A father who travelled over 285 miles for his driving test was left stunned when an examiner cancelled it, claiming the passenger seat had 'a few raindrops' on it. Jacob Caroll, 27, from Chichester, West Sussex, had struggled to book a test near home and secured one in Scarborough, near his wife's grandparents.
Caroll had the car professionally valeted before the journey. On arrival at the test centre on December 15, rain had left a few drops on the passenger seat. He claims the examiner refused to sit on the damp seat and also declined his offer of a blanket. Despite his attempts to persuade her, the test was cancelled and he was told to reschedule.
Caroll said: 'It was just a few raindrops and she patted it and said she couldn't do it. It's literally a joke.' He added that the next available test is in April, just before his theory test expires. He said the experience has left him feeling 'anxious' about taking another test.
His mother-in-law, Vicky Bagshaw, 46, expressed disbelief, noting that driving would relieve pressure on Caroll's family. She said: 'He was shocked. He wasn't allowed to speak to anyone to dispute it. A couple of driving instructors were waiting and they were absolutely flabbergasted.'
A DVSA spokesperson said: 'DVSA cannot comment on individual complaints. We would encourage any learner driver who feels they have been mistreated to report it to us at the earliest opportunity.'
