Feeling driving test ready? If you're still doing these 5 things, you may not be as ready as you think
By Chloe Martell
Updated on Dec 9th, 2020
I don’t know about you, but I thought about test day before I’d even hopped into the front seat on my first driving lesson. As a learner, or pre-learner eager beaver like I was, you dream of the day you’ll receive the magic pass and key to freedom. When you finally hit the road, the promise of this only gets bigger, and you can start to think about booking in your test pretty early on in your driving journey. But hold your horses – are you ready to take your test yet? We’ve listed 5 things to think about and basically, if you’re still doing them, you’re probably not ready just yet!
And there we have it – the top 5! If you’re reading this and think you’ve perfected them all, and you feel ready - chat with your instructor about getting your test booked in. If you’re still stumbling over a few of these points, don’t worry, passing your test does take time but practise will get you there. You’ll have it all sorted soon and be on the road with a full licence before you know it!
1 It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear
The first time behind the wheel can see some learner’s confidence soar. I think it was after the second lesson I had that I told my friend I was basically Lewis Hamilton (clearly… I was not). It’s not unheard of to be overconfident at the start of your driving journey, but there’s so much more to learn than you probably realise. You may have mastered turning left out of a road, but there is a lot more to come. Listen to your instructor, and they will let you know when they think you're test ready.
2 You still use your windscreen wipers instead of indicating
Gear levers, sticks, buttons, switches - it’s enough to make anyone confused! But trust me, there will come a time when you can switch your wipers on without panicking you’ll put your full beam on instead. It can take a while, and we’re not saying you’ll be a pro by the time it comes to take your test, but you’ll soon see your confidence improve. If you’re still worried about getting it all wrong, hold off booking your test.
3 Your parents still panic in the car
I think it’s fair to say that if your parents are calm in the passenger seat, you’re good to go. It wasn’t until my dad stopped pressing the imaginary brake in our private driving lesson practice, that I even considering looking into taking my test. He’s a panicky passenger, to say the least, so when he calmed down a bit I knew I was almost there.
4 Seeing other cars still makes you want to cry
You can perfect your gear changes and parking, but until you’re comfortable not being the only car on the road – you’re not ready for your test. As much as we’d love to get to and from the shop without seeing and worrying about other drivers, this never happens, so learning how to deal with them is essential.
5 Roundabout drama
Any avid readers of the Marmalade blog will know that roundabouts (and how challenging they can be) are a hot topic. I had an awful experience as a learner driving on roundabouts, which knocked my confidence a lot. It wasn’t until I got over this fear and stopped being so afraid of roundabouts, that I knew I was test ready.
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