1. “If you cross your arms on the steering you will fail.”
This is a common misconception. In the current driving test you are permitted to cross your arms whilst steering without failing the test. A natural, “rotary” style of turning the steering wheel is permitted, as long as you are in full control of the steering wheel at all times (no slipping.) Your position in the road should not be compromised, regardless of steering technique. The more traditional “push pull” technique is still a valid and recommended technique, however.
2. “You have to change down through the gears to slow down.”
The DVSA driving manual states that you should change into the most appropriate gear for your speed. If for example, you decelerate steeply, you might not have time to change down through the gears as you slow down. An example would be when the person ahead of you on a motorway warns of a collision ahead, by using their hazard warning lights.
Changing down through the gears whilst slowing is also a difficult habit to break if it has been ingrained into your driving.
3. “You should indicate to go around parked cars.”
This isn’t strictly necessary all of the time. It may confuse other drivers, especially if there is a right hand turn near by. If you are well positioned already to go around a parked vehicle, this will show other road users what you intend to do.
4. “It’s ok to drive over mini roundabouts.”
The Highway Code states that drivers must go around the painted circle in the middle in order to get to their intended exit. Larger vehicles are permitted to go over it if they physically cannot get around it.
5. “Drive slowly, the examiners don’t like it if you drive too fast.”
Be careful how literally you take this statement. Driving too slowly could be equally as dangerous, as it forces other vehicles to overtake which is also risky. The examiner wants to see you drive at the appropriate speed for the conditions. This means you shouldn’t be driving either too slowly or too quickly. Therefore, your interpretation of what the correct speed is needs to be accurate.
6. “You need to check your mirrors whilst reversing.”
Your driving examiner will expect your main observation to be in the direction of travel when you are reversing. This generally means over both shoulders, to the rear of the vehicle. This also helps steering accuracy whilst reversing.
7. “If you stall on your driving test you will fail.”
It is quite possible for you to fail for stalling on your driving test. If stalling became a repetitive fault for example, you would accumulate too many, “minor” faults to pass the test. If you stalled and it put other road users in potential danger you would also fail. So, an example would be if you stalled onto a Zebra Crossing and couldn’t get the car restarted to move away from it. If however, you stalled in a quite side road moving off with no loss of control or interference to other road users, this wouldn’t usually be marked as a, “major” fault.