Experiences of Bletchley driving test centre?

Posted by SerendipitousCrow@reddit | miltonkeynes | View on Reddit | 25 comments

Unfortunately failed my test at Leighton Buzzard this morning due to my manoeuvre, not my driving

Managed to snag a cancellation at Bletchley for a few weeks time but I'm more familiar with LB. It's around midday on a weekday

Can anyone tell me about their experiences? Like notorious places to watch out for? Like in Leighton Buzzard there's a certain massively steep hill to be aware of so you don't stall and roll. Are there any "traps" in Bletchley? I know if I end up in Bletchley town there's a few stop signs and one ways to be mindful of.

Will it be around Bletchley or will I end up around MK? I know I need to be good at my roundabouts and being able to get up to speed on the H/V roads between roundabouts

Anyone tell me about the examiners?

Thanks

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dilithium-dreamer@reddit

I think there's a nightmare double roundabout. This driving instructor on YouTube has a lot of videos on the test route.

https://www.youtube.com/@JamesTravis

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Thanks

Yeah James Travis is my favourite person right now! Planning to watch all of his mock tests

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dilithium-dreamer@reddit

He's also unintentionally funny. I think if I saw him out in the wild, I'd totally lose my shit. I watched a lot of his videos before I moved back here from Sussex because some of the roundabouts here are utterly demonic.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

https://www.drive-travis.co.uk/meet-your-instructor Amazing.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

I find him incredibly endearing! Would love to buy him a coffee or a pint if I ever bump into him

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Notagelding@reddit

There are quite a few test routes in mk. Some instructors have them on YouTube but I don't know how accurate they are. I failed my first test in mk, which was more towards central Bletchley/mk and then passed the second which was more west Bletchley/mk.

The two examiners that I had were really nice.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Thanks. I had a quick glance at routes and there's at least eight of them and they end up all over the place!

I've booked a third lesson before the test and will just need to perfect my spiral roundabouts and manoeuvres

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Notagelding@reddit

I advise to do roundabouts in Central Bletchley, particularly the roman roundabout. It's an absolute stinker and is what I failed on the first time.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Thanks. What's the big difficulty with Roman? It seems okay I think? Denbeigh seems to be the bigger issue to me

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Notagelding@reddit

There's about 5 different entrances to the roundabout. I didn't practise it prior to the test and I was in the wrong lane approaching it. Spiral roundabouts are easy as theyre basically the same but central Bletchley definitely has the trickiest roundabouts

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Ah, I'll definitely go and have a look at it!

My test is midday so they definitely won't be avoiding the busy/central routes

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Notagelding@reddit

Best of luck to you!

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Sensitive-Brother158@reddit

It's got like a 40% (or thereabouts) pass rate, its not an easy one. Thankfully I'm one of the 40%! Check out this guy's videos for example routes - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbH70LY_h9LK9JwHhicr56DdrKUl4jfaO
This guy also covers Bletchley - https://www.youtube.com/@JamesTravis/playlists

Both of these were life savers for me when I was learning, but familiarity with roundabouts near Tesco and Ikea in Bletchley are essential so do take some time to become familiar with the routes.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the links

Yeah it being known as harder than LB does worry me. I just saw a cancellation this calendar year and booked it before it was snapped up! I plan to keep an eye on things and see if I can move it to my preferred centre

I'm off today and out and about on my bike. I might go up there just to stare at it for a bit and watch how the traffic goes around

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HoomanMoomin@reddit

I got a Tesco double roundabout, but only one of them - coming from Bletchley bus station and turning right at the roundabout, which was surprisingly, a breeze. Then it was residential streets, multiple pull up on the left and go and pull up and go. I think there was pull up on the right and reverse two car lengths, but he decided to abandon it because it got suddenly busy. And forward parking in rather busy car park.

Tbh my instructor always offered more complicated routes than the examiner did. It was over before I even fully understood what is happening. 😅 And no, no shopping centre, as it’s too far from Bletchley and it’s unlikely to have any driving on A5 either, as it might get too long too.

And it was around the same time of the day as your test, in January this year.

Btw, I had only started learning in September last year and did 4-6 hours a week to get through it quickly. And passed on my first attempt. So it’s not bad at all. You just need to have few lessons around the area.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Thanks for this

Sounds like I definitely need to spend some time around Tesco!

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kpopera@reddit

There are a few videos out on YouTube that show the possible test routes. Unlike LB, there are fewer 20mph roads

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Thanks, I'll do some research

I actually like the 20s. You get so much time to react at 20, it's just being aware you don't creep over 20 as it feels slow

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cankennykencan@reddit

You'll get tescos double roundabout. Milton Keynes shopping centre. Some country roads around newton longville. And I reckon some A5.

I had them all

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Cheers, thanks. I've never driven up MK shopping centre but it's just big straight roads and traffic lights right?

I got well used to country roads around Leighton Buzzard and I've been on enough A roads

It's only the Tesco/IKEA roundabout that worries me!

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cankennykencan@reddit

Take your time. Read the arrows on the floor. It won't be too busy either.

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geekbeat13@reddit

I did my test a few years ago, mine was Bletchley. You're right with the one ways and stop signs, there will also be a few give way sections and double roundabouts too.

When I did mine I didn't really go on the main roads, I booked during the morning rush hour knowing this. Local examiners know how busy and how much of a shit show it can be so they avoid as much V and H roads as possible. Most of mine was in residential roads so it wasn't busy.

I would suggest, if you're able to, to come up here and spend some time driving around bletchley.

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

This is helpful, thank you

I actually live in Newton Leys but because I had a test booked in Leighton had done plenty of lessons around there and got comfortable. Done a few around Bletchley but not very far deep into MK.

I imagine at 12:30 they'll take me to busy places as it won't be rush hour

I'll make sure I'm a very observant passenger whenever I end up in a car the next few weeks!

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geekbeat13@reddit

The main roads won't be busy that time, you'll be fine once you're on them. I'm hazarding a guess you'll probably end up at the double roundabout that's by Tesco/Aldi. You may want to see that a little bit more, coming from train station way, from Ikea and also from the Matalan direction.

But anyway, good luck!

If I can offer some advice from your main post, I nearly failed because of my manuaver, doing a parallel park, I kept getting my angles completely wrong but because I was nervous, I wouldn't stop talking about what I was doing wrong but also how I was going to fix it. My examiner told me when I finished that he was going to fail me but could see I was nervous but happy that I also knew what I was doing wrong - so might be worth if you get stuck just talking through what you're doing - or he was just in a good mood and wanted me gone so he could have some peace and quiet!

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SerendipitousCrow@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I cycle around that area a fair amount and it does worry me! I've got two lessons before my new test and will make sure I end up around there

After an absolutely fine drive today I'll be so upset if I fail on my drive next time!

Thanks for the advice. It's definitely angles that I struggle with. When I was lining up with the target car there was oncoming traffic waiting and I wanted to tuck in and let them go. The examiner firmly said "no, you have to do it now.". I know I always need to swing out further than I think I need to and a combination of her obvious displeasure and the cars waiting got in my head.

I commentated my entire drive and it really helps!