How many times did you fail your driving test?
By maezee
@maezee (41997)
United States
February 15, 2009 6:41pm CST
I was lucky enough to pass on my first try, but a lot of my friends had to try several times before successfully getting their drivers licenses. How many times did it take you? If you failed your first one, what area did you need to improve in?
I personally failed at the "parallel parking" section but aced the rest. What about you? Thanks for your responses in advance!
2 people like this
5 responses
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
16 Feb 09
The way it works here (when I got my license anyway) is a written test to get your learners, then a written test and a road test to get your class 7 license and then a final road test to get your full driver's license. I passed all the tests the first time and made sure I didn't take them until I was ready so I didn't have to pay the fees more than once. I also failed the parallel parking on the first road test and I almost failed for speeding in a school zone but the lady was really nice and overlooked it.
@maezee (41997)
• United States
17 Feb 09
Wow! You guys have a lot of different tests. I guess that's a double-ended sword in a way. We just have a written permit test and then an actual driving test to get your license (in the U.S.), which is sometimes not a very good idea because of how many people who CANNOT drive who have their licenses. :( (Although I bet it's annoying to take that many steps as a teenager.)
I was lucky enough to have a tester who also overlooked my huge parallel parking mistake. :D
Thanks for responding!
@chookie1971 (2271)
• Australia
16 Feb 09
20 years ago, I got my drivers licence. It took me 3 attempts. I can't remember for what I failed on for each test but I remember that I hit the kerb to hard when I was doing a parallel park. My instructor could not believe it because he told me the tricks to do a reverse parallel park in the car I was driving.
But now it has been 20 years and 2 months on the 15th.
1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
16 Feb 09
I passed on the first try. Though I was fortunate enough not to have parrallel parking on the test. Otherwise I probably would have failed it. I'm terrible at parrallel parking! And here I've been driving for the past 18 years. 
@maezee (41997)
• United States
16 Feb 09
Awesome! I was lucky too, because I totally screwed up on parallel parking, and somehow I still managed to pass with flying colors.
Hopefully you don't live in an area where paralell parking is necessary (like in the downtown of a city). I know that a lot of people don't even really need these skills, especially if they live in a more rural or suburban area.
Thanks for your response!
1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
17 Feb 09
Downtown isn't that far from me, but since I didn't take my test there or anywhere else where parallel parking is required it wasn't part of the test. Had I known this before I probably would have taken my test sooner instead of waiting an extra year.
I've been downtown a few times, but usually parked in the garages or in parking lots. I only had to park parallel once while I was downtown and although I was able to do it, it took a lot of effort getting it done. This was back shortly after I got my license. Thank goodness I haven't had to do it since! Whew! 
I've been downtown a few times, but usually parked in the garages or in parking lots. I only had to park parallel once while I was downtown and although I was able to do it, it took a lot of effort getting it done. This was back shortly after I got my license. Thank goodness I haven't had to do it since! Whew! 
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
16 Feb 09
I failed the first time because I turned from the wrong lane on a one way street. Luckily, I was able to re-take the test right away nd I passed it with flying colors.
The only reason I failed it was because I was driving in an area that I had never been before, so I was unfamiliar with my surroundings. Not a good excuse, but I honestly though I was on a two-way street when I turned.
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@maezee (41997)
• United States
16 Feb 09
Aha, that's true. Even having had my license for two years now, I still get confused in areas that I'm not familiar with (especially downtown! and in certain cities).
My drivers test was done on a "fake" road with only other test-takers driving along with me. Do you think it's an unfair advantage to take it this way? In a way, it seems easier to take it on a road that you know isn't for real.
Thanks for your response, though!
@delkar (1712)
• Romania
16 Feb 09
well, i had my driver licence from the second try. At the first one, i had just 19 from 26, and i needed 22. I was so upset, because they gave me the papers when there were just 2 files. i think that it was better if they gived me the file, from the begining.I must say, that i didn`t make any effort to learn all that was necessary. But when i was there for the second time, i knowed that i`ll pass, because from 650 questions, i was wrong just at 2-3 . One day before the exam, i made thouse 650 questions 3 times. The hardest part was that with contravention and penalty points. There were so many,and so hard.. but it was ok. When i drived the car, it wasn`t any problem . My dad and my big brother teached me and gave me the car to drive a lot. I haven`t emotions when i drived the car. Now, i have more than 2 years since that day, and i must say that i`m not driving too much. I made something about 1500km in 2 years. But i would have my own car, i`m sure that thouse number were different. But the car will come, like the others. Hope that i`ll find my soulmate until i`ll buy a car .
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