Failed theory test
Discussion
Well the title says it all. I sat my theory today and sailed through the questions bit without any major dramas. However, I apperently failed on the hazzard perception bit. Now, to say I'm a little bit pi$$ed off about this is a total understatment. I'm bloody fuming! Why? well, I've been driving for 12 years now with only 1 accident to my name. The hazzard perception thing is based on cars and has nothing to do with bikes. I'd be less annoyed if it was to do with biking as I'm new to that. For those who have no idea what it is you watch a video of a car driving (very slowly) down a street and click the button when you see the hazard. The quicker you respond the better. I spotted the potential hazzards and clicked well in time when they became real hazzards. Its all pretty noddy. I guess as I only clicked once or twice per video I wasn't clicking enough or maybe I'm supposed to click for the potential hazzards as well it wasn't very clear. Either way I failed and have to redo it. I feel that this is a complete money making scheme by the DVLA as it is not in any way making me a safer better biker. My complaint will be filled this evening with the appropriate authority and will no doubt be told that rules are rules. I'll argue that the hazzard thing is totally car orientated and has nothing to do with learning to ride a bike. Also, if I hadn't understood what the hell I was supposed to be doing then the instructions at the begining were unclear and confusing.
I guess I'm wasting my time on this and will have to fork out another £30 (rip off) to sit it again.
I'm going to get a beer and chill out. I can't believe how angry this has made me
I guess I'm wasting my time on this and will have to fork out another £30 (rip off) to sit it again.
I'm going to get a beer and chill out. I can't believe how angry this has made me
It is a joke, Ive been driving 8 years and took my theory for biking in Oct. I borrowed the CD rom and it took me ages to get to grips and learn about what it wanted, what we see as a hazard, IT clearly doesn't.
When you see the hazard, click it, then say elephant and click it again. You get higher points for spotting it early, but click too early and you wont get any. (hope this makes sense)
If you can get hold of one to practise and see the answers, it helps alot.
Enjoy your beer
When you see the hazard, click it, then say elephant and click it again. You get higher points for spotting it early, but click too early and you wont get any. (hope this makes sense)
If you can get hold of one to practise and see the answers, it helps alot.
Enjoy your beer
it's a complete farce. i've been driving for over ten years with no accidents (yet!). i got DVD that had a film of normal driving and to click the hazards. that was dead easy because it's regular driving on regular roads and we get trained to spot hazards well through our driving experience.
but the hazard perception test is bo??ocks because it's all staged and so it's really quite spooky and relatively difficult to spot and predict the hazzards. i had to take mine three times (not a single wrongly answered question in the other part though!). eventually you just used to the style of hazard and learn to recognise what the test defines as a hazard.
Pretty pants really though!
but the hazard perception test is bo??ocks because it's all staged and so it's really quite spooky and relatively difficult to spot and predict the hazzards. i had to take mine three times (not a single wrongly answered question in the other part though!). eventually you just used to the style of hazard and learn to recognise what the test defines as a hazard.
Pretty pants really though!
bad luck chap the hazard bit is a real lottery... you probably spotted all the hazards but a little bit to early... the trick is to click when you think there is a hazard and then click twice more just to make sure... as long as you dont have the click counter filling up more than half way across the screen you should get a good score and not trip out the cheat detector...
That strategy worked for me and i managed 67/75 for that part..
just get the dvd test and run through that before next time... its very little to do with actual hazard dectection and all about working out how to play the video game
cheers
G
That strategy worked for me and i managed 67/75 for that part..
just get the dvd test and run through that before next time... its very little to do with actual hazard dectection and all about working out how to play the video game
cheers
G
well I've submitted my 'concerns' to the appropriate body
(customercare@pearson.com). Supposidly I'll get a response in 10 working days. I'm not holding my breath but I'm curious as to what kind of response I'll get.
Cheers for the comments. Seems like i'm not alone in this. I'll let you know if there is any interesting or worthwhile response.
Got me a crate O' beer, a curry and a DVD... Feeling a lot happier now
Graham
(customercare@pearson.com). Supposidly I'll get a response in 10 working days. I'm not holding my breath but I'm curious as to what kind of response I'll get.
Cheers for the comments. Seems like i'm not alone in this. I'll let you know if there is any interesting or worthwhile response.
Got me a crate O' beer, a curry and a DVD... Feeling a lot happier now
Graham
Ruttager said:
well I've submitted my 'concerns' to the appropriate body
(customercare@pearson.com). Supposidly I'll get a response in 10 working days. I'm not holding my breath but I'm curious as to what kind of response I'll get.
Cheers for the comments. Seems like i'm not alone in this. I'll let you know if there is any interesting or worthwhile response.
Got me a crate O' beer, a curry and a DVD... Feeling a lot happier now
Graham
You're right - it's a stupid test. Like the OP's have said though, it's a game to which there is a knack. Failing the test just means you didn't get the knack, not that you're a bad driver.(customercare@pearson.com). Supposidly I'll get a response in 10 working days. I'm not holding my breath but I'm curious as to what kind of response I'll get.
Cheers for the comments. Seems like i'm not alone in this. I'll let you know if there is any interesting or worthwhile response.
Got me a crate O' beer, a curry and a DVD... Feeling a lot happier now
Graham
Have more beer, forget about it, do some practice with the DVD and go and nail the stupid thing the second time around. Obviously not while you're still pissed.
Silly test perhaps, but I can see the sense in it.
My method was to click potential hazards as I saw them, then click as they were developing, then click again if necessary. There was one test with two zebra crossing and a pedestrian crossing (IIRC) that I set off the cheat detector on which pissed me off as there were a lot of potential hazards! However, I passed so I don't care and hope I don't have to sit it again.
Good luck with the retest!
My method was to click potential hazards as I saw them, then click as they were developing, then click again if necessary. There was one test with two zebra crossing and a pedestrian crossing (IIRC) that I set off the cheat detector on which pissed me off as there were a lot of potential hazards! However, I passed so I don't care and hope I don't have to sit it again.
Good luck with the retest!
I passed this in July last year.
To be very honest I struggled to get to grips with it, and I'd been doing a minimum of 20k a year for the last 12 years since passing my test.
The questions part, easy, and anyone who fails should be banned from driving for life;)
I found I had to work at the hazard perception part as it seemed very inconsistent to me.
Passed it though, but had to learn a "skill" that IMO is not a true representation of how you recognise hazards on the road.
To be very honest I struggled to get to grips with it, and I'd been doing a minimum of 20k a year for the last 12 years since passing my test.
The questions part, easy, and anyone who fails should be banned from driving for life;)
I found I had to work at the hazard perception part as it seemed very inconsistent to me.
Passed it though, but had to learn a "skill" that IMO is not a true representation of how you recognise hazards on the road.
tHi guys, new guy here, just saw this post and it struck me as awefully familiar!
I have been driving cars for 10 years and decided a couple of months back to go direct access and take my bike test. multiple choice was fine but the hazard percep was confusing, i kept seeing stuff too early. My training school also did theory sessions. after one session i was passing all the time, basicall see hazard click, wait 2 secs, click, wait to secs click.
never do more than 4 in a row though otherwise big X.
I passed first time yesterday and now waiting for my test so it does work! good luck next time bro, its not too bad once you get used to the faults in the system!
J
I have been driving cars for 10 years and decided a couple of months back to go direct access and take my bike test. multiple choice was fine but the hazard percep was confusing, i kept seeing stuff too early. My training school also did theory sessions. after one session i was passing all the time, basicall see hazard click, wait 2 secs, click, wait to secs click.
never do more than 4 in a row though otherwise big X.
I passed first time yesterday and now waiting for my test so it does work! good luck next time bro, its not too bad once you get used to the faults in the system!
J
I agree that a hazard perception test is a good idea but the implementation is dreadful. The best way would obviously be to sit talk out the video voicing where you think the hazard could come from and what you would be doing. Yes this would require more staff and the test waiting list would be longer but if they really cared about this whole perception thing then this would be the kind of system they would need to introduce.
To add a little more to my aggravation levels my bike instructor called to say the there had been a cancellation and that I could do my test at the end of this month. That would have been great had I passed but as I'm on holiday next week I can't get the theory test done in time. Oh well I will do the whole click, then click again, and again on my next test.
Cheers for the comments
Graham
To add a little more to my aggravation levels my bike instructor called to say the there had been a cancellation and that I could do my test at the end of this month. That would have been great had I passed but as I'm on holiday next week I can't get the theory test done in time. Oh well I will do the whole click, then click again, and again on my next test.
Cheers for the comments
Graham
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff