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What happens if I fail a G road test after getting G1?

Rafaelhag43

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May 6, 2021
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I recently just got my G1 and booked a G road test because I have 2+ years of experience from my home country. If hypothetically I fail my upcoming G road test, I'm aware that I have to do a G2 road test and then another G road test to get a full G license. My question is whether I need to wait for another 12 months after passing my G2 road test to book a G road test for the second time? I can't really find an answer to this.
 

Naturgrl

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Apr 5, 2020
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I recently just got my G1 and booked a G road test because I have 2+ years of experience from my home country. If hypothetically I fail my upcoming G road test, I'm aware that I have to do a G2 road test and then another G road test to get a full G license. My question is whether I need to wait for another 12 months after passing my G2 road test to book a G road test for the second time? I can't really find an answer to this.
https://drivetest.ca/tests/road-tests-cars.html

On the bottom under “after the test”.
 

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I recently just got my G1 and booked a G road test because I have 2+ years of experience from my home country. If hypothetically I fail my upcoming G road test, I'm aware that I have to do a G2 road test and then another G road test to get a full G license. My question is whether I need to wait for another 12 months after passing my G2 road test to book a G road test for the second time? I can't really find an answer to this.
No.. if you are allowed to go for G.. that means they have considered your prior driving experience as a valid. so in case if you fail (which is quite likely.. since MTO is really strict when it comes to direct G takers like you... most 80%+ people fail.) you will be able to book a G2 after about 10 days.. this is for ontario.. since DL is a provincial matter, it depends on your province too..
 

heck_i_am

Full Member
Jan 3, 2022
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For people who look into this thread in the future, it turns out that if you pass the G2 test (even after failing the G test), you can directly try the G test afterwards, provided that you do have 2+ years of driving experience that you can prove by documentation.
 
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Madav

Full Member
Jan 21, 2021
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For people who look into this thread in the future, it turns out that if you pass the G2 test (even after failing the G test), you can directly try the G test afterwards, provided that you do have 2+ years of driving experience that you can prove by documentation.
Thanks for the sharing the info! finally an answer to my question
Can I ask what you did? where you in the same situation? did you go for the G right away and was it hard?
Thank you
 
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heck_i_am

Full Member
Jan 3, 2022
32
33
Thanks for the sharing the info! finally an answer to my question
Can I ask what you did? where you in the same situation? did you go for the G right away and was it hard?
Thank you
I am happy that it helps. Here are my comments:

  1. If you DOCUMENT your 2+ years of driving experience, you can take either of the G2 and G tests. By DOCUMENTING, I mean that they might ask for some extra documents on top of your current foreign license. In my case, I had to get a paper from my Consulate to affirm the time (and class) of my license. After that, you take a written test to receive a G1 Ontario license and are set to take either of the G2 or G tests.
  2. I took the G test directly, and failed! :) I had extensive experience driving in several countries including the Interstates in the US and the highways in Canada. But the problem is that the testers look for certain behaviors that may not be really necessary (or sensical). I trained with a driving instructor and noticed that I had to show those certain behaviors. The test is definitely not hard for someone with experience, but it is very easy to fail. My reason for failure was stressing myself too much on what I will have needed to do and coming across another driver in testing doing a wrong thing.
  3. After failing the G test, you are expected to take the G2 test. I waited for 10 days, took the G2 test and passed. It is a very basic test without the highway parts. It test basic in-city driving, parking, turning, etc.
  4. After passing the G2 test, I called DriveTest and asked if I had to wait to retake the G test. They said I could take it right after passing the G2. I haven't taken it yet, but I will in a month.

You also have to take these points into consideration:
  • Canada does not allow you to have two driver's licenses at the same time. So as soon as you take the written test and receive a G1 license, do not use your foreign license even if they let you keep it. This means that you might not be able to rent a car (unless they let you rent it with a G1 license) or drive alone by yourself after that point. If you get stopped, showing your foreign license while you also have an Ontario/Canada license might cause legal problems for you.
  • I would recommend driving with a driving instructor to learn what behavior is expected during the test and while driving in Canada in general. Your usual behaviors might be secure and without problems, but they might lead you to fail the test if different behaviors are expected to be observed during the driving test.
  • If you drive with an instructor, you can also make an arrangement to take the driving test with the instructor's car. It is better than renting a car if you don't already have access to a car. If you are going to use somebody else's car, make sure you have all the requirements such as the working signal lights and insurances in order to be able to use that car for the driving test.
  • Check out Youtube videos. I have found many videos where driving instructors show the route taken at certain DriveTest centers for the driving tests. They also indicate what you have to know, what you need to do, and what you have to pay extra attention to, such as the different speed limits on the routes.

PS: For those wondering why I failed, another newbie driver stopped at the stop sign for me although it was his way and I made the wrong response of driving through right at the first minute of the test. So I could have made the same mistake in a G2 test too and fail it. You can do a perfect test but receive an automatic fail with a single mistake like I did.
 

Madav

Full Member
Jan 21, 2021
37
11
I am happy that it helps. Here are my comments:

  1. If you DOCUMENT your 2+ years of driving experience, you can take either of the G2 and G tests. By DOCUMENTING, I mean that they might ask for some extra documents on top of your current foreign license. In my case, I had to get a paper from my Consulate to affirm the time (and class) of my license. After that, you take a written test to receive a G1 Ontario license and are set to take either of the G2 or G tests.
  2. I took the G test directly, and failed! :) I had extensive experience driving in several countries including the Interstates in the US and the highways in Canada. But the problem is that the testers look for certain behaviors that may not be really necessary (or sensical). I trained with a driving instructor and noticed that I had to show those certain behaviors. The test is definitely not hard for someone with experience, but it is very easy to fail. My reason for failure was stressing myself too much on what I will have needed to do and coming across another driver in testing doing a wrong thing.
  3. After failing the G test, you are expected to take the G2 test. I waited for 10 days, took the G2 test and passed. It is a very basic test without the highway parts. It test basic in-city driving, parking, turning, etc.
  4. After passing the G2 test, I called DriveTest and asked if I had to wait to retake the G test. They said I could take it right after passing the G2. I haven't taken it yet, but I will in a month.

You also have to take these points into consideration:
  • Canada does not allow you to have two driver's licenses at the same time. So as soon as you take the written test and receive a G1 license, do not use your foreign license even if they let you keep it. This means that you might not be able to rent a car (unless they let you rent it with a G1 license) or drive alone by yourself after that point. If you get stopped, showing your foreign license while you also have an Ontario/Canada license might cause legal problems for you.
  • I would recommend driving with a driving instructor to learn what behavior is expected during the test and while driving in Canada in general. Your usual behaviors might be secure and without problems, but they might lead you to fail the test if different behaviors are expected to be observed during the driving test.
  • If you drive with an instructor, you can also make an arrangement to take the driving test with the instructor's car. It is better than renting a car if you don't already have access to a car. If you are going to use somebody else's car, make sure you have all the requirements such as the working signal lights and insurances in order to be able to use that car for the driving test.
  • Check out Youtube videos. I have found many videos where driving instructors show the route taken at certain DriveTest centers for the driving tests. They also indicate what you have to know, what you need to do, and what you have to pay extra attention to, such as the different speed limits on the routes.

PS: For those wondering why I failed, another newbie driver stopped at the stop sign for me although it was his way and I made the wrong response of driving through right at the first minute of the test. So I could have made the same mistake in a G2 test too and fail it. You can do a perfect test but receive an automatic fail with a single mistake like I did.
Thanks a lot for sharing this and sharing your experience!
I did document 12 years of driving experience and I got my G1. Tomorrow is my full G test and honestly I am worried because I only drove once in Canada with an instructor. I have watched a lot of videos on Youtube and I memorized everything that I should do even the things that don't seem practical like staring at the mirrors every 5 seconds and doing head movements. The only reason I am rushing is because I have a job offer that requires a full G license and I am afraid that I will lose the offer if I fail tomorrow.
 

heck_i_am

Full Member
Jan 3, 2022
32
33
Thanks a lot for sharing this and sharing your experience!
I did document 12 years of driving experience and I got my G1. Tomorrow is my full G test and honestly I am worried because I only drove once in Canada with an instructor. I have watched a lot of videos on Youtube and I memorized everything that I should do even the things that don't seem practical like staring at the mirrors every 5 seconds and doing head movements. The only reason I am rushing is because I have a job offer that requires a full G license and I am afraid that I will lose the offer if I fail tomorrow.
In that case, although there is much to list, here are some unlikely things that I noticed that did not make much sense to me (try at your own risk):
  • Instructors always recommend driving at the exact speed limit! For a 50-km/h road, I would assume driving at 40 km/h would have been fine, but the instructors recommend driving between 48 to 50 km/h.
  • When connecting to a highway, ramps have yellow speed signs. I would consider as the maximum speed limit but the instructors tell you to drive at that speed. So for a 30 km/h yellow sign, they recommend 30 to 35 km/h. You can consider the YELLOW speed signs as recommended speeds, not the maximum speed limits.
  • They are particularly finnicky about the speed with which you merge to a highway. If the highway speed limit is 100 km/h, they want you to reach 90 to 100 km/h on the merging lane before you actually merge. This is, again, somewhat non-sensical for me as I can drive slower (and more safely) and quickly increase my speed to 100 km/h as I merge without affecting the traffic.
  • Also, if you take the test at a busy hour, it is likely that a highway can be full and slow, which would take the worries of matching the speed limit as you merge. But again with the previous point, it seems non-sensical to me that they expect you to reach 100 km/h at the merging lane, but slowdown if the traffic is full and/or slow.
  • They want you to shoulder check even if you are turning left on the leftmost lane or turning right on the rightmost lane. This only makes sense for making sure there are no motorcycles and the like trying to cut you from the side of the lane.
Of course there are many many more suggestions but I don't want to confuse you with a long list. Make sure you do not do any of the "automatic fail" mistakes and you should be fine. A simple thing like not stopping fully on a stop sign (even if the road is totally empty) or turning while pedestrians are crossing in that direction can ruin your whole test, even if you quickly notice and recover.

Good luck!
 
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Madav

Full Member
Jan 21, 2021
37
11
In that case, although there is much to list, here are some unlikely things that I noticed that did not make much sense to me (try at your own risk):
  • Instructors always recommend driving at the exact speed limit! For a 50-km/h road, I would assume driving at 40 km/h should be fine, but the instructors recommend driving between 48 to 50 km/h.
  • When connecting to a highway, ramps have yellow speed signs. I would consider as the maximum speed limit but the instructors tell you to drive at that speed. So for a 30 km/h yellow sign, they recommend 30 to 35 km/h. You can consider the YELLOW speed signs as recommended speeds, not the maximum speed limits.
  • They are particularly finnicky about the speed with which you merge to a highway. If the highway speed limit is 100 km/h, they want you to reach 90 to 100 km/h on the merging lane before you actually merge. This is, again, somewhat non-sensical for me as I can drive slower (and more safely) and quickly increase my speed to 100 km/h as I merge without affecting the traffic.
  • Also, if you take the test at a busy hour, it is likely that a highway can be full and slow, which would take the worries of matching the speed limit as you merge. But again with the previous point, it seems non-sensical to me that they expect you to reach 100 km/h at the merging lane, but slowdown if the traffic is full and/or slow.
  • They want you to shoulder check even if you are turning left on the leftmost lane or turning right on the rightmost lane. This only makes sense for making sure there are no motorcycles and the like trying to cut you from the side of the lane.
Of course there are many many more suggestions but I don't want to confuse you with a long list. Make sure you do not do any of the "automatic fail" mistakes and you should be fine. A simple thing like not stopping fully on a stop sign (even if the road is totally empty) or turning while pedestrians are crossing in that direction can ruin your whole test, even if you quickly notice and recover.

Good luck!
Wow thanks again for taking the time to write all of this! You're really helpful! I'm glad I found this thread and got to talk to you before doing the exam.
 
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Virah

Full Member
Nov 12, 2019
33
9
I went for G directly since I documents 6 years experience in my home country, I failed as expected for not turning my head at intersection till the examiner notice. I did do it but, it's small intersection and its visible in my eye sight. So, yeah I failed and my instructor said that we need to make sure that examinar notice what we doing. So, it's been 2 month I failed. According this thread i dont need to go for written test but my instructor i need to start all over again with written G1, G2 and then. Just that I don't need to wait between G2 and G. Just confused what to do. I hardly get to reach driver test call center.
 

Madav

Full Member
Jan 21, 2021
37
11
I went for G directly since I documents 6 years experience in my home country, I failed as expected for not turning my head at intersection till the examiner notice. I did do it but, it's small intersection and its visible in my eye sight. So, yeah I failed and my instructor said that we need to make sure that examinar notice what we doing. So, it's been 2 month I failed. According this thread i dont need to go for written test but my instructor i need to start all over again with written G1, G2 and then. Just that I don't need to wait between G2 and G. Just confused what to do. I hardly get to reach driver test call center.
No! You shouldn't do the written/knowledge(G1) test again. Do the G2 wait 10 days then book G again.
 
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steaky

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First off, I had to Google to find out just what the heck is a "G" license. Turns out it's an Ontario thing. When I grew up in Ontario, the usual start was a 90-day "Learner's License". Of course, times have changed.

I am writing here to point out that "Canada" has nothing to say about driver's licenses. Parliament cannot pass legislation in relation to that matter. It's constitutionally assigned to the provinces and provincial legislation varies. There are no "Canadian" rules.

So it is wrong to say that "Canada does not allow you to have two driver's licenses at the same time." Moreover, I fail to see how any province could impose such a ban. Makes no sense. I have long held licences for British Columbia, California and the Philippines, having owned a home in each location at the same time. I double dare British Columbia to tell me that I cannot maintain or use my California license when home in LA, or my Phils license at home there. The comment about "even if they let you keep it" makes meme think any provincial government would have to wrestle by CA or Phils licenses from my cold dead hands. I would absolutely refuse to surrender them.

However, I agree with the rather obvious statement that, if you have an Ontario license and get stopped while driving, of your you should produce your Ontario license. If, at that point, you pull out a foreign license, you are an idiot.
If RCMP finds you having driver licences for British Columbia, California and the Philippines, they might seize the two foreign licences from you.
 

steaky

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Under what authority would they do that? Under what authority could they do that? Or are you saying they are simply renegades who need no statutory authority, but who are above the law, wielding power not open to challenge?
You can go and challenge.
 

ashugoel

Newbie
Aug 28, 2022
1
0
Is it ok to take a rental car for Road Test when you are directly going from G1 to G as you are allowed to drive on foreign license. Now, if I take the rental car for the test and I fail the G test what happens ? Can I take my rental back by myself?