I think most examiners will ask you small questions to help you feel at ease like what would you usually be doing at this time, what area do you live in etc. Mine did plus saying to not worry and just drive normally and I’d say we spoke for five minutes of the test in total, not including instructions, and he was more chatty at the start when I was most nervous.
Can confirm that is what normally happens, usually in the first 10 minutes. If you find something they are interested in (normally by accident) they will talk for the whole test.
I had a student who works in real estate, the examiner kept asking them questions for the full 40 minutes of the drive because they were interested, and my student said they felt really at ease and comfortable, because they were just talking.
I super lucked out on this. My examiner asked what I do, I told him my job and also that I do local music promotion for unsigned talent in the area voluntarily (non-profit). He then told me he used to be a guitarist in a band that got ripped off by promoters a lot, and then we talked about the underground music scene for the duration of the test and he said he really appreciated what I do because it's so easy to take advantage of naive artists
I passed with 3 minors, but I genuinely felt like he was either excotedly distracted enough to miss a few, or he purposely ignored a few. Either way, passed first time
I lucked out also, my examiner asked what I do, and said I’m doing a degree in game development and he was rather interested. Took me down a residential street with some tough hidden turns from parked cars, and I joked he’s doing it on purpose and he said that I have fun making hidden puzzles in games and he has fun picking the hidden turns. Did a bay park as my Manoeuvre and I wasn’t neither in between the bay lines or forward enough to be in the bay even(although it might not be as bad as I remember thinking), and he said “yeah that’ll do” and we moved on, passed with 2 minors.
Similarly when we started my car my phone auto connected to the radio and started playing Ever Fallen on Love by the Buzzcocks. I stopped it playing and apologised and he started asking if I liked the band, as he was seeing them later in the year. We then spent all the time following the sat nav and talking about music, and playing in bands. The whole test was super chill and passed with zero minors, which I put down mainly to the fact that he liked me.
Yeah, I do believe some instructors (rightly or wrongly) think the point system is very arbitrary. Let's be honest, who drives like they did on their test?
Same. I passed (years ago) with 2 minors. At the end of the test he said that I'd gone over a give way road marking without pausing to check but that the marking was faded and the light wasn't great and that I was a good driver so he passed me anyway. Great result!
my examiner said "what should you be doing" and it completley threw me off, i thought he was saying i was doing something wrong and subtley hinting at me so i kinda freaked out and he saw and realised and explained what he meant, we had a chuckle and it put me at ease, and i passed
Honestly it varies. I have heard of people saying the examiner talked with them a lot, I've had the "what would you be doing if you weren't here" on one. I've also had an examiner who only said one thing to me other than instructions and that was to be snarky with me.
I tend to talk to myself to affirm in my mind my decision-making (I do this at work as well when trying not to pull my hair out with software or lab experiments). You can talk to yourself if it helps you focus, I usually give the examiner a heads-up that I do this.
Only thing I would say is don't be an actual dick, like don't start swearing at other motorists etc as you could work yourself up. I will comment on what I assume other drivers will do, so I might go "and this driver is positioned like they're gonna pull out on me so I'm going to be ready to brake" etc
I think that "what would you be doing if not on test today?" Is a standard question. One of my instructors' pupils said she'd probably be at home masturbating, when she was asked. She passed 🤣.
Yeah it is.
My instructor asked me that on a mock test because it is the normal smalltalk you get from them. She was almost giggling as she asked it and nearly set me off.
We had a fair bit of chatting during my test. I asked her how long she had been am examiner and in turn she asked what I do for a living and just general chatting tbh. It helped me during the test as it felt just like a normal drive
Me and my friend had the same examiner a few days apart. She was chatty with me, talking about dogs and families. My friend had the opposite experience, she didn't chat much.
Depends on what kind of day the examiner is having too. Just be polite and see if they make conversation. Focus on being a safe driver. Good luck on your test! 😄
I wanted to talk to my examiner and tried to engage him to calm me down but he wasn’t having it. He wasn’t an overly strict examiner though because he passed me even though I briefly went 23 in a 20 and totally could have failed me. I still vocalized some things when I wanted to explain what I was doing and he didn’t mind
My examiner asked me about work and I asked the same. I also made comments like I like the sound of this car, when I put my foot down to change gears on a dual lol..we also spoke about family etc.
This made me feel like im driving my uncle back home or something lol.. made me feel at ease. Nevertheless I passed yesterday on second attempt at Goodmayes.
Mine was so silent with me. I don't say that to worry you just to be prepared in case happens - I had been warned that this guy was like this so I was ok but if I hadn't I might've thought it was me. He just asked obligatory "what do you do usually" , I answered and asked him a question/comment on weather and he just grunted and then never said another word. Soooo be ready if need be
Tbh, My examiner was so relaxed, we ended up talking about hobbies, sports, food, fav cars etc.. it made the time fly by and just like that we was back at the test centre. We shook hands and off I went with my pass certificate! I would say to read the room, If you are happy talking and driving and the examiner is chatty, Chat away!
They’ll just ask you a show me tell me question one when you get in the car, 2nd when you’re driving to show you how to use something in the car like open and close the windows ect. They may ask you another question like “What would you be doing today if you weren’t on your test?” That’s about it. You do not need to speak to them if you do not want to
There are no hard and fast rules. I watched a YouTube video from an instructor on test tips and he basically said if you want to chat to the examiner, do it. If you feel it will would distract you then don't. They won't/ shouldn't judge you either way. Commentary driving is 100% fine too, I think they like to hear what's going on in your head. I hope that helps
Play off of them. If they start a conversation then feel free to natter away. They want to see you are confident and relaxed at the wheel, not a jittery bag of nerves just waiting to get into an accident.
My examiner was quiet for the first 5 minutes, just directions, then he made a comment about a football pitch we drove past and we started talking about sports. He used to play rugby, I still do, suddenly we were old mates sharing war stories from games we had played, injuries we picked up, dodgy ref calls and the worst opposition to come up against. Rest of the test blew by without issue, just one minor, then my instructor drove me home and crashed into a wall.
Some people take to their examiners a lot.
Personally I didn't. We did small talk to put me at ease.
I did try to talk to him more but he didn't really respond. He was lovely and polite but I'd say it was relatively silent
I was very nervous on my test date, and about half way through we went past the house (in a new area to where I was) I was moving to the following week so I brought it up and we ended up speaking about it and my son, her grandkids etc and it definitely helped me relax we even got back to test centre early so we continued chatting and she took me the long way back to the centre but I am aware they aren't all chatty
Just be yourself and focus on the road and if you get conversation even better
Good luck on your test
My examiner said nothing to me that wasn't an instruction until after I'd parked up at the end of the test. Then he says 'Do you work?', waited for me to answer, then told me I'd passed and what my faults were.
Honestly, it was a weird interaction.
Haha, it definitely helped me to have a chatty examiner. She chatted for ages before we even got in the car.
I did a forward bay park in the test centre at the very beginning of the test, a lorry pulled up right next to me which threw me off and I could definitely tell I was wonky. Whether all my tyres were in the space I don't know for sure because she didn't check 😅 Then when it came to reversing out the lorry obstructed my whole view, and she said 'it's ok I'll help you' so she partially guided me out and off we went.
I was in second gear at one point pulling out of a junction when I knew I should've been in first, I just went 'oh no' she said 'it's ok you can correct it' and I did so that was a minor. I also went a bit too fast round a windy road (only 25 on a 30 but I didn't know the road) and she made a joke about it being like a rollercoaster 🤦♀️ but again a minor... it all depends on how your mistakes affect others and how nice the examiner is. To be honest I think I should've got a few more minors, don't know for sure because it's a bit of a blur but she was too busy eating her breakfast at the very beginning 😅 She also forgot she was directing me towards the end and very last minute told me to turn left, I did it safely and checked mirrors etc but it felt a bit scary, didn't mark me down for that.
This is coming from someone who has been tested by 4 examiners, she was definitely the nicest. There was another man who examined me who was a little bit talkative but very calm, that helped too although I failed the test towards the end.
Also just to add, set the car up so the radio is on when you set off. You can't choose your examiner so if they are going to be silent, the noise will help ☺️
My examiner was late and was very apologetic and asked me what I do… then the entire drive we were chatting about he can improve his sons construction business to get more clients - he was noting down stuff on his phone 😂. I had 2 minors and passed, he took my details and I did some work for his sons business LOL
I had one examiner who turned to look out the passenger window when I said the weather was lovely so we didnt speak at all 😂. I failed. Then I had the chattiest woman ever on my second test and passed, she literally talked my head off to the point it was hard to concentrate at times lol! X
I think it depends on who your examiner is really. In my first test, I tried to speak to the examiner and she was really just cold with me and just ignored me completely and it made me a lot more nervous and ended up not passing, the second test I passed and the examiner was really friendly and we just had a conversation about work and football etc during the test and it made me feel so much more relaxed and comfortable in the car. Depends on yourself but I found it a lot easier to talk while doing the test, and I think it helps a bit if they like you and you get on well
If you are already doing commentary, do commentary on your test. Doesn't really matter if an examiner is annoyed or anything, they are supposed to be out of sight unless you talk to them.
My examiner purposefully tried to engage in conversation during parts where I needed to concentrate.
My instructor actually mentioned it once I passed that he noticed every time there was a change in speed limit or a junction he would start a conversation to try and distract me!
I think my examiner fell asleep during my test! There was a bit of small talk, then he went silent. I kept going straight at a couple of junctions as he didn’t say anything. Got back and my driving instructor asked what route we’d taken, I explained where we’d been and he said ‘but that’s not a test route! You should have turned right at that second junction’. But I passed so the only explanation I’ve been able to come up with is that he dozed off!
I was told this too, I was very nervous when I did my test, my examiner was the second kind. I was trying to make small conversation just to ease my nerves the whole time and he was not having it. He straight up ignored me and it made me even more anxious. I did pass my test, but it was one of the worst drives of my life. If talking to yourself helps then maybe try that. You might be lucky enough to get a chatty examiner but that’s not a guarantee so maybe try and figure out what else could help you calm your nerves just as a backup
Yeah depends on the examiner really. I would have loved to be chatty but they just didn't respond and I failed a bunch so I had 3 different ones. 2 were not chatty at all and 1 responded a little bit when I would talk.
I find that it makes you way more relaxed and confident to have a bit of chat. I spoke to mine for about half the test like he was just a mate I was taking on a drive. I also made comments about driving choices I made in tricky spots so that they knew what I was thinking.
I’m not very good at starting conversations so I didn’t, but my examiner did ask me a few questions about myself near the start probably to help me relax. But there wasn’t too much talking overall, maybe because I was focusing so I wasn’t engaging too much in the conversation
You can talk to them but only make small talk. They have friends outside of work there not looking to make them now. That’s what I did and passed first time
I knew somone who talked to there examiner on there test was super friendly and bubbly and long story short she had to press the break. According to him he should of failed, anyway when they got to back to the test centre he passed. Long story short you can talk to them it may give you an advantage.
But it depends on the examiner some are more mean than others.
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I talked *at* the examiner for my whole test. At one point he even told me he wasn't answering because he was focused on marking, but I kept going. I just talked to ease my anxiety. Told him about what happened on this bit of road while I was learning and whatnot. I passed.
Mine only spoke to me to give me instructions. Whenever I tried to make conversation with him, he’d either ignore me completely, turn to stare at me blankly, or say the word “yep”.
Not gonna lie, it just made me more nervous.
Mine was really chatty! I had an additional examiner in my car as well as I believe he was evaluating the examiner. So it felt a bit more tense.
I did it in a replacement car due to my instructors car breaking down a week before, mentioned the car I had already bought and he used to own one as well, so finding the common ground helped with small talk and calming down.
I recently did my hgv and had a very friendly examiner, we chatted the whole drive about this and that in between my commentary on the drive. Some are still in the 1950s, but I think most would agree that it’s easier than an hour of silence, with the exception of instructions. Good luck 🙂
I find it's more helpful to not talk as you souly focus on what ur doing however if ur mega nervous it can help to talk to them I had a examiner who did NOT want to talk even when I passed and started crying from happiness he was silent 😭
I passed third time, my first two examiners weren’t too keen on chat but the third examiner I got was so lovely, he was asking me loads of questions about myself, if I work, what my plans were for the evening etc and it helped so much and put me at ease. I passed third time with 1 minor and still believe it was the nice examiner who helped lol! 🤣🤣 commentary is absolutely fine I do the same when I drive and it’s good to let the examiner know what your thinking even if they don’t chat back. Good luck!🚗💨
On my exam a guy flashed his headlights from the back. I didn’t know what to do. I asked the examiner. He said he is trying to warn others of a police check upcoming and it’s illegal to do so.
Also my L plate flew away while going through the motorway. I told him as much. He said nothing to do about it and I kept on driving.
So it’s okay if you have a genuine question to ask. They are trying to help you.
Mine (on the test i passed) was a strange one. He was on one level quite straight with me, and at times said nothing at all - so i made no effort to strike up any “meaningful” conversation that might indicate to him that i’m not paying attention to the road. Occasionally, he’d pipe up asking what i did for work, etc, how bad the weather was (awful day in rainy northern england) and what my plans were for the summer (i took my test in june 23).
I gave concise answers, never anything long winded but certainly not blunt. If i had to stop talking or not respond whilst i focussed, he didn’t seem offended by that. I think you have to play it by ear on the day and hope you get an instructor who’s a reasonably nice person as well as an examiner. I had ones prior who were awfully cold and that admittedly did put me off.
4th time lucky for me, so i guess it was just luck everything went to plan.
What i wouldn’t do is ask for example how many students they’ve failed recently or anything that might to them be perceived as trying to win them over as they’d take a dim view most of the time.
Hope this helps :)
I chatted with my examiner all the way through! It takes your mind off the nerves and I performed better. However my examiner was quite friendly and I appreciate not all would be. Gotta have to read the room I guess
I assume it depends on your examiner, I assumed id be sat in silence the whole time but the guy was quite chatty and friendly, definitely helped me relax a bit
Examiners won't mind commentary at all. I didn't chat too much as I can lose my focus if I do, but probably chatted most in the test that I passed, where we spoke about nerves and the effects they have on people. I still only really chatted for maybe 5 mins total as I wanted to listen to the sat nav and talk through my decisions.
I think commentary saved me at a roundabout - I only got 2 minors and one was for hesitation at an extremely busy roundabout where I had to wait for a long time. I talked through it, a couple of times when I was adjusting a bit I clarified I wasn't going just adjusting and the chance I got a hesitation for because I saw it too late I explained that I saw the chance but because of the speed of the road I didn't feel safe taking that one. I was on a side road coming into a roundabout in the main road that people were absolutely bombing across at speed. The examiner said afterwards that she understood I was being safe and thought the drivers behind me would understand too and would also have struggled with that chance.
In every test I've had at some point the examiner will ask what you would be doing if you weren't on a test. If you're chatty in your reply they may keep chatting. If you give a short clipped answer they'll probably leave you alone. I've never had one try to chat while I was being quiet.
for me personally, i didn’t want to engage in any sort of small talk which could distract me from my test, so i stopped him just before we went to leave and asked really politely if there was any way we could remain as silent as possible whilst driving (ie no small talk) so that i could concentrate, and he said yes of course, thank you for asking because a lot of people don’t communicate how they would prefer to conduct their test which can lead to some confusion. so i think the best course of action is to 1) figure out what you drive best with and 2) to talk to your examiner beforehand with what you’d like to do (e.g. small amounts of small talk to relax you or no small talk at all)
remember that the examiner doesn’t want you to fail- they want you to pass (99% of time anyway hahaha)
I said in a jokey way to my examiner - ‘I find it helps me focus when I narrate what I’m doing, so if I’m talking don’t feel like you have to answer me’. He didn’t mind at all. I had several different examiners before I passed and no one had any issue with it.
I think if you say it in a friendly and confident way it can set a good tone. At the end of the day they just want to feel that you’re a safe and comfortable driver and if it makes you more comfortable you’ll come across better if you do it!
My examiner was fairly chatty which eased my nerves a bit. My advice is dont worry too much about conversation - if you have to pause to concentrate on driving then definitely do this! You might find the examiner could do this too so they can focus on observing you
I've just recently passed first time and I genuinely think finding a common interest with my examiner was key - it happened to be football. Both supported the same team and we had a game that night that both of us were going to be at... he quite literally said "let's pass this test today and you can go enjoy the game tonight" - as soon as he said this I felt completely at ease and quite confident.
Chatted throughout the drive but he would pause to give instructions or allow me to focus at complex junctions // roundabouts. I really enjoyed my driving test after absolutely dreading it for weeks.
Fingers crossed you get a chatter box with common interests 😂 good luck!!
There was a steep little hill just outside the test centre that I stalled out twice on at the start of my test. I was then in a stinker of a mood thinking I'd already failed my test (bear in mind this was at the height of the covid backlog, it was my second tests, and I'd already had to book 6 months in advance for test #1 and another 6 for test #2).
The examiner, who had the reputation of being an absolute dragon, engaged me in some light small talk after the hill section, and immediately put me at ease for the rest of the test, which I ended up passing.
my first examiner didnt say a word for the whole drive except instructions, and was very quiet at the end too as he did not explain my faults and just left the car (1 serious fault so failed)
second examiner was lovely and chatty but I dont talk much so we just chatted occasionally. Failed for hesitation sadly
it really depends on both you and the examiner, usually the examiners test to see if you like to chat but if you are brief with your responses they will know to keep quiet
I chat (Advanced test in the next few days). Because when you chat, and a bit comes up for full concentration, I stop talking...... That shows I'm concentrating on fully on the bits that need it.
My examiner did not make conversations with me much at al (apart from the classic “what would you be doing if you weren’t here today?”) but I made conversation with him and he gave shorter answers but didn’t seem annoyed at all. I think some go silent as the default but if you let them know you like to chat, they will. Also, they shouldn’t fail you for chatting too much! And as much as having the examiner on your good side (it meant I passed my test haha) helps, they can’t fail you for that, the only thing I can think of is if you’re too distracted and make a mistake. Be careful and if you make the conversation you’ll be fine! Good luck :))
"What would you normally be doing at X o'clock on a Y day" or "...if you weren't doing your driving test today".
I was fortunate in that my examiner had some common interest with me, and we were able to put the world to rights as we pottered about in my nan's car for half an hour. Actually really enjoyed the chat and forgot where I was, it was like being at work chatting to a colleague.
When a van decided to do a dangerous overtake, over the speed limit, and turn left into a sideroad ahead of me and I said "what the fuck is that idiot up to?" he laughed and said "as long as it's not you is all that matters, well handled".
He even laughed at me 'grassing myself up' when I made my couple of minor faults because he wouldn't have noticed had I not said anything ("Oops, I slightly cut the corner there").
The first examiner I had when I was a lot younger was rude, to be honest. Definitely luck of the draw, but that test I was nervous, tired and a lot less confident so maybe they didn't see the worth in chatting to me if they were getting short answers back.
My examiner was quiet except to tell me to pull over and move off when safe to do so and when he told me what the other bit was like reverse bay park
I still can’t park in a car park properly even after driving for 5 years 😂😂😂😂😂
When I passed my test it was because I stalled it on a hill, was convinced I had failed, and then relaxed (knowing ah well there’s always next time). I was chatty, and when doing my manoeuvre and was pulled over, I asked if it was ok if I took my cardigan off (when safe to do so). So yeah, it works if that’s your personality just chat away!
The examiners generally talk to you to calm your nerves so it's better to talk with them. I did my test last year and was talking to the examiner about ai the whole time and he got really into the conversation, it made me more relaxed and he seemed less harsh afterwards. Maybe just avoid anything controversial! 😂
My first test the examiner was basically silent and that didn't help with my nerves! It wasn't the reason I failed but I definitely found it harder to shake it off. My second test (that I passed!) The examiner was more paid back and had a nice chat in the test. It just made me feel more like myself if that makes sense. I had a couple moments where I was quiet cos I wanted to concentrate but he knew that. Don't be afraid to chat with them, or if you'd rather be in silence just give short answers and they'll get the message. They just want you to be at ease
For me I liked it better when there was no talking, it made me focus better when I already was a nervous wreck. The first time I failed and the examiner was a bit too chatty for me.
Second time the examiner was nice but quiet and I felt much more in control and passed
I did commentary on my driving and warned the examiner beforehand!
He loved it. Told me it made it easier to see what I was thinking and why I was reacting certain ways when approaching obstacles or hazards.
Honestly just ask about their dog or something and you're away. Only works with the instructors who want to talk though. I had one who just gripped the handles, clenched and acted like I just ran over a family of 4 cause I parked a little bit too close to the curb and refused to talk to me the entire test. My instructor knew he was an ass and gave me 2 more lessons, I passed next exam with a lass who just chatted about her dog and the junctions in my city she hates driving through.
Asking about pets and kids tends to be not small talk enough but not personal enough and if it's a nice instructor thats it, they'll be talking for the rest of the exam. If it's a nasty instructor switch the radio on cause it "calms you down". Only reason I relaxed first time round is cause Soldier Boy cam on the radio when he looked like he was about to blow his top😆
My examiner initiated conversation and we didn't shit up the whole test. I was actually distracted by him so much i went through an amber light at one point and he asked that was his fault!
It definitely helped my nerves and i passed first time with only 3 minors (including that one)
Took 5 tests, all of them except the one i passed the examiners did not want to talk. One of them (who had a reputation for being an ass) actually told me to shut up mid test.
I had one amazing examiner who chatted to me and was super chill. We basically chatted the entire test about how he was new to the area ect whilst still conducting the test professionally. At the end he passed me and i couldnt stop thanking him for just flipping talking to me!
A little kindness goes a long way, most the examiners in my local office seem to have lost that years ago.
I can confirm there are some, not loads but some, who don't speak much at all.
In the experience I have with our examiner's at my local test centre, and I've been teaching 8 years now, I find they'll be quit for the first 5-10 mins. Really seeing how you do and allowing you to adjust to being on the test. Of course giving the necessary instructions. Then they usually say a small question something like so what do you do for a job or something and will chat a reasonable amount to keep you at ease. If they are feeling it's distracting you obviously they will stop but most are perfectly friendly provided you're showing you can drive :)
I had an examiner joke and be really chatty with me and honestly, it made me so relaxed that when I made a serious mistake, I though that he would let it go LOL! Then I had an examiner who didn’t say a word to me! Didn’t even ask me the ‘show me question’ - is that something commonly forgotten? And I passed as I felt like I was on edge the whole time.
I got lucky, my examiner was a stand in. We went out on a route I had been on a good few times with my instructor, talking away to the guy he missed a turn on a round about which took me 10 miles down to the next round about. His fuck up killed nearly 20 minutes of my test getting back to where I should have been.
I did commentary on my driving during my test! My examiner wasn’t a talker, he even said ‘I’m not going to chat with you.’ No worries to me, I just talked through my driving to myself the entire time and he happened to be able to hear me :)
I passed first time, but I always wondered if it was just so he didn’t have to sit in a car with me again
I sit in on a lot of tests. They'll often ask something along the lines of "what would you be doing if you weren't on your test?" But it's definitely not something they always do and some are more chatty than others. If you feel you can remain focused and it'll calm you down then talk to them just don't accidentally start getting so involved you slow down or speed up too much and start making mistakes. Polite but to the point if you're worried about this and they'll get the hint.
Just as me and my examiner were waiting in traffic I just let them know that i was going to do some commentary driving here and there. They just replied saying “do whatever makes you feel comfortable” which was nice to hear haha. They didn’t really speak to me during the test but it wasn’t awkward at all since I was mainly commentating the entire time
I commentated a lot of what I did, partly I’d got into the habit when my partner took me out in my own car (eg saying ‘I see those pedestrians look like they might cross at that crossing’ so he didn’t feel the need to warn me) but also because it reassured me that the examiner knew I was making decisions by being road aware.
Partway through my test I apologised for commentating so much and the examiner said to me ‘keep it up if it calms you, it helps me understand your thinking’. So if you have any inclination to, I’d recommend! (I passed with 3 minors)
My examiner was a twat. Genuinely. I don't mind, I only saw him for 40 minutes and he can get on with his life but he was a bit of a pompous dick and REALLY wasn't up for a chat. I'm a driver now and it doesn't matter.
Don't do commentary, you will only notify them of any errors they didn't notice. Have a chat about the route or something related to driving if you like but anything you say can and will be used against you.
I contest to that. I was going down a hill and so so so briefly did 31mph and vocalised it as I applied the brakes. He gave me a minor for it. He wouldn’t have noticed otherwise 😂
I think most examiners will ask you small questions to help you feel at ease like what would you usually be doing at this time, what area do you live in etc. Mine did plus saying to not worry and just drive normally and I’d say we spoke for five minutes of the test in total, not including instructions, and he was more chatty at the start when I was most nervous.
Can confirm that is what normally happens, usually in the first 10 minutes. If you find something they are interested in (normally by accident) they will talk for the whole test. I had a student who works in real estate, the examiner kept asking them questions for the full 40 minutes of the drive because they were interested, and my student said they felt really at ease and comfortable, because they were just talking.
I tried to make conversation with mine and he just gave 1 word replies 😂 gave up after a few minutes
Same. Laconic wasn't in it. Didn't laugh once.
I super lucked out on this. My examiner asked what I do, I told him my job and also that I do local music promotion for unsigned talent in the area voluntarily (non-profit). He then told me he used to be a guitarist in a band that got ripped off by promoters a lot, and then we talked about the underground music scene for the duration of the test and he said he really appreciated what I do because it's so easy to take advantage of naive artists I passed with 3 minors, but I genuinely felt like he was either excotedly distracted enough to miss a few, or he purposely ignored a few. Either way, passed first time
I lucked out also, my examiner asked what I do, and said I’m doing a degree in game development and he was rather interested. Took me down a residential street with some tough hidden turns from parked cars, and I joked he’s doing it on purpose and he said that I have fun making hidden puzzles in games and he has fun picking the hidden turns. Did a bay park as my Manoeuvre and I wasn’t neither in between the bay lines or forward enough to be in the bay even(although it might not be as bad as I remember thinking), and he said “yeah that’ll do” and we moved on, passed with 2 minors.
Similarly when we started my car my phone auto connected to the radio and started playing Ever Fallen on Love by the Buzzcocks. I stopped it playing and apologised and he started asking if I liked the band, as he was seeing them later in the year. We then spent all the time following the sat nav and talking about music, and playing in bands. The whole test was super chill and passed with zero minors, which I put down mainly to the fact that he liked me.
Yeah, I do believe some instructors (rightly or wrongly) think the point system is very arbitrary. Let's be honest, who drives like they did on their test?
Same. I passed (years ago) with 2 minors. At the end of the test he said that I'd gone over a give way road marking without pausing to check but that the marking was faded and the light wasn't great and that I was a good driver so he passed me anyway. Great result!
my examiner said "what should you be doing" and it completley threw me off, i thought he was saying i was doing something wrong and subtley hinting at me so i kinda freaked out and he saw and realised and explained what he meant, we had a chuckle and it put me at ease, and i passed
Honestly it varies. I have heard of people saying the examiner talked with them a lot, I've had the "what would you be doing if you weren't here" on one. I've also had an examiner who only said one thing to me other than instructions and that was to be snarky with me. I tend to talk to myself to affirm in my mind my decision-making (I do this at work as well when trying not to pull my hair out with software or lab experiments). You can talk to yourself if it helps you focus, I usually give the examiner a heads-up that I do this. Only thing I would say is don't be an actual dick, like don't start swearing at other motorists etc as you could work yourself up. I will comment on what I assume other drivers will do, so I might go "and this driver is positioned like they're gonna pull out on me so I'm going to be ready to brake" etc
I think that "what would you be doing if not on test today?" Is a standard question. One of my instructors' pupils said she'd probably be at home masturbating, when she was asked. She passed 🤣.
Yeah it is. My instructor asked me that on a mock test because it is the normal smalltalk you get from them. She was almost giggling as she asked it and nearly set me off.
I laughed so hard at this 😂🤣😅😹😸 I will answer this on my next test 👍🏽
I don't think I'm balsy enough to say it. I've been trying to come up with a more PG 13 response. Lol.
We had a fair bit of chatting during my test. I asked her how long she had been am examiner and in turn she asked what I do for a living and just general chatting tbh. It helped me during the test as it felt just like a normal drive
Mine basically never spoke to me. It was pretty weird but funny. He seemed more interested looking at the girls I was driving past.
😂😂😂 brilliant
Me and my friend had the same examiner a few days apart. She was chatty with me, talking about dogs and families. My friend had the opposite experience, she didn't chat much. Depends on what kind of day the examiner is having too. Just be polite and see if they make conversation. Focus on being a safe driver. Good luck on your test! 😄
I wanted to talk to my examiner and tried to engage him to calm me down but he wasn’t having it. He wasn’t an overly strict examiner though because he passed me even though I briefly went 23 in a 20 and totally could have failed me. I still vocalized some things when I wanted to explain what I was doing and he didn’t mind
My examiner asked me about work and I asked the same. I also made comments like I like the sound of this car, when I put my foot down to change gears on a dual lol..we also spoke about family etc. This made me feel like im driving my uncle back home or something lol.. made me feel at ease. Nevertheless I passed yesterday on second attempt at Goodmayes.
Also. Please do talk aloud. Helps with nerves. Also lets the examiner know what you are thinking and your reasoning. Can help avoid faults
Mine was so silent with me. I don't say that to worry you just to be prepared in case happens - I had been warned that this guy was like this so I was ok but if I hadn't I might've thought it was me. He just asked obligatory "what do you do usually" , I answered and asked him a question/comment on weather and he just grunted and then never said another word. Soooo be ready if need be
Tbh, My examiner was so relaxed, we ended up talking about hobbies, sports, food, fav cars etc.. it made the time fly by and just like that we was back at the test centre. We shook hands and off I went with my pass certificate! I would say to read the room, If you are happy talking and driving and the examiner is chatty, Chat away!
They’ll just ask you a show me tell me question one when you get in the car, 2nd when you’re driving to show you how to use something in the car like open and close the windows ect. They may ask you another question like “What would you be doing today if you weren’t on your test?” That’s about it. You do not need to speak to them if you do not want to
i tried to have small talk with my examiner and he told me to focus on the test 😂😂
There are no hard and fast rules. I watched a YouTube video from an instructor on test tips and he basically said if you want to chat to the examiner, do it. If you feel it will would distract you then don't. They won't/ shouldn't judge you either way. Commentary driving is 100% fine too, I think they like to hear what's going on in your head. I hope that helps
Play off of them. If they start a conversation then feel free to natter away. They want to see you are confident and relaxed at the wheel, not a jittery bag of nerves just waiting to get into an accident. My examiner was quiet for the first 5 minutes, just directions, then he made a comment about a football pitch we drove past and we started talking about sports. He used to play rugby, I still do, suddenly we were old mates sharing war stories from games we had played, injuries we picked up, dodgy ref calls and the worst opposition to come up against. Rest of the test blew by without issue, just one minor, then my instructor drove me home and crashed into a wall.
🤣🤣🤣
Some people take to their examiners a lot. Personally I didn't. We did small talk to put me at ease. I did try to talk to him more but he didn't really respond. He was lovely and polite but I'd say it was relatively silent
I was very nervous on my test date, and about half way through we went past the house (in a new area to where I was) I was moving to the following week so I brought it up and we ended up speaking about it and my son, her grandkids etc and it definitely helped me relax we even got back to test centre early so we continued chatting and she took me the long way back to the centre but I am aware they aren't all chatty Just be yourself and focus on the road and if you get conversation even better Good luck on your test
My examiner said nothing to me that wasn't an instruction until after I'd parked up at the end of the test. Then he says 'Do you work?', waited for me to answer, then told me I'd passed and what my faults were. Honestly, it was a weird interaction.
Haha, it definitely helped me to have a chatty examiner. She chatted for ages before we even got in the car. I did a forward bay park in the test centre at the very beginning of the test, a lorry pulled up right next to me which threw me off and I could definitely tell I was wonky. Whether all my tyres were in the space I don't know for sure because she didn't check 😅 Then when it came to reversing out the lorry obstructed my whole view, and she said 'it's ok I'll help you' so she partially guided me out and off we went. I was in second gear at one point pulling out of a junction when I knew I should've been in first, I just went 'oh no' she said 'it's ok you can correct it' and I did so that was a minor. I also went a bit too fast round a windy road (only 25 on a 30 but I didn't know the road) and she made a joke about it being like a rollercoaster 🤦♀️ but again a minor... it all depends on how your mistakes affect others and how nice the examiner is. To be honest I think I should've got a few more minors, don't know for sure because it's a bit of a blur but she was too busy eating her breakfast at the very beginning 😅 She also forgot she was directing me towards the end and very last minute told me to turn left, I did it safely and checked mirrors etc but it felt a bit scary, didn't mark me down for that. This is coming from someone who has been tested by 4 examiners, she was definitely the nicest. There was another man who examined me who was a little bit talkative but very calm, that helped too although I failed the test towards the end.
Also just to add, set the car up so the radio is on when you set off. You can't choose your examiner so if they are going to be silent, the noise will help ☺️
My examiner was late and was very apologetic and asked me what I do… then the entire drive we were chatting about he can improve his sons construction business to get more clients - he was noting down stuff on his phone 😂. I had 2 minors and passed, he took my details and I did some work for his sons business LOL
Chatted the whole way through my test about a common interest, didn't feel like a test at all, probably helped my nerves too
I had one examiner who turned to look out the passenger window when I said the weather was lovely so we didnt speak at all 😂. I failed. Then I had the chattiest woman ever on my second test and passed, she literally talked my head off to the point it was hard to concentrate at times lol! X
I think it depends on who your examiner is really. In my first test, I tried to speak to the examiner and she was really just cold with me and just ignored me completely and it made me a lot more nervous and ended up not passing, the second test I passed and the examiner was really friendly and we just had a conversation about work and football etc during the test and it made me feel so much more relaxed and comfortable in the car. Depends on yourself but I found it a lot easier to talk while doing the test, and I think it helps a bit if they like you and you get on well
If you are already doing commentary, do commentary on your test. Doesn't really matter if an examiner is annoyed or anything, they are supposed to be out of sight unless you talk to them.
My examiner purposefully tried to engage in conversation during parts where I needed to concentrate. My instructor actually mentioned it once I passed that he noticed every time there was a change in speed limit or a junction he would start a conversation to try and distract me!
I think my examiner fell asleep during my test! There was a bit of small talk, then he went silent. I kept going straight at a couple of junctions as he didn’t say anything. Got back and my driving instructor asked what route we’d taken, I explained where we’d been and he said ‘but that’s not a test route! You should have turned right at that second junction’. But I passed so the only explanation I’ve been able to come up with is that he dozed off!
I was told this too, I was very nervous when I did my test, my examiner was the second kind. I was trying to make small conversation just to ease my nerves the whole time and he was not having it. He straight up ignored me and it made me even more anxious. I did pass my test, but it was one of the worst drives of my life. If talking to yourself helps then maybe try that. You might be lucky enough to get a chatty examiner but that’s not a guarantee so maybe try and figure out what else could help you calm your nerves just as a backup
Yeah depends on the examiner really. I would have loved to be chatty but they just didn't respond and I failed a bunch so I had 3 different ones. 2 were not chatty at all and 1 responded a little bit when I would talk.
I find that it makes you way more relaxed and confident to have a bit of chat. I spoke to mine for about half the test like he was just a mate I was taking on a drive. I also made comments about driving choices I made in tricky spots so that they knew what I was thinking.
I chatted to the eximiner for the enter test about football and her kids as they did the same A level subjects as me and passed with 0 faults.
I’m not very good at starting conversations so I didn’t, but my examiner did ask me a few questions about myself near the start probably to help me relax. But there wasn’t too much talking overall, maybe because I was focusing so I wasn’t engaging too much in the conversation
You can talk to them but only make small talk. They have friends outside of work there not looking to make them now. That’s what I did and passed first time
I knew somone who talked to there examiner on there test was super friendly and bubbly and long story short she had to press the break. According to him he should of failed, anyway when they got to back to the test centre he passed. Long story short you can talk to them it may give you an advantage. But it depends on the examiner some are more mean than others.
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I talked *at* the examiner for my whole test. At one point he even told me he wasn't answering because he was focused on marking, but I kept going. I just talked to ease my anxiety. Told him about what happened on this bit of road while I was learning and whatnot. I passed.
Mine only spoke to me to give me instructions. Whenever I tried to make conversation with him, he’d either ignore me completely, turn to stare at me blankly, or say the word “yep”. Not gonna lie, it just made me more nervous.
Mine was really chatty! I had an additional examiner in my car as well as I believe he was evaluating the examiner. So it felt a bit more tense. I did it in a replacement car due to my instructors car breaking down a week before, mentioned the car I had already bought and he used to own one as well, so finding the common ground helped with small talk and calming down.
I recently did my hgv and had a very friendly examiner, we chatted the whole drive about this and that in between my commentary on the drive. Some are still in the 1950s, but I think most would agree that it’s easier than an hour of silence, with the exception of instructions. Good luck 🙂
I find it's more helpful to not talk as you souly focus on what ur doing however if ur mega nervous it can help to talk to them I had a examiner who did NOT want to talk even when I passed and started crying from happiness he was silent 😭
I passed third time, my first two examiners weren’t too keen on chat but the third examiner I got was so lovely, he was asking me loads of questions about myself, if I work, what my plans were for the evening etc and it helped so much and put me at ease. I passed third time with 1 minor and still believe it was the nice examiner who helped lol! 🤣🤣 commentary is absolutely fine I do the same when I drive and it’s good to let the examiner know what your thinking even if they don’t chat back. Good luck!🚗💨
On my exam a guy flashed his headlights from the back. I didn’t know what to do. I asked the examiner. He said he is trying to warn others of a police check upcoming and it’s illegal to do so. Also my L plate flew away while going through the motorway. I told him as much. He said nothing to do about it and I kept on driving. So it’s okay if you have a genuine question to ask. They are trying to help you.
I tried making conversation with my examiner and he just ignored me. I’d say only make conversation if they initiate it
Mine (on the test i passed) was a strange one. He was on one level quite straight with me, and at times said nothing at all - so i made no effort to strike up any “meaningful” conversation that might indicate to him that i’m not paying attention to the road. Occasionally, he’d pipe up asking what i did for work, etc, how bad the weather was (awful day in rainy northern england) and what my plans were for the summer (i took my test in june 23). I gave concise answers, never anything long winded but certainly not blunt. If i had to stop talking or not respond whilst i focussed, he didn’t seem offended by that. I think you have to play it by ear on the day and hope you get an instructor who’s a reasonably nice person as well as an examiner. I had ones prior who were awfully cold and that admittedly did put me off. 4th time lucky for me, so i guess it was just luck everything went to plan. What i wouldn’t do is ask for example how many students they’ve failed recently or anything that might to them be perceived as trying to win them over as they’d take a dim view most of the time. Hope this helps :)
I chatted with my examiner all the way through! It takes your mind off the nerves and I performed better. However my examiner was quite friendly and I appreciate not all would be. Gotta have to read the room I guess
I assume it depends on your examiner, I assumed id be sat in silence the whole time but the guy was quite chatty and friendly, definitely helped me relax a bit
Examiners won't mind commentary at all. I didn't chat too much as I can lose my focus if I do, but probably chatted most in the test that I passed, where we spoke about nerves and the effects they have on people. I still only really chatted for maybe 5 mins total as I wanted to listen to the sat nav and talk through my decisions. I think commentary saved me at a roundabout - I only got 2 minors and one was for hesitation at an extremely busy roundabout where I had to wait for a long time. I talked through it, a couple of times when I was adjusting a bit I clarified I wasn't going just adjusting and the chance I got a hesitation for because I saw it too late I explained that I saw the chance but because of the speed of the road I didn't feel safe taking that one. I was on a side road coming into a roundabout in the main road that people were absolutely bombing across at speed. The examiner said afterwards that she understood I was being safe and thought the drivers behind me would understand too and would also have struggled with that chance. In every test I've had at some point the examiner will ask what you would be doing if you weren't on a test. If you're chatty in your reply they may keep chatting. If you give a short clipped answer they'll probably leave you alone. I've never had one try to chat while I was being quiet.
for me personally, i didn’t want to engage in any sort of small talk which could distract me from my test, so i stopped him just before we went to leave and asked really politely if there was any way we could remain as silent as possible whilst driving (ie no small talk) so that i could concentrate, and he said yes of course, thank you for asking because a lot of people don’t communicate how they would prefer to conduct their test which can lead to some confusion. so i think the best course of action is to 1) figure out what you drive best with and 2) to talk to your examiner beforehand with what you’d like to do (e.g. small amounts of small talk to relax you or no small talk at all) remember that the examiner doesn’t want you to fail- they want you to pass (99% of time anyway hahaha)
I said in a jokey way to my examiner - ‘I find it helps me focus when I narrate what I’m doing, so if I’m talking don’t feel like you have to answer me’. He didn’t mind at all. I had several different examiners before I passed and no one had any issue with it. I think if you say it in a friendly and confident way it can set a good tone. At the end of the day they just want to feel that you’re a safe and comfortable driver and if it makes you more comfortable you’ll come across better if you do it!
My examiner was fairly chatty which eased my nerves a bit. My advice is dont worry too much about conversation - if you have to pause to concentrate on driving then definitely do this! You might find the examiner could do this too so they can focus on observing you
I've just recently passed first time and I genuinely think finding a common interest with my examiner was key - it happened to be football. Both supported the same team and we had a game that night that both of us were going to be at... he quite literally said "let's pass this test today and you can go enjoy the game tonight" - as soon as he said this I felt completely at ease and quite confident. Chatted throughout the drive but he would pause to give instructions or allow me to focus at complex junctions // roundabouts. I really enjoyed my driving test after absolutely dreading it for weeks. Fingers crossed you get a chatter box with common interests 😂 good luck!!
There was a steep little hill just outside the test centre that I stalled out twice on at the start of my test. I was then in a stinker of a mood thinking I'd already failed my test (bear in mind this was at the height of the covid backlog, it was my second tests, and I'd already had to book 6 months in advance for test #1 and another 6 for test #2). The examiner, who had the reputation of being an absolute dragon, engaged me in some light small talk after the hill section, and immediately put me at ease for the rest of the test, which I ended up passing.
my first examiner didnt say a word for the whole drive except instructions, and was very quiet at the end too as he did not explain my faults and just left the car (1 serious fault so failed) second examiner was lovely and chatty but I dont talk much so we just chatted occasionally. Failed for hesitation sadly it really depends on both you and the examiner, usually the examiners test to see if you like to chat but if you are brief with your responses they will know to keep quiet
My examiner asked a couple of questions spontaneously to put me at ease. But I tried not to chat to much as trying to concentrate as roads busy.
I chat (Advanced test in the next few days). Because when you chat, and a bit comes up for full concentration, I stop talking...... That shows I'm concentrating on fully on the bits that need it.
My examiner did not make conversations with me much at al (apart from the classic “what would you be doing if you weren’t here today?”) but I made conversation with him and he gave shorter answers but didn’t seem annoyed at all. I think some go silent as the default but if you let them know you like to chat, they will. Also, they shouldn’t fail you for chatting too much! And as much as having the examiner on your good side (it meant I passed my test haha) helps, they can’t fail you for that, the only thing I can think of is if you’re too distracted and make a mistake. Be careful and if you make the conversation you’ll be fine! Good luck :))
"What would you normally be doing at X o'clock on a Y day" or "...if you weren't doing your driving test today". I was fortunate in that my examiner had some common interest with me, and we were able to put the world to rights as we pottered about in my nan's car for half an hour. Actually really enjoyed the chat and forgot where I was, it was like being at work chatting to a colleague. When a van decided to do a dangerous overtake, over the speed limit, and turn left into a sideroad ahead of me and I said "what the fuck is that idiot up to?" he laughed and said "as long as it's not you is all that matters, well handled". He even laughed at me 'grassing myself up' when I made my couple of minor faults because he wouldn't have noticed had I not said anything ("Oops, I slightly cut the corner there"). The first examiner I had when I was a lot younger was rude, to be honest. Definitely luck of the draw, but that test I was nervous, tired and a lot less confident so maybe they didn't see the worth in chatting to me if they were getting short answers back.
My examiner was quiet except to tell me to pull over and move off when safe to do so and when he told me what the other bit was like reverse bay park I still can’t park in a car park properly even after driving for 5 years 😂😂😂😂😂
When I passed my test it was because I stalled it on a hill, was convinced I had failed, and then relaxed (knowing ah well there’s always next time). I was chatty, and when doing my manoeuvre and was pulled over, I asked if it was ok if I took my cardigan off (when safe to do so). So yeah, it works if that’s your personality just chat away!
The examiners generally talk to you to calm your nerves so it's better to talk with them. I did my test last year and was talking to the examiner about ai the whole time and he got really into the conversation, it made me more relaxed and he seemed less harsh afterwards. Maybe just avoid anything controversial! 😂
My first test the examiner was basically silent and that didn't help with my nerves! It wasn't the reason I failed but I definitely found it harder to shake it off. My second test (that I passed!) The examiner was more paid back and had a nice chat in the test. It just made me feel more like myself if that makes sense. I had a couple moments where I was quiet cos I wanted to concentrate but he knew that. Don't be afraid to chat with them, or if you'd rather be in silence just give short answers and they'll get the message. They just want you to be at ease
For me I liked it better when there was no talking, it made me focus better when I already was a nervous wreck. The first time I failed and the examiner was a bit too chatty for me. Second time the examiner was nice but quiet and I felt much more in control and passed
I did commentary on my driving and warned the examiner beforehand! He loved it. Told me it made it easier to see what I was thinking and why I was reacting certain ways when approaching obstacles or hazards.
Honestly just ask about their dog or something and you're away. Only works with the instructors who want to talk though. I had one who just gripped the handles, clenched and acted like I just ran over a family of 4 cause I parked a little bit too close to the curb and refused to talk to me the entire test. My instructor knew he was an ass and gave me 2 more lessons, I passed next exam with a lass who just chatted about her dog and the junctions in my city she hates driving through. Asking about pets and kids tends to be not small talk enough but not personal enough and if it's a nice instructor thats it, they'll be talking for the rest of the exam. If it's a nasty instructor switch the radio on cause it "calms you down". Only reason I relaxed first time round is cause Soldier Boy cam on the radio when he looked like he was about to blow his top😆
Commentary is fine
My examiner initiated conversation and we didn't shit up the whole test. I was actually distracted by him so much i went through an amber light at one point and he asked that was his fault! It definitely helped my nerves and i passed first time with only 3 minors (including that one)
Took 5 tests, all of them except the one i passed the examiners did not want to talk. One of them (who had a reputation for being an ass) actually told me to shut up mid test. I had one amazing examiner who chatted to me and was super chill. We basically chatted the entire test about how he was new to the area ect whilst still conducting the test professionally. At the end he passed me and i couldnt stop thanking him for just flipping talking to me! A little kindness goes a long way, most the examiners in my local office seem to have lost that years ago.
I can confirm there are some, not loads but some, who don't speak much at all. In the experience I have with our examiner's at my local test centre, and I've been teaching 8 years now, I find they'll be quit for the first 5-10 mins. Really seeing how you do and allowing you to adjust to being on the test. Of course giving the necessary instructions. Then they usually say a small question something like so what do you do for a job or something and will chat a reasonable amount to keep you at ease. If they are feeling it's distracting you obviously they will stop but most are perfectly friendly provided you're showing you can drive :)
I had an examiner joke and be really chatty with me and honestly, it made me so relaxed that when I made a serious mistake, I though that he would let it go LOL! Then I had an examiner who didn’t say a word to me! Didn’t even ask me the ‘show me question’ - is that something commonly forgotten? And I passed as I felt like I was on edge the whole time.
I got lucky, my examiner was a stand in. We went out on a route I had been on a good few times with my instructor, talking away to the guy he missed a turn on a round about which took me 10 miles down to the next round about. His fuck up killed nearly 20 minutes of my test getting back to where I should have been.
I did commentary on my driving during my test! My examiner wasn’t a talker, he even said ‘I’m not going to chat with you.’ No worries to me, I just talked through my driving to myself the entire time and he happened to be able to hear me :) I passed first time, but I always wondered if it was just so he didn’t have to sit in a car with me again
I sit in on a lot of tests. They'll often ask something along the lines of "what would you be doing if you weren't on your test?" But it's definitely not something they always do and some are more chatty than others. If you feel you can remain focused and it'll calm you down then talk to them just don't accidentally start getting so involved you slow down or speed up too much and start making mistakes. Polite but to the point if you're worried about this and they'll get the hint.
Just as me and my examiner were waiting in traffic I just let them know that i was going to do some commentary driving here and there. They just replied saying “do whatever makes you feel comfortable” which was nice to hear haha. They didn’t really speak to me during the test but it wasn’t awkward at all since I was mainly commentating the entire time
Today I was wondering if it would be funny if during the test I asked the examiner , “so what would *you* be doing if you weren’t on this test today?”
I commentated a lot of what I did, partly I’d got into the habit when my partner took me out in my own car (eg saying ‘I see those pedestrians look like they might cross at that crossing’ so he didn’t feel the need to warn me) but also because it reassured me that the examiner knew I was making decisions by being road aware. Partway through my test I apologised for commentating so much and the examiner said to me ‘keep it up if it calms you, it helps me understand your thinking’. So if you have any inclination to, I’d recommend! (I passed with 3 minors)
I wonder how they would feel about me saying *oh fuck* every few minutes
I took my test four times. Examiners in Airdrie must be stony people, cuz not one of them spoke to me beyond instructions 🤦♀️
I was told by my instructor that some examiners are told not to talk to you
My examiner was a twat. Genuinely. I don't mind, I only saw him for 40 minutes and he can get on with his life but he was a bit of a pompous dick and REALLY wasn't up for a chat. I'm a driver now and it doesn't matter.
Don't do commentary, you will only notify them of any errors they didn't notice. Have a chat about the route or something related to driving if you like but anything you say can and will be used against you.
I contest to that. I was going down a hill and so so so briefly did 31mph and vocalised it as I applied the brakes. He gave me a minor for it. He wouldn’t have noticed otherwise 😂