What did you pass your driving test in?

[Cavcraft]

I think there's a pattern emerging here. My instructor was a proper perv and spent most of my driving time (in a Talbot Sunbeam!) clocking flange rather than instructing. I'd like to say I picked the same habit up because of him but that might not be true.

However it could explain why he didn't actually turn up for my driving test which then had to be cancelled so I had a few more lessons in my dad's Cavalier then passed first go.

[fordperv]

My instructor had a 1.0 purple y reg nissan micra, i used to get taken out in my h reg orion 1.6i ghia and my dads 2.0 sierra

[myglaren]

29th March 1965 IIRC, a fortnight after my 17th birthday.

Had 11 lessons (2 at a time, 1 for the test) in a -

 

 

Also some practice in an A35 and the firm's Austin (Cambridge) van -

 

 

Crashed that a couple of weeks later, into a lampost that leaped out in front of me with absolutely no warning - a suicide bid I believe.

 

Mostly drove the boss's

after that.

 

I was convinced that I had failed the test. Not only were there no seatbelts (whassat?) but you had to give hand signals, the electric thingies were new and unproven

 

As it was snowing, my hands were slipping on the wheel which was soaked by the snow coming in through the driver's window, so I closed it and told the instructor that I would use the new fangled electric thingies for the rest of the test.

No comment.

I also took the wrong exit from a roundabout, he just altered the course a bit.

 

After the question and answer session he sat in silent deliberation for a few minutes then said "Congratulations Mr. Davis, you have passed your driving test", while exiting the car rather hurriedly. Couldn't face any more, no doubt.

 

Didn't buy a car until 1979 - a lovely Hillman Minx for £200. What a pile of crap that was.

[Quintus]

It was February 1999, the car was a Ford Fiesta and I passed first time with a couple of minors. I was massively chuffed

[meggersdog]

A brown A.reg Mk2 Fiesta popular plus was my instructor's weapon of choice.Passed on the second attempt in October '83.When I failed the first test my driving instructor told me I'd made mistakes due to nerves.He'd taught me how to pass the test so in the run up to the second attempt he taught me how to drive.On the pre test lesson we ended up racing a couple of youths in a Hillman Imp with the instructor pointing out potential hazzards like a rally co-driver.Must have been a bit of a shock to the Imp driver seeing a learner car with it's roof sign constantly in the rear view mirror.My instructor must have had confidence in my ability as doing something so wreckless just an hour before a driving test could have easily ended in tears.

I took my class C hgv in a Ford Cargo box lorry.An uneventful first time pass in January '97.

[ashmicro]

Passed my test on 4th June 1990, in this very Rover 216S

 

 

It was a GR16 car, quite quick and very nice to drive. On the way back home from doing my test, some nutter in an Allegro 1.0 tried to race me.

 

Passed my moped test in 1989 on one of these:

 

Mine had a 65cc barell and borekit. Naughty.

 

Under the old rules in Northern Ireland, 17 year old learners were allowed to ride full power 250s. So, while my cousin, who lives in Leeds was bimbling about on some restricted 125, I had a monster like this:

 

Kwak KR1S. Very quick. I bought mine from local bike expert and mentalist Rod McFerran. It was actually too quick for me, and I swapped it for a much newer Yamaha TZR 250 Powervalve

[eddyramrod]

If we're covering other tests than for cars: here's a Volvo FL6 like the one I did my Class C in, in 1998.

I passed first go, and my boss then offered me the option of going up to C+E. Class 2 up to Class 1, for those of us old enough to remember. I postponed a decision (not least because I wanted to get my hands on the ERF rigid for a week or two! ) and finally decided against, because most Class 1 units, certainly all the ones we had, come with a sleeper cab. I was 39 by then, married and settled, as I thought; I didn't want to be sleeping 5 nights a week at the side of the road in a little box, alone. I sleep badly enough anyway. So I stayed at Class 2 until we left for Cyprus, which coincided with my 50th birthday and therefore renewal (every 5 years after 45). Because of the timescale involved in the renewal, and the clash with the move, I let my HGV lapse. I hadn't been trucking for a couple of years anyway, because I was earning more money as an unqualified part-time care worker, without having to get out of bed at 3am all year round! So much for the expensive professional qualification and subsequent renewals, complete with expensive medical etc etc.

[Gompo]

Passed in late 2000 in a W-reg Diesel Fiesta, in burgundy - Instructors car - I had a Mk2 Escort at home rusting/waiting in the garage. When we were deciding who I was going to go with I stated to my Mum that I definitely didnt want to learn in a Corsa.

[j-j]

I passed in November 1997 in a blue Puggy 106 Diesel.

 

 

Must've been a fairly high end one as it has alloys and leccys.

 

I still recall the grumpy ex traffic copper instructor teaching the parallel parking making reference to the Peugeot lion badge in the middle of the steering wheel - "when you're half way along the parallel car, turn the 'wheel one half turn till the lion is upside down and hold till your front is just past the parallel car then turn back till the lion is right way up again and hold until your front is past the back of the car and turn a half turn the other way..." or sommin like that.

 

You never forget your learner car!

[Skizzer]

A dark blue BSM Metro 1.0, D533OJN, in November 1986.

 

Just as well I passed as I needed to drive from Swansea to Derby the following day (in another Metro: thankfully that ultimate motorway cruiser, the 1.3L).

 

... then turn back till the lion is right way up again

 

That must've been confusing, cos the Peugeot cat rampant is already rotated 90 degrees from any actual lion I've ever seen.

[Albert Ross]

 

I've still got the wheels.

 

Are they for sale? Do you have the nuts?

[Lord Sterling]

No, sorry mate they are not for sale.

[keef]

My A40, which I still own .... some 30 years later!

 

[Timewaster]

As 1 or 2 of you have included bikes, I give you.....

 

 

A neat little thing that unfortunately had the turnng circle of the Queen Mary.

I think the examiner knew that and cut me some slack

[credders]

like a few others on here,c reg toyota corolla hatch, may 88. bike was 1 of them honda cg125s from the bike skool cos i only had a 81 GSX1100 been ridin it a while without a full licence.

[keef]

Bike? Well I took my test on a Z200 and yes I still own that as well.

 

[DCLane]

Passed first time ... in 1.0 Vauxhall Nova. In 1987.

 

Never driven one since.

[Minimad5]

Passed first time, a few weeks back - with three minors.

In a piece of modern plastic ...

 

 

Now i can't wait to get driving some Shite

[trigger]

I passed my test first time back in June 1997 aged 17, I learned to drive in a booted K plate Astra 1.7 TD like this one but in red.

 

1992 Vauxhall Astra 1.4i by Mick Travis, on Flickr

 

I remember that it had 300000 miles on the clock!, My instructor had owned it from new, and never had a problem with it.

 

The funny thing was that he was the same guy who taught my mum to drive 15 years before (in a blue Mk 2 Astra Belmont) and my examiner was also the same guy who passed my mum back then as well!.

[dollywobbler]

M-reg Corsa for me. Again, not driven one since, but it felt alright to the novice me. My first shite experience came in my Dad's Montego estate not long after, complete with green P plates (well, until I was allowed out solo and the rebellious me took them straight off...)

 

Was a corking car - E740 KOY. Not on the road since 2001 sadly, so probably bean tins now. She was a 1.6L in the rare shade of Lynx Broze (I think) which was more of a dark grey to be honest.

[walk]

K10 beige Micra for me in 1989 - I remember well the arse about face column stalkes and ennoorrmmoouus steering wheel. It even seemed fast compared to my Dads Polo breadvan. Happy days

[worldofceri]

Metro just like this one - but an M reg.

[Anglevan]

Passed my test 23 years ago this month - wow time flies.

 

I had the enviable position of learning to drive in a 1986 Nissan Bluebird hatchback - it was ace.

 

My sister using same instructor a few years earlier had the enviable pleasure of learning to drive in a Nissan Stanza .. When she passed her test she wanted a Stanza but they were too expensive then so she bought a 100a cherry... I was jealous somewhat

[Jonnyvalenta]

Maestro HLE! B reg,new at the time (1985) complete with 3+E gearbox. Meaning 3 speeds really, 4th being so ridiculously high for the 1.3 A series it was effectively redundant.

Haven't driven one,or even sat in one since...

[warren t claim]

Here we go.....

 

Metro, Suzuki GP100, Scania, Scania.

 

Although most of you know me as Warren T Claim the truck driver I was a motorcycle instructor in a past life and some of the driving test stories I could tell you are worthy of a thread in themselves!

[euphonic]

I passed in a 1972 hillman Avenger, which i had re sprayed yellow later, to look like a Tiger.Had my first lesson in a mini on my 17th birthday, only had 8 driving lessons and then bought a motorbike, passed the test on that , then drove around on a provisional in a herald convertible, then the Avenger, and passed first time, i broke the law like many did in those days.My mates dad won the football pools and bought him a new mini cooper

 

Still like bikes have owned loads ,and loads of hot hatch and sports cars since, wish i had some of the cars, or some of the money now Doug

[barefoot]

HRA751N - my old mans Maxi HL

[AnthonyG]

A white Peugeot 205 XLD, J registration, I remember it had quite a turn of speed (or so it felt then), particularly when the driving instructor drove it!

 

I still have the little certificate the driving instructor gave me after I passed - he was a good bloke, entertaining me with stories of hooligan antics in tuned up Minis in 1970s Brum.

[seth]

Did anyone else nearly run over two police horses during their first test?

 

Just me then.

[ashmicro]

That reminds me - a former colleague Pete Coleman knocked down a Policeman in Belfast during his test - and passed! It was a pissing wet day, and the copper was standing in the middle of May Street directing traffic as the lights were out. He had his back to Pete, and as Pete approached the cop stepped backwards to avoid being splashed by a van coming the other way. The mirror of the car Pete was driving hit the cop on the arse. Despite the inevitable delay, Pete passed, and is a very careful driver to this day!