Congratulations to Alex, originally from Morningside in Edinburgh, who passed her driving test at Currie on Wednesday 11 November 2026 with just one driver fault!
This was a particularly memorable driving test pass for me at Angus Driving. Alex’s journey involved a new baby, a move to Glasgow, countless train journeys back to Edinburgh, and an incredibly unfortunate puncture during what should have been her first driving test.
Thankfully, thanks to Alex’s determination and a fantastic gesture from an examiner at Currie Driving Test Centre, the story has a very happy ending!
Getting Back Behind the Wheel
Alex first contacted me about driving lessons in Morningside earlier in 2026. She’d previously been learning with another driving instructor and had even managed to book a practical driving test.
However, there was a slight complication. Alex was expecting a baby, and with driving test waiting times being so long, she hadn’t managed to secure a date before her little boy arrived.
The test date she’d booked ended up being too close to the birth, and understandably, the timing just wasn’t going to work. Instead, Alex decided to concentrate on her new baby and return to driving lessons when things had settled down.
We first met around March 2026 to assess her driving and work out what needed improving.
Alex already had plenty of driving experience, but there were a few gaps worth filling before she would be ready for another test.
One of the biggest differences was the car itself. Her previous instructor’s car had an automatic handbrake, whereas my manual Skoda Kamiq has a conventional handbrake.
This meant spending some time getting her feet properly coordinated, particularly when moving off on hills and dealing with the clutch, brake and handbrake together.
Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent places around Morningside and South Edinburgh to practise these skills!
We spent time repeating particular exercises, including laps around hilly residential streets, until everything started coming together.
Alex was a quick learner. She listened carefully, asked plenty of questions and was always keen to understand not just what she needed to do, but why.
Before long, her clutch control had improved, she was using the handbrake confidently and her driving was becoming much more consistent.
Building Confidence and Preparing for the Test
With the basics coming together, we moved on to other areas, including manoeuvres, roundabouts, road positioning and dealing with different junction layouts.
Alex was always enthusiastic and positive, and I really enjoyed how determined she was to get everything right.
We eventually completed a mock driving test, which highlighted a few areas that still needed attention.
Although the mock wasn’t a pass, it was extremely useful. It gave us a clear plan for the next few lessons and allowed us to concentrate on the things that would make the biggest difference.
Alex took everything on board and worked hard to improve.
She eventually managed to secure another practical driving test, although the appointment was around six months away.
As we approached a good standard, we decided there was little point in continuing weekly lessons indefinitely. Instead, we’d take a break and resume nearer the test date, while Alex kept looking for an earlier cancellation.
A Move to Glasgow!
When we eventually arranged to resume lessons, Alex had some exciting news.
She was no longer living in Morningside!
She’d moved to Glasgow, started a new job and was settling into a new home with her family.
This made preparing for her driving test a little more complicated.
Rather than changing driving instructors and starting again in Glasgow, Alex decided to continue with me in Edinburgh.
For several weeks leading up to her test, she travelled back and forth by train from Glasgow, sometimes staying with friends or family in Edinburgh to make everything work.
That’s quite a commitment when you’re also juggling a new job and looking after a young baby!
But Alex was determined to see things through.
Her driving was going really well, and whenever something wasn’t quite right, she was excellent at recognising it, understanding what had happened and working to improve it.
She was a bit of a perfectionist, which certainly helped!
Test Day Arrives… and Then Disaster!
On Wednesday 28 October, the big day finally arrived.
I collected Alex near Fountain Park in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh, and we headed out for one final practice before her test at Currie.
Everything went brilliantly.
We covered all the manoeuvres, practised an emergency stop and drove a good selection of roads.
Alex was driving confidently and consistently, and I was feeling very positive about her chances.
We arrived at Currie Driving Test Centre, parked up and waited for the examiner.
When the examiner appeared, Alex headed off for her test, and I settled down to wait.
Hopefully, in around 40–45 minutes, she’d return with some good news.
But approximately 25 minutes later, my phone rang.
It was Alex.
Now, Alex is welcome to phone me whenever she likes, but there’s one time I definitely don’t want to see her name appearing on my phone — when she’s supposed to be out on her driving test!
I answered, fearing something had gone wrong.
Unfortunately, it had.
My car had suffered a puncture, and the tyre was completely flat.
The test couldn’t continue.
The test centre manager very kindly gave me a lift out to where Alex and the examiner were waiting, so I could collect the car and arrange to get everything sorted.
When I arrived, the examiner explained something that made the situation even more frustrating.
Alex had completed approximately 25 minutes of her driving test without a single driver fault!
Not one mistake.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t yet completed a manoeuvre, and the test hadn’t reached the minimum required duration.
The test therefore had to be recorded as incomplete.
The test centre manager also explained something I hadn’t previously realised. If the test had reached the required duration and all the necessary elements had been completed, it could potentially have been concluded away from the test centre, even with the car unable to return.
We’d come incredibly close.
Just a few more minutes, and things might have been very different.
An Incredible Gesture from the Examiner
At this point, I was expecting Alex to face another lengthy wait for a driving test.
With appointments around Edinburgh taking approximately six months to secure, she could potentially have been waiting until the following spring.
After everything she’d already been through, it was a particularly disappointing situation.
But the examiner did something I’ll always remember.
He explained that Alex had driven exceptionally well and told her to leave it with him. He would see whether there was anything he could do to arrange another test.
We didn’t want to get our hopes up too much, but it was a lovely gesture.
A couple of days later, Alex received a phone call.
The examiner had spoken to his manager and managed to arrange an opportunity to conduct another test during time that would normally have been allocated to administrative duties.
He offered Alex a choice of three Wednesdays.
Instead of waiting another six months, Alex could sit her driving test again in just two weeks!
We jumped at the opportunity.
I can’t express enough how grateful I am to the examiner and the team at Currie Driving Test Centre for making this possible.
It was an incredibly kind thing to do, and something both Alex and I will remember for a long time.
Take Two — Wednesday 11 November!
Two weeks later, it was time to try again.
I met Alex at Fountain Park, just as I had before, and we headed out for another warm-up lesson.
We practised the manoeuvres, drove a selection of roads and made sure everything felt comfortable.
Once again, Alex was driving really well.
At least this time she knew exactly what to expect when we arrived at the test centre!
The examiner was friendly and reassuring, helping Alex feel at ease before they set off.
There was certainly reason to feel confident after her faultless 25 minutes on the previous attempt.
But there was also that little question in the back of our minds.
Could she do it again?
I watched Alex head off with the examiner and waited patiently, hoping we’d finally get the result she’d worked so hard for.
And this time, there were no unexpected phone calls!
Around 45 minutes later, they returned.
Alex had passed her driving test on her first completed attempt, with just ONE driver fault!
The only fault was a nervous stall near the beginning of the test.
After that, Alex settled down, got the better of her nerves and completed the rest of the drive without another mistake.
What a fantastic result!
A New Chapter for Alex and Her Family
I was absolutely delighted for Alex.
After everything she’d put into learning to drive, the journeys from Glasgow, the time away from her family and the disappointment of the puncture, she’d finally achieved her goal.
And she hadn’t just scraped through. She’d demonstrated on two separate occasions that she was a capable, confident and safe driver.
Afterwards, I dropped Alex off to catch her train back to Glasgow.
Hopefully, before long, she’ll be insured on the family car and enjoying the freedom of driving herself, her partner and her little boy around Glasgow.
That’s what learning to drive is really about — gaining independence and opening up new opportunities.
A huge congratulations, Alex! It’s been an absolute pleasure helping you achieve this, and I wish you and your family all the very best for this exciting new chapter.
And finally, another enormous thank you to the examiner and staff at Currie Driving Test Centre for going above and beyond to help make this happen.
Happy driving, Alex!
Driving Lessons in Morningside, Edinburgh
If you’re looking for a driving instructor in Morningside, Edinburgh, I offer manual driving lessons, covering Morningside, Bruntsfield and surrounding areas of South Edinburgh.
Whether you’re learning to drive for the first time, returning after a break or preparing for an upcoming practical driving test at Currie, I can help you identify the areas that need attention and build your confidence behind the wheel.
Feel free to contact me to find out more about my manual driving lessons in Edinburgh.
