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I have an international driver's license and have been driving in the US for the last three years. I drive extremely safe (have driven 20K+ miles in this country and have never been stopped once by a cop). Some of my friends from my country do drive a little rash but I drive pretty safe, I have been told so a lot that my driving is extremely good by a bunch of people. I am also an extremely confident driver having driven 20K miles in my home country and around the same in the US. I even own a car in the Bay Area and have driven it 10K miles. Yet, the CA DMV test is way too much for me. I failed on all three attempts when I got my learner's permit made. I reapplied for another permit and failed again on my first attempt. I passed the written test with all correct answers on both of my attempts (so I know the laws perfectly - why wouldn't I? I have been driving for three years here). I find the employees at the DMV office very sweet but for some reason, my examiner is always the rudest person I have ever met in my life. They look like they had a fight with their husbands or they have been scolded at by their bosses and have already decided to flunk me even before the test begins. Today, I pulled to the driving test area with my mask not covering my nostrills. I was about to do that as soon as I saw someone. But my examiner randomly popped out of nowhere and began shouting that the mask needs to be fully on. Then as soon as she sat in the car, she asked me to make a right, make a left, and finally a right to get out of the DMV office. Amidst three instructions, I forgot which the last one was and when I asked whether she wanted me to make a left or a right well in advance. She shouted at the top of her lungs that the person who cannot remember three instructions does not know how to drive. I knew then that she has been having a bad day and has already decided to fail me. Finally, as soon as I got off the office, she immediately gave me a critical error for not yielding to oncoming traffic when there was a single car 500 feet away moving at 25 mph. It was so safe to make a left turn according to me. Had I waited for the oncoming driver to pass first, she might have failed me for saying that I waited for eternity for a car that was far away. After all, everything is at the examiner's discretion. I would have considered that I had a bad luck for facing the rudest examiner but the same story repeats with me every time. The examiner has it written on her face each time that she has had a bad day and wants to screw anyone she meets. I have appeared for numerous job interviews and it is only the DMV behind the wheels test where I face this problem. I am not able to understand what the problem with me is. How do I ever pass. Clearly, reading the rules is not gonna help as I already am well versed with the rules. More driving practice cannot help as I have driven at least ten times a regular applicant does before their test. Lastly, I already drive so cautiously that I don't understand how I can drive any safer. My GF started driving a month ago and she still can't drive much without supervision. I have been teaching her how to drive. She was extremely nervous before her test, but she passed on her first attempt. My cousin who is not at all comfortable at driving passed easily at her first attempt. A couple of my friends from my home country who drive without checking around for other vehicles on the road much have both passed on their first attempts. TLDR; I have failed four times at CA DMV behind the wheels usually within the first couple of minutes of starting driving. I am always greeted with the rude examiner even before she sits in the car. Despite of having such examiners, people usually pass on their first or at worst their second attempts. What is the secret recipe to passing at the CA DMV behind the wheels test????? PS: I have also attempted to drive extra cautious just to pass the test. I once slowed down my car to almost 5 mph before making a right turn. I was failed immediately for having stopped the car on a right turn despite of no STOP sign (although I didn't stop, I just slowed down to almost a dead hault - I never do that in real life but had to do it for the test). But for some reason whatever I do, go extra cautious or drive normally, examiners always find a reason to fail me. Even my friends are confused as they themselves admit that I am a much better driver than them even though all of them have CA DLs. PPS: I see a comment that I should be humble and acknowledge my mistakes. Well, I haven't mentioned that I don't. Let's say the null hypothesis is that I got failed despite of no problem on my side. It was just the examiner either abusing her power or was at fault herself (they are humans after all). The null hypothesis is quite likely had it happened once. However, it has happened four times with three different examiners. So, I do believe that the null hypothesis is quite less likely and I might have erred at least once on the contrary. I was just entertaining the null hypothesis at least a little because I have driven with a friend of a friend who gives driving lessons. This was before my first attempt. I asked him if I should get lessons or not. He said it was absolutely a waste. I already drive better than 75% of the drivers in California according to him. It has been a year since then so my driving could have only improved. I plan on recording a video of my test next time. At least I would be able to learn from any errors I make. Better luck next time. Assuming I get a different examiner or the examiner does not recognize me, my next test should be an independent event and my past failures should not affect the likelihood of the next if I stay cool. Not relevant but since asked for TC: 200K
TC or GTFO
Try a different DMV test office. Pick somewhere in the middle of nowhere with simple roads only.
Exactly! I failed 3 times at a very busy DMV by a VERY fucking rude test lady, started yelling even before the test. I eventually passed it at remote and less populated town DMV. We chatted about her son going to college and reminded me of incoming speed limits...
@yAXE77, I am hoping to find such a test lady. I have had terrible luck with the examiner in all of my attempts till now but hopefully, I might have better luck next time. I live right next to the San Mateo DMV. I am Okay with failing again and again at a DMV right next to me than driving 2 hours one side. I already drove to Watsonville and Pleasanton (1+ hours each side for both) and still failed. Statistically, even the rudest examiners at the busiest locations ought to be having at least a 50% pass rate. I will just hope for the best next time. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I think you’re suffering stage fright when taking the test, try doing a dry run of the test by yourself a few times to make you feel more comfortable with it. You could try to go to a more lenient DMV if you think that’d help, some DMVs are notorious for being fail happy. Maybe take a look at some guides on how to do well.
I have already tried that. I drove around the DMV before the test today. Where I face issues with are the grey areas. Where you don't know whether to wait for the other car or move. I never face these problems while driving normally and use my best judgement at the test (ofc even more cautious) but always end up opposite to what my examiner wants. I have tried out 3 DMVs among those 4 attempts - Watsonville, San Mateo, and Pleasanton.
You are lucky only one test is required. It takes over two years with mutiple exams in canada to get the full license.
Go to friendlier DMVs. I went to winnetka near LA just to pass my test LOL.
Dude the driving tests in the US are jokes.
You’ve just been unlucky, and causing some unforced errors, like not keeping th mask on. CA is an absurdly easy test, they don’t even make you parallel park. Be nice to the examiner and just take it toll you make it
I have no issues with parallel parking. I can ever drive manual which less than 10% of Americans can. I am facing critical errors on the simplest of the maneuvers.
Not gonna read your whole post but coming almost to a complete stop to turn right when there is no stop sign or red light is extremely dangerous. I suspect you’re not as good of a driver as you think. Maybe humble yourself a bit and recognize that you have work to do.
Get a test coach. The test routes are fixed for each DMV (<5 variants). Those test coaches know all of them. Practice those routes prior to the test and you would be good to go.
Yep, plus there are tons of LC for driving online too
I was considering to get a coach. But I am afraid that I will fail despite of coaching. People pass with no coaching easily. I have myself taught driving to a 2-3 friends who passed easily. I feel I would end up spending $200 on a coach and still fail.
This is just an urban legend, but I have heard multiple times that the examiner is rude on purpose to try out how you would react when you are stressed out. If that’s true, then just try to relax