Tips that may save your life (or just help you pass the exam).
The time when you search for helpful tips on the pirated and unsafe websites is over. I've come up with some of the most helpful and exam result changing tips here. And wanna know the best part? They're free.
You can also find the myths about driving exam here
Tip #1
Speed limit is for a reason
One of the areas you can collect a lot of small mistakes is speed. A lot of people when dealing with stress forget to control their speed. Some go over the speed limit, some go way below it. Either scenario is not good.
If the speed limit is 50 km/h, minimum you can be driving is 40 km/h. If the speed limit is 30km/h, try going at 25 km/h.
Side note: Don't forget to look at the road signs if the speed didn't change. One of the most bitter ways to fail is to not see a speed limit sign when driving.
Tip #2
Eyes chicko, they never lie
In B category exam you have to do 2 tasks. T shape intersection and some type of parking, either parallel, diagonally or 90 degree.
You must turn your head and look through the rear window when you start doing these tasks. There are blind zones that side mirrors do not show you, and examiners pay attention to your observation skills.
In C+ categories you have to pay even more attention to side mirrors since the size of the car is way bigger.
Also there is this roundabout in Šilainiai, Kaunas city, near the 2nd hospital. If you have to choose this exit ( marked with a circle ) make sure you move your head. Either to a sidemirror or your whole head, because you have to look if there isn't a car coming your way from behind.
(There is road work being done at the moment, and the roundabout is now a simple intersection for a while)
Tip #3
Relax, you're not in a sprint.
Stress plays a big part in our lives. Whether you ask a crush out or take a driving exam. It is completely normal, but don't let it control you.
There have been situations when a person was so nervous that he rushed everything and out of that built up stress and the desire to get over with the exam made a critical mistake. Relax. If you have to turn but you see a car is coming and you're not sure if you'll make it in time, wait. Let that car pass and then make your turn.
Of course, some examiners might see the same situation differently and can give you a small mistake for stalling the traffic. But it is way better to get a small mistake or maybe even nothing, than to hit the gas pedal and suddenly feel the hard braking from the examiner's side. Then the stinging feeling in your chest comes with instinctive knowledge that you failed your exam. Nobody wants that.
Tip #4
A wild pedestrian has appeared !
Let me tell you a story. I was translating for a person in a B category exam. He was driving well. Did some minor mistakes but nothing critical. We had to stop at a crosswalk because there were people waiting to cross it. He let all of them pass. He put the first gear in, started driving and the examiner slammed the brakes. Why? Because a bus on the other side of the street let off the passengers and a grown man and his child just jumped into the street risking both of their lives. The student didn't see them, nor did I. Respect for the examiner's good observation skills.
Yes, the driver have more responsibilities than the pedestrian. Yes, the student should have seen the child and the adult running into the crosswalk. But sometimes people forget their own responsibilities and just do very risky things that might result in tragedy.
Not all people wait till you let them pass, some just irresponsibly jump into the street. Be aware of that.
Tip #5
Wrong turn ≠ mistake
Some examiners say this before starting your exam, some don't, so I thought I'll put it here in case you get an examiner who won't say this.
Making a left turn when the examiner asked you to make a right one, or taking the 2nd exit instead of the 3rd is not a mistake. As long as you follow the traffic rules and don't make any dangerous situations the examiner cannot give you a mistake because of it. He'll just make you get back on the same route or he will adjust and give you new directions.
Yes, the examiner might me unpleased, he might even tell you that you made a wrong turn, but it is nothing bad for you. Of course, you cannot do this many times since you might get mistakes for being unable to follow directions of the examiner.
Tip #6
Don't follow the bus
As the name of the tip suggests - Don't. Follow. The. Bus.
Let's say you are driving on the street and it so happens that you get behind a bus. It sometimes stops at a bus stop to let passengers go in and out of the bus. You stop as well. Then the bus moves again, you also start moving again until the next bus stop. That is exactly what I don't want you to do.
If there is enough space for you to drive around the bus, do it. Don't just aimlessly follow it until the next command from the examiner comes. You following the bus shows your incompetence and you might get mistakes for not being able to make the right decisions on the road. Don't follow the bus.
Tip #7
Start/Stop system
Even though the driving schools in Kaunas are buying new B category cars, there is a number of old model cars that don't have start/stop system and because of that some students get very surprised when the car's engine turns off in the middle of the exam at the intersection.
Even me myself, I didn't know that such thing existed and at the start of the exam I thought that I failed the exam because my engine turned off. With that idea in my head I relaxed and just followed the directions and to my surprise passed.
Maybe you're not gonna be as lucky as I am or maybe you are just smarter than me and you know about such thing. Whatever the scenario may be, ask the examiner if the car you are driving has the start/stop system and keep in mind that if you want, you can bravely turn it off and forget about it. You don't have to bear it the whole exam.
Tip #8
Lower the side mirrors
When you are taking the B category exam, while in the traffic, you have to do two tasks as I mentioned in Tip #2. Some type of parking and a T shape intersection. Both tasks require you to use reverse gear and to look back through the side mirrors.
Sometimes people realize that the mirrors are too high to see the curb of sidewalk. This moment can make you scared of driving onto the curb accidentally. In this case you can without any shape or fear lower the side mirrors down as much as you want and do the required task.
Make sure you don't forget to put them in the right height after the task ! Because the last thing you want during your exam in Kaunas is to look at the mirror in the middle of the road to change lanes and see the pavement because you forgot to readjust the mirrors.
Let's get to work !
You've read the tips, now let's agree when you will pass your exam !
If you didn't read them yet, you can find the theory questions here
d.valaitis28@gmail.com
Bear Helps
+37060595982