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Hazard Preception Test? Any complaints?

I have been driving for over 14yrs. Hold three licence in three different countries and an international licence. I have been driving race cars professionally since I was 17 and motorcycles since I was 12. I recently moved to the UK 9 months ago and have been driving ever since under my international licence and own a motor vehicle here. Today I took my Theory Test, when I watched the instruction video for the "hazard perception part it was very vague and I didn't know if I were to click for possible hazards or for ones I thought were or were going to be hazards. For example the instructional video circled possible hazards in yellow (a couple walking down a side walk) and real hazards in red (a guy running out into the street), I wasn't sure if i was supposed to click for both or just for ones i thought were real hazards or thought would develop into real hazards. Also the instruction video says if you click too many times you will get disqualified from that clip and not get any points for it. I asked a staff member at the exam centre and they gave me the most BS answer I ever heard: "if you think you have clicked too early keep clicking again to be sure"... How does that answer my question? And doesn't that go against what the video says? "Don't' click too many times"? I clicked on what I thought were hazards or hazards developing keeping in mind not to click too many times. I didn't bother to click on people walking on the side walk that weren't crossing the road or anything as to "not click too many times" i only focused on the hazards as soon as i spotted that they were becoming just that. All in all I failed the hazard perception with 39 points and passed the questions 50 out out of 50. When I saw the results I knew something was wrong in how i was instructed to take the hazard part or my understanding of it. When speaking to staff again they took a position that they aren't supposed to tell me and basically told me what they said when i asked the first time around... "keep clicking" which went against what the video said. I called DSA and got no where. I spoke to the company that makes the study books and videos and they told me i should click on everything even bends in the road you cannot see around and certain street signs but only once for each hazard/possible hazard. When I tried some sites online with practise hazard tests the way they show the scoring system is that they only score you for the "real hazards" and not the "possible hazards". I took a few of the practise tests and scored 0 on two of them because I picked up on the hazard before the test says I should have... WTF?? I clicked when I saw it developing and it was before the point threshold... I liked England when I first got here but I am beginning to dislike it very much. Its as if they make the instructions and the scoring system for this test so wishy washy as to make sure most people fail so that they can collect another 31 GBP off of you on technicalities and it seems like everything else here is designed in a similar fashion. And Brits have the nerve to speak badly about the USA.... Has anyone had a similar experience and does anyone have the answer to my question? Should I click on everything that moves in the video multiple times or will that disqualify me from points for that clip? Trevor h, thats what I did as far as click on the ones that i saw as "becoming a hazard" but the instructions didn't say anything about clicking twice because your first click might be too early. If I "have" to buy the DSA study book to get the proper instructions on how to take the exam then why doesn't DSA make it known? Also I have the book for the thoery test but it only briefly speaks about the hazard perception test and its the one from the DSA. What book do you have that tells you how to "properly click" for the hazard part? Enough said? National statistics show that almost half of first timers fail the test every year because of technicalities on the hazard perception part and DSA collects an extra 2 million pounds because of it. After speaking to the company that publishes the software and books for DSA they have said that there has been tons of complaints about the test. It seems that the test really isn't about "hazard perception" but about knowing how to play the video game they call an exam. If I would have known how rediculously constructed this part of the exam was i would have prepared myself for it. But silly me I thought it was about "hazard perception"... Hope others can learn from my mistake and not waste your money and time with this wonderful government we have like I just did. Take as many practice test as you can online until you know how to play there little video game because trust me they wont explain it to you come test time and its really not about hazard perception. Thanks guys for all of your constructive responses!

Public Comments

1. Before i go any further you wrote way too much, but yes i agree its flawed, if you see the hazard and click too early it doesn't register it, and you may see other hazards that are not part of the test, if you click too many times you fail on that scenario.
2. You should have done more preparation for the test! The vast majority of people pass first time, no bother. You should click the mouse when you see a potential hazard (something that will make you slow down or stop) beginning to develop. Click twice for each hazard - as your first click may well register BEFORE the scoring window opens. Do NOT click for stationary hazards (such as bends you cannot see around) - but be ready to click because a vehicle may suddenly appear around that bend! if one does - click twice
3. Many people pass this test everyday - enough said I think
4. Yeah i know what you mean, i was clicking when i genuinely thought there was a hazard and just incase it didn't register because i saw it before they considered it a hazard i pressed a sec after to make sure i got some points, but on my 1st clip i got the sign come up saying i had been clicking inappropriately and had scored zero for that clip. So the rest of my test i was on edge thinking that 1 more click could result in me scoring zero again. I think i ended up with 57/75 on that bit.I was clicking for potential hazards too. Basically they tell you to click when something would require a response from you like slowing down, braking and changing direction.