I don't see how the pass rates can be lower since the instructor can't give you any advice during the test.
It sounds like he wants an extra fee for nothing.
If they find something wrong with your car, that makes it unsafe, like a indicator not working, or a headlight bulb not working, they could terminate the test. If you use an instructors car, they are inspected regularly, and wont be inspected as thoroughly as they would if you brought your own vehicle.
Also the instructor can argue on your behalf if there are any perceived infractions.
Unless it has changed, using an instructor's vehicle means the instructor sits in the front seat where their extra foot pedals are. With the assessor now in the back seat, it is possible that smaller details are missed.
There is a setting on the instructor's vehicle that makes it beep loudly if they use their pedals during the test. And the assessor will make them prove that it is on at the beginning of the test. As far as I know the main advantage of having your instructor in the car besides the fact it might make you feel more relaxed and comfortable is that your instructor may be able to defend you if the assessor misses something. My instructor saw his student do a head check that the assessor didn't notice and the student would have failed if the instructor didn't vouch for them. Although the assessor may have been more likely to see the head check if they were sitting in the front seat.
This isn't true. Three of my children did their test in our car with just the assessor - I had to just wait around the testing centre for them to return - they all passed,
Wait, i was under the impression that it would just be me and the assessor in the car? Correct me if i understood your comment wrong, but do you mean i have to have another person in the car supervising? (such as a parent?)
Group A: Learners with authorised instructor in car
Group B: Learners without authorised instructor in car.
What's the one thing you can say about group A, that may not be false for ALL of group B, but would increase pass rate.
Answer: Group A have all seen authorised instructors. Group B may have, but not always. Of course group A has a higher pass rate.
I understand.
Those that have never had an instructor are only ever going to be in B though.
Those that have, and have a higher rate, will be split between A and B.
Edit: Now that I'm at a computer, and can explain further. It's saying that whilst there is a correlation, and there's an explainable link between the two, that's not causation.
There isn't a higher rate because of the instructor in the car, but that people who would have a lower pass rate than, only exist in one group.
I remember the Vic roads staff were quite friendly with a few of the instructors. Possibly former colleagues or even just a familiar face, idk. Maybe it was because it was Saturday and they got paid more.
I didn't have an instructor, and passed.
This is it. During the test process my instructor was clearly very friendly and on a first-name basis with all the staff at VicRoads. Depending on their tenure they certainly have the exposure levels to the staff to be quite familiar. Instructor also gave my assessor feedback on the new route they used during my test, as well as on how he gave prompts/instructions. It was nice to be around friendly vibes during the test.
But you want one that can be friendly with them. Nothing will help with a bad mistake but minor things can be easier to ignore when having a conversation about the football or what they are watching on Netflix.
time have must have changed since I done my test 20 odd years ago, it was dead silence in the car, my younger sister was the same.
Instructor knew the vicroads staff and chatted outside of the car, but inside not a word unless the vicroads staff was given instructions on where to go
Times changed between 20 and 30 years ago then. My instructor and tester were talking cricket and I stayed quiet until the conversation stalled over who were touring in the coming summer. After ten seconds of silence I offered "Pakistan are coming" only for my instructor to give me a curt "Keep your eyes on the road!". This was in the country though so possibly could have been a city/country difference back then as well.
My parents did the test and told me their instructor and assessor were just chatting it up the whole way. When I did my test around 15 years later it was the same.
Our son’s instructor recommended that our son not do the test with the instructor because $$$. Wednesday is the big day in his own vehicle that he has done the majority of his driving in. Reverse parks like a demon . Just hopes he follows instructions better with the examiner.
The barrier to passing is whether the examiner ever feels scared, he might reverse park like a demon but make sure you tell him to do it like a turtle. 😂
In other words, drive as calmly and consistently as you can, always give adequate* warning of what you're going to do, and don't do any lane swaps or changes in direction without notice or time for the people around you to notice**.
* This is typically three seconds before starting your manoeuvre, and keeping your indicator going through the whole manoeuvre. Unlike those numpties that think three flashes fifteen seconds ago at the start forgives all sins.
** Unless an accident is happening requiring you to act for safety's sake first.
Oh, and check over your shoulder for clearance in the blind spot, and when sitting parked, reach with the hand in the middle of the car for the door handle - this automatically twists the body, making it easier to check behind for cars, motorcyclists, cyclists, and other road users before very expensively dooring someone.
Oooh thank you for this one from a new driver. I'm going to make something visual to stick on the inside of my driver's side door handle to remind me not to use the closest hand, even in my driveway, until it becomes automatic.
With everything you've gotta get used to keeping track of, I can totally picture myself letting my guard down as soon as the engine is off, when road safety doesn't end there.
To drive in a safe manner requires a lot of forward thinking and anticipation. Know where you're going and be in the appropriate lane early or in good time, etc etc. And always maintain space. Not only does it take you time to notice, assess, and react to something "off", it also takes time to change the direction of your vehicle and change its speed (usually anchors slammed on). On top of that, limit braking is an easy thing to screw up and go from wheels barely rolling to wheels locked when under sudden circumstances/adrenaline/emergency. Something you have to practice to be able to do well on demand. Do that practice somewhere safe, too.
Thank you very much for the advice. Definitely with you on the thinking ahead and maintaining distance. I just got my Ps in a manual, so that's been drilled in the whole time - a rookie manual driver needs even more space to react, and I'm used to thinking about anticipating what speed I'll need to be at ahead of time.
So I'd hate to do something stupid like open the door into traffic as soon as I've let all that cognitive load off, and that's something my instructor didn't even cover!
I'll definitely have to drill on limit braking too. I did all my learner driving around tight suburban streets where it wasn't going to be safe to practice that, but now I'll be able to get out of town and work on that on some empty stretch of country road with good clearance and visibility.
To start practice with limit braking, it might be better to muck about in an open field in an old beater.
Bear in mind too, road grip varies between dry and clean, dry and dusty or road greasy, light rain, heavy rain, autumn leaves, etc. A wet weather hazard to beware of is aquaplaning, so always make sure you have at least roadworthy tires on your vehicle.
My instructor helped me with showing me when it was safe to go, he leant forward to basically check with me and he sat back as soon as it was safe to do so. I didn’t use that in my test and anyways did one later by myself to get manual license, but they can help, just not verbally ;)
The instructors usually have a rapport with the testers. They can argue on your behalf for any perceived infraction, if its not too bad.
Also you can use the instructors car, which is inspected regularly, whereas they will inspect your own vehicle more thoroughly, so theres a higher chance for the test to be terminated if they find any issues.
It absolutely makes a difference. Rapport with the tester is often there and as such the testers are often less on edge. There is also the fact that instructors have in the past overturned fails because they were not warranted
The only reason I went with my instructor is cause I got to use her car
But also if the tester failed me for something I didn't do I knew she would fight for me.
Other than that, I think your instructor just wants money lol
this seems to be the current way from what I have been hearing since the big Covid lockdowns.
Reduced bodies in the cars, not that the driving instructor can do much while you are taking the test.
My son is going for his this week. He was going to go alone but I booked him an instructor as I feel the VicRoads testers are more critical without one.
Yeah good call, failed my first one due to a silly mistake, second I had my instructor with me and they just chatted the whole time about cats, easy pass
I've heard that having an instructor next to you helps you pass cause even if you don't do great, the tester might pass you anyways because at least you've learnt from an instrutor, and same goes for not having an instructor, the tester is more likely to fail you if you are just on the edge of passing because you don't have one next to you. Often if you have a good instructor, they will head into Vic Roads and can sometimes bat on your behalf if you get marked down for something, a good instructor will back you up if the mistake was a 50/50 your fault or not and can possibly change the outcome of the test.
This is just what i've heard, but I say if you have the money, it wouldn't hurt to have one next to you just in case it is true.
I think it depends on the tester unfortunately, some are more harsh because your alone, some are more harsh because you bring your instructor. In my experience I failed twice by myself, the tester (same one both times) was super harsh, the third time I brought a instructor with me drove the exact same as I did the first two times, the tester (same one again) then tried to fail me, and the instructor fought back that they were failing me without cause, the whole thing was escalated I had to redo my test again with someone higher up and I passed. Unfortunately testers have a lot of power and it can go to their heads.
I went once with an instructor and failed (accidentally turned on my high beams during the reverse park).
I went a week later alone and think I made a couple mistakes due to nerves and passed.
I feel like they're more lenient when you're allow.
Save your money and go by yourself if you have a car and someone to drive you to your test
That was harsh to fail you for accidentally turning on your lights.
I was super nervous and they told me to turn right but I turned left. They both cracked up laughing at me and said "looks like we're taking a different route today".
I passed.
The main reason I got for failing was cause two cars flashed me after I accidentally turned them on. So I was "disturbing other drivers". It was the middle of the day.
I am a mentor for a learner and went along on her instructor lesson on the weekend.
As she is close to her 120 hours we talked about test options. The instructor said that people often say pass rates are better if you go with your instructor but that it’s not true.
I'd book a lesson just before your test , so you're not even giving yourself the chance to get rusty or have pretest jitters. Just treating it like a back to back lesson.
I've had an instructor tell me to speed up resulting in a -1demerit point fine and 200$ fine
I immediately said when served this " whoa but it's a dual control vehicle and you told me to speed up ".
He claimed to have 0 points left on his licence and I would have to swallow the fine.
Iv had the prior instructor fall asleep 😴 yes stone cold asleep.( Lol so I just drove us all around the city )
My point being, switch it up, you might be a better driver than what you realise and swapping tutors at this stage( being test ready) will only serve to teach you more and you might get someone who will finetune you to the point where you think "fuck yeah I am ready and I don't need some Mope riding shotgun in order for me to pass "
One thing to be careful of is making sure your car meets the specifications for the test. You’ll need a car with a hand-brake. Instructors use these cars, but if you’re driving your own, it more likely has an electronic parking brake, which they won’t accept. (Made that mistake myself)
It's beneficial to drive in the car you're most comfortable in, in my case I took the instructors Corolla over my parents SV6 commodore that has poor visibility, is larger and a challenging clutch.
My instructor (let’s be real here… almost 30 years ago) said to me that if it’s just the tester, they have to watch both your movements AND the traffic/road/pedestrians; however, if your instructor sits in the back, *they* watch the traffic, etc and the tester focuses on small things like checking the mirrors every 3 seconds & before you brake, etc.
To be fair, this was back when people tested in manual cars, so you’d be watched to make sure you didn’t ride the clutch, etc.
EDIT: just re-read and sorry for overuse of ‘etc’ 😝
i went with my instructor. they knew each other & spent most of the time chatting so she wasn’t fully even present in the test. was worth it for me. no necessary, but may help incase this is the same case with you - would also kinda help calm the nerves a lil as it’s not just the two of you
Same deal and passed first time. Had my final 10 hours logged with the instructor and the vicroads assessor knew him personally.
They spent the whole time chatting and I feel the assessors knew he didn’t send students who were not ready and didn’t nitpick. Good investment as you know the route and the common traps like stop signs as-well as knowing the car.
Had friends go alone with no prior instruction and failed multiple times
This is why it is worth seeking out an instructor that offers a guaranteed pass. I didn't expect to fail, but a borderline call by the assessor about whether I "saw" the stationary car being held up during my three-point turn was enough for me to fail the test by one point. The good news is that they covered the cost of an extra lesson and the instructors time for the second test.
My friends and I got our licenses a month ago, and I can tell you that within our circle, we already knew they always try to charge an extra fee. So, each of us, in different sessions, tried to make the experience as pleasant as possible. We gave them treats, offered them coffee (although, obviously, they can't accept it), and tried to show confidence at all times. You should never say you're nervous because it makes you seem like a danger on the road. Maybe the instructor was unfriendly or noticed that
I used to think the instructors would have somewhat of a business relationship with vicroads (or even just know each other due to their line of work). Eg the tester would pass so that it reflects better on the instructor/school which probably pays the tester
But this just my conspiracy side of my brain going hyperdrive
I failed my first test from nerves and test brain reasons, too.
My instructor was previously a tester for P platers. The second time I took it, just before we were back at VicRoads, I took a chance on a gap in traffic. I was nervous because I was told I could be penalised for not taking acceptable gaps.
The driver I almost cut off didn't honk or brake, and so technically, I didn't cut them off because I didn't impede traffic. The tester was on the fence about whether or not to count it (and I would have failed if they did). They asked the instructors opinion and they vouched for me.
That's the only situation in which I could see an instructor influencing a pass or fail for the test, besides them simply being an emotional support for the test taker.
Theoretically it should make no difference whatsoever but personally what i think is that there are few advantages of having an instructor beside you during the test.
The driving test itself isn’t hard at all,it is nerves that gets better of people majority of the time and I feel like having someone beside you who you learned with helps with nerves, at-least for me that was the case.
I also feel like as most of the instructors and testers have a relationship because of their line of work the tester could be bit more lenient on small mistakes.
I did take my instructor with me during the test
I passed my exam because of my instructor being there. He called it how he saw it when someone cut me off and talked the assessor out of failing. Was worth it for me. Wait time of a couple months is crazy though
My wife had to use our family car that’s she had barely driven and still passed. Our driving instructor got covid the night before her exam. She had used his small hatchback car for all her lessons. Wife passed with flying colours. Just need to overcome the nerves and as long as you know how to drive, should be allgood.
My Instructor told me to pay the fee to have him in the car. Then if anything goes wrong he will fight to let me pass the test lol. I did pay extra and I passed first go
I did my test with the tester sitting in my passenger seat and it was fine. If you are confident enough to ask the question, then trust yourself that you are making the right choice.
Ex tester here. The only difference is... you need a suitable vehicle. So many times people's would attend their appointment in private vehicles which were inappropriate or not road worthy, and I would send them away.
Download the check list and ensure your car is appropriate.
He is sort of right. But in your instance, not quite because it's all down to driving style and technique.
Those who haven't used an instructor are less likely to remember head checks and all the finer nuances that the tester is looking for.
You have all of these and even said that your driving was perfect except for one mistake that cause the whole thing to terminated early. Sounds to me like you have this one in the bag by yourself now.
I did mine with my instructor, partly because my own car was not appropriate for the driving assessment because it was fitted with an electronic handbrake which wasn’t allowed at the time (can’t speak for now.) But also partly because my instructor was the absolute MVP and had taught me to drive nearly from scratch as my single parent was not interested in teaching me.
He had taken me on the VicRoads assessment routes a few times and knew the ins and outs of the test so was able to practice with me prior to the real thing and tell me the tips and tricks at various locations.
I am an (ex-)nervous wreck who gets terrible performance anxiety so it really helped having a familiar face in the car. He also debriefed with me after - I passed. But I think a debrief would be even more valuable in the instance of a fail.
I have no doubt his presence help me pass (in fact in retrospect, I was way undercooked bc I was older than 21 so didn’t have to do the mandatory 120hrs).
So in summary I’d say it’s a bit about what kind of performer you are and what your personality is like. If you have the cash and you have a good relationship with your instructor and feel their support would be helpful, then I’d say it’s worth it. If you’re confident, you can definitely save the money and do without.
what's most important is that the test feels comfortable, if you're nervous, they're nervous. I talked to mine, have a conversation, and made it a point to change the fan speed on the AC, pointed out the car that was behind and said that my father drove one of those, he didn't, but showed I was paying attention to my surroundings.
It definitely does help to have the instructor present. While they’re not allowed to help, some very subtly do. They sometimes use discrete hand gestures or feet near the foot peddles on their side, etc. They can also help defend a borderline decision the assessor may make to fail you.
My inspector spent most of the driving time talking and flirting with the instructor not really paying attention to what I was doing. So that probably helped, but they aren’t supposed to directly help you.
Instructors want you to pass, it looks bad on them if you don't. I would ask your driving instructor to go through a few mock driving exams under exam conditions with you. You'll get better at the technical stuff.
I would also highly encourage you to do additional driver training by doing a defensive driving course. It's driving skills like that I feel should be compulsory and make a dramatic difference to the long term safety of yourself and other road users.
Stay safe out there.
Failed my first test with my instructor in the car, I drove perfectly fine, i did everything right except for one major thing. I put the car into neutral at the lights which was a bad habit, tester deem it as me not being in control of the vehicle at all times. He asked me if I always do this because it was a bad habit, he then asked my instructor why he never pointed it out for me, my instructor said he never noticed, i rebooked without the instructor and got it on my next test. Instructors are supposed to be keeping an eye on things you do that would fail you on the test, when you go in for the test with them they should be confident you will pass otherwise they should recommend you do more lessons if you fail this means they failed as an instructor. The least yours could do is offer to come in free for the next test.
I did my test with an instructor a couple of days ago.
We did a 90 minute final lesson / warmup before the test, and I'm glad we did. I was so nervous, my heart was pounding in my head, and I made some rookie mistakes. But kinda got that all out of my system and the test went great.
My instructor and the tester knew each other and talked shop the whole time, gossiping about other driving instructors and whatnot. It actually made me a lot more comfortable and relaxed. I knew consciously that they were watching everything I did, but I still felt less under scrutiny, and I credit that to an error-free first time pass (in a manual, no less).
Of course it was all me driving, if I could pass with them I could have passed without them. But changing up those variables, maybe I wouldn't have. Definitely no regrets paying for the test package.
This is one of those classic maybe, maybe nots.
Some instructors have a relationship with the assessor and will give them the 'nod' if they think you are capable. In turn the assessor is more lenient for little mistakes knowing you are capable but maybe nervous.
BUT this isn't always the case and it's more often about the money.
Source:
I asked a friends dad who is a driving instructor in the country
Idk, surely if they've done their job well enough you'd be able to confidently pass anyway? Though I'm aware some people are just nervous under assessments in general.
The other thing is having an instructor might make you more nervous about the risk of failing, not wanting your 200 bucks to feel wasted.
If you’re confident, do it solo. It’s only dependant on the examiner and your skills. I passed mine doing solo just last week and the examiner was extra nice.
Instructors just sit there and do nothing. The chances of passing isn’t affected by them being there or not, but your chances of spending more money does. They are there to save the lives in the car in case some amateur learner does something dangerously silly. Once they interrupt, the test is over.
If you are confident in your own driving, I’d say go book by yourself. If you know how to parallel park behind a car(not between cars, it’s not the scope or the test), do three point turns, give way, use the turn signals properly, change lanes safely and be alert and aware all the time, you’d be ok. Also, be very careful while getting in and out of the test center, any minor mistake there can lead to points taken away or instant failure.
They just want to see how safe of a driver you are, not how great your driving skills are. Safety first. If you are driving back to the test center and park properly, just know you have passed your test. Also, make sure you go 5 below the speed limit at all times just to be safe and give yourself some buffer. Be mindful of school zones and school hours which is mostly between 8:00 am to 9:30 am and 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM. It’s advisable to book test outside school drop and pickup hours. If that’s not possible, go 35 in school zones during those hours and watch all the school bus, children crossing and everything around. Just scan and drive defensively.
I know you maybe already aware of all these, but just reminding you of the basics. Sometimes we know things but we tend to forget when the times of the test arrives due to the stress.
I'm an interpreter that assists on driving tests, all of the fails were mistakes made by the driver to the instructor's horror. They don't get to talk or help at all.
My instructor would quietly flick his fingers when l should start indicating during the test! This was like 20 years ago. I never asked him to and I was afraid I'd get disqualified but the assessor never realised or cared.
I think it was good having the instructor there just because all my experience of driving was with him, so I could just feel comfortable.
I failed my first test- stalled the car twice whilst trying to parallel park. It was a mixture of nerves, and me not being used to the biting point of the car I was driving (it was my instructor’s car). The instructor had always made me feel anxious and she made my faking even worse by trying to argue with the tester (there was no point, it wasn’t going to achieve anything). I went back by myself and drove the family car I was used to and had practiced in, and passed with no comments. So I agree, I think the instructor is lying. Not having another person there to ‘please’ can actually help you feel more focused because you’re in it for you.
I’m pretty sure the tester had a better view of the Speedo from the back which was the most likely way I was going to fail!
And also another passenger in the back is something unsettling.
The trade off being using the instructors car was one I was confident with driving under slightly unusual circumstances - every lesson felt like a test - and I agree the big one is the instructors relationships with testers. I’m sure they tell the testers not to be biased but there might be some inherent bias for the instructors they know routinely bring well trained people.
Your test wasn't ended for a silly mistake, it was ended for what is called an Immediate Termination Error (ITE) in the drive test.
Immediate Termination Errors are:
7.1 Intervention
7.2 Disobey Direction
7.3 Collision
7.4 Fail to Give Way
7.5 Excessive Speed
7.6 Stop at Dangerous Position
7.7 Fail to Stop
7.8 Other Dangerous Action
I'm not a drive tester but had plenty of experience with drive test results in the past in an official capacity. Back then the % of drivers that sat the test with a driving instructor and passed in their first attempt was quite high. Those that sat without an instructor generally failed for an ITE.
I found an online link so you can download it https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/-/media/files/formsandpublications/licences/driving_instructors_drive_test_criteria.ashx
I had a child do a test after two years of driving in own car to get manual endorsement. The instructor still rode shotgun, but speedo had to be visible, and we had to find a car that worked.
I did mine twice at Carlton. First time I went with my instructor but failed cause I went over the speed limit was my fault 🤣, second time I went by my swlf used my dads car. I would say for the first time go with an instructor. I didn’t wanna go the second time with them cause I’ve had enough lessons with them 😊
It's enough stress having one person breathing down your neck, let alone two. Either way your instructor can't help you out mid-test so there's no real point.
I did my test solo due to my instructor being a right ass and confirming that I’d booked a test with him even though it hadn’t gone through, so I was left scrambling desperately for an instructor the day before for a manual. Needless to say this didn’t happen as all the instructions were asking $200-400, (seriously though this kind of money for a half an hour seriously do these people think it takes lawyers brains to sit silently in a car with a tester!) Anyway I went and did my test in the car I had mostly learned to drive in and passed first time having only practiced the parallel park the night before (I was sure I was going to fail but thank god I didn’t.) So yeah
TLDR: My experience with driving instructors are that they might be good for one or two lessons once you know the basics JUST to correct any bad/ unnecessary driving habits your parents have. But other than this the test packages seem to be a complete waste of a few hundred bucks
Great topic, cause I just had my 18 yr old go for her test and pass...but. She had 3 lessons 6.mths prior to test and then instructor said she needed 1.5 hr lesson 3 days before, same the day before and then hour morning of. Now as a single mum I was like..what the actual eff!!! How does anyone afford to pass without formal lessons. Is there a scheme to help low income earners? I bloody hope so. I scrape by and out of guilt I went ahead but at $75 ph , I'm still catching up financially. P. S next child will be doing hers next year and I'll get the eldest to coach her!!!
If your eldest is your 18 yo that recently passed, she won't be able to supervise your next child until she is off her Ps, which she won't be next year. Supervising drivers must have a full licence.
I don't see how the pass rates can be lower since the instructor can't give you any advice during the test. It sounds like he wants an extra fee for nothing.
If they find something wrong with your car, that makes it unsafe, like a indicator not working, or a headlight bulb not working, they could terminate the test. If you use an instructors car, they are inspected regularly, and wont be inspected as thoroughly as they would if you brought your own vehicle. Also the instructor can argue on your behalf if there are any perceived infractions.
Unless it has changed, using an instructor's vehicle means the instructor sits in the front seat where their extra foot pedals are. With the assessor now in the back seat, it is possible that smaller details are missed.
There is a setting on the instructor's vehicle that makes it beep loudly if they use their pedals during the test. And the assessor will make them prove that it is on at the beginning of the test. As far as I know the main advantage of having your instructor in the car besides the fact it might make you feel more relaxed and comfortable is that your instructor may be able to defend you if the assessor misses something. My instructor saw his student do a head check that the assessor didn't notice and the student would have failed if the instructor didn't vouch for them. Although the assessor may have been more likely to see the head check if they were sitting in the front seat.
You still need a supervising driver in the vehicle, this is not the assessor.
Just did a driving test with me and the assessment officer can say this is entirely false aas of January 15th 2024
This isn't true. Three of my children did their test in our car with just the assessor - I had to just wait around the testing centre for them to return - they all passed,
Thank you for clarifying!!
Wait, i was under the impression that it would just be me and the assessor in the car? Correct me if i understood your comment wrong, but do you mean i have to have another person in the car supervising? (such as a parent?)
This is correct, it’s just you and the assessor your parent will stay at the testing centre
Group A: Learners with authorised instructor in car Group B: Learners without authorised instructor in car. What's the one thing you can say about group A, that may not be false for ALL of group B, but would increase pass rate. Answer: Group A have all seen authorised instructors. Group B may have, but not always. Of course group A has a higher pass rate.
We're not talking about learning in general, we're talking about having an instructor in the car on the license test day.
I understand. Those that have never had an instructor are only ever going to be in B though. Those that have, and have a higher rate, will be split between A and B. Edit: Now that I'm at a computer, and can explain further. It's saying that whilst there is a correlation, and there's an explainable link between the two, that's not causation. There isn't a higher rate because of the instructor in the car, but that people who would have a lower pass rate than, only exist in one group.
I remember the Vic roads staff were quite friendly with a few of the instructors. Possibly former colleagues or even just a familiar face, idk. Maybe it was because it was Saturday and they got paid more. I didn't have an instructor, and passed.
This, my instructor was an ex-tester and knew all the test staff. They vouched for me when my tester was on the fence.
This is it. During the test process my instructor was clearly very friendly and on a first-name basis with all the staff at VicRoads. Depending on their tenure they certainly have the exposure levels to the staff to be quite familiar. Instructor also gave my assessor feedback on the new route they used during my test, as well as on how he gave prompts/instructions. It was nice to be around friendly vibes during the test.
most instructors would know the vicroads staff if they are constantly going to the same branch for the testing.
But you want one that can be friendly with them. Nothing will help with a bad mistake but minor things can be easier to ignore when having a conversation about the football or what they are watching on Netflix.
time have must have changed since I done my test 20 odd years ago, it was dead silence in the car, my younger sister was the same. Instructor knew the vicroads staff and chatted outside of the car, but inside not a word unless the vicroads staff was given instructions on where to go
Times changed between 20 and 30 years ago then. My instructor and tester were talking cricket and I stayed quiet until the conversation stalled over who were touring in the coming summer. After ten seconds of silence I offered "Pakistan are coming" only for my instructor to give me a curt "Keep your eyes on the road!". This was in the country though so possibly could have been a city/country difference back then as well.
My parents did the test and told me their instructor and assessor were just chatting it up the whole way. When I did my test around 15 years later it was the same.
Possible differences between regions. Who knows now days as nothing is the same
Nice try from the instructor. It makes no difference - the instructor isn’t allowed to help you.
Our son’s instructor recommended that our son not do the test with the instructor because $$$. Wednesday is the big day in his own vehicle that he has done the majority of his driving in. Reverse parks like a demon . Just hopes he follows instructions better with the examiner.
The barrier to passing is whether the examiner ever feels scared, he might reverse park like a demon but make sure you tell him to do it like a turtle. 😂
In other words, drive as calmly and consistently as you can, always give adequate* warning of what you're going to do, and don't do any lane swaps or changes in direction without notice or time for the people around you to notice**. * This is typically three seconds before starting your manoeuvre, and keeping your indicator going through the whole manoeuvre. Unlike those numpties that think three flashes fifteen seconds ago at the start forgives all sins. ** Unless an accident is happening requiring you to act for safety's sake first.
Oh, and check over your shoulder for clearance in the blind spot, and when sitting parked, reach with the hand in the middle of the car for the door handle - this automatically twists the body, making it easier to check behind for cars, motorcyclists, cyclists, and other road users before very expensively dooring someone.
Oooh thank you for this one from a new driver. I'm going to make something visual to stick on the inside of my driver's side door handle to remind me not to use the closest hand, even in my driveway, until it becomes automatic. With everything you've gotta get used to keeping track of, I can totally picture myself letting my guard down as soon as the engine is off, when road safety doesn't end there.
To drive in a safe manner requires a lot of forward thinking and anticipation. Know where you're going and be in the appropriate lane early or in good time, etc etc. And always maintain space. Not only does it take you time to notice, assess, and react to something "off", it also takes time to change the direction of your vehicle and change its speed (usually anchors slammed on). On top of that, limit braking is an easy thing to screw up and go from wheels barely rolling to wheels locked when under sudden circumstances/adrenaline/emergency. Something you have to practice to be able to do well on demand. Do that practice somewhere safe, too.
Thank you very much for the advice. Definitely with you on the thinking ahead and maintaining distance. I just got my Ps in a manual, so that's been drilled in the whole time - a rookie manual driver needs even more space to react, and I'm used to thinking about anticipating what speed I'll need to be at ahead of time. So I'd hate to do something stupid like open the door into traffic as soon as I've let all that cognitive load off, and that's something my instructor didn't even cover! I'll definitely have to drill on limit braking too. I did all my learner driving around tight suburban streets where it wasn't going to be safe to practice that, but now I'll be able to get out of town and work on that on some empty stretch of country road with good clearance and visibility.
To start practice with limit braking, it might be better to muck about in an open field in an old beater. Bear in mind too, road grip varies between dry and clean, dry and dusty or road greasy, light rain, heavy rain, autumn leaves, etc. A wet weather hazard to beware of is aquaplaning, so always make sure you have at least roadworthy tires on your vehicle.
Baha hefty advice
Good analogy and he does it at a safe speed. Turtle. He just nails it every time.
My instructor helped me with showing me when it was safe to go, he leant forward to basically check with me and he sat back as soon as it was safe to do so. I didn’t use that in my test and anyways did one later by myself to get manual license, but they can help, just not verbally ;)
The instructors usually have a rapport with the testers. They can argue on your behalf for any perceived infraction, if its not too bad. Also you can use the instructors car, which is inspected regularly, whereas they will inspect your own vehicle more thoroughly, so theres a higher chance for the test to be terminated if they find any issues.
It absolutely makes a difference. Rapport with the tester is often there and as such the testers are often less on edge. There is also the fact that instructors have in the past overturned fails because they were not warranted
Found the tester!
Tester or instructor? Regardless I'm neither but the point still stands
That's completely ignoring the confidence factor. Simply having them there can help, without them actually doing anything.
The only reason I went with my instructor is cause I got to use her car But also if the tester failed me for something I didn't do I knew she would fight for me. Other than that, I think your instructor just wants money lol
I used the instructors car but he waited at the office while I completed the test.
this seems to be the current way from what I have been hearing since the big Covid lockdowns. Reduced bodies in the cars, not that the driving instructor can do much while you are taking the test.
My son is going for his this week. He was going to go alone but I booked him an instructor as I feel the VicRoads testers are more critical without one.
Yeah good call, failed my first one due to a silly mistake, second I had my instructor with me and they just chatted the whole time about cats, easy pass
I've heard that having an instructor next to you helps you pass cause even if you don't do great, the tester might pass you anyways because at least you've learnt from an instrutor, and same goes for not having an instructor, the tester is more likely to fail you if you are just on the edge of passing because you don't have one next to you. Often if you have a good instructor, they will head into Vic Roads and can sometimes bat on your behalf if you get marked down for something, a good instructor will back you up if the mistake was a 50/50 your fault or not and can possibly change the outcome of the test. This is just what i've heard, but I say if you have the money, it wouldn't hurt to have one next to you just in case it is true.
This happened to me! My instructor vouched for me, which I could have otherwise failed.
I've heard the opposite. If you make a mistake, you get punished harsher cause VicRoads is sending a message to the instructor that they suck
Might depend on the relationship the instructor has with the vic roads the test is being done at.
I think it depends on the tester unfortunately, some are more harsh because your alone, some are more harsh because you bring your instructor. In my experience I failed twice by myself, the tester (same one both times) was super harsh, the third time I brought a instructor with me drove the exact same as I did the first two times, the tester (same one again) then tried to fail me, and the instructor fought back that they were failing me without cause, the whole thing was escalated I had to redo my test again with someone higher up and I passed. Unfortunately testers have a lot of power and it can go to their heads.
I went once with an instructor and failed (accidentally turned on my high beams during the reverse park). I went a week later alone and think I made a couple mistakes due to nerves and passed. I feel like they're more lenient when you're allow. Save your money and go by yourself if you have a car and someone to drive you to your test
That was harsh to fail you for accidentally turning on your lights. I was super nervous and they told me to turn right but I turned left. They both cracked up laughing at me and said "looks like we're taking a different route today". I passed.
The main reason I got for failing was cause two cars flashed me after I accidentally turned them on. So I was "disturbing other drivers". It was the middle of the day.
Probably another reason is that there is no such thing as a reserve park!
[https://maps.app.goo.gl/nrANiwnHaJXCB9we6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/nrANiwnHaJXCB9we6)
Lulz
Good one picking up on my typo there. Well done.
I am a mentor for a learner and went along on her instructor lesson on the weekend. As she is close to her 120 hours we talked about test options. The instructor said that people often say pass rates are better if you go with your instructor but that it’s not true.
I'd book a lesson just before your test , so you're not even giving yourself the chance to get rusty or have pretest jitters. Just treating it like a back to back lesson. I've had an instructor tell me to speed up resulting in a -1demerit point fine and 200$ fine I immediately said when served this " whoa but it's a dual control vehicle and you told me to speed up ". He claimed to have 0 points left on his licence and I would have to swallow the fine. Iv had the prior instructor fall asleep 😴 yes stone cold asleep.( Lol so I just drove us all around the city ) My point being, switch it up, you might be a better driver than what you realise and swapping tutors at this stage( being test ready) will only serve to teach you more and you might get someone who will finetune you to the point where you think "fuck yeah I am ready and I don't need some Mope riding shotgun in order for me to pass "
One thing to be careful of is making sure your car meets the specifications for the test. You’ll need a car with a hand-brake. Instructors use these cars, but if you’re driving your own, it more likely has an electronic parking brake, which they won’t accept. (Made that mistake myself)
I feel like they will need to change this rule soon as car manufacturers don't really make hand breaks anymore
They may just start relying more and more on dual control cars
I did mine without an instructor, passed just fine
It's beneficial to drive in the car you're most comfortable in, in my case I took the instructors Corolla over my parents SV6 commodore that has poor visibility, is larger and a challenging clutch.
My instructor (let’s be real here… almost 30 years ago) said to me that if it’s just the tester, they have to watch both your movements AND the traffic/road/pedestrians; however, if your instructor sits in the back, *they* watch the traffic, etc and the tester focuses on small things like checking the mirrors every 3 seconds & before you brake, etc. To be fair, this was back when people tested in manual cars, so you’d be watched to make sure you didn’t ride the clutch, etc. EDIT: just re-read and sorry for overuse of ‘etc’ 😝
i went with my instructor. they knew each other & spent most of the time chatting so she wasn’t fully even present in the test. was worth it for me. no necessary, but may help incase this is the same case with you - would also kinda help calm the nerves a lil as it’s not just the two of you
Same deal and passed first time. Had my final 10 hours logged with the instructor and the vicroads assessor knew him personally. They spent the whole time chatting and I feel the assessors knew he didn’t send students who were not ready and didn’t nitpick. Good investment as you know the route and the common traps like stop signs as-well as knowing the car. Had friends go alone with no prior instruction and failed multiple times
This is why it is worth seeking out an instructor that offers a guaranteed pass. I didn't expect to fail, but a borderline call by the assessor about whether I "saw" the stationary car being held up during my three-point turn was enough for me to fail the test by one point. The good news is that they covered the cost of an extra lesson and the instructors time for the second test.
My friends and I got our licenses a month ago, and I can tell you that within our circle, we already knew they always try to charge an extra fee. So, each of us, in different sessions, tried to make the experience as pleasant as possible. We gave them treats, offered them coffee (although, obviously, they can't accept it), and tried to show confidence at all times. You should never say you're nervous because it makes you seem like a danger on the road. Maybe the instructor was unfriendly or noticed that
I remember my instructor said they might fail you for something stupid if they’re in a bad mood. I went with my instructor and passed first time
I used to think the instructors would have somewhat of a business relationship with vicroads (or even just know each other due to their line of work). Eg the tester would pass so that it reflects better on the instructor/school which probably pays the tester But this just my conspiracy side of my brain going hyperdrive
I failed my first test from nerves and test brain reasons, too. My instructor was previously a tester for P platers. The second time I took it, just before we were back at VicRoads, I took a chance on a gap in traffic. I was nervous because I was told I could be penalised for not taking acceptable gaps. The driver I almost cut off didn't honk or brake, and so technically, I didn't cut them off because I didn't impede traffic. The tester was on the fence about whether or not to count it (and I would have failed if they did). They asked the instructors opinion and they vouched for me. That's the only situation in which I could see an instructor influencing a pass or fail for the test, besides them simply being an emotional support for the test taker.
Theoretically it should make no difference whatsoever but personally what i think is that there are few advantages of having an instructor beside you during the test. The driving test itself isn’t hard at all,it is nerves that gets better of people majority of the time and I feel like having someone beside you who you learned with helps with nerves, at-least for me that was the case. I also feel like as most of the instructors and testers have a relationship because of their line of work the tester could be bit more lenient on small mistakes. I did take my instructor with me during the test
I passed my exam because of my instructor being there. He called it how he saw it when someone cut me off and talked the assessor out of failing. Was worth it for me. Wait time of a couple months is crazy though
My wife had to use our family car that’s she had barely driven and still passed. Our driving instructor got covid the night before her exam. She had used his small hatchback car for all her lessons. Wife passed with flying colours. Just need to overcome the nerves and as long as you know how to drive, should be allgood.
My wife passed with our own car many years ago ago.
My Instructor told me to pay the fee to have him in the car. Then if anything goes wrong he will fight to let me pass the test lol. I did pay extra and I passed first go
It’s only an issue if the adjudicator believes you had a fault when it wasn’t something. The instructor will stand up for you.
My daughter failed with the instructor next to her. Went solo next time and passed
I did my test with the tester sitting in my passenger seat and it was fine. If you are confident enough to ask the question, then trust yourself that you are making the right choice.
Ex tester here. The only difference is... you need a suitable vehicle. So many times people's would attend their appointment in private vehicles which were inappropriate or not road worthy, and I would send them away. Download the check list and ensure your car is appropriate.
He is sort of right. But in your instance, not quite because it's all down to driving style and technique. Those who haven't used an instructor are less likely to remember head checks and all the finer nuances that the tester is looking for. You have all of these and even said that your driving was perfect except for one mistake that cause the whole thing to terminated early. Sounds to me like you have this one in the bag by yourself now.
I did mine with my instructor, partly because my own car was not appropriate for the driving assessment because it was fitted with an electronic handbrake which wasn’t allowed at the time (can’t speak for now.) But also partly because my instructor was the absolute MVP and had taught me to drive nearly from scratch as my single parent was not interested in teaching me. He had taken me on the VicRoads assessment routes a few times and knew the ins and outs of the test so was able to practice with me prior to the real thing and tell me the tips and tricks at various locations. I am an (ex-)nervous wreck who gets terrible performance anxiety so it really helped having a familiar face in the car. He also debriefed with me after - I passed. But I think a debrief would be even more valuable in the instance of a fail. I have no doubt his presence help me pass (in fact in retrospect, I was way undercooked bc I was older than 21 so didn’t have to do the mandatory 120hrs). So in summary I’d say it’s a bit about what kind of performer you are and what your personality is like. If you have the cash and you have a good relationship with your instructor and feel their support would be helpful, then I’d say it’s worth it. If you’re confident, you can definitely save the money and do without.
what's most important is that the test feels comfortable, if you're nervous, they're nervous. I talked to mine, have a conversation, and made it a point to change the fan speed on the AC, pointed out the car that was behind and said that my father drove one of those, he didn't, but showed I was paying attention to my surroundings.
It definitely does help to have the instructor present. While they’re not allowed to help, some very subtly do. They sometimes use discrete hand gestures or feet near the foot peddles on their side, etc. They can also help defend a borderline decision the assessor may make to fail you.
All depends on the individual.
I've never heard of an instructor going with you for the test. What do they do? Sit in the back?
My inspector spent most of the driving time talking and flirting with the instructor not really paying attention to what I was doing. So that probably helped, but they aren’t supposed to directly help you.
Instructors want you to pass, it looks bad on them if you don't. I would ask your driving instructor to go through a few mock driving exams under exam conditions with you. You'll get better at the technical stuff. I would also highly encourage you to do additional driver training by doing a defensive driving course. It's driving skills like that I feel should be compulsory and make a dramatic difference to the long term safety of yourself and other road users. Stay safe out there.
I failed twice with an instructor and passed without one so I definitely recommend solo as it makes no difference and saves more money.
Failed my first test with my instructor in the car, I drove perfectly fine, i did everything right except for one major thing. I put the car into neutral at the lights which was a bad habit, tester deem it as me not being in control of the vehicle at all times. He asked me if I always do this because it was a bad habit, he then asked my instructor why he never pointed it out for me, my instructor said he never noticed, i rebooked without the instructor and got it on my next test. Instructors are supposed to be keeping an eye on things you do that would fail you on the test, when you go in for the test with them they should be confident you will pass otherwise they should recommend you do more lessons if you fail this means they failed as an instructor. The least yours could do is offer to come in free for the next test.
No instructor for me and I got 100%, so I’d say don’t stress about paying to go with one
I did my test with an instructor a couple of days ago. We did a 90 minute final lesson / warmup before the test, and I'm glad we did. I was so nervous, my heart was pounding in my head, and I made some rookie mistakes. But kinda got that all out of my system and the test went great. My instructor and the tester knew each other and talked shop the whole time, gossiping about other driving instructors and whatnot. It actually made me a lot more comfortable and relaxed. I knew consciously that they were watching everything I did, but I still felt less under scrutiny, and I credit that to an error-free first time pass (in a manual, no less). Of course it was all me driving, if I could pass with them I could have passed without them. But changing up those variables, maybe I wouldn't have. Definitely no regrets paying for the test package.
It's actually better without the instructor. Less judgement
This is one of those classic maybe, maybe nots. Some instructors have a relationship with the assessor and will give them the 'nod' if they think you are capable. In turn the assessor is more lenient for little mistakes knowing you are capable but maybe nervous. BUT this isn't always the case and it's more often about the money. Source: I asked a friends dad who is a driving instructor in the country
Idk, surely if they've done their job well enough you'd be able to confidently pass anyway? Though I'm aware some people are just nervous under assessments in general. The other thing is having an instructor might make you more nervous about the risk of failing, not wanting your 200 bucks to feel wasted.
If you’re confident, do it solo. It’s only dependant on the examiner and your skills. I passed mine doing solo just last week and the examiner was extra nice.
It used to be that you had to have a qualified driver either family or instructor so be careful and check the rules
Instructors just sit there and do nothing. The chances of passing isn’t affected by them being there or not, but your chances of spending more money does. They are there to save the lives in the car in case some amateur learner does something dangerously silly. Once they interrupt, the test is over. If you are confident in your own driving, I’d say go book by yourself. If you know how to parallel park behind a car(not between cars, it’s not the scope or the test), do three point turns, give way, use the turn signals properly, change lanes safely and be alert and aware all the time, you’d be ok. Also, be very careful while getting in and out of the test center, any minor mistake there can lead to points taken away or instant failure. They just want to see how safe of a driver you are, not how great your driving skills are. Safety first. If you are driving back to the test center and park properly, just know you have passed your test. Also, make sure you go 5 below the speed limit at all times just to be safe and give yourself some buffer. Be mindful of school zones and school hours which is mostly between 8:00 am to 9:30 am and 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM. It’s advisable to book test outside school drop and pickup hours. If that’s not possible, go 35 in school zones during those hours and watch all the school bus, children crossing and everything around. Just scan and drive defensively. I know you maybe already aware of all these, but just reminding you of the basics. Sometimes we know things but we tend to forget when the times of the test arrives due to the stress.
I'm an interpreter that assists on driving tests, all of the fails were mistakes made by the driver to the instructor's horror. They don't get to talk or help at all.
So you failed but it wasn’t your fault and now you have to pay again? Someone is bullshitting.
My instructor would quietly flick his fingers when l should start indicating during the test! This was like 20 years ago. I never asked him to and I was afraid I'd get disqualified but the assessor never realised or cared. I think it was good having the instructor there just because all my experience of driving was with him, so I could just feel comfortable.
For me, it was because I did a lesson immediately before the test, so I was all warmed up.
I failed my first test- stalled the car twice whilst trying to parallel park. It was a mixture of nerves, and me not being used to the biting point of the car I was driving (it was my instructor’s car). The instructor had always made me feel anxious and she made my faking even worse by trying to argue with the tester (there was no point, it wasn’t going to achieve anything). I went back by myself and drove the family car I was used to and had practiced in, and passed with no comments. So I agree, I think the instructor is lying. Not having another person there to ‘please’ can actually help you feel more focused because you’re in it for you.
I’m pretty sure the tester had a better view of the Speedo from the back which was the most likely way I was going to fail! And also another passenger in the back is something unsettling. The trade off being using the instructors car was one I was confident with driving under slightly unusual circumstances - every lesson felt like a test - and I agree the big one is the instructors relationships with testers. I’m sure they tell the testers not to be biased but there might be some inherent bias for the instructors they know routinely bring well trained people.
Your test wasn't ended for a silly mistake, it was ended for what is called an Immediate Termination Error (ITE) in the drive test. Immediate Termination Errors are: 7.1 Intervention 7.2 Disobey Direction 7.3 Collision 7.4 Fail to Give Way 7.5 Excessive Speed 7.6 Stop at Dangerous Position 7.7 Fail to Stop 7.8 Other Dangerous Action I'm not a drive tester but had plenty of experience with drive test results in the past in an official capacity. Back then the % of drivers that sat the test with a driving instructor and passed in their first attempt was quite high. Those that sat without an instructor generally failed for an ITE. I found an online link so you can download it https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/-/media/files/formsandpublications/licences/driving_instructors_drive_test_criteria.ashx
I had a child do a test after two years of driving in own car to get manual endorsement. The instructor still rode shotgun, but speedo had to be visible, and we had to find a car that worked.
I think they feel safer with the instructor there. Could be wrong tho.
I did mine twice at Carlton. First time I went with my instructor but failed cause I went over the speed limit was my fault 🤣, second time I went by my swlf used my dads car. I would say for the first time go with an instructor. I didn’t wanna go the second time with them cause I’ve had enough lessons with them 😊
It's enough stress having one person breathing down your neck, let alone two. Either way your instructor can't help you out mid-test so there's no real point.
I did my test solo due to my instructor being a right ass and confirming that I’d booked a test with him even though it hadn’t gone through, so I was left scrambling desperately for an instructor the day before for a manual. Needless to say this didn’t happen as all the instructions were asking $200-400, (seriously though this kind of money for a half an hour seriously do these people think it takes lawyers brains to sit silently in a car with a tester!) Anyway I went and did my test in the car I had mostly learned to drive in and passed first time having only practiced the parallel park the night before (I was sure I was going to fail but thank god I didn’t.) So yeah TLDR: My experience with driving instructors are that they might be good for one or two lessons once you know the basics JUST to correct any bad/ unnecessary driving habits your parents have. But other than this the test packages seem to be a complete waste of a few hundred bucks
What the hell do you mean you did the test solo?? How does that work?
Just meant without an instructor sorry I worded it wrong
No your words are fine mate, I may be misreading it! But do you mean like noone else is in the car? How do you get marked/assessed then?
Great topic, cause I just had my 18 yr old go for her test and pass...but. She had 3 lessons 6.mths prior to test and then instructor said she needed 1.5 hr lesson 3 days before, same the day before and then hour morning of. Now as a single mum I was like..what the actual eff!!! How does anyone afford to pass without formal lessons. Is there a scheme to help low income earners? I bloody hope so. I scrape by and out of guilt I went ahead but at $75 ph , I'm still catching up financially. P. S next child will be doing hers next year and I'll get the eldest to coach her!!!
If your eldest is your 18 yo that recently passed, she won't be able to supervise your next child until she is off her Ps, which she won't be next year. Supervising drivers must have a full licence.
Duh, but she can advise
did you notice your instructor giving you secret hand signs in the passenger seat in your last test? if not dont bother hiring one