Stalling during driving test

bstar

if i stall during the test is it an automatic fail or a grade 2 or what? no one ive asked can seem to answer this?

Stark

Grade 2.

Alanstrainor

I wouldn't even say it's as clear cut as, definitely a grade 2 etc. It would depend on the situation. The examiner will know you're under a lot of pressure, and may put it down to nerves, it all depends on the situation really.

Mark200

I was told yesterday by my driving instructor that it's ok for the engine to cut-out if you put the handbrake on, take the car out of gear and re-start the engine in that order without any problems and as long as it doesn't take more than a few seconds.

ergonomics

During my test I bumped the curb as I reversed around a corner. I asked to re-do it and as I went to drive around the corner I stalled. I laughed it off and told the tester that when one thing goes wrong everything goes wrong. I didn't get any mark for it. I know because I only got a mark for the reversing around a corner, in total.

During my first test I stalled the car as I went to turn right at a junction. I ended up stranded in the middle of the jnuction with traffic coming at me. That got me a grade 2 for use of the clutch.

So basically, it depends on the situation.

shoelaceface

depends on your tester i suppose! you might have a right gob-poo or a really nice person!! i thought it was an automatic fail

i had a complete gob-poo, made me feel so stupid after asking a question to which i gave an answer which turned out to be correct and he was in fact wrong.. i was so determined to go back and inform him that he was wrong and i was right but he actually had passed me so i didnt bother.. but it still annoys me because of the way he got so cocky and arrogant

Wishbone Ash

I'd say it's how you react to the stall rather than the stall itself that's important.

Mr. Presentable

It's a grade 2, failure to show competent control of the vehicle - not enough alone to be failed, but try not to stall three times

shoelaceface

i stand corrected. if the car breaks down isnt it an automatic fail

Wishbone Ash

shoelaceface wrote: »

if the car breaks down isnt it an automatic fail

If the vehicle breaks down, the test would be abandoned rather than the candidate being unsuccessful. (I realise some will argue that it's the same thing).

J_R

Mark200 wrote: »

I was told yesterday by my driving instructor that it's ok for the engine to cut-out if you put the handbrake on, take the car out of gear and re-start the engine in that order without any problems and as long as it doesn't take more than a few seconds.

Hi,

At next lesson ask your instructor what would be the likely outcome of the following scenario

You are stopped at entrance to a busy roundabout, with a line of cars behind. When way is clear you move briskly forward, unfortunately you stall but you have enough momentum to take you into the roundabout. You then put the handbrake on, take the car out of gear and re-start the engine

Would it not be more sensible to allow the car to keep moving and re-start the car immediately.

Stopping greatly increases your chance of getting hit by the car behind or getting T-Boned by a car from your right.

Are you sure he did not also tell you to remove your foot from the clutch, they usually do.

Del2005

J_R wrote: »

Hi,

At next lesson ask your instructor what would be the likely outcome of the following scenario

You are stopped at entrance to a busy roundabout, with a line of cars behind. When way is clear you move briskly forward, unfortunately you stall but you have enough momentum to take you into the roundabout. You then put the handbrake on, take the car out of gear and re-start the engine

Would it not be more sensible to allow the car to keep moving and re-start the car immediately.

Stopping greatly increases your chance of getting hit by the car behind or getting T-Boned by a car from your right.

Are you sure he did not also tell you to remove your foot from the clutch, they usually do.

Yes, but the test is a test of your ability to pass it not to drive in a safe maner.

Once the car has stalled you are no longer driving it you are a passenger in an out of control vehicle, you are coasting. Also if you've moved briskly forward the chances of stalling are less and if you do stall I'd say it would be a straight fail IMO. Since you can't control a moving vehicle.

Wishbone Ash

Del2005 wrote: »

the test is a test of your ability to pass it not to drive in a safe maner

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Del2005

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

:eek: :eek: :eek:

OK that didn't come out right. But a lot of things you do in the test you never do again, while you do use the skills tested, in normal driving.

And as the person I replied to stated the safest way out of the stall would be to just straight restart or try and bump it, but it's not the correct way to restart a stalled car.

Dfens

Mark200 wrote: »

I was told yesterday by my driving instructor that it's ok for the engine to cut-out if you put the handbrake on, take the car out of gear and re-start the engine in that order without any problems and as long as it doesn't take more than a few seconds.

Yep, I was told this by my instructor also but he did mention that if it happened a good few times that the examiner might give you a fault.
Practice your hillstarts so it doesn't happen then as you might roll back a little before you get the handbrack up again.

snickerpuss

I couldn't imagine it being an automatic fail, which I thought was only for dangerous situations rather than minor things.
If you deal with it, don't panic and move on quickly it shouldn't even be a grade 2. I wouldn't worry about it being a fail.

J_R

Dfens wrote: »

Yep, I was told this by my instructor also but he did mention that if it happened a good few times that the examiner might give you a fault.
Practice your hillstarts so it doesn't happen then as you might roll back a little before you get the handbrack up again.

Hi,

If your car stalls it depends on why it stalled and your actions afterwards, whither you get marked and what grade.

For example, proper way of moving off is give the car little gas, find holding point, release handbrake and away. Some cars move off OK without gas, others need a little, otherwise they splutter hesitate a little, different cars different degrees. If you are driving the latter, never give it gas and it stalls a few times you will be marked each and every time and if you stall in a dangerous situation you will receive a Grade 3.

If you are moving forward into a junction and you slam on the brakes, handbrake etc etc you will almost definitely receive a grade 3. However depends as often faults are not marked in isolation.

A lot of badly trained instructors are told the proper way to teach a pupil to start a car is to handbrake, feet off pedals etc etc Neither they or their trainer realise that sequence only refers to starting a car when it is safely parked.

Alanstrainor

J_R wrote: »

However depends as often faults are not marked in isolation.

Just to note, examiners will only give one fault even if the fault itself is applicable under various headings. eg. when an applicant hits a kerb while making a left turn. A fault may be recorded here for 'Position turning Left', and not for 'Steering' in this case. It's only in exceptional cases that one fault will be marked twice