Location of reverse parallel park

On a car driving test this morning, the examiner asked my pupil to do the reverse parallel park in the location shown as above (literally using the car as shown).

You perhaps might be able to see that it is extremely tight.  My pupil even said as such before she started to attempt the manoeuvre.  The distance from the parked car and also the kerb is far from ideal as a starting point.  My pupil struggled to get the angle due to the kerb on the right and her wheel.  There was then a lot of shunting around to no avail with vehicles waiting front and back.  Eventually it was aborted.  The examiner used the dual brakes due to how close the car was to the parked car, and after aborting the manoeuvre helped my pupil with where to steer to get out of the situation.  

In the de-brief the examiner mentioned that she heard what my pupil said about the width or road and that she was prepared to "cut you some slack" [whatever that quite means?].  However, she failed the test due to the presence of the other vehicles waiting, the lack of observations out the rear, being too close to the corner of the parked car, not making all round observations, hitting the kerb to the right and all the shunts that were done. 

After the de-brief, I had a private chat with the examiner asking if she felt that location was appropriate, which she said she did.  So I mentioned that I would be taking guidance from my customer, but I felt it was inappropriate to be doing a parallel park in that location - inappropriate for me having been a driver for 35 years, let alone a candidate on a driving test.  I informed the examiner that if my customer was unhappy with the result (the manoeuvre was the ONLY reason for the test fail), then we would be returning to the location to take photos prior to lodging a complaint.  The examiner said she would make a note of our chat.

Neither DT 1 nor ADI 1 makes mention of any stipulation regarding this.  Standards and Regulations of the DVSA have confirmed with me that there used to be a stipulation of sorts for the old Turn in the Road manoeuvre ("three point turn" in old money), but this TITR manoeuvre has been taken out of the learner car driving test.

So it is interesting.  I have lodged a complaint with the DVSA online.  There is no contact number for the Test Centre Manager displayed at the test centre where this occurred. We shall see what happens.  

I think for me, what this comes down to is two things:

a) Is the location appropriate for the manoeuvre, meaning would any ordinary driver contemplate doing the manoeuvre in that particular place?  When we returned to the location, while I was able to physically complete the manoeuvre, I think it fair to say that anyone looking at the situation would not choose to do a parallel park there.

b) Is it reasonable to expect a candidate on a driving test to manage that situation?  On this one, I think that the circumstances are so inappropriate for the manoeuvre that no, it is unreasonable to expect a candidate to have the clarity of thought, to actually deal with all that was going on.  In effect, one could say it was designed to cause a fail.  What I would emphasise is that no driver (either learner or qualified) would choose to do the manoeuvre in that location, so no, why should anyone have an expectation to be able to deal with it on a test?  

Crucially, part of preparing learners for everyday driving as per the DVSA Driving Standard, is to develop the skill of assessing risk independently.  The increased risk factors for this situation are hitting the kerb to the right, hitting the parked car, causing an unnecessary and perhaps unacceptable delay to other road users.  To include on an assessment an artificial situation that goes directly against this skill of taking responsibility for risk is not smart in my view.  It directly goes against everything I have been working hard with my pupil; and right at the last stage of learning to drive, dictates to my pupil, to undertake a manoeuvre in a place that opposes any dynamic risk assessment that she would personally have undertaken.

UPDATE 15/08/2018:  The DVSA have been in touch and the Test Centre Manager for the location concerned with the above driving test, has confirmed that in his opinion that location is unreasonable.  The examiner concerned is a newly qualified and has been appropriately advised.  The test fee is going to be refunded.  I am pleased to also announce that the pupil concerned in this incident, did go on to pass her driving test on her second attempt shortly after the original test fail.  I think it is fair to say however, that this kind of situation does demonstrate that there are driving instructors who are prepared to firstly, observe the tests for their pupils and secondly, raise a complaint if something crops up that is incorrect.  I would strongly advise and PDI's (and indeed ADI's) monitoring this blog to openly offer to observe as many driving tests as your pupils are happy for you to do so.