Failed my drivers test: After a week of... - Anxiety and Depre...

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Failed my drivers test

Kevin160 profile image
42 Replies

After a week of panic hoping i would get it over with, i failed, the instructor basically set me to fail, after pointing out a simple adjustment that i stepped on a street mark when turning , im sure he wanted to find any reason to fail me , cuz he became extremely rude after and i cant comprehend how frustrated i felt when he started to pointed out how i did things wrong after i clearly did the right thing , like not stopping at a stop sign when i clearly did, or do something wrong when i literally did it in front of him and tried to show him and tell him , i prepared so well and i wouldnt be ashamed to say if i did something wrong, but for some reason he was really angry and would criticize everything, if i failed knowing i did something wrong i would own up and say it, but knowing that the instructor was too harsh made me feel really angry, because clearly no one knows How hard it is for me to handle the anticipation of events, the anxiety, the panic, on top of all the other worried i get on a daily basis.

If he failed me for something i did wrong, i would shut up and be ok with it regardless of the dissapointment i would feel because it would be my fault and i need to fix it, i dont know but to me it felt like i deserved to pass since the entire exam from start to finish was really good

Even the other examiners seeing my before leaving the centre were all surprised i failed from what they saw and said that i did do the things he said i did wrong correctly

I dont expect my life to be perfect all the time, but i always prepare well to try and have the most success, and for once i was able to sleep a couple hours the night before an important event, i was panicking all night but i managed to sleep a bit and actually be calm and focused during the test, if only people realize how bad some people have things because of their anxiety , now i have to wait another week or 2 or wait for another test, wish me luck

Im worried what happened today will happen again next time, or that my nerves will worsen, or that i wont be as good as i was , i dont know , why am i so weak mentally, i camt handle failure, i cant Handle an exam, i hate myself , everyone simply tells me, just calm down , i swear i want to scream

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Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160
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42 Replies
kenster1 profile image
kenster1

sorry to hear that Kevin hopefully you will pass next time around.

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply tokenster1

Thank you ;)

Fingers crossed

Agora1 profile image
Agora1

Hi Kevin, sounds like the examiner might have been having a bad day and took

it out on you. Use this experience as a trial run. Now you know what to expect

the next time. Use it to your benefit. Tell yourself that you WILL pass next time

because you CAN and because you are ready. Good Luck, let us know the day :) xx

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toAgora1

I did think that going through it will help me calm next time, but since the first time was so bad, im really worried about going through all that again

Thank you so much ;)

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply toKevin160

Kevin, you know me well enough to know that I always have a story behind

my experiences in life. I too had my driving test this past January. After several

hours of waiting, my name was called. As I walked out with the female examiner,

she wanted to walk behind me instead of beside me. A little uncomfortable at first,

but then I realized she may need to access the driver's cognitive behavior and gait.

When we got inside the car, I turned to her and said, "it must be very difficult driving

with different people everyday". I assured her that I'm a good driver and that she would

be safe with my driving. Sometimes I have an intuition about people and this was one of

those times.

After we completed what was a short drive, I pulled back into the parking space and asked her if everything was okay. She turned to me with tears in her eyes and said she

had never felt safer. She then proceeded to tell me that it was her first day back after

a 6 month leave from a serious car accident. Where she was driving and someone at

a fast speed rear ended her. She was hospitalized for a long time and being her first

day back she was apprehensive.

She proceeded to explain her injuries and the pain she had been in these past months.

I told her I understood, having been a paramedic and seeing the devastation of some

accidents. She reached out to me and kept saying "I knew it, I knew it". You have put

me at ease. She thanked me and said "I passed" :)

It was not only an experience for me but for her as well.

So Kevin, the moral of the story is never lose confidence in who you are. The examiner

may be going through their own fears. Sit tall, buckle up and drive safely. You've got this :) xx

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toAgora1

This was incredibly touching and it really helped me be at ease with the whole situation, i do realize i never know what others go through similar to how people dont see what i go through as someone with an anxiety disorder, hearing this story was really humbling , examiners are human, youre right , and i will try my best to practice and pull through for my next attempt , who knows, maybe its a good thing he failed me, it would give me enough time to get even better, realize some mistakes i might be making, or gives me more experience as a driver and how to deal with everything

Everyone wanted to make me feel better, telling me it all happens for a reason, you never know something bad can be good, i know that deep down, but when you deal with failure and dissapointment its hard to acknowledge it, specially as someone who sets high expectations for himself , and always overprepares and overthinks because they want the most success, i dont want to fail, but i know its inevitable and cant be all Bad

Thank you so much for opening my eyes

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply toKevin160

Kevin, you just reversed your way of thinking from negative to positive.

That's always a good sign. :) xx

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toAgora1

Yes if definitely is, honestly i was angry not because i failed, but because this was giving me alot of anxiety, i felt angry that i will have to go through another week of stress and discomfort, people say when you go through something its easy to do it again because u did it once and you know what to expect, i usually think for me, i will know too much and over stress every detail, worry about the same things happening, but im going to try to try my best this week to shift my thinking positively , i want to make it exciting, not stressful , i want to make my failure a learning process not a disappointment, if only i can do something about the anxiety and the insomnia i get before a big event and due to the anticipation

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply toKevin160

Kevin, you will breathe and meditate through this as you've trained

yourself. Do this each and every day before the test as well as while

waiting for your name to be called the day of. Anticipation is always

worse than the actual thing. That's because our minds are going a

mile a minute. Once you are there and you start moving your muscles,

it uses up the stored up adrenaline in you making you do what you have to.

You've come a long way since first coming on this forum. Now is the time

to reap in those benefits. Good Luck :) xx

Sillysausage234 profile image
Sillysausage234

Unlucky Kevin ....polish up on what you failed on....you can pass next time

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toSillysausage234

Thank you , I will try

UFC80 profile image
UFC80

Firstly, there was nothing you did to make him act harshly towards you. He is that way because of how he is as a person . As you know these types of people exist and not worth wasting one breath over! You failed this time,but now you know what to change,so you will pass for the next time. Many people have to retake the tests. Good Luck! 👍

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toUFC80

Yea i guess youre right, its just i really dont know what to change, i did everything the way i was trained, and the examiner totally dismissed it and would say i didnt stop when i clearly did, i didnt pay attention to my mirrors when i clearly did, ill try to practice more and hope for the best

Thank you

Poodie profile image
Poodie

Hi Kevin 160.

Well try hard not to get that same person again. Some people are a bit off. Your bad luck, i’m afraid. If you get same person, I would beg off even if you have to say you suddenly feel sick to your stomach

You can do this ! Go again and you have us backing you. Good Luck !

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toPoodie

Lets just hope i dont get the same one , because he clearly is against candidates passing from the first time, because he would straight up say i did the opposite of what i did , which was so frustrating to be accused of doing something u didnt and getting effected because of it

Very kind of you, thank you

newbie1956 profile image
newbie1956

Hello Kevin,

As everyone has said, that guy is the problem. We don't know why some people are ''bullies''... but we know YOU. It's just a shame!

So sorry this happened but try to put it behind you now and look forwardto passing the test next time.

Love u, lots :)

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply tonewbie1956

Im trying , but i feel i might be as nervous or maybe more, not calmer like i expected to be if i had to retake it, because if i did something wrong i would change it and fix it, but i dont know where to go from now, i will practice and hope for the best

Thank you so much ❤️

Lazy_dog_lover profile image
Lazy_dog_lover

Kevin, If this was a first attempt, no worries. I think most people, now, don't make it first try. Part, I think, is to knock the invincible feeling out of young drivers and make them more aware.

Now you know to hold the stops well before the cross walks and hold it 2 seconds longer.

I was marked off for parallel parking, which there is almost ZERO parking like that in our whole county.

Trust that you know it. One thing I teach my students is to figure out the teacher as well as the content. It is part of the "game" of assessments. You've got this.

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toLazy_dog_lover

I cant explain enough, how careful i was stopping for more than 3 seconds, checking the street and crossing at the best time, he would just stop me and say i didnt stop, or i didnt pay attention enough, it felt so frustrating and awful because im a pretty good driver and i know that if i did something wrong i deserve to fail and i would accept it , but knowing he set me to fail makes it sting a bit more

Well see what happens, thank you for the support

Lazy_dog_lover profile image
Lazy_dog_lover in reply toKevin160

Some are just jerks.

I got marked down for not covering the brake with my foot when crossing the RxR tracks, even though I did. They watch for weird things. It is all subjective. You've got this.

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toLazy_dog_lover

Exactly, he acted like he was watching me but he was using his mini tablet and not even paying attention to me, i cant begin to explain how careful i was with stop signals, and intersections, i did everything exactly as i was trained, full stops and checking the street, then he would criticize me for not stopping like WHAT! It was so frustrating and i agree its definitely subjective, or they do it so they get more cash for the retake fees , most people are not passing first try and maybe from the corona break , they wanna make up for lost time and salaries haha

Mia898 profile image
Mia898

Good luck you will be fine second time with your driving test . It took my friend 3 goes to pass!!

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toMia898

Yeah i hope so thank you ;) ,

Yea, its also about the examiner, i dont mind waiting and retaking, but the treatment I recieved was horrible and i was really expecting to get it over with and pass, its giving me alot of anxiety

Afrohair profile image
Afrohair

Try not to get worked up in life we fail but we can get back up again just don’t let it define you

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toAfrohair

Yes, im really not good at accepting failure, this one is even harder because the examiner set me to fail , i always have high expectations of myself amd its hard when you dont live up to them

Thank you for the support

footgo profile image
footgo

Hello Kevin

I so wish that some of these examiners could step into our shoes and feel the stress we are under.

Good luck for your next attempt, try to put it down to a life experience and move forward, l know that you can do it!!

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply tofootgo

Thank you ;)

Its even harder when you have an anxiety disorder, for anyone this is stressful enough, im trying to keep this as an experience, i felt really angry when i first failed, but now feeling better and hoping the same wont happen again on attempt no.2

enigmaticide profile image
enigmaticide

Have a pocket note pad and pen with you. Why? If you do get this guy again, you're unable to request a different examiner AND you're absolutely certain that you should have passed yet failed for a second time, do the following: demand his name and badge number as well as the name of his immediate superior. Once you have that information, step out of the vehicle and inform him that this is NOT the last he's heard of this. Report the ball-busting pr!<%.

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toenigmaticide

I mean at the end the examiner has the right to fail you, which sucks, he can make up anything, like u didnt pay attention, u made any kind of mistake, most people dont make it the first time, so im going to see what happens the next time , because im sure they will dismiss me if i complain , and i dont want to further delay getting a license, or get into their bad side or something u know?

enigmaticide profile image
enigmaticide in reply toKevin160

Look at it this way, if the worst case scenario happens, compelling you to report him, odds are very high that your complaint wouldn't be the first. Your complaint might very well prove to be the final nudge required to drop his backside directly where it belongs, the frying pan, if not out of that and into the fire directly. The world can be cruel; sometimes you have to be worse.

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toenigmaticide

True that, i will see what i can do ;)

Joy2020 profile image
Joy2020

Some people love to make our lives difficult

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toJoy2020

Yes they sure do

Joy2020 profile image
Joy2020

Try again

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toJoy2020

I will ;), until i pass

Hi Kevin, sorry you failed.

It sounds like my first test experience.

The instructor left the dual controls in the car. Now, I'm sure I read somewhere that they must be removed. It was a long time ago. Anyway -

The examiner was extremely nervous. As we approached unmarked crossroads and I put my feet down on the brake and clutch - I felt the pedals going away from my feet !! He'd jumped on them! He must have decided that I wasn't going to stop and wasn't taking any chances !!!!

I wondered if his previous customer had been a poor driver, nearly crashed or something. I should have reported him.

On the way home my instructor said he thought I would either 'just' pass or 'just' fail. Not really helpful.

I passed with flying colours the second time.

Don't give up, the 2nd tester will be a lot more relaxed.

I know it's unfair (also costly) but you can do it. Don't delay in applying for your retest.

xx

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toMary-intussuception

I sure hope it goes well next time, my examiner was so relaxed, too relaxed, he didnt pay attention to me, which makes it clear because he criticized me when i did something correctly, he would lie and say i didnt stop when i clearly did, anyway i guess its for the best, i hope for a better result next time ;)

Thank you for the support

FindingTree profile image
FindingTree

Hey Kevin I’m sorry to hear about your driving test. I think the examiner was taking his frustrations out on you which sucks. I hope this experience doesn’t affect your next test. *fingers crossed* I hope you pass the next time.

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply toFindingTree

Yes i hope it doesnt affect me the next time , because now i feel like i dont know what to work on exactly since what he criticised were things im confident in and cant see how i cant stop a vehicle any better haha, so im a bit anxious , at first i said atleast i know what to expect i wont be as nervous, but seeing hiw i was treated and seeing i was failed on purpose i got a bit more anxious somehow, hopefully i wont get the same examiner and he would be much more empathetic and kind

Thank you ;)

Hey partner

Normally I keep my mouth shut because I’ve been a coach and competitor and very high pressure things like anesthesia. Not bragging as there are tons better

Point. U deserve to have won the basement ball game but basically u got screwed by the ref

Ok

No one blow it off we and everyone else and ur creator. Knows the truth

U were good enough for the basketball test

Faced it did it

He didn’t pass u but

U have the skills

Ok. No two

Do what we do because we’re scared to death all the time

U practice ur butt off

U sit in your room and visualize

Mentality rehearse everything

Countless times

And I do mean countless

We practiced our surgical hand ties for three years before surgery

Every night

So u walk the driving areas

To walk as u drive them

Rehearse and know all the area second hand

Or

U pretend to be the tester

And put yurself to the test

Has to be without thinking

Like basketball

I know this because I drove trucks since I was 15. Not bragging but that what farm

Kids do

Do not

Internalize this wring

One basketball game mean zip to yur coach

He going to say who cares

You get back in there and kick ass

Keep working at it and yur fly through it then into the rose bowl so to speak

Give em hell guy

Now u know why I don’t write much here

Very opinionated

One day means nothing h to cosches

We think in terms of team building over the whole year and years

Dig in yer cleats Grit yer teeth and taker her to the end zone

One day means nothing

We all hD jerks as bosses protessirs etc

That’s their problem

Give em hell

Kevin160 profile image
Kevin160 in reply to

That was amazing thank you so much for the support, im going to practice all week and do my best

in reply toKevin160

Sorry for how I come on but buddy really I’ve been teaching and coaching since the dinosaur era. Ok before but I fudge a bit

No real coach gives a damn about small stuff relative to the big picture

The real

Thing is like pro truck drivers partner hear this as I know u will

Yur proficiency is more important

Every day Drive defensively and watch for the other person

Some day listen well

You’ll have yur girl friend with u

Her safety her well being. Getting her to the dance and back she’s someone’s priceless priceless daughter

That’s in yur hands

Drive the conditions

Dare to be square never let friend or buddies push u into what u know is wrong

Ur safety ur girl friend yur wife comes first not idiots who do stupid things

That is why we practice like truck drivers or airline pilots

It will snow

It will get rainy

Slick slow down to the road conditions

Ck ur car out for safety

Be square be the laughing stick I dint care

U get ur girl home safe and On time

U can’t un ring An accident

It’s forever dude

That is far more important that any stupid test

For driving for medicine

License to be dangerous

Use ur good judgement

Protect yur loved ones

Keep yur distance

Drive lrofesjonky not hot snots

Dare to be square

Give em hell kid they won’t be laughing firver yu will have the rep

As the safe driver

They will wrap their car around some tree just after prom

Happens every year

Get yur girl home safe no matter what u have to do

BrVo and three thousand bullies

Dint listen to high school drivers they know spit

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