Is this the Hardest Driving Test in the UK?

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you Mat & Ann for taking the time to produce this video! Had a blast filming, really cool to see behind the scenes of the videos, felt like a VIP 🤩😂 It was a wet & windy day (storm Darragh was inbound) so in my opinion completely fair to receive minors for not adjusting appropriately for the conditions! I mention to my pupils that forward planning is a skill that we never really finish developing, in essence it is experience. The more you experience on the road the more you can forward plan and anticipate, this will help you become a more confident safe driver as time goes on. As instructors we are always looking to improve and help make the roads a safe place. I’m excited for you to tell me your thoughts!

[@DoodOverThere]

I passed my driving test yesterday! Thank you all for the help through this!

[@AdvanceDrivingSchool]

Excellent! Very well done 🚙👌🏼😀

[@Learn.withSam]

Congratulations! 🥳

[@hungleba3996]

A solid drive, I learned quite a bit myself. Those accumulated minor faults are easily fixable, so no biggie there. However, a tiny iffy I had was the standardized 6-point checks before moving off; on the test it didn’t cause any harm per se, but I personally find it more suitable to simply check whatever mirrors helps your decision to move off, check the roadside blindspot just before you go, and then you go. Doing the 6-point check, done especially by learners may lead them to simply to do full check just for the sake of it, instead of using the mirrors to see what’s behind them, making it a somewhat robotic thing.

[@nickgreen6463]

Yes, completely agree with you regarding the 6-point check. I've never taught it for simple move offs, and I've never had an examiner mention it. It's quite common with the bigger schools but largely unnecessary. The DVSA say 'effective observations'. If you're moving off AWAY from the kerb, what's the benefit in looking at it..? Look where your car is going.

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you for your feedback! I understand your point hungleba. We help pupils to learn moving off safely using POM. Which means they only signal to drive off if there is someone to tell. So it is clear if they are looking "in" their mirrors or "at" their mirrors, because if they drive off three times in a row and signal but there was nobody around to tell, it's clear they are doing it out of principle in a robotic way like you mentioned. In terms of effective observation, checking for danger would include pedestrians and cyclists, what if a pedestrian is near your car thinking about crossing the road? If you finish where the most danger is (at the road) your last place of information to safely move off is the last moment to abort. I'm curious, where is the 6th place you look?

[@hungleba3996]

@Learn.withSam Well I never mentioned anything exclusively about signalling before you go, but the general rule is "No signal is better than a misleading one." Yes, if there's no one to signal, great. Regarding the 6-point check, when you ask for the 6th point, it would be the roadside blindspot: If you move off from the left, according to the 6-point check, you'd typically check the following: 1. Left blindspot 2. Left wing mirror 3. Rearview mirror 4. Front windshield 5. Right wing mirror 6. Right blindspot The order of 3 and 4 can be the opposite. This is why I don't like it, because it's a robotic way of checking for traffic behind you before moving off, instead of assessing the situation first by mainly checking the rearview mirror; depending on the situation you may also want to check your kerbside mirror and a sideways glance, if it grants you a better view. Once the situation's assessed properly, you get ready to move, signal if necessary, final roadside blindspot check and you're off.

[@hungleba3996]

@@nickgreen6463 Yeah, that's right on. Every situation is different, so you'd move off each time slightly differently, in terms of mirror checks, but the principle is the same; check whichever mirrors help you see behind, possible kurbside blindspot or even a sideways glance can be helpful, signal if necessary, quick roadside blindspot check and you're off.

[@vayrie]

Thanks for this, this is really cool to see 🙂

[@AdvanceDrivingSchool]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you for watching! 🥳

[@jingjinghui4051]

Very cool, thanks for sharing

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you for wathcing! 🥳

[@paulaadams3767]

Learners don't get told in advance. The test here is quite extensive

[@TheMrJohnnylane]

Looking great Sam ❤

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you Johnny! 🥳

[@RabJ123]

Really useful to get a feel for the instructor test parameters. I'm currently undergoing Advance Tutor training as I already have advanced driving quals from emergency services, RoSPA and IAM. I intend to pursue ADI qual in 2025. I was interested to see Sam steering, generally pull/push but at times beyond 12 o'clock with the hands. Is this accepted by DVSA? Also changing gear before 'a view' on the approach to junctions and roundabouts etc? The speed phase in the system of car control suggests only taking the gear when the speed is correct for the hazard. This may be 1st if you need to stop due to traffic or a seriously impaired view, or selecting the appropriate gear for the speed once you have the view and it is safe to proceed with existing momentum. Is changing gear before the view and then having to select again, once the view is there, not considered a wasted gear and taking two hands off the wheel unnecessarily? I take it that any form of straight-lining or lateral lane movement when it is safe, legal, advantageous and without negative perception (SLAP) by another road user is an absolute no-no for DVSA? Thanks for the really useful video and thanks Sam for putting yourself through it 😀 Nice safe and progressive drive.

[@AdvanceDrivingSchool]

The DVSA don't mind what method of steering you use, so long as the car is always in the correct road position. Crossing hands is no problem, and in fact drivers from other countries are often taught this technique from the start. As long as the car is in full control it doesn't matter. I'll let Sam comment on the gear selection aspect. We would not recommend 'straight lining' bends or roundabouts as the DVSA would prefer that we can stay in our lane neatly rather than using more 'advanced' methods.

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts RabJ! Best of luck for your ADI training next year! It's interesting to see differences between what DVSA standards are required in comparison to advanced driving techniques. (Lots of advanced techniques would be considered serious faults on a driving test) Personally I shift to 1st if I know I’m going to be stopping or rolling slow because there’s less risk of coasting and you have engine braking in combination with braking while you’re making that last decision to stop/go A box shift is actually better for the gearbox mechanically so it's interesting for you to say a “wasted gear change” I feel like 3-2-1 would be more wasteful if you selected 2nd then stopped anyway I try not to ride the clutch and driving in 1st with gas rather than in 2nd with clutch seems better for a car with a dry clutch unlike riding a bike with a wet clutch where slipping the clutch is taught (which can feel unnatural at first after car driving!)

[@JoWestwood-fh4yj]

Amazing Sam 😊

[@Learn.withSam]

Thank you Jo! 🥳

[@evanopedal5685]

Rick August in Smart Drive Test videos said not to use cruise control on the driving test including in the most recent live stream. By the way, what did he mean "there was space behind but they were nice" and how does diesel make roads slippery from motorcycles?

[@AdvanceDrivingSchool]

Isn't he in Canada? In the UK we are free to use any of the car's systems (including cruise control, parking cameras and sensors etc) except 'self-parking' if the car has it. Many of my learner drivers use cruise control on their test, and we even heard one examiner praise the student for the safe use of it on a dual-carriageway.

[@evanopedal5685]

@AdvanceDrivingSchool Yes. That is in North America like in the US, where I live. The other thing is it doesn't make sense that someone would go when there was space behind and diesel makes roads slippery from motorcycles.

[@hungleba3996]

I don’t see why you aren’t allowed to use cruise control in a driving test in Canada or the States; modern cars today often come equipped with it, and being able to use it on the test not only demonstrates that you know of the system and whether or not you can safely use it. Quite silly, if you ask me.

[@Learn.withSam]

@@evanopedal5685 Are you referring to 40:10 when the car stopped and I turned right? My reaction was because if they didn't stop I could have turned right once they passed as there was space behind them to go. What Mat is referring to at the end there is diesel makes the road slippery for motorcycles. Bikers can lose grip/balance on all manner of slippery surfaces when riding but in a car we will not fall over if we lose grip but could still cause us an issue like skidding instead of slowing down.

[@Learn.withSam]

@@hungleba3996 Agreed

[@snwrahmed2009]

I wish success in my driving test 😢😢😢😢😢

[@Learn.withSam]

Me too, good luck! 🥳

[@rajeshop1069]

Key 🗝️ blend sopt ❤️ you

[@MADUUK1976]

Good