Driving Test - Have you ever failed?

[Squeak the Rat]

There's more talk of the speed safety vs revenue debate going on, and I'm of the belief that driver behaviour and skills need to be enforced as much as speed.

I also have the opinion that getting a licence in this country is about as hard as turning up.

So, has anyone on here ever failed a practical test for your restricted or full licence? How does that compare to our immigrant or travelling friends?

[Motu]

I failed on my 2nd attempt at my heavy trailer licence...I failed the written first time so didn't even get to the practical.I had learned on our fleet of very short wheelbase tractor units and 20ft trailers....so for the test they gave me a truck I'd never driven before,with a full length chassis,long semi,with full overhang to the back of the cab.I had to reverse downhill in an S bend and park parrallel against the curb.I did everything correct,but because of the extra length ended up 10ft too far out.He failed me....but I told him about never having driven the truck before (doing HT too) and he was impressed with my splitshifts and general truck control - so said if I promised to practise he'd give me my heavy trailer as well.

Haven't driven with a heavy trailer in 30 years....but still have a licence for one.

[Simon A]

I failed my bike learners theory test the first time I sat it. The reason why? I got 2 questions about trailers and 2 about seatbelts, all of which I got wrong..... I'm still trying to figure out WTF trailers and seatbelts have to do with bikes...

[nigelp]

I have failed any yet, but will tell you at 9am tomorrow how the last stage in my 6F test goes! Am sitting my full license at 8am! Hope like hell the bad weather doesnt come that has been promised!

[Delphinus]

Good luck tomorrow nigelp (or just good skill).

Never failed anything myself, always did alot of prep tho. Did all theory questions over and over till I knew them by rote. Had a couple lessons for both restricted and car practical (and will do for bike as well).

I think the price of getting a license is possibly too prohibitive? What is so involved that means you have to pay $80 to just fill out a form and scratch some scratchies... and then another $88 and then another $115.. thats over $280 for the ability to legally drive a car with a passenger... I'm sure thats a preventative to alot of people that just drive/ride without a license anyway.

*Source LTSA

[Oakie]

Failed my bike practical the first time I tried because I went over a rail crossing too fast. (1978)
When I sat my car practical (1983), the heavily pregnant Mrs Oakie drove me there and made sure that the testing officer heard her say "now you drive well because I don't want to drive us to the hospital when I'm in labour". Guess what ... I passed!

[nigelp]

Good luck tomorrow nigelp (or just good skill).

Cheers mate! Hopefully that crap weather that is coming will hold off long enough for me to pass and get home!

[Swoop]

A couple of oddities...

Oral test for cage. "How large must the flag be when carrying something sticking out the back of the cage" (or words to that effect...
Me: "Ahh, 1 foot square!"
Incorrect. The correct answer is 30cm square.
Me: "But that is the same thing!"
"No it's not - you have failed, Next!"

The other was the first practical test. T junction + hill start. Blind corner on the right, which a car came around the corner. Being half way through the intersection I continued to clear the road for the approaching vehicle.
Fail.
I should have stopped in the intersection!

[Maha]

A couple of oddities...

Oral test for cage. "How large must the flag be when carrying something sticking out the back of the cage" (or words to that effect...
Me: "Ahh, 1 foot square!"
Incorrect. The correct answer is 30cm square.
Me: "But that is the same thing!"
"No it's not - you have failed, Next!"

Metric measurements have been around for a while now Swoop....you missed by only a few millimeters.....cops answer should have been 'yeah close enough'........or 'have another go'....picky picky bastard...

[Swoop]

Metric measurements have been around for a while now Swoop....

Yes, I know. This was back in the late 70's!
Since I use both metric and imperial systems, I was perplexed at failing!

[Unforgiven]

You get some like that. Pretty much how I failed my full cage licience, tester was havin a bad day or something (some people are always like that), took it out on everyone from what I could tell.

[gixermike]

I did both mine overseas (uk), but I'm surprised that in NZ you can hope to pass the test (bike car whatever) without formal training. Not really a chance of that in the uk, practice with whoever you like, but prior to the test you need the formal bit as they're so picky.
I'd rather fail a hard test than pass an easy one.

[XP@]

when i did my convertion scratchy I thought i only needed to read the bike book.
I got 100% on the bike test then...
So when I was doing the car scratchy I had a few issues with the specialist questions. I got to the point where i needed one out of 4 remaining correct. But how was i to know which side of the screen the wof or reg had to be? or how long a trailer could be? needless to say I got them all wrong

The up side of not having a car licence was that i had a bloody good excuse not to drive for about 4 years when i eventually got around to passing it (100%).