Passing the practical UK driving test isn’t easy, which is why approximately 50 per cent of learners fail the exam every year. However, some of the excuses given for failing the test range from the utterly hilarious to the downright bizarre. Book Theory Test Today has scoured social media to find 7 of the best…
#1 – Zebra Crossing Capers
Funny, but tinged with a touch of stupidity, one test candidate was approaching a zebra crossing during their exam. The learner driver recalls: “When crawling towards a zebra crossing, I went a little too far forward and (gently) bumped into a pedestrian before the examiner could stop me.”
The learner went on to argue that the incident was not their fault, and the person they had ‘gently’ bumped was fine… besides, the outfit of the man on the crossing blended in with the stripes, making him difficult to spot. Needless to say, the learner’s protests didn’t change the outcome of the test… FAIL.
#2 – Excessive Energy Drink Consumption Taking the UK driving test the day before their final A-Level exam, this 18-year old learner driver was already feeling the pressure of trying to juggle academic and motoring commitments. In a bid to keep up the pace, this candidate resorted to consuming three energy drinks a day.
By the time driving test day came around, this learner driver was so doped up on energy drinks, they arrived at the test centre – in their own words – ‘twitching like a madman and having not revised anything.’ The result? The candidate recorded two major faults, while losing count of the number of minors.
#3 – Problems with Parked Cars
Next up, a highly embarrassing moment for one test candidate, who, after seven minutes of waiting behind what they believed to be a queue of traffic, was politely asked by the exam invigilator to ‘drive around the parked cars.’
#4 – Good-Looking Man on a Motorbike
Motorists are urged to ‘Think Bike!’ when out on the roads, but one female test candidate took it a little too far. She recalls: “A good-looking man on a motorbike caught my attention while I was driving and, without realising, I started to drive directly towards him.”
“The instructor had to enforce an emergency stop as I nearly hit the man on the motorbike. I then blamed the move on my bad eyesight!” It’s not difficult to guess the outcome of this UK driving test.
#5 – Do I Drive on the Left or Right?
Returning from a holiday in France – where they drive on the right – shortly before taking their UK driving test, this candidate recalls exiting the test centre on the wrong side of the road. They went on to tell the examiner: “I had become so immersed in French culture, I’d forgotten what side of the road to drive on in the UK.”
#6 – Left and Right Strikes Again
While this candidate knew they had to drive on the left during the UK driving test, turning left and right proved to be a struggle. This candidate recalls being asked to turn right on two occasions, only to end up turning left, twice.
This learner driver told the examiner that they suffered from dyscalculia (look it up, it’s a thing) to explain their difficulty with turning left and right.
#7 – Movies Made Me Drive Badly
This learner driver thought a ‘James Bond’ approach was the way to tackle the UK driving test first time around. This candidate recalls failing their first attempt at the driving test because – in their own words – they thought the way to overtake was to ‘zip in and out of traffic like in a car chase.’
The candidate said: “The only background knowledge I had was taken from James Bond, so I blame the movies. Looking back, I can definitely see why it was so important for me to take more lessons.”
Do you have a funny UK driving test story? Tell us about it by getting in touch. It could feature in one of our future blogs.
Make an online UK driving test booking or theory test appointment with us Book Theory Test Today offers an intermediary service assisting clients with booking a UK theory test, or practical test, at test centres across the nation. The service also supplies resources to help you prepare for your theory test – Ready to take your theory test? Book your theory test online today.
No. We’re not affiliated with the DVSA or the gov.uk website, but that does not make us a scam. You’re charged an admin fee to cover our staff costs and the process of booking a theory test or practical exam on your behalf.
Related Posts
Tags: King’s Lynn
