Mock tests for Learners

I did a mock test last week for a Learner who has not learnt with me.  He had a couple of unsuccessful attempts at the test 10 years ago.  He has recently taken his theory test and with the realisation that he is getting no younger, wants to be mobile,  so has a new found enthusiasm to pass the test.  He came to me as ‘test ready’ except for about 2 subjects that he wanted some firming up on.

The thing is, and this is the crunch, when he made initial contact he had ALREADY booked his test.  The very first thing he said to me, I remember it well, was that he had booked the test, but just wanted a few lessons to brush up on some shortfalls.  I remember it well, because I was shocked by that news.  The very first question I asked him was whether he feels he knows what the scope of the test is and the standard required.... big ‘Yes’ to both. 

After a few lessons, I realised that he was not short on just a couple of subjects, actually the situation was much worse. I was very aware that test day was only 2-3 weeks away.  I proposed that we do a mock test, to see where he really is. 

The mock test lasted 1hr 10mins.  In it, I do everything that may come up; a bay park, emergency stop, right and left reverse, parallel park, turn in the road, dual carriageway driving, show and tell, independent drive and half a dozen pull overs inc on a hill and near to a parked car.  As part of the price for the mock test, I send through a comprehensive report of the test.  Any faults and observations are listed, with helpful tips and hints. 

In this particular case, as soon as the mock test was completed, the Learner immediately cancelled the test he had booked, thereby saving him about £100 that would otherwise almost certainly have been wasted on a test fail.  Perhaps ‘wasted’ is not quite the right word.  The experience of doing the test is in itself valuable.  Sometimes a test fail can be as a result of the nerves of the test actually inhibiting the ability to drive.  My experience tells me that if you fail a test due to test nerves, then it is very likely that your actual standard of driving prior to the test was not high enough.  Test nerves certainly will affect you on the day, but they should not be affecting you to the extent that it causes a test fail.  I can only come to that conclusion with the benefit of my pass rate.

I recall a Learner of mine who came to me from the very start of learning to drive, an extremely nervous learner.  A single Mother with 2-3 young kids, she fitted in lessons between a very hectic schedule.  She not only battled the practicalities of doing the course of lessons, but her fear of other vehicles, particularly lorries seriously affected her.  She had a similar stance to the chap I mention in this blog, she set up a test completely independently of me.  We did a mock test, and despite my advice to not go to test she insisted on going to test, as is her right I suppose.  So she went to a different instructor who unlike me, would allow her to use her driving school car for the test and failed.  What a great shame.  So she then took a handful of more lessons with that other instructor, went to test and passed.  In effect, the £100 that had been used for the failed test, could have been used for the extra lessons and that would then have, in all likelihood, resulted in a test pass. 

It is of course, everyone’s right to go to test when they want.  They don’t even have to use a driving instructor to learn, or a driving school car to go to test.  But paying for a driving instructor to give you a course of driving lessons and then going directly against their advice as to when to go to test, is a dodgy strategy.   I found it disappointing, I was sad that I never saw this lass nail that test after all the hard work we had put in together.  But I’m passionate about this job, I take pride in my pass rates.  I am confident in my ability to assess if someone is ‘test ready’ and I am prepared to stick to my decision on that point.  As much as it saddens me to have not seen this lass pass, I can proudly state that I have achieved an extraordinarily high ‘FIRST TIME pass rate’ by taking the approach that I do.  I can say to anyone considering to take lessons with me, what my approach is, and what my actual results are.  I know that the female driving instructor who took my lass to test too early which resulted in a test fail, definitely CANNOT say the same.  I guess we all work differently.  Ultimately, our customers decide who they want to train them.

Getting back to the mock test though.  It is a very useful tool to assess how ready someone is to go to test.  It is pretty life like as I’m sure the chap from last week will verify.   What you receive for the fee I charge is an accurate assessment of your driving (good and bad) at that precise time.  Not only will the comprehensive report you receive be of practical use, but consider also how it assists you psychologically..... now what price do you put on that before going to test?