Driving test show me/tell me questions & other info

Tell me how you’d check that the brakes are working before starting a journey.

• Brakes should not feel spongy or slack.

• Brakes should be tested as you set off.

• Vehicle should not pull to one side.

Tell me where you’d find the information for the recommended tyre pressures for this car and how tyre pressures should be checked.

• Manufacturer’s guide,

• use a reliable pressure gauge,

• check and adjust pressures when tyres are cold,

• don’t forget spare tyre,

• remember to refit valve caps.

Tell me how you make sure your head restraint is correctly adjusted so it provides the best protection in the event of a crash.

• The head restraint should be adjusted so the rigid part of the head restraint is at least as high as the eye or top of the ears, and as close to the back of the head as is comfortable.

• Note: Some restraints might not be adjustable.

Tell me how you’d check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tread depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.

• No cuts and bulges,

• 1.6mm of tread depth across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre, and around the entire outer circumference of the tyre.

Tell me how you’d check that the headlights and tail lights are working. You don’t need to exit the vehicle.

• Explain you’d operate the switch (turn on ignition if necessary),

• then walk round vehicle to check if the lights are on.

Tell me how you’d know if there was a problem with your anti-lock braking system.

Warning light should illuminate if there is a fault with the anti-lock braking system.

Tell me how you’d check the direction indicators are working. You don’t need to exit the vehicle.

• Explain you’d operate the switch (turn on ignition if necessary),

• and then walk round vehicle to check if the indicator lights are on.

Tell me how you’d check the brake lights are working on this car.

• Explain you’d operate the brake pedal,

• make use of reflections in windows or doors,

• or ask someone to help.

Tell me how you’d check the power-assisted steering is working before starting a journey.

• If the steering becomes heavy, the system may not be working properly.

• Before starting a journey, 2 simple checks can be made.

• Gentle pressure on the steering wheel, maintained while the engine is started, should result in a slight but noticeable movement as the system begins to operate.

• Alternatively turning the steering wheel just after moving off will give an immediate indication that the power assistance is functioning.

Tell me how you’d switch on the rear fog light(s) and explain when you’d use it/them. You don’t need to exit the vehicle.

• Operate switch (turn on dipped headlights and ignition if necessary).

• Check warning light is on. (a lamp with wavy lines crossed by a vertical line)

• I would use them when visibility is less than 100m

Tell me how you switch your headlight from dipped to main beam and explain how you’d know the main beam is on.

• Operate switch (with ignition or engine on if necessary), turn on dipped first and then switch to main beam,

• check with main beam warning light.

Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that the engine has sufficient oil.

• park car on level surface

• let engine cool

• locate the dipstick under the bonnet

• pull it out, wipe it clean, reinsert fully, then pull out again to check level. the oil streak should fall between the dipstick’s ‘min’ and ‘max’ marks

Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that the engine has sufficient engine coolant.

• ensure engine is completely cold

• open bonnet and locate the translucent coolant reservoir

• the liquid level should sit between min and max markings embossed on the side of the tank

• to top up - unscrew the cap slowly to release any pressure

• then pour 50/50 mix of water and the correct antifreeze to the right level

Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.

• Identify reservoir, check level against high and low markings.

How to safely operate the horn for a ‘show me’ question

• wait for quiet stretch

• do not use while steering, shifting gears or at a junction

• only press it briefly

• acceptable to say ‘i’ll do that once i’ve cleared this junction’

• do not do it while stationary

What to do when making right turn off a mainer road/turning right at a junction

• move over to the right (unless you are on residential/minor roads already, in which case - go slightly left of centre, so as not to block anyone coming out and turning left)

• position, speed, look

• priority to oncoming traffic and pedestrians crossing the road

• safe to turn if you can imagine you were walking

How to know the speed limit

• 20 will be heavily signposted

• only assume 30 if 4-6 lamposts have passed with no sign & other cars seem to be going fast

• go CAREFULLY at all times, esp around junctions, roundabouts, pedestrians, quieter roads. just seem calm

Meeting + passing cars in narrower streets

• must give way if parked cars are on your side of the street

• don’t indicate as they will think you are parking

• allow about 1 meter of passing space

You are turning right at a box junction. when should you NOT enter the yellow box

• if your exit road is not clear

Walk through how to make the 1st exit on a roundabout

• approach in left lane

• signal left on approach

• keep to the left on the roundabout

• checking mirrors etc continually, go slowly & carefully

• only drive onto the roundabout when there is a safe gap from oncoming traffic - even if it’s a multi-lane roundabout and there are no cars in your specific lane. if people behind you beep, ignore them, the most important thing is to drive safely, not to please people

• check road markings & signs

Walk through how to go straight at a roundabout

• do not signal on approach - check mirrors & signal after the exit before your one

• approach in left lane/middle if road markings dictate that

• stay left on the roundabout, never veer to the right

• pay extra attention to road markings and signs. try and remember the numerical road name

walk through how to turn right at a roundabout

• right hand lane on approach

• extra attention to road markings and signs

• indicate right on approach

changing lanes on a roundabout?

• only if you can do so totally safely and at no risk to other drivers. the examiner would rather you miss your exit but drive safely (no fault) than drive unsafely but make your exit (serious)

Split island pedestrian crossing - can you go if someone is on the half further away from you

• wait if they are walking towards your side

• you can go if they are walking away

pelican crossing

• must go if amber lights flashing and no pedestrians

what to do if you stall during the emergency stop

• it’s okay, only would get a minor

• apply handbrake, go into neutral, restart engine

• do a 6 point check moving off!!!

How to forward park!!

• try and stay further away from the parking space, closer to the other side of the road if it’s safe, checking mirrors and blind spots

• remember to signal when you’re turning in

• drive slowly and carefully at all times

• into a space on the right —> position so that your wing mirror looks like it is half way in between the bay you want to park in

• into a space on the left —> position so that your left wing mirror is in line with the bay’s far line

• once you’ve hit the reference spot, full lock the wheel in the direction you’re turning. driving slowly and carefully, continually checking mirrors

How to reverse bay park!!

• similar to forward parking - drive slightly further away from the bay if possible, checking mirrors and blind spots etc

• reference point - drive so that 3rd line away is half way between your window/passenger side window

• 6 point check, full lock towards the side you’re turning into, going slowly & carefully at all times, checking mirrors continually

• don’t lean forward

• when car looks straight in the box, straighten the wheel

Use of satnav on faster roads

• 800 yards = scan what type of junction it is, mental note

• 400 yards = get into correct lane

• 100 yards = mirror signal

• near the turn - make sure your position within the lane is correct, slow down, gear down, look into the turn, check mirrors again, be super carefuly & gentle

Use of satnav on slower roads

• check mirrors at 100 yards

• signal when there are no other turns in that direction

• again, slow and steady etc, looking really carefully

• gear down to make the turn

What happens if the satnav is confusing you and you can’t tell where it wants you to go?

• you are allowed to ask the examiner for clarification!!

• if you realise you’re in the wrong lane and will miss your exit or that you’re going the wrong way, just stay in that lane, don’t try and fix it because that is dangerous. accept your mistake, say calmly to the examiner ‘im so sorry, i think i missed that turn, the satnav confused me’ staying SUPER CALM, continue driving safely & normally, and you won’t even get a minor!!

Passing/overtaking a cyclist - when are you NOT allowed to? what should you remember etc?

• keep 2 meters distance before and after

• do not overtake when approaching a junction or roundabout or red traffic light

• within the zigzag lines of a pedestrian crossing

• when there is a bend in the road

• if there is traffic coming towards you

• when there are islands in the road

• it is totally fine to have to go slowly if the road is too narrow to overtake. go into 2nd gear

• if there is a solid white line to the right of your lane, you cannot cross it unless it is TOTALLY 100% SAFE and the cyclist is going at less than 10 mph (eg up a hill). if in doubt, don’t - better to get a minor for undue hesitation than a fail for dangerous driving

Overtaking other stuff/overtaking generally - what to remember

• mirror signal!!!

• don’t slow oncoming cars down

• don’t go if something is trying to overtake you, eg motorbike

imagine you are turning right and there are two right-hand lanes, which lane do you want

the left-hand right lane, so you are on the left in the new road

when do you sometimes forget to check mirrors

when changing speed or stopping!! esp for stopping at an amber light

What to do if you approach an amber light?

• you should stop. an amber light means stop

• you should go only if stopping would be dangerous - eg you are travelling at the speed limit and you are only 1 or 2 car lengths from the line, or a car behind you is dangerously close

• basically don’t stop if you would have to slam your breaks

• also only stop if you can stop before the white line - if you can’t without really really slamming the breaks, then just go

what do you sometimes forget to do after changing lanes

remmeber to turn off your signal!!

what to do if there are three lanes on approach to a roundabout, and you want the straight ahead exit, and there are two lanes on the exit road

• follow road markings, but presumably you’ll be in the middle lane on the roadabout and on approach

• pass the exit before your one, mirror signal left, guide the car carefully into left lane of exit road

• make sure to check your blind spot. if it isn’t safe to move over, it’s okay to be in the right hand lane of new road and then move over to left when it is safe to do so

what to do if there are three lanes on approach to a roundabout, and you want the straight ahead exit, and there are also 3 lanes on exit road

• stay in your lane

• then when you’ve entered new road, when it is safe to do so shift to left lane

imagine 2 lanes on approach to roundabout, you want to go straight ahead and there are 3 lanes on the roundabout. what do you do when on the roundabout

stay left

indicate once passed the exit directly before the one you want to take

if the bus lane ends/isn’t in operation, what should you do

mirror signal, move over to the left

what to remember, esp when turning/changing gears

do not coast

what to remember when pulling over on the left

• find a place with a high kerb

• okay to be in front of driveways

• not parallel to parked cars on other side of the road

• mirror signal!! and then blind spot, mirror signal, blind spot moving off

• apply hand brake and neutral when stopped

when should you definitely be slowing down

on approach to stuff - manoevurs, traffic lights, roundabouts

if approaching a mini roundabout and there is no one on your right, do you have priority over the people in front oncoming?

yes

what about talking to the examiner

• good to talk as you drive about what you’re doing - ‘just going to move into the left lane now’ but don’t frame it as a question!!!

how to position when turning right at end of a road

right side of the left side of the road

stopping at a give way sign

• if you can see the junction is totally clear, do not stop, proceed carefully and slowly

• if it is a blind junction, stop, check, then proceed carefully & slowly

How to know when it’s safe to turn onto a roundabout

cars coming off are signalling, or their tyres are pointed in that direction. don’t rush, better to get a minor for hesitation than a serious for going when you shouldn’t