So....I took the Theory Test today....

[Laurel]

This past week I have been revising til I've wanted to tear my own eyeballs out. Falling asleep on the sofa in the wee hours of the morn....and I've been a bag of nerves about this theory test!

Anyways, I took the test this morning and I PASSED. 49/50 aint anything to complain about (though I know which one I got wrong right away which is annoying!)

Can I have a little rant about the Hazard Perception part????

So in 2001 they introduced the Hazard Perception element to the theory test. They play 14 video clips and they tell you to click whenever you see something that would make you change speed and/or direction. (Hazard)

The "hazards" have time windows, click too soon and the click doesn't count, click too many times and they think you are trying to cheat so you automatically get 0. The instructions completely contradict themselves (They tell you to click for things like, pedestrians walking alongside the road, bus stops with people waiting, dustbins on the road...) but if you DO click for these things, you actually get marked down for clicking too many times. They actually want you to focus on getting the main hazard of the video.....and I know I'm not alone in thinking this part of the test is horrid and does NOT immitate real life driving. First thing, you can't see what's off screen and the definition of the videos is like watching an old 80s video cassette tape.

Horrible! Thank goodness the pass rate for it is only 43/75 (I ended up getting 54) I hated that part of the test, it was shockingly hard!

Anyways, rant over. I'm happy to have passed and my instructor is booking my practical test on Monday. EXCITED/NERVOUS etc. Freedom is in my sight.

How did you all enjoy your theory tests.....? And what was it like for you? How has it changed.. etc etc.

Laura

[TimE-J]

Congrats

I found the hazard perception hard as well but passed first time round, cant remember my score now though.

Good luck with your practical!

[Dan]

Hazard perception is massively flawed in several ways.

- If you perceive a hazard too early (before the window starts), you get no marks. This is completely contrary to good driving.

- The view is always dead ahead - real drivers move their eyes and heads.

- In real life, everything is a hazard. The HP test picks certain things that the DSA think are the important things. You may get penalised for clicking genuine hazards that aren't on their list of "hazards".

- Clicking a mouse might show that you've identified a hazard, but it doesn't test your anticipation of how that hazard will develop, your prioritisation of multiple hazards and planning to deal with the hazard safely. Only a trained observer can do this.

I wish instead of adding this bullcrap they would just raise the standard of the test, actually teach proper driving methodology instead of the current attitude of "teach them how to work the controls and tell them to go slow".

Congrats, anyway.

[Gompa]

ive just taken my bike test and had to do the hazard perception test just as i did in 2003 when i passed my car test and in the 8years ive been driving ive never had a scenario where the HPT has helped in any way its just another way dvla scams us of our hard earned!

well done on passing though its not as easy as these old ******s had it

[benntenn67]

Passed my car test in '85' bike test in '88' 1st time, so had non of this "new ways" nonsense

[Rikki Kitto]

I'm a full time motorcycle instructor so when the hazard part was introduced we all did it to see how we would do. We all failed for clicking too much. Complete nonsense.

[Gompa]

I'm a full time motorcycle instructor so when the hazard part was introduced we all did it to see how we would do. We all failed for clicking too much. Complete nonsense.

its ****** it teaches you nothing, you would be better off being driven by an advanced driver for half an hour!

off topic but what do you think to the mod 1 test?? it never bothered me but i sort of see that as a waste of time and expensive ground!

[GavS2]

Oh my god Laura that sounds like a nightmare. When i passed in 1995 it was easy. Although i took my test with one of my dads best mates from the golf club and now i play golf with him to quite often, its not what you know, its who you know I sure i would of passed anyway.

[20Vcqdriver]

One advantage of being a bit older is I had none of this rubbish back in 1980 when I passed first time, though I should have got extra marks for passing in an Austin Maxi where you had to double clutch to avoid crunching gears... and no fancy gizmos such as ABS or power steering either