Learner fails his test... in f irst f ive seconds
IT is one of life’s most nerveracking tests and is fraught with easy opportunities to fail.
But one driver can now boast the questionable accolade of being probably the quickest learner ever to fail the practical test.
Craig Barraza recorded a major error within five seconds and before even leaving the test centre car park – by driving off on the wrong side of the road.
The 33-year-old, from Aberdeenshire, had a complete mental lapse as he forgot that cars drive on the left-hand side in Britain.
After driving out of the test centre parking space, he took a ‘50/50 chance’ and headed off in the right-hand lane.
The examiner at the centre in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, asked Mr Barraza: ‘You do realise you’re on the wrong side of the road?’
To make matters worse, even knowing he had failed, the novice driver still had to complete the remaining 40 minutes of the test route, which he drove so well it would have resulted in a pass.
Both the examiner and Mr Barraza’s instructor, Steve Fletcher, agreed that they had seen nothing like it in their combined careers, together lasting half a century.
Mr Barraza, originally from Portlethen, cannot explain his blunder as he has lived in the UK all his life.
The wind farm worker, who is currently based in King’s Lynn, had spent around £1,000 on 40 driving lessons and the test fee.
He had been confident of passing, but now faces having to spend another £62 to retake the practical test.
He said: ‘We were literally five seconds into it. I was approaching the junction to exit and I had an absolute mind blank, questioning in my head “what side of the road do we drive on”?
‘I had a 50/50 chance, and I chose to exit it in the right lane. Instant fail. Had I not been so stupid I’d have breezed through.
‘My examiner with 20 years’ experience, and my instructor with 30, both have never witnessed anything like it in their entire careers. I hadn’t even left the test centre car park.’
During the rest of the test, Mr Barraza committed only two minor errors and would have passed with flying colours.
He added: ‘I’ve avoided driving because when I was 17 I stalled at a roundabout which just completely put me off. But I was more confident now.
‘I’ve lived in the UK my whole life so there’s no excuse for not driving on the left.
‘This is going to be a long saga now. I reckon I’ll fail another four or five times now. I think I’m mentally scarred.
‘Honestly, who fails a test quicker than that? I didn’t even get to the junction.’
After sharing news of the blunder on social media, Mr Barraza received dozens of messages of ‘support’. Melanie Donald wrote: ‘I can’t stop laughing. This is brilliant. Although I sometimes get mind blanks exactly the same.’
The record for the most failed attempts in the practical driving test is held by a woman from Anniesland, Glasgow, who took 25 attempts before finally passing on her 26th try in 2009.