Motors Theory test...and some newbie questions...

I've just been looking into taking my theory test, before the number of questions involved goes up, and I was wondering how long after passing the theory you have, before it expires (if it does, and you don't pass your practical, or take it straight away)

Also anyone know of any good resource sites? I've got a few i'm looking up now, and was looking for a few more if any of you all know

Thanks in advance

- Brooxy

 

You have to re-take your theory if you haven't passed your practical after two years.

For the theory get this book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Ess...507138?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183811585&sr=8-12

And the highway code (it's not enough on its own as the test tests you on far more than is in this book but it's a good reference):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highway-Cod...461311-3507138?ie=UTF8&qid=1183811585&sr=8-12

And the practice tests on the CDs are also invaluable especially for the hazard perception section:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Tes...461311-3507138?ie=UTF8&qid=1183811585&sr=8-12

 

o0o, the test must have gotten harder since I sat mine (about 5 years ago), all you needed back then was a copy of the highway code and some common sense!

 

Well I'm a bit dubious over the difficulty, since my best mate has failed it 3 times in a row, and another friend of mine didn't do much better. I'm wanting the theory & hazard complete first time.

Then it's all out on the practical. Thanks for the advice so far, keep it up guys

 

The theory questions are not that hard, more common sense and learn the road signs. The hazzard perception and when you should click etc are all explained on the disc they send you before the test, good watch too if its still Suzi Perry doing it

 

I revised for my theory exam about 1 night before I took it, and passed. That was when hazard perception was new too so had no pracitse at it.

Not trying to big myself up here, just saying it isn't hard at all - the answers are common sense things mostly and some road signs you need to know.

 

It's pretty stupid to go in there having only prepared one day for it. Yeah about 90% of the questions are common sense but a lot of them will ask you about facts you probably don't know. How many days do you have to present your papers at a police station if you don't have them on you when an officer asks you for them? What's the minimum tread depth on your tyres? Do you know the rules for parking on unlit roads at night? You only need to be thrown 6 bad questions to fail and since you only answer 35 out of thousands it really is down to luck. Basically it's £30 to take the test and it's really not worth the hassle of failing. Besides if you actually want to be good driver it's a good idea to go through those books as thoroughly as you can anyway. In my opinion driving is not something that should have a 'pass mark'. Just scraping through isn't going to help anyone in the long run.

 

I have my theory on monday - the car broke down last time i tried to do it

 

I think the best way is to just rent one of those books with some CD's with practice questions from the library - the hazard perception isn't difficult, but you could do with some practice beforehand tbh. My driving instructor had a set he leant out to everyone, so I just borrowed his.

 

Buy the theory and practical DVD ROM in Currys! You won't regret it! I actually found it quite fun to learn from and I passed my theor and practical first time using it. For the theory part. I'd actually forgotten that it was the next day, but Id spent about 5 hours on the DVD rom about a week before using the hazard and they practice. It was good fun to do and I learn quick because of it! & you know what? I think Currys is open today, so get yourself down there!

I've passed my test two months now and am loving the driving! All the best to you!

 

Thats where you and many people disagree, I bet if you take your test again now you'd fail it. The problem is, both the practical, and to a certain extent, the theory, is unnecessarily anal, look at anyone driving, do they feed the wheel between their hands? I doubt it, that's a fail, the driving test is a complete act. You can be a safe driver and not do everything as the DVLA insist you do.

I'd actually say it's more dangerous, since it requires a lot of attention to drive perfectly, attention that should actually be on the road, not whether you've checked your mirrors in the last millisecond because there's a bird in a tree up the road.

 

If you do an advanced driving course as well, they tell you to cross your arms instead of feeding it through. The reason for having to feed it through is rediculous as well, i can't for the life of me remember what it was now.

Theory is mainly common sense; although, i remember being extremely nervous for mine.

 

As DeX said though, you can now get some very difficult questions that aren't common sense but require specific knowledge.

 

True, i agree with everyone as well, getting those DVD's are a massive help

 

Ok I agree that a few of the things on the test you don't need to know or take notice of. I also agree that the test is overly anal and strict but I also think that that is the only way to make sure that drivers are relatively safe. It isn't a substitute for experience but that's not something you can teach in a driving lesson anyway.

What I was saying though is that I think it's better to pass the test by being a good driver than it is by being good at the test. I definitely doesn't hurt to know more than the 35 questions you have to answer on your theory.

(By the way I only passed my test about six months ago so I should in theory still be able to pass it. The only problem is that I haven't driven since the day of my test so I might be a little out of practice!)

 

Ah yeah, if you're a new driver then you'll be quite likely to pass again, but failing the test certainly doesn't mean you aren't a bad or unsafe driver, and passing the test doesn't mean you'll be a safe driver, even though it's pretty strict. There isn't really any way of stopping people driving unsafely in test form, that's what the police are there for. Even the safest drivers slip up, or get distracted at the wrong moment and cause an accident.

Just like in academic studies, a test isn't a good way to gauge someone's ability, but tests are generally seen as the easiest way to do it. IMO there should be a different way of gauging whether someone is safe to drive on the road, I think a series of sessions with a qualified instructor should be taken, and if the instructor thinks you're safe enough to be put on the road, you can get your license, obviously this would be susceptible to to instructors keeping on someone to squeeze more cash out of them, or passing students too quickly to give themselves a better image to the customer as someone who can get you on the road fastest. That's one of the reasons why tests are generally accepted as the best route.

I see your point about the theory test though, although there's some stupid stuff, how many of you regularly measure the tread depth of your tyres?

 

Appearently it's to make sure you have a hand on the wheel at all times, so you don't loose control.

Got it all booked now, so hopefully i'll pass, got a couple of weeks revision on it (with CD's an all). Then I get to buy a purple corsa (probably)

 

I just had my theory test this afternoon ---- AND I PASSED !!!!!!!
Needless to say i'm happy with this result.
They had some extra q's at the end which were apparently this new style. One was how long do you check breathing for, the other how many chest compressions / min do you use. I am glad these weren't asked in the test.

I got 32/35 and 60/75

 

What the s***? It's driving a car not first aid, you aren't legally obliged to know it.

 

I passed the theory 2 years ago with 34/35 and 62/75 but left for university and never had chance to take the test so am now re-doing it in a week since it expired. Not that i understand why i have to redo the test. Not like the road signs have changed in the last 2 years.

My tricky question related to the colour of cats eyes at the different slip roads on a motorway. Am willing to bet not many drivers know that off the top of their head.