Driving test!

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 05 May 2005, 20:40

Ok it seems we have all sorts of people out there from many different back grounds. I'm being made redundant in 3 weeks and am now obviously looking for work. I have a very high hit rate for job interviews (always been offered the job even if I feel I’ve been really useless in the interview). Now today I went for an interview and I’m sort of 90/10 for the place but they need me to be able to drive!
Ok so I should have done this ages ago as a few of my close friends who also use this board will probably tell you but still I haven’t and now I am left with a problem. I need to get my full licence in 3 weeks! Does any one know if this is possible? and no I haven’t taken my theory yet and will have to wait until Tuesday next week before I can drive as my licence was lost a while back and I’m being fast tracked for a replacement... they have said that if I have my licence in my hand by the 1st of June the job is mine…
Other than I’m a lazy get for not doing it earlier any one have any ideas?
Andy
Moved to General Chat. Jon[;)]

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 05 May 2005, 20:42

Yes I am good at forging but not that good before any one asks...
Andy
P.S. Alan / Jon / sombody ive posted this in the wrong area can you move it to general for me! sorry[:I]

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 05 May 2005, 21:20

You have a V6 activa but no license? heh. I think it totally depends on the area youre in as to how busy the local test centre is. My friend in london had to wait 2 months. For me it was a couple of weeks but that was 10 years ago. You can only ring them and see, maybe get a last minute cancellation and go along. If your current employers wont let you slip of work tell them where to stick it as you are leaving in 3 weeks anyway!

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 05 May 2005, 21:45

The theory takes a long time to arrange unfortunately, and you can't apply for the practical test before you've passed the theory. When I went for my licence, it took a month to the day from my first (failed) test to my second test. Have a look at the DSA website and see what it says.
I wish you every luck in getting your licence by the 1st June, but its going to be difficult...

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 05 May 2005, 22:06

Are you saying you've had a licence in the past? Or is this just that you had a provisional, and have since lost it?
I fear that the chances of going from provisional to full licence in 3 weeks are Nil. Even if you pass the theory and practical first time, you are looking at a minimum of a couple of months. The only way to get this faster is to camp out at the local test centre, and nick a spot when someone doesn't turn up. If you do this, then you really must be in a position to pass first time, or you'll be wasting your time in doing so.
It was an awful lot easier in 1993. Took me 2 weeks from no licence at all to full licence!

vanny · Post by **vanny** » 05 May 2005, 23:45

Start by calling the local DVLA and explaing what you are trying to do, if they agree with me that your insane you'll find they can give you a lot of help! Your gonna need a couple of flukes on your side!
First thing to remember is that every single DVLA test centre is different! Some are slow, some are fast!
Book the theory as fast as you can! They usually do get these sorted quickly, take the first appointment you can, then call the next nearest test centre, i suspect there will be a few near you! Just keep calling and accepting times until you get one really quick. If its still like a week away go and camp at the DVLA theory centre and keep asking them if there are any gaps. Likely hood is that if your there they will just let you sit the test, but you have to have a future appointment for this to work well!
You should be able to ge tthe theory inside a week, then you will have to work VERY hard to get the actual test booked! I'd suggest you find a younger friend with no license to book at the same time and again keep calling everywhere to get any cancelations! Then if they get one earlier, get them to cancel and call them and ask for the cancelation

Your doing it at a VERY good time, kids generally arent trying to pass the test right now as exams are pretty much here! You also have the bonus that you can go at any random time!
It might be worth while speaking to BSM and let them do the continuous calling as they might get better results! You'll then have a crappy corsa to take to the test, which is important!
If you take your own car your likely to get more stringently tested, testers seem to appreciate that learners in BSM or AA cars probably dont usually driv ethis car and are used to something else!
Most importantly DONT go telling them why you dont have a license, if they start looking for answers explain you lost it and nothing more! When you get in the car for the actual test you want them to think your a crap driver who has very little experience, you need to look nervous, scared and maybe a little unsure but then drive well! I doubt if you tell the instructor that you've had 15 cars in three years and currently have 3 stupidly powerful beasts and you cant wait to get a license and drive them, that it will go down well!
You have to remember they want to see if you can drive safely, there not interested if you can actually drive! You need to really show that your scared to squeeze inbetween the two vans, not not so scared that you cant get from a to b. Your in a position where they'll take one look at you and think if they give you a license you'll be a nuisance on the road! Might be worth getting a job at Sainsburys and hope that the instructor recognises you at the test

I reckon you can do it in three, but it will be very very difficult! I think there is more chance of me getting my car back on the road before you pass, AGAIN!

lighteninguk · Post by **lighteninguk** » 06 May 2005, 00:38

well if your local driving test center is anything like mine then you have to wait 5 months for your driving test, and my nearest theory is about 2-3 weeks

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 06 May 2005, 01:40

It may well be worth contacting a driving school as the larger ones do 'Block booking' on the basis that they will have students ready to take tests as they become available. i.e. Book a test then find someone to take it.

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 06 May 2005, 05:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by vanny

Most importantly DONT go telling them why you dont have a license, if they start looking for answers explain you lost it and nothing more! When you get in the car for the actual test you want them to think your a crap driver who has very little experience, you need to look nervous, scared and maybe a little unsure but then drive well! I doubt if you tell the instructor that you've had 15 cars in three years and currently have 3 stupidly powerful beasts and you cant wait to get a license and drive them, that it will go down well!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
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AlWilliams · Post by **AlWilliams** » 06 May 2005, 15:14

You can get in touch with the people who book the tests and request a 'return', where a previous appointment has been cancelled. These can be avalible as soon as the next day.
Just have to sort the theory first!
Good luck.

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 06 May 2005, 15:25

"I reckon you can do it in three, but it will be very very difficult! I think there is more chance of me getting my car back on the road before you pass, AGAIN!" £100 says I beat you

Ok well I have a couple of things up my sleeve, one is that one of my oldest friends dads is a driving instructor who will defiantly take pity on my predicament, two I have called the DVLA and got all the fast track info so that I can get my paper licence replaced with a photo card licence in under 3 days:D so that’s one big +.
My friend’s dad can get me a booking for my written test next week, and is willing to take me every evening till the end of the month so I have the tuition time. The last problem is that there is a 3 month waiting list for tests; however the DVLA and my friend’s dad are both writing letters to my local test centre to try and get me the first cancellation after the 23rd!
Yes I have owned a lot of cars, originally this started when my wife moved here from the states and we got ripped off and sold a lemon, I decided that I needed to learn as much about cars as I could to stop this ever happening again. At the same time I was very stressed at work so I really through my self into cars as a distraction and stress relief. I’ve owned a lot of the top, “middle range” cars 205’s – 309’s – BX’s – Xantia’s currently owning 3 Activa’s and a v6, the plan was to wait until my licence was clear and then insure and drive something really special. That was originally going to be a BX 16v 4x4 as the special, a TZD turbo estate for me and a TZD turbo for Becky, when Becky got our first Activa and I lost my 4x4 (long sad story) the 16v’s engines I had got sold the TZD and a 16v were transferred to other people (at a loss) and the 4x4 was stripped and scrapped (last second after stripping the 4x4 we found that the problem was sabotage because some one else wanted it and thought if it was more of a problem I would sell it to them at a loss as it was I sold it to a good friend and broke even.
I did have my provisional, not my full licence; I’ve posted about it in the past. I was desperate to get to work and my lift didn’t show so I made the rash and stupid decision to drive in my self (this is over 4 years ago), typically I had an accident that wasn’t my fault but driving out of the rules of you licence voids your insurance and when driving with out insurance everything that happens in an accident if you are involved is your fault. I asked about the state of my licence yesterday and I have points (never told how many) and my licence has expired but if I send off the application that will be changed and they will send one back to me.

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 06 May 2005, 15:26

AlWilliams - thanks for that i will get chacing it asap

a comunal finger crossing may be usefull with this one me thinks!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 07 May 2005, 22:43

Might be worth contacting one of the residential intensive one week courses. Don't know much about them except a bloke I worked with went on one and passed and his previous experience was limited to fork lift trucks.
jeremy

zzf00l · Post by **zzf00l** » 18 May 2005, 02:47

My lad went on one of the residential courses.... He had to pass his theory test first and then book in....he passed no problem.....think his was in Blackpool and it cost him (me) £500

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 23 May 2005, 19:38

D day part 1, this saturday 9am! theory test, the week after i have my intensive, and then im waiting for a space to free up so i can take my test!!!! being dyslexic i can see the theory being fun as i seem to have the "memory hole" issue (i.e. i read something and its disaperars)! every one who is awake at that time fingers crossed!!!!
Andy