around. Otherwise the examiner may not see you checking your mirrors and blind splots.
- Speak aloud your intentions. Sometimes you may be too cautious at times and to the examiner it may look like you're not confident. You can out-loud say to your examiner "oh I'll just wait here a moment before turning as that car seems to be approaching quite fast" etc etc.

Usually you'll go in to the test centre, fill a few forms, they'll ask if you want your instructor with you (I didn't - less pressure), and then you await for your examiner where you then get into the car for the test. I did 20 minutes or so following a sat-nav and then following the directions of the examiner.
Don't worry about the one manoeuvre you have to do, I'm sure you'll have enough practice and chances are you'll get something nice like "can you just pull up on the left please" (I was thankful for that and not parallel parking lol).

Good luck!! It might seem disappointing and a waste of money but you can always try again. I'm sure it will go fine!

Just seen the posts about directions too and I missed turns many times in my test, it's just about how you handle it and as long as you don't panic and just focus on the next turn/whatever you're told to do next it won't affect anything :)
 
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I was a right state for mine. Ans a passed with two minors! You CAN DO IT! you can drive, you wouldnt be having your test if you couldnt, its just an assesment, to check if you can drive safely, if you cant then you sont want to be on the road at this momemt anyway do you?
This is what i told myself. It helped a lot mentally.

Test tips...
MIRRORS!!!!!
check your bloody mirrors.
Of you stall. It doesn't matter, dont panic, follow the steps and get the car moving again, MIRRORS!! ( I stalled on the junction back into the test centre 🤪)
Smile, i smiled all way through mine to.the point the man asked if i was ok. Haha. Its helped keep me calm.
If your a chatty person, have a chat to break the ice on the drive.
Good luck x
 
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I was a right state for mine. Ans a passed with two minors! You CAN DO IT! you can drive, you wouldnt be having your test if you couldnt, its just an assesment, to check if you can drive safely, if you cant then you sont want to be on the road at this momemt anyway do you?
This is what i told myself. It helped a lot mentally.

Test tips...
MIRRORS!!!!!
check your bloody mirrors.
Of you stall. It doesn't matter, dont panic, follow the steps and get the car moving again, MIRRORS!! ( I stalled on the junction back into the test centre 🤪)
Smile, i smiled all way through mine to.the point the man asked if i was ok. Haha. Its helped keep me calm.
If your a chatty person, have a chat to break the ice on the drive.
Good luck x
I am too chatty I think!! I just can’t wait for it to be over with! I’m a Bugger for mirrors and have to just keep repeating it in my head! also, I do panic when I stall!
Thank You!
 
Honestly it’s really not so scary. The person sitting next to you is a normal human being and nobody to be intimidated by. You can drive otherwise you wouldn’t be sitting your test so just pretend it’s another lesson with your instructor. Your examiner might ask a few questions at first and try and have a bit of a chat but you aren’t expected to be super chatty or anything so if you’d rather just sit and concentrate just be polite with short answers. Keep telling yourself you CAN do it.
 
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I had terrible driving test anxiety. Even had to do an emergency poo before a test. I was sweaty, forgetful, the lot.
For the test i passed, I had my driving instructor in the back. It really helped me. I think it was havign someone on my side there with me.

Good luck. It's totally worth it. I couldn't be without driving now but I really struggled to get there.
 
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How did you get on?
Failed! I was doing so well too, then with about 10 minutes left to go I had to do my manoeuvre- a parallel park - I set off doing it and the examiner said ‘There’s a dog with a bottle in its mouth‘ - as soon as she said that I buggered it all up and scraped the curb! I whined to my Instructor and he said they sometimes try to put you off to see if it affects your concentration. I only had 8 minors! I rebooked for the 2nd of April and that got cancelled and so far the DVSA havnt started booking others yet!
 
Failed! I was doing so well too, then with about 10 minutes left to go I had to do my manoeuvre- a parallel park - I set off doing it and the examiner said ‘There’s a dog with a bottle in its mouth‘ - as soon as she said that I buggered it all up and scraped the curb! I whined to my Instructor and he said they sometimes try to put you off to see if it affects your concentration. I only had 8 minors! I rebooked for the 2nd of April and that got cancelled and so far the DVSA havnt started booking others yet!
Oh, that's rotten luck. Seems a mean trick to try and distract you by putting you off. Hope you hear back soon about your next test. A friend of mine always used to say that the best drivers pass first time, second time round :)
 
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Book the 9am test, no matter how far in the future it is. You’ll be sat in traffic and only be asked to do a three point turn, I also found other road users ridiculously helpful towards me at this time of day like giving way rather than at later times of day where I got cut up or overtaken by speeding cars! The tests I got at different times of day were so much harder - I could drive well/safely but the performance anxiety really did me in on the tests, particularly with joining A roads I always felt a pressure to do it in a timely manner which just isn’t always possible but the anxiety of knowing you get done for hesitation did me in.

My instructor didn’t understand why I kept failing and wouldn’t let me take more lessons as he said it was pointless, we were just driving about chatting in the end (arguably we should have continued parallel parking but I knew I’d never attempt it in the wild so whatevs).

I took a kalms too which helped, looking back I wish I’d taken beta blockers and probably gone to some sort of therapy about it, I was so hugely anxious. I had even been sick before one of the tests (I did 3 total) and vowed never to return after my second I was inconsolable! You’ve just got to persevere and know it’s bleeping tit but they have to pass you at some point 😂

Mega good luck though you can do it ❤❤❤
 
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I failed mine twice due to nerves. In the end doc put me on beta blockers and I passed that time (even though I stalled at a junction but no traffic and I didn't fluster). This is now 13 and a half years ago. Def recommend them
 
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I did mine twice. First time I was 19 and the tester was an absolute pig. Just about grunted at me and made me ten times more nervous than I already was.

Second time I was 21. Went into the office and an absolute gentleman said "Come into me now here pet, we'll have a chat and then we'll go for an old drive"

He was the complete opposite of the first guy and I knew I was going to pass.

Unfortunately sometimes it's just the luck of the draw who you get ☹
 
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Failed 3 times due to nerves! Hands would be shaking, my back would be damp with sweat. Id honestly rather give birth than take one ever again!

my advice would be so not give up! You will get there in the end and it will be worth it. Once you pass you can drive on your own and your confidence will blossom. ☺
 
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You’re all ace! Thank you for the motivation and well wishes!! Thing is - I only want to drive about 3 miles a day! Back and forth to work once a day! You’d think they’d just give me a free pass and save all this aggro!
 
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