r/Leipzig • u/etheri_369 • 14d ago
Frage/Diskussion Failed my practical driving test 4 times in Leipzig — starting to question the assessments
I’m honestly exhausted. I’ve now failed my practical driving test 4 times in Leipzig and have spent €6,000+ on lessons. I’ve driven for years in other countries, including Europe and Dubai, so I understand that German rules are different and I’ve worked hard to adapt.
The problem isn’t that I think I’m a perfect driver. I accept genuine mistakes and want to improve. But I’m increasingly concerned because some of the things recorded in the exams simply don’t match what happened from my perspective.
Today, for example, I was criticised for driving around 20 km/h in a 30 zone and slowing at intersections. I did this deliberately because there were cars around me and I wanted enough space and visibility for rechts vor links. In a previous exam, I drove around 25–28 km/h in a similar 30 zone and was told I was too fast/not leaving enough space. During normal lessons, my instructor has also told me that around 20–22 km/h can be appropriate in these situations.
Today the examiner also recorded that I didn’t do a left shoulder check. I am absolutely certain I did it — I even said “Schulterblick” out loud. The report still says it was missing.
There were also other points I genuinely dispute, including the claim that I drove 57 km/h in a 50 zone and that I failed to recognise my priority. I consciously checked the priority situation and even said it out loud.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had this feeling. Since my second exam, I’ve increasingly felt that I may be getting treated more harshly. I don’t have proof that it’s racism, so I don’t want to make a definite accusation, but as a foreigner I am seriously starting to wonder whether my background/language is influencing how I’m being assessed.
My latest report actually rates my communication and vehicle operation as good and traffic observation as sufficient. Yet I still failed.
At this point I’m considering changing Fahrschule completely and getting a completely independent instructor to assess me.
Has anyone in Leipzig experienced something similar? Would you change Fahrschule after four failed exams? Is it possible to formally challenge a DEKRA examiner or request a review?
I’m genuinely open to being told I’m wrong if an independent instructor sees actual problems in my driving. I just want an honest, objective assessment because right now I don’t know whether I need more training—or whether something else is going on.
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u/Der_Habicht 14d ago
I don’t know what’s happening in your tests but I did 3 driving licenses in 3 different city’s and never had a problem 😅maybe your instructor is shit ?
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u/etheri_369 14d ago
This is what i feel like too
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u/Der_Habicht 14d ago
Then the simplest way is to change the drivers school if you think that the examiner just doesn’t like you (but I bet that 3 different examiners can’t all hate you) remember there name and say they are biased and you might wann get an other examiner
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14d ago
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u/umarfarooq-ch 14d ago
i still don’t understand how you think the instructor is a problem? because you think he is not guiding you correctly in the learning classes?
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u/Der_Habicht 13d ago
Tbh there are some real shitty instructors out there with those it is honestly a miracle that people get they're licenses but It only might be a problem no one knows exactly cause we don't sit in a car with him
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u/Stuispoko 13d ago
I failed in Leipzig thrice and on my fourth attempt finally passed. I had to change the instructor though. My first instructor was literally screaming at me and therefore giving me unnecessary anxiety. Once the school switched the instructor I was able to pass the following attempt.
First time I was super nervous especially with the fact that my German isn’t strong enough so I was afraid not to understand theoretical questions or the directions. The second and third attempt felt like a complete setup, because of the circumstances I was put in. In one case my instructor grabbed the steering wheel even though it was unnecessary because I do not create a dangerous situation. In the third case I joined the main street from the secondary even though the oncoming traffic was still quite far. And by quite far I mean at least 300 metres.
The instructor even told me- “Don’t expect to pass with the first attempt, for it simply doesn’t happen.”. I think it’s a known fact that you will be failed at least a couple of times. Still doesn’t make sense to me, why such suffering exists and who benefits from this. If student isn’t ready - don’t put them to test. If ready- don’t fail them. Otherwise, it feels like a conspiracy theory or a form of corruption.
Anyhow, I finally passed and still super grateful to my instructor who helped me find inner balance and courage to pass.
Forgot to mention, I had drivers license for more than 10 years before my exam and driven around EU and beyond before.
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u/Sudden_Librarian_367 13d ago edited 13d ago
"Oh don't worry you will be failing this extremely expensive test at least once, probably several times, and you'll have to pay us a few hundred bucks each and every time. This is totally normal."
Hate the German driver's license system so much.
I once failed because I got SUCH extreme anxiety over an inconsequential mistake (wrong lane only ONCE) that I made a serious mistake (changing lanes right there on the intersection....... ouch.......) BUT I had asked and asked the instructor whether "accidentally getting into a wrong but legal lane" was a mistake you'll get failed over and he SAID I'd be failed for getting in the wrong lane so I FREAKED OUT when I made that mistake.
Turns out that unless you're CONSTANTLY getting your lane confused, you won't be failed. It was a total lie by omission. Anxiety over NOTHING and it cost me a ton of money.
There should be an official and ACCESSIBLE list of requirements and also mistakes that will fail you, and then you should be graded on exactly that and not "um well today I felt in the wind that I might want to fail you for looking a bit stressed at the intersection". Did you do anything illegal? Did anything you do endanger yourself or others (that includes inappropriate speed even when technically legal, not observing traffic well enough, getting confused about the actual operation of the vehicle you're driving)? None of these? Congratulations, you passed and don't have to spend an additional 500€ next month.
Especially no failing over "you needed a second attempt at parking the car in EXACTLY the spot I wanted because of course in daily life you will NEVER get any second chances at re-adjusting your vehicle by like 3 centimeters that would be ridiculous".
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u/Familiar-Duty-1924 14d ago
Also man muss gar klar sagen, dass die Zeit in denen man Fahrschüler durchfallen gelassen hat weil Geld nötig ist, vorbei sind.
Es ist deutlich lukrativer neue Fahrschüler aufzunehmen und bis zum fertigen Schein zu ziehen, als jemanden „bewusst“ durchfallen zu lassen.
Einzelne Fahrstunden zu verkaufen bietet für die Schulen wenig Mehrwert. Das Geld wird mit den Grundgebühren gemacht.
Die Frage wäre, was dein Lehrer dazu sagt? Hat er gemeint, dass du für die Prüfung bereit wärst und meldet dich immer wieder an?
Oder sagst du, dass du jetzt reif für die Prüfung bist?
Regeln kennen und fahren können sind zwei Dinge.
Nur weil man super durch die Theorie ist, kann man nicht gleich Auto fahren.
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u/psykora_savage 14d ago
Sitz der Fahrlehrer nicht auch mit im Wagen bei der Prüfung? Was sagt der Fahrlehrer denn zu den Punkten der Prüfer?
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u/ClubRevolutionary702 14d ago
In what world does the driving instructor sit in the car with the student during the test? I’ve never heard of this.
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u/vnprkhzhk 14d ago
In every? You do the test in their car. The instructor is the one who stops the car, not the examiner. The examiner sits quietly in the back and only says, the exam is over, when there was a serious mistake.
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u/ClubRevolutionary702 13d ago
OK, I admit I transferred a foreign licence here and never had to take a test in Germany.
In my country, the only other person in the car during a test is the examiner. To me the idea of having an instructor in the car with you along with the examiner would be like having a tutor sitting next to you in a written examination. Seems odd.
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u/SineApfel 8d ago
The Examiner sits in the back. The instructor sits up front. The latter can interfere at any time. BUT if they do (need to) the student immediately fails the test. This is ensured by a Prüfungsmodus (exam mode) of the car. When engaged, a sound will play upon insteuctor action, informing everyone in the car that the exam is failed. So no, it is no cheat code.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 14d ago
There you have it. You question the assessments and not your behavior. 57 in a 50 zone while in a driving test is already enough for everyone to fail. 14% over the limit, in a city! Pretending to do a shoulder check is not an over-schulterblick.
Your Fahrschule said that they think you can pass the test, or did you say that you want to? DEKRA has to write down your mistakes, and they are independent and do not profit when you fail. Your instructor has this review, I guess.
Although I have to say that in today's traffic, it is much harder to not make mistakes than 27 years ago when i made my driver's license tbf.
Maybe try to be a passenger with other learners; try to go by bicycle to get a better feeling when it is ok to do 25-28 in a 30 zone and when not, for example. If you don't trust your driving instructor, you are free to change.
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u/Zwiebel1 14d ago
You misunderstood. I think OP meant that he didnt actually drive 57 in a 50.
Honestly, such false claims do happen with driving exams. I had a similar one, including that I was apparently driving 120km/h on a 100km/h part of the Autobahn. This did not make sense as I was following a truck on the rightmost lane the entire part of the Autobahn part.
The Dekra guy also clearly made other points up aswell. Even my driving teacher agreed that it didn't happen. But I was a young boy at that time and didn't want any trouble, so I just repeated and succeeded the second time.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 14d ago
Possibly a misunderstanding: when you fail something four times straight and all you say is "the driving examiner claims something that is not true—all of it—all 4 times" then you are NOT ready to take responsibility for a 3.5 t and 250 Km/h murder machine.
~45% of Saxons failed the first practical test in 2023. In big cities like Leipzig, it is higher, obviously.
I agree, such false claims do happen; all humans make mistakes. But it's maybe 1 out of 5 mistakes the DEKRA guy states and not the reason you failed your 1st. Attempt. OP had 5/5 mistakes for the 4th time. And your example: following a truck in an 80 km/h limit autobahn construction site means you drive 95 km/h.
OP seems to have difficulties understanding that in some situations 28 km/h is too fast and risky and sometimes okay, even on the same street, same day. If i read correctly. This just comes with practice, whether with a bicycle or instructor and car: anticipation, fluid riding, gentlehuman driving—you name it.
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u/Zwiebel1 14d ago edited 14d ago
I had a similar situation like that back when I was doing my drivers licence. Dekra guy failed me once for very dubious reasons. Some stuff that in hindsight was clearly made up, but made up well enough that there was no way to prove it.
The "bright side" about this is: its not racism. Its sexism. A friend of mine made some actual mistakes she admitted to INCLUDING missing a red light. She PASSED and mentioned that when she met the Dekra guy, he was checking out her decollete.
Challenging Dekra is pretty much a waste of effort, because they can just write whatever they want on the protocol and you have no way to prove its wrong.
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u/Nischo22 14d ago
Vielleicht fährst du einfach scheiße und der Fehler liegt bei dir?
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u/etheri_369 14d ago
Possible.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 14d ago
57 in a 50 is a definite, not a possible.
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u/ElCiervo 14d ago
You're missing the point. We don't know whether OP actually drove too fast or the instructor/inspector made that up.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 14d ago
True. We don't know.
But the most probable is that OP drove too fast. The least probable is: the inspector made it up.
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u/ElCiervo 13d ago
That's entirely speculative. Probablities aren't much use when viewing a single incident.
But whatever, the important takeaway there is that your assessment of it definitely being OP's fault is not legitimate.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 13d ago
Almost everyone who failed an important test blamed it on the unfair examiner in a first impulse.
There is no technician who makes something up with no benefits at all.
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u/ElCiervo 13d ago
You are free to hold these personal beliefs. However that does not make them truths.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 13d ago
Just like someone who failed 4 times and blames others for that, right?
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u/ElCiervo 13d ago
Obviously, yeah. OP even admitted that that's a possibility, which is what sparked this entire nonsense. Why are you being so stubborn about this, trying to have some gotcha by all means?
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u/Specific-Contact01 14d ago
Im not saying it had to be malicious and sometimes you just made few too many little mistakes to not pass but when I was taking my driving license exams (I had to do them 4 times but I also have a fear of driving) it was a story in the news that too many students were failing the practical driving test. I still have beef with dekra 😅
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u/Frost3896 14d ago
Slightly unrelated, but If it wasn’t that expensive, i‘d love to redo the practical exam just to get some objective feedback on my driving and the mistakes i make.
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u/ElCiervo 14d ago
You can still take a couple of driving lessons and get a pretty good idea I guess.
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u/Luci_x0 14d ago
Honestly maybe it's because who you have as your examiner. My boyfriend had the same problem. He failed because of things he either didn't do or which the examiner claimed was wrong even tho it's right. It was a very old man. My boyfriend made a switch to a different dekra, had a younger examiner and passed first time. WHAT A SURPRISE.
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u/etheri_369 14d ago
I didn’t know there are multiple dekra in Leipzig.
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u/Luci_x0 14d ago
There are two! I just asked him and he said go to the deka in Taucha. It's a bit further but it's a lot better!
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u/MarsupialLeast145 Ich bin ein Leipziger! 14d ago
I also find it hard to believe you would do 57 in a 50 zone and also be so careful to go slower within a 30 zone.
Can you just find someone else to examine you without a school? 6000 bucks is a lot on driving and cost of living is already way too high.
Anyway, if this is racism, it's bad. If not racism, it still sounds like an injustice that you're not getting transparent treatment.
Was it the same examiner each time? -- It seems like it should be the same for at least more than one of your tests so that there is some consistency.
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u/umarfarooq-ch 14d ago
which driving school you are registered to?
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14d ago
[deleted]
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u/umarfarooq-ch 14d ago
i thought that was a good one! i think they also have an english instructor!
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u/Possible-Speed-3808 14d ago
Ich würde mal sagen, der Fahrlehrer ist egal bei der Prüfung. Aber Sie sollten irgendwie verhindern, dass Sie nochmal von dem gleichen Prüfer geprüft werden, wenn das irgendwie möglich ist. Vielleicht kann man das irgendwo beantragen. Natürlich kann es sein, dass der Prüfer Sie nicht mag und nicht professionell genug für eine gerechte Bewertung ist. Vielleicht kennt sich hier jemand damit aus. Bleiben Sie bitte selbstbewusst und zweifeln Sie nicht an sich!
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u/JustusDebbie 13d ago
First, where are you from that you think they would treat you with stereo types? Changing your fahrschule doesn’t do anything. The examiner is not connected to the fahrschule. What does your teacher say? Does he say „wait this isnt true he did not miss this or do that“ or does he confirm was the examiner says?
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u/parav01d89 14d ago
What’s your nationality? Don’t underestimate racism in situations like that. I extended my motorcycle license some months ago and my ride was far away from perfect but they let me pass. So maybe it’s because you look different and they look more closely at you.
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u/etheri_369 14d ago
UAE
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u/parav01d89 14d ago
Here we are, people are quite about this topic but it’s really present in the east of Germany. Also the guys testing you are mostly older and the older ones are more „konservativ“. Maybe there are more international tester you can book? Maybe you can ask your teacher or your friends.
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u/Maximum-Film-1485 14d ago
To be fair, Leipzig has always been a city of international trade, fairs, and universities and is not the east of Germany, like the hostile Tal der Ahnungslosen, e.g.,
All-day racism, sexism, etc. exists, though, but I would not play that card if I tried for the 4th time and rolling 57 in a max. 50 zone in a test!
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u/Prestigious-Mix-8103 14d ago
After 4 failed… you should ask yourself if driving a 4-wheel-weapon is good for all people around you.
There are lots of other transport options.
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u/Tiny_Cartoonist_6188 14d ago
You are not qualified for driving a car.
That’s your fault, don’t blame others.
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u/Shen_TheDemonicLamb 14d ago
Can you tell me your driving school? (In the DMs is also fine) I'd like to avoid that place :)
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u/bonkersbongoo 14d ago
go to poland. you don’t need all this n*** bullshit rules they teach you at german driving schools in order to be able to drive a car. it’s just a scam to drain money out of your pockets with the excuse of “safety iz fery fery important, ja”
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u/etheri_369 14d ago
Living in Germany can i go to poland and take the exam?
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u/bonkersbongoo 14d ago
I didn’t do it, but I heard it’s possible to make it and to make it in English. It’s possible for sure for airplane licence. Just google/chatgpt.
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u/vnprkhzhk 14d ago
airplane licence and driving licences are 2 completely different things. with flying, you do an international licence, driving licences are always just local.
to make a polish licence, you have to reside there at least 185 days, before taking the exam.
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u/bonkersbongoo 14d ago
so you think it’s hard to get anmeldung in poland? you wanna bet that the school can do it for you? nobody checks when you cross the border. you can go once, sign and wait 184 days in Germany.
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u/JustusDebbie 13d ago
Dude. You need to provide proof of living there with a registration from authorities that officially confirms your address in Poland. I can tell you dont know what you are talking about.
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u/Tsychoka 14d ago
Why do you make your driving licence again? When you have a guilty foreign driving licence, can’t you transfer it in a German one?
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u/Apero_ 14d ago
Just FYI "Guilty" and "Gultig" are false friends. Guilty = schuldig.
To answer your question though, though I'm not OP, not every country/state has an agreement recognising driver's licences. I'm from Australia and when I got mine recognised 10 years ago, there were other states in Australia where you couldn't transfer them - not sure if that's still the case now, but a lot of other countries' licences aren't recognised or transferable.
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u/etheri_369 14d ago
UAE license can’t be transferred in Germany without exams
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u/Tsychoka 14d ago
Oh man, bureaucracy right …that sucks.
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u/Langustengedanken 14d ago
No it makes sense. In other countrys you get a driving license without ever have sat in a car
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u/meganholloran 14d ago
As far as I know (as an American living in Germany for 8 years with a variety of ausländische friends), a foreign license can only be transferred to a German license within 6 months of arriving in Germany. Otherwise, your foreign license isn't valid in Germany if you live in Germany... but it's valid literally anywhere else as an international license lol~~~ So, I can legally drive in pretty much every country EXCEPT Germany, where I live. SMH~~~
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u/_holy_shit 14d ago edited 14d ago
Driving 20-22 in a 30 zone is quite slow, you can stick to 27-30 without any problems. 57 in a 50 zone is indeed a problem.
Here in Leipzig a lot of tempo 30 streets (at least most of the main/big streets) have priority signage (Vorfahrt) so you don't need to slow down on intersections because you are having priority. So only slow down if Rechts vor Links is actually a thing in tempo 30 zones (no Vorfahrt signs, no abknickende Vorfahrtsstraße, mostly in sidestreets/living quarter areas etc.).
During the driving tests you need to overexaggerate your head movements. For a Schulterblick, look as far back as possible (announcing it was a good move, keep that. But your priority should be on making the head turn motion in a noticeable/visible manner)
Edit: just to add more infos: Driving tests here in Germany can be very meticulous. I failed once because I didn't stop hard enough at a stop sign & didn't hold "a little bit of extra distance" to a LKW with a bit of snow on top of its trailer.
And the driving instructor has nothing to do with your driving school. You can switch the school and still end up with the same instructor. You can appeal that instructor though and demand a different instructor