10 bizarre reasons for failing a driving test

The driving test is a rite of passage for many people, and each has their fair share of funny experiences while out on the road.

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To mark the 80th anniversary of the test, RED Driving School surveyed a host of motorists who’d recently failed – around half of UK drivers do so each year – to discover what had caught them out. 

Many responded with the more common reasons, having been marked down on manoeuvres like reversing around a corner and parallel parking, or for not checking their mirrors enough. 

But others had a more elaborate explanation for not achieving a pass.

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Read on for the top 10 most ridiculous reasons for failing the test...

1. Driving on the wrong side of the road

“I drove out of the test centre on the wrong side of the road although, to be fair, it was a very narrow road. I told the examiner that I had literally just got back from France, where I had become so immersed in the culture that I’d forgotten which side of the road to drive on.” 

2. Queuing behind parked cars

“I thought a line of parked cars was a line of traffic, waiting for the traffic lights to change. After seven excruciating minutes of waiting, the instructor asked me to drive around the parked cars.” 

3. Distracted by a sexy motorcyclist

“A ‘good looking’ man on a motorbike caught my attention while I was driving, and without realising, I started to drive directly towards him. The instructor had to enforce an emergency stop as I nearly hit the man on the motorbike. I then blamed it on my bad eyesight!” 

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4. Confused between left and right

“I turned left when told to turn right, twice, and lied to the examiner that I have dyscalculia which affects my ability to turn left or right.” 

5. Crossing confusion

“When crawling towards a zebra crossing, I went a little too far forward and bumped the bumper on a pedestrian before the examiner could stop me. I then argued it wasn’t my fault as he was fine, and that his outfit had made him blend into the stripes.” 

6. Wrong direction

“I tried to turn the wrong way up a one-way street, and then blamed the instructor for putting me off!” 

7. Energy overdose

“I took my test when I was 18, the day before my final A-level exam. At this point I was studying like mad for my final exam and drinking at least three cans of energy drink a day. I turned up for my driving test twitching like a madman and hadn’t revised anything. I received two majors and I lost count of the minors.”

8. Twitching toes

“I was just so nervous on my first test! I couldn’t keep my foot still on the clutch and failed in the first five minutes while doing a three-point turn. I then drove perfectly for the rest of the test!”

9. Movies taught me bad habits

“I failed my test the first time because I thought the way to overtake was to zip in and out of traffic like in a car chase. The only background knowledge I had was based on James Bond, so I blame the movies! Looking back, I can definitely see why it was so important for me to take more lessons.”

10. The engine didn’t sound right 

“I failed my manual test so did an automatic test instead and passed. I told everyone this was because I grew up with parents who only drove automatic cars and so wasn’t used to the ‘sound’ and ‘feel’ of gearchanging in the car.”

Do you have any funny driving test stories? Tell us in the comments section below, or take a look at some more First Cars content!