CHAPTER 12 - The Big Bad Bogus Road Test
You’ll never hear someone who passed a road test say, "Oh, WOW! That was REALLY tough...."
The road test is less than five minutes long, and the purpose of it is to protect everyone from someone who has absolutely NO CLUE how to learn how to drive.
The key phrase there is "how to learn how to drive," and if you ever thought that at some point you will know everything about how to drive, then we need to talk. If you honestly want to be a safe driver, then everytime you drive, you’ll put some thought into what happens on the road, and you’ll get better at it. It’s like scuba diving or anything else... the more you do it, the better you get at it, IF you’re willing to learn.
Get back to the point! (Sorry!)
The road test makes people uncomfortable for the same reason that you might get nervous when you take your SAT's. You might know the information, but you still get anxious. Someone is "testing" you on something! And a lot of it is that creepy feeling you get when you "know" someone is watching you....
A road test is well designed. Most of the things you need to know to avoid killing someone can be detected in a quick tour around the block. Adding a K-turn and a parallel park, someone can tell how aware you are of blindspots, how you control the car, and how you judge speed and distance.
No one is "out to get you," and no one is looking for you to screw up. The guy is tryng to do a tough job as best he can, and in five minutes, he really can’t.
I’ve seen just as many great drivers fail a road test as I have decent drivers flunk one. It’s a crap shoot, and the best way to take one is to just drive the way you ALWAYS drive, and hope for the best.
Here's some pointers...
1. You should NOT drive the day of your road test, and especially do NOT drive TO the road test! All too often, something happens to rattle your nerves.
2. Leave the parking brake off when you shut off the car at the road test site.
3. If wearing your seatbelt and adjusting your mirrors is not a habit by now, cancel the road test and go back to Square One.
4. Practice your "full stops" well before the test. Even experienced drivers may not notice a mildy "rolling" stop. After you "think" you've stopped, press FIRMLY on the brake.
5. Try to get a test in the mid-morning. The inspector has already had enough coffee, but he's not grouchy yet from all those crazy drivers he's been with!
Think POSITIVELY!
