planning and looking far ahead

[7db]

Buy a day pass for the bus, and sit at the front of the top deck. Your view will be too good, due to your height from the ground, but it can still provide good practice at looking ahead and identifying hazards.

This is excellent advice. Also - do it when others are driving. Do it when you're walking. Do it everywhere you can!

[lucy2011]

great advice,but i am disappointed would have expected my instructor to have given me advice like this earlier on. defo going to try this .thankyou

[7db]

In fairness to your instructor -- you are unlikely to get all of the information and skills which are useful for you from one source. The approach that many describe as being successful is exposing yourself to as many different sources as possible, and picking up and trying out the many different mental and physical aspects (sayings, thoughts, experiments and techniques) and seeing which ones work for you in the various circumstances in which you drive.

Eventually your toolbox ends up quite full, and you can approach many jobs with the confidence that you will be able to handle them with aplomb.

[lucy2011]

hi everyone ,had a lesson yesterday,took on board what you guys said and ! i did commentry driving all the way through,apart from the last 10 minutes road was too narrow with car's on each side was looking not far enough,even thou i was going slow speed i needed to look far.Apart from that my instructor said i have just proved a point that i can do it and look farand plan ahead using commentry driving,so i was well pleased and looking forward to next week's lesson for once.

[Horse]

Excellent news, glad it went well and thanks for the update

[lucy2011]

hi everyone just an update i went for my test,and failed it was my first test was very nervous,leg's wouldn't stop shaking,my mouth went all dry could not keep up with commentry driving,well now i know what it is like very nerve
wrecking and you make silly mistakes,i don't know what am going to do next time to calm my nerves down,all i know is i can do this but need to settle my nerves.

[martine]

Hi Lucy and commiserations. I failed my L-test first time...don't worry about it but get some positives from it. Many people are nervous for the L-test (and Advanced) and sometimes it's affects your driving. The examiners expect people to be nervous and will try and put you at your ease. I know some advanced examiners who 'ignore' the first few miles and start the test proper after the driver's had a chance to calm down and get into it.

You may well be less nervous next time - as at least you'll know more about the test and how it works.

Did you have anyone in the back? My own daughter, much to my surprise, was quite happy to have me in the back during her L-test...she said she felt it was good to have someone she knew with her.

What did you fail on?

[IVORTHE DRIVER]

Hi

Sorry to hear you failed, I failed my first test as well.

"rescue" remedy is available from boots etc and is great for frayed nerves, it really seems to work, give it a shot.

Failing that try looking beyond the actual test, ie what are your plans for the rest of the day, plan a treat for afterwards, book lunch etc

Above all see it as a learning experience and don't dwell on the "down" side

Remember, you CAN do it

Ivor

[lucy2011]

i failed on corner reverse obs,and i stalled at the traffic lights they were green in a split second they turned to red,and i didn't see the give way sign ,so i got 2 serious marks ,I CAN DO IT but nerves got thr better of me ,looking back now i can re do that test rout with my eyes closed ,(we all say that)once we fail.
i did not take any one with me i thought i might be more nervouse,how wrong was i ,so next time i will take my instructor with me.
thank's for you kind word's martine and you to ivor,
i will pop into boot's 2moro.thanks again.

[ROG]

Nerves - try KALMS and increase the amount the nearer it gets to test time

Works for many doing the LGV DSA test ..... and they are herbal

[IVORTHE DRIVER]

Hi,

Err Rog...KALMS is a sleeping tablet and although they claim not to make you drowsy during the day I don't think I would care to put it to the test

Ivor

[GJD]

Hi,

Err Rog...KALMS is a sleeping tablet and although they claim not to make you drowsy during the day I don't think I would care to put it to the test

Ivor

It's obviously an industry standard thing. Nervousness on test was a problem for me and my instructor suggested them.

[ROG]

Hi,

Err Rog...KALMS is a sleeping tablet and although they claim not to make you drowsy during the day I don't think I would care to put it to the test

Ivor

Have had loads use them running up towrds tests without any issues

[fungus]

Hi Lucy, sorry to hear that you failed.

Nerves tend to be a personal thing, and we all deal with them in different ways. Some find that taking remedies like Kalms works. Others use different methods. I personaly find that a 15 minute walk helps.

[Slink_Pink]

I also failed both my L and Advanced tests first time round. It's not a problem really, you'll find that next time round your nerves will be reduced as you have already faced the undesirable outcome (failing) which makes the prospect less daunting. I definitely agree with the advice to plan something relaxing to do afterwards (or nothing, if that's what you find relaxing).

One final thing, when you do pass take the first opportunity to drive alone. I didn't do it for a few weeks and it became quite a big thing. Even a 5 minute round-the-block trip makes all the difference.

Good luck