Advantages: Can't think of any
Disadvantages: expensive, time consuming (or is that a waste of time?), everything basically

...THE PROCESS If you are going to be taking your theory test soon or are thinking about taking it here's some things you should know (although you will be told all of this beforehand anyway by the DSA and the centre where you take the test). Firstly, to book a test you can phone 0870 010 1372, or by post using a DSA form (I presume you can get this from your driving instructor or a post office), you can also book online at www.dsa.gov.uk which is where I have booked each time. Click on Book a Theory Test, then book a test, you'll be asked for your surname, date of birth and driving licence number, next you are asked to type in your post code a number of centres will come up and you pick the one you want to use, you can then choose a preferred date for your test or for one as soon as possible, the dates and times available will appear... Read review

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Advantages: Can practise your test like it is the real thing
Disadvantages: Mouse pointer on hazard perception

...I am 21 years old and still do not have my driving license. I did learn when I was 17/18 and took my theory test, but then I decided to spend the last of my money on a month long holiday with my friends, and then I went off to University so driving just kind of came to a halt. Finally, I have my own car (thank you to my Parents) and so I am learning again, taking my practial test next month. Now before I could book my practial I had to retake my theory as the test certificate runs out after two years and more than two years had passed since the first time I took it. So I booked my theory test and took it last month. Luckily I passed only this time it was much harder. The first time I took my theory test it consisted of 35 multiple choice questions of which you had to get 30 correct to pass. these were on all areas of driving... Read review

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Advantages: Real DSA theory test questions
Disadvantages: Quite boring and time consuming

...I bought this shortly after I started learning to drive. I also bought the Hazard Perceoption disc, and the Practical disc, as they came in a box together as a set. I think it was about £30 from WH Smith. This Theory disc was the most useful of the three. As well as theory questions, it had plenty of hazard perception clips, including 10 that are official DSA sample clips, so it wasn't really neccessary to have a separate disc just for hazard perception. The practical disc was the least useful. I used it once or twice but gave up on it pretty quickly, it doesn't help you with actual driving in real life at all. If I had known this before I would have saved some money and just bought this Theory Test disc on its own, as it is really good and I found it really helpful. It comes in a green box, and includes 2 discs: a green once... Read review

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Advantages: It works for me i passed
Disadvantages: Boring and repetitive

...I passed my theory test in August 2007, and i was so excited, i prepared myself very well, and i prayed i could pass. How i prepared: To be totally honest i didnt lift a book to prepare for my theory test, i just went online, and i did all the mock tests i could find, and i kept doing them and doing them until i couldnt look another one , and i learnt all the stuff i needed to know and i learnt from the mistakes. I know people read the theory test book, and stuff, but i am awful, any book i lift, i get bored and tired and end up dropping it and sleeping within the half hour, so i knew that wasnt the method for me. I also got the dvd disks which contained all you needed to know for your whole test, including video clips of the hazard preception, practical test show me tell me and then a few mock theory tests. I went on a site... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to use, actually looks like the real thing
Disadvantages: TIme consuming and not much fun

...Currently I am a student so I am more than comfortable with taking exams, in the past four years I've taken, literally 40 exams for one thing and another, but the most nerve wracking by far was my theory test. I found the idea of a CD to teach me everything I needed to know I found really appealing, whats more it only cost me £10 from Woolworth's so I hadn't got a lot to loose, and I was not disappointed at all, I passed my theory first time with 100% on the theory and 84% on the Hazard Perception. The biggest advantage that the CD ROM had was it was exactly like the actual test even down to things like the font and text colours, and when I saw the real thing it did look really familiar, however in replicating the real test it did make it seem quite cold and uninviting. After doing three of these tests in a row you really want... Read review

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Advantages: Ensures you have some required knowledge.
Disadvantages: Hazard perception test is a joke and unrealistic.

...My feelings mirror those above. I have been driving for ten years on a normal licence, never had an accident and never had any points, I was taking the LGV theory test. I scored 60/60 on the theory part and then failed the hazard perception. I know I didn't miss any, they're simply to obvious for that but still scored a zero on at least one. I fail to understand how a computer can know the reason for a human clicking a mouse button. The person driving the video camera seemed awfully slow to respond to numerous hazards and reacted much later than I would while driving, examples include sheep in the road and the police officer who flags a motorcyclist down. There is no way that either could be reacted to too early. Both were clear hazards and on both occasions I clicked many seconds before the video driver reacted at all... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to use, thorough, able to track progress, plenty of information
Disadvantages: None at all

...When I started to drive, I was so nervous about the practical side of it I completely forgot about the Theory test that all learner drivers have to take nowadays. When it dawned on me, I decided to ask my brother (who had passed a couple of years ago) which DVD package he used to practice with, as I remember he found it so useful. Being the lovely guy that he is, he went out and bought me the latest edition of it as a present bless him. I thought that if anything was going to help me pass this test, it was going to be this PC software disc! Driving Test Success is made by Focus Multimedia and is a PC DVD which is used on your computer. The DVD comes with all the different tests that you will need to practice in order to pass your theory test. The theory test today requires that you take a 'written' exam which is a series of 50... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: WILL MAKE YOU INDEPENDANT, STRONG WILLED, MOBILE!!
Disadvantages: COST OF LESSONS AND BOTH TESTS!

...First of all, as everyone who wants to learn to drive will know it can be a very stressful time. I started to learn about six months ago, to begin with I started shopping around for quotes on lessons and was surprised to see how expensive they were £25.00 a lesson, but this didnt put me off, nor should it put you you just need to think to your self is it all going to be wroth it in the end? Every person is different and each individual takes different times to acomplish things, so dont be put off if one of your friend's or collegue's pass way before youve even if you haven't started to think about your tests. It's not a race. The theory test comes first. I was so scared when I booked mine I was just so worried I was going to fail, so I brought myself a high way code book/ theory test book and a cd rom, these were great... Read review

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Advantages: It helps with the theory test and lets you sit mock exams
Disadvantages: the hazard perception disc only has 50 different videos on it.

...I have been getting driving lessons since March this year and in May I decided it was about time I put in for my Theory Test, I knew nothing about what would happen when I got there so my driving instructor let me borrow the Driving Test Success cd roms that he had. The system requirements are as follows: Operating system – Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP CPU type and speed – Pentium II 300 or equivalent. Hard Drive Space – 100MB Memory – 32MB (Recommend 64MB) Graphics – 4MB DirectX 8 compatible graphics card CD Rom Speed – 4x or faster. I placed the first disc (Theory test) into the cd rom drive and after loading I clicked the Mock Theory test part and away I went. I was asked 35 multiple choice questions regarding safe places to park, speed limits, traffic signs and all the usual stuff that you would be asked in a real... Read review

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Advantages: Freedom drastically increases, fun, life long
Disadvantages: pub life decreased, may become obese due to lack of exercise, expensive

...at me. I’ve found this is quite satisfying and releases your nerves before carrying on quite well. But the point I’m making is, if you can, go with an institution who’s cars are fitted with dual controls, it may prevent you having an accident, throughout my entire learning period my instructor used them twice. Right, on with the Practical Test Part… The Practical Test Arrrghghghghgh!!! First of all don’t worry, the test is only about 40minutes long depending on traffic conditions and to be honest it’s the most fun exam I’ve ever taken. This does depend on whether you enjoy driving or not but I have yet to come across a huge number of people who are this way inclined. Next thing in case you already don’t know, you must have taken your theory test and passed it before you can book your practical. My advice is, get some books... Read review

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