The clues are subtle, but they're there.

Today, Laura failed her test because she couldn't work out how to deal with an unusual and complex junction.

Here's how the junction looks on Google Earth:

Laura was heading up the road towards the semi-circular junction, with the ultimate aim of turning right when she reached the dual carriageway at the top of the picture.

Here's how it looks on streetview:

As you approach the junction, it's not particularly obvious how you should deal with it. You really shouldn't turn right, but there are no no entry signs to help you. Just one solitary bollard with a keep left arrow on it.

This bollard is a bit more visible in this next picture:

A bit...

Laura came up to this bit too quickly, and didn't really have time to either read the complexities of the junction, or to safely assess whether it was safe to proceed. She did turn left, but it all fell short of the standard of driving required.

Having turned left, she was immediately confronted by a right turn onto a dual carriageway. The central divide is narrow, and ideally, you would want to complete the manouevre in one go, rather than putting yourself in a vulnerable position, half way across the road.

This is one of the most complex and challenging junctions on any of the Wirral test routes. But it is understandable, if you break it down into it's constituent parts.

Look where you're going!

Date: 2006
Test Centre: Wallasey
Reason for fail: Serious fault, Junctions - Observation

Busy town centre streets. Shops and offices. People want to go to and from here, and the islands to the left of the picture allows pedestrians to cross these busy roads one bit at a time.

Steve came to this junction, intent on finding out if there was anything coming from his right. The way was clear, so he emerged, only for the examiner to press the dual brake because there was a lady with a pushchair crossing the road to his left.

Well I'd fail him for that too! So why didn't he look where he was going?

It's a really common thing, both with learners and with experienced drivers. To look right is a natural thing. To look left is counter-intuitive, and I spend a lot of time getting people to focus most of their attention on where they are going. A lot of the time, that look right is useless, since all you can see is a wall or a hedge or a fence.

You must check it's clear to your right before you emerge, but really, the danger comes from the left, not the right. People cut corners when turning right into the junction you're coming up to. The road you want to turn into could have a car coming down on the wrong side of the road if there are parked vehicles forcing them out. And yes, there could be pedestrians crossing.

Look left, glance right.

I failed my first one too!

Date: 1995
Test Centre: Ellesmere Port
Reason for fail: Junctions - Turning Left

I came to this junction on my first driving test. Back in 1995, Stanney Lane had a 40mph speed limit. It's now a 30mph limit but people tend to go a bit quicker than that sometimes, because it's a wide straight road.

I got to the junction, looked right, saw a car in the distance, turned out to the left anyway.

Seemingly moments later, the car that had been in the distance was overtaking me, and since he'd been affected by my pulling out, I got a serious fault.

Gutted mate! What should you have done?

It didn't matter that the car that overtook me was probably doing more than 40 miles an hour. I should have had another look, seen that he was approaching quickly, and waited for him to pass before emerging.

I did pass second time though!

It's the end of the road for Fred!

Date of Test:  June 2011, 12.43pm
Test Centre: Upton, Merseyside
Reason for fail:  serious fault, Junctions - turning right

I was sat in the back for this one, so I saw exactly what happened, and the driving examiner called it exactly right.

"Fred" got to the end of a one way street and was asked to turn right. He should have positioned himself over to the right hand side of the road, but kept to the middle of the road. The danger is that another driver will come down your outside, and potentially you then have two cars alongside each other, both wanting to occupy the same space at the same time. It also shows a lack of attention or understanding to road signs and road markings.In this case a car behind us positioned itself correctly, but the driver wisely stayed behind us, but even if no other vehicles had been involved, this would have been marked as a serious fault.

So, what should he have done then?

Well the clues were there. The double row of broken lines extending right across the full width of the junction, and the give way triangle right in the middle of the road, instead of off to the left, are big clues. Another thing that can help is the backs of the circular no entry signs. There were one way signs at various points along the road, and all the parked cars were facing in the same direction. So Fred should have been aware that he was in a one-way street and should have positioned himself well to the right.

In fact, by the time he got to the end of the road, he sort of knew things were not right, but did it anyway. If he'd cancelled his signal and gone straight ahead, it would have been safer, and he would probably have just got a minor fault for incorrectly signalling. It would then be upto the examiner to get Fred back onto whatever route he was meant to be following. With a few exceptions, like trying to join a motorway, or attemting to turn into a no-entry road, you don't get failed for going the wrong way.