NYC-BigKat Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Um...this is now the 3rd road test I took & I still failed . I feel so so bad & I feel like a loser 'cause there was 8 people taking the test today & only me failed it. This is what happened to me today. I pulled from the curb and the instructor started saying I didn't look over my shoulder. I said "oops" & then he said just don't do it again. So I was stalling in traffic 'cause there was lots of cars & he got upset & said its gonna cost me pts. Then when I went to try to park the car he got mad 'cause I couldn't line up the wheels against the curb . I felt terrible & then he tells me some people just not cut out to be driving & he said just take the bus & he laughed. Now I cant get that job that I wanted after my interview 'cause they want me to have a license & I cant get it. I lost my appetite. Am I alone on this? I really really hope not . 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Zahara Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Why don't you take driving lessons first OP? When I lived in my country, I had to take the test twice. I couldn't parallel park and I couldn't do an uphill (drive up a steep hill, brake midway and then drive forward -- all with a manual!). I took lessons and I passed the second time. Still had issues with the hill. When I came to the States, I didn't take any lessons but just practiced on my own with my housemate's car. I passed the first time. Yes, some people need a little extra hands on practise. Link to post Share on other sites
Author NYC-BigKat Posted May 12, 2014 Author Share Posted May 12, 2014 Why don't you take driving lessons first OP? When I lived in my country, I had to take the test twice. I couldn't parallel park and I couldn't do an uphill (drive up a steep hill, brake midway and then drive forward -- all with a manual!). I took lessons and I passed the second time. Still had issues with the hill. When I came to the States, I didn't take any lessons but just practiced on my own with my housemate's car. I passed the first time. Yes, some people need a little extra hands on practise. I did practice & it just don't help. Link to post Share on other sites
ayala Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I did practice & it just don't help. How long did you practice for? I had about 4 lessons, and spend a couple days a week for about a year and a half before I took my exam and passed. I got lucky though. Couldn't understand a word my examiner said and just followed his pointing and he was probably tired and didn't care haha. Sometimes you just need more than "practice" and need the feel of the road. Just grab someone you know with a license and go driving around until you're more comfortable. Your friend will be there to help guide you. Just be very aware of the people around you. Take in what you see. Don't just look, you have to "see." Pretend it's like a new lover that you need to get to know lol Link to post Share on other sites
Author NYC-BigKat Posted May 12, 2014 Author Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) How long did you practice for? I had about 4 lessons, and spend a couple days a week for about a year and a half before I took my exam and passed. I got lucky though. Couldn't understand a word my examiner said and just followed his pointing and he was probably tired and didn't care haha. Sometimes you just need more than "practice" and need the feel of the road. Just grab someone you know with a license and go driving around until you're more comfortable. Your friend will be there to help guide you. Just be very aware of the people around you. Take in what you see. Don't just look, you have to "see." Pretend it's like a new lover that you need to get to know lol I practice for 2 weeks & I had trouble then . I turn okay but I cant park at all. Its so so hard to do it right. I have tons of trouble lining up the wheels against the curb perfectly. I just cant do it! Um...sometimes I get mixed up on how to yield the 2 stop signs correctly so but on the test I only saw 1 of the stop signs & the instructor didn't say anything so I guess I did it right. I just feel so dumb for not being able to drive. I see kids & stuff driving really really fast all the time with no trouble & at 25 I still have problems . Edited May 12, 2014 by NYC-BigKat missed a number Link to post Share on other sites
Zahara Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I practice for 2 weeks & I had trouble then . I turn okay but I cant park at all. Its so so hard to do it right. I have tons of trouble lining up the wheels against the curb perfectly. I just cant do it! Um...sometimes I get mixed up on how to yield the 2 stop signs correctly so but on the test I only saw 1 of the stop signs & the instructor didn't say anything so I guess I did it right. I just feel so dumb for not being able to drive. I see kids & stuff driving really really fast all the time with no trouble & at 25 I still have problems . Take lessons if you can't be self-taught. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
pink_sugar Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) Honestly the guy who did your lesson sounds like a douche. "Getting mad because you were stalling"? This is just as bad as the guy who failed my brother, because he braked in the middle of the road for a pedestrian crossing. The guy said since it was illegal for the pedestrian, my brother should have kept going. I mean, really? Even if they are breaking the law...just run over the pedestrian? :rolleyes: You know what? I don't think I passed my road test until the 4th or 5th time. Embarrassing. Some states require that you know how to parallel park...though most people hardly ever do this since most will park further away to avoid this. If bumping the curb is your problem, try adjusting the passenger mirror so you can keep an eye on the curb while you are performing the parallel parking test. Worked for me. Keep practicing and DON'T GIVE UP! You'll pass. Edited May 13, 2014 by pink_sugar 2 Link to post Share on other sites
jbelle6 Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Um...this is now the 3rd road test I took & I still failed . I feel so so bad & I feel like a loser 'cause there was 8 people taking the test today & only me failed it. This is what happened to me today. I pulled from the curb and the instructor started saying I didn't look over my shoulder. I said "oops" & then he said just don't do it again. So I was stalling in traffic 'cause there was lots of cars & he got upset & said its gonna cost me pts. Then when I went to try to park the car he got mad 'cause I couldn't line up the wheels against the curb . I felt terrible & then he tells me some people just not cut out to be driving & he said just take the bus & he laughed. Now I cant get that job that I wanted after my interview 'cause they want me to have a license & I cant get it. I lost my appetite. Am I alone on this? I really really hope not . When people are meanies like that it can cause you to tense up and start being even worse. Terrible. I say go take a few more lessons and try again and hopefully you get someone a bit less intimidating. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author NYC-BigKat Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 When people are meanies like that it can cause you to tense up and start being even worse. Terrible. I say go take a few more lessons and try again and hopefully you get someone a bit less intimidating. Yea he was pretty bad u know . I remember when I was stalling inside the traffic he said 'lets go lets go' & he was tapping his pencil on the dashboard & that got me more nervous than before & my left leg was jumping & I was getting sweaty & he laughed & shook his head when I looked at him . I got to find a way to make it. I still don't have a job in 5 months & my savings is running very very low right now & every job related to my field wants me to have a driving license 'cause I have to transport to different sites on short notices & they don't allow me to just take a train. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Shaun-Dro Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Um...this is now the 3rd road test I took & I still failed . I feel so so bad & I feel like a loser 'cause there was 8 people taking the test today & only me failed it. This is what happened to me today. I pulled from the curb and the instructor started saying I didn't look over my shoulder. I said "oops" & then he said just don't do it again. So I was stalling in traffic 'cause there was lots of cars & he got upset & said its gonna cost me pts. Then when I went to try to park the car he got mad 'cause I couldn't line up the wheels against the curb . I felt terrible & then he tells me some people just not cut out to be driving & he said just take the bus & he laughed. Now I cant get that job that I wanted after my interview 'cause they want me to have a license & I cant get it. I lost my appetite. Am I alone on this? I really really hope not . This may seem harsh, but perhaps driving isn't for you. Nothing to feel bad or embarrassed about. I have a half dozen people in my family who cannot drive, including my mom, who's almost deathly afraid to even try. From what I've read on your post, it sounds like the instructor can tell that you're not fit to be driving on the road. He might have seem to been a jerk to you about it, but the evidence is there. Try another alternative. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
pink_sugar Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Yea he was pretty bad u know . I remember when I was stalling inside the traffic he said 'lets go lets go' & he was tapping his pencil on the dashboard & that got me more nervous than before & my left leg was jumping & I was getting sweaty & he laughed & shook his head when I looked at him . I got to find a way to make it. I still don't have a job in 5 months & my savings is running very very low right now & every job related to my field wants me to have a driving license 'cause I have to transport to different sites on short notices & they don't allow me to just take a train. My dad was like this when my brother was learning to drive. Sometimes my dad even screamed at him if he did something wrong. This is why I waited several years to learn. I learned with my mom and my husband. Link to post Share on other sites
pink_sugar Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 This may seem harsh, but perhaps driving isn't for you. Nothing to feel bad or embarrassed about. I have a half dozen people in my family who cannot drive, including my mom, who's almost deathly afraid to even try. From what I've read on your post, it sounds like the instructor can tell that you're not fit to be driving on the road. He might have seem to been a jerk to you about it, but the evidence is there. Try another alternative. I don't know, it sounds like the OP is just discouraged and also doesn't have a decent patient instructor. Driving isn't rocket science. As long as you're attentive and follow the rules of the road, you'll be fine. Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I think NYC-BigKat should get his own reality show. Link to post Share on other sites
Joyfirst Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 It might be that you are very nervous, in this case you will have to learn some relaxation techniques, have a good calming person with you before test and work through your beliefs around driving, your abilities, testing, etc. - write them out and question them (you could use Katie Byron or any other method.) No matter how much you practice, if nerves get a hold of you, you will drive much worse. Link to post Share on other sites
purplesoccer34 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Do not give up! I got my license at 18, but only recently have I actually become decent at driving--and I'm 23. By recently, I mean like the past few months. At first, I had a lot of trouble with it. There are some aspects of driving that some people can grasp only through a lot of practice. I'm one of those people. Like for example, I just didn't understand the concept of lane-changing until recently. It was nearly impossible for me to do before. I literally froze in my seat whenever I had to do it, but the more I drove and the more I did it, the easier it became. Don't listen to your instructor, because it's not true that you're not cut out for driving! All it takes is some practice. Practice more than you did before. Also, make sure you relax, because nervousness may just make it worse. Just tell yourself that you can do this, that you have done it before--I believe that anyone can become a good driver with enough practice. Some may need more practice than others, but that does not mean you are slow or not cut out for driving--everyone learns differently. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
johnpatric Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 First of all relax, most people fail their test because the get so nervous that they forget to check their blinds spots and make full complete stops. Here is an easy guaranteed method for Parallel Parking that works every time. 1. Once you choose the space you want to park in pull your car right along side the car you are parking behind. Space yourself about three feet away. 2. Before you back up turn the steering wheel all the way to the right. 3. Let the car back slowly, when your head is even with the back bumper of the car your parking behind, then stop. 4. Turn the steering wheel back to center or 1 ½ turns to the left. 5. Continue backing slowly until the front of your car clears the back bumper of the car in front, then stop. 6. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left. 7. Continue backing slowly and the car will back it’s self into a perfect parallel angle to the curb. 8. Make sure you leave the steering wheel all the way to left and the car will be automatically ready to pull out when you are. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Radu Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Um...this is now the 3rd road test I took & I still failed . I feel so so bad & I feel like a loser 'cause there was 8 people taking the test today & only me failed it. This is what happened to me today. I pulled from the curb and the instructor started saying I didn't look over my shoulder. I said "oops" & then he said just don't do it again. So I was stalling in traffic 'cause there was lots of cars & he got upset & said its gonna cost me pts. Then when I went to try to park the car he got mad 'cause I couldn't line up the wheels against the curb . I felt terrible & then he tells me some people just not cut out to be driving & he said just take the bus & he laughed. Now I cant get that job that I wanted after my interview 'cause they want me to have a license & I cant get it. I lost my appetite. Am I alone on this? I really really hope not . Picture him being raped by a pack of wild baboons and then go and take the test again. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Radu Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Do not give up! I got my license at 18, but only recently have I actually become decent at driving--and I'm 23. By recently, I mean like the past few months. At first, I had a lot of trouble with it. There are some aspects of driving that some people can grasp only through a lot of practice. I'm one of those people. Like for example, I just didn't understand the concept of lane-changing until recently. It was nearly impossible for me to do before. I literally froze in my seat whenever I had to do it, but the more I drove and the more I did it, the easier it became. Don't listen to your instructor, because it's not true that you're not cut out for driving! All it takes is some practice. Practice more than you did before. Also, make sure you relax, because nervousness may just make it worse. Just tell yourself that you can do this, that you have done it before--I believe that anyone can become a good driver with enough practice. Some may need more practice than others, but that does not mean you are slow or not cut out for driving--everyone learns differently. Same here, and with lane changes. Plus, where i live lanes are not well delimitated, and they also tend to shift. So most of the time you don't really 'see' it but 'feel' it. Coupled with an impatient instructor, who put me in heavy traffic on my 1st time, and my car stalled [manual], i had major problems. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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