# I failed my driving test [California]



## Hidden from Sight (Jan 3, 2014)

This happened a couple days ago. I will try to not go into excessive detail, but no guarantees. I arrived early to the DMV, but I had to wait for an extra 30 minutes beyond my scheduled appointment due to an issue with the insurance verification that had to be resolved, which compounded my extreme nervousness and psyched me out. On to the test. I only got one negative mark on the pre-driving checklist [max of three, so passing] and five negative non-critical marks on the driving test [max of fifteen, so passing], which is quite surprising considering my mental state. However, I got a critical driving error [dangerous maneuver], which is an auto-fail, which apparently came about from a combination of four things: "makes a right turn [on red] when the passing vehicle is too close" (whoop de fucking doo, I already blew my test in the first thirty seconds on a subjective measure of the examiners nervousness; I nor the car nor anyone else was in danger); "gets to [sic] close to vehicle turning into driveway and does not stop" (almost rear ended a van, stupid mistake on my behalf); "stops on train tracks" (that was perhaps the most fucked up joint elevated train track-stop sign intersection in the entirety of Southern California, probably the only of its kind); "wait for flashing red lights to turn off before crossing train tracks" (if I waited another 1.5 seconds, this would not have been a problem).

Anyways, my self-confidence has been utterly obliterated. I feel like a complete fucking failure for being unable to perform a simple task that many others my age (some of whom, mind you, have probably passed few other tests in their lives) can do without any problems. How can I begin rebuilding myself so I am not mentally predestined for failure when I go to retake my test in the middle of next month?

_Of course, some of the responses might be along the lines of "success is a journey, not a destination" or "but those starving kids in Africa, jus b urself and everything will be fine." I don't want to hear inane courage-wolf-tier bullshit that hinges on an inevitable positive outcome, a complete fallacy at best._


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## Miss Prince (Mar 23, 2013)

I know the feeling, being a three xNTJ, failure always hit me a bit hard, it never really resolved until I succeeded. (Of course I got over shit, but it was in the back of my mind for me until success came), I would suggest looking at it through those lenses.

Calm yourself down, relax, meditate, whatever needed to get you into a clear thinking mode, then focus your energy towards your objective/enemy and succeed. You probably already know this, but most people fail the first time they try. Many do succeed the first time, but more fail. I would suggest not losing hope yet and going after success.


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## Miss Prince (Mar 23, 2013)

Also realize that your driving error was more subjective, and probably less of you and more of a nervous instructor. Don't falter in that idea, but take better measure next time to take all apprehensive measures as if you are a nervous mother given you saw the personality of the potential passenger.


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## Fire Away (Nov 29, 2013)

Sux m8


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## Antiloop (Feb 10, 2014)

It's not uncommon to fail the driving test. Some even fail it several times. People who pass aren't suddenly better drivers - they drive just as poorly as before. "New drivers" are a menace in trafic, and it takes some time, maybe years, before they're actually good drivers. Try again.


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## Razare (Apr 21, 2009)

I almost failed mine because the administrator didn't know how to use the word "parallel park", so I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing.


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## Skeletalz (Feb 21, 2015)

Failing a driving test in the land of the free? Damn son, thats something else right there. (love your end comment btw )

I recommend takingmore driving lessons and more practice in general. If theres a way for you to drive with somone with a licence next to you, then do that. Youll learn so much more about driving and staying calm in a no-pressure environment like that.

Dont be deterred because you failed, it does not matter at all in the long run as everyone gets the same licence regardless of how many times they failed. I got mine on the 4th try, so compared to me, youve got a good 3 attempts at passing an arguably easier test than I did.

I assume you get to drive automatics during the test? That makes it a lot easier as you can just floor it pretty much after yielding or stopping and not have to worry about the clutch.

Most importantly, dont rush anything. If you think you can make it, chances are the examiner is going to assume the worst at all times and start whining even when there is no danger or even nothing wrong with what youre doing.


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## Redifining Cool (Aug 22, 2014)

I failed my first one. They had me driving on the outskirts of a city where I didn't know what the speed limits were. It can be hard to know if a country looking road is actually a country one or technically a city road.

Anyway, I took it again in a snowstorm, which is great, didn't have to parallel park.


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## LostFavor (Aug 18, 2011)

The best way to rebuild your confidence is more practice. Which may be hard to hear (it was for me).

I failed my driving test 4 times. Got it on the 5th attempt. 

Twice I failed to parallel parking. Once I failed to backing in. And the other one was a confusing re-entry to the driving place after the road portion of the test, in which I accidentally went over a double-solid yellow in a way that posed no threat to anyone (that particular place was big on technicalities, so they failed me for it).

I had a lot of down-on-myself moments. And by moments, I mean days or weeks of feeling like shit about it. I didn't actually get my license until early-ish this year (and I'm 24). 

I guess my point is, it sucks and I had it pretty bad, but I did get through it with enough persistence. Which means you can too. I'm not saying it will be a breeze, or that you'll magically find motivation like pop-eye opening a can of spinach, but if there's one thing that's true in life, it's that you can fall 1 time or 100 times - it's the getting back up part that counts.

And I know that sounds like the most cheesy, cliched line in history, but it's cliche because it's true.


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## Ardielley (Aug 4, 2013)

I failed twice before I got mine (not prepared enough either time), so I know the feeling. 

Both times I was pretty upset initially, but after a while, I got back up and tried again. My advice to you would just be to practice more, but that seems like a given. Another tip would be to listen to music while driving - it should get your mind off the road a bit so the feel of driving subconsciously becomes more natural for you.


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## Bergid (Aug 23, 2015)

Alex Zanardi, a former F1 driver and multiple auto racing championship wins failed his first road driving test. He had already won a couple low level racing championships and everyone expected he would pass his test no problem. So, it can happen to anyone and has no measure of how good you'll be as a driver. There are plenty of people who really should have failed their test.


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## General Lee Awesome (Sep 28, 2014)

Hidden from Sight said:


> This happened a couple days ago. I will try to not go into excessive detail, but no guarantees. I arrived early to the DMV, but I had to wait for an extra 30 minutes beyond my scheduled appointment due to an issue with the insurance verification that had to be resolved, which compounded my extreme nervousness and psyched me out. On to the test. I only got one negative mark on the pre-driving checklist [max of three, so passing] and five negative non-critical marks on the driving test [max of fifteen, so passing], which is quite surprising considering my mental state. However, I got a critical driving error [dangerous maneuver], which is an auto-fail, which apparently came about from a combination of four things: "makes a right turn [on red] when the passing vehicle is too close" (whoop de fucking doo, I already blew my test in the first thirty seconds on a subjective measure of the examiners nervousness; I nor the car nor anyone else was in danger); "gets to [sic] close to vehicle turning into driveway and does not stop" (almost rear ended a van, stupid mistake on my behalf); "stops on train tracks" (that was perhaps the most fucked up joint elevated train track-stop sign intersection in the entirety of Southern California, probably the only of its kind); "wait for flashing red lights to turn off before crossing train tracks" (if I waited another 1.5 seconds, this would not have been a problem).
> 
> Anyways, my self-confidence has been utterly obliterated. I feel like a complete fucking failure for being unable to perform a simple task that many others my age (some of whom, mind you, have probably passed few other tests in their lives) can do without any problems. How can I begin rebuilding myself so I am not mentally predestined for failure when I go to retake my test in the middle of next month?
> 
> _Of course, some of the responses might be along the lines of "success is a journey, not a destination" or "but those starving kids in Africa, jus b urself and everything will be fine." I don't want to hear inane courage-wolf-tier bullshit that hinges on an inevitable positive outcome, a complete fallacy at best._


i think part of why you failed the first place is because you werent that confident in your driving. while i have never failed my tests ever, my brother did. the first time he failed,it was because he wasnt super confident about his driving.


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## backdrop12 (Dec 11, 2012)

Hey if you passed the written test than you are 100x better at driving because I failed my written test about 6 times XD.I study alot for it and yet still fail.

I kinda should not be on the road in the first place....


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## Krispie (Sep 18, 2015)

Oh I failed my first driving test because I drove too close to cars parked on the side of the road and didn't cancel my attempt to park backways at a supermarket even though the car started beeping... Cost me 80€ for the second attempt, but I passed that one and I became a rather confident driver after that.


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## Sporadic Aura (Sep 13, 2009)

Don't worry, tons of people fail. I know someone who failed ike 5 or 6 times. I personally failed twice before passing. The first time was probably legitimate, the 2nd time was over something silly, that I didn't look back enough while changing lanes or something. It shouldn't have any effect on your self esteem.


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## amucha (Jul 24, 2011)

I didn't pass until my fifth test and all my friends passed on their first try. I felt so hopeless and my confidence was down the shitter, and then my fifth test was four days after one final exam and the day before another. So I was pretty stressed already, and when I passed I thought I would cry!! 

Try asking your doctor if he will prescribe you beta-blockers, it's a harmless heart medication that eliminates the physical signs of nervousness, which I found actually really helped calm me down. Means you won't get as psyched or tense if you make a minor mistake in my experience  I took two 30-40 minutes before I had to drive. 

Good luck I hope you get it next time!


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