I failed my driving test.

Yep, failed it, and by a big amount

I got 1 dangerous driving, 3 serious faults and about 6 minors

I screwed up my reverse parking (serious, although why that is supposidly dangerous I’m not sure). I then didn’t completely stop at a stop sign when I could see there wasn’t a car around at the junction (serious, and I’m not sure if the sign was still there as they were doing maintanance on the road). The dangerous driving was a bit stupid, I was trying not to hesitate on a roundabout, I saw I had a space after a car and thought the one behind it was turning left, turned out it wasn’t and I had to really slam on the brakes. Then on the exit to the roundabout I forgot to check my left mirror (another serious fault). I got a few minors for doing 40 mph in a 60 mph area (I knew there was a sharp bend up ahead, there were no cars around I didn’t see the point in speeding up then slowing down) and ‘Undue hesitation’.

One thing I wonder about is, if most people fail first time (90% of the people I know), do they actually become better drivers the next time around or do they just get safer situations by random chance? If that is the case is a 45 minute driving test really the best way to exam for fitness of drivers? And are those that pass first time those who control their anxiety better? A quick google hunt in fact found a reference to a paper entitled “Anxiety and performance in the British driving test”, which does seem to indicate a link between Anxiety and the formality of the driving test. Are they really testing the drivers ability or just the drivers resistance to nerves?

If nervousness is a real problem wouldn’t a more fair way be similar to vocational courses with the driving instructor evaluating the driver instead of a person the driver has never seen before with the scarey clipboard? Afterwards my entire head felt depleted (lack of serotonin?) until I ate some chocolate (antidementor…), I unfortunatly pigged out a bit too much on sugarred products and my head is ringing, I really should stop doing that.

Second time lucky

Finally got my hair cut

I finally got my hair cut, I kind of backed out of going really short. I always feel a bit wierd after getting it cut, I don’t know what to expect. Nothing can be as bad as how it was.

Booked my ticket to the girl geek dinner in leeds next wednesday should be an interesting time. I’m starting to get a little anxious about my driving test in 2 weeks time, I still don’t feel confident about reversing round a corner.