When i took the test they barely cared about anything. There were definitely some people in my class who should have failed but were let to pass. That sucks. Driving is very dangerous. Its also pretty simple and easy to learn. Do better OP. Its a serious responsibility to drive and if you are failing your test that just means you arent ready to be responsible enough to drive.

I think plagues and wars continually came around keeping the population down. As well as loss of their best arable lands. By the time the eastern roman empire was the only part left much of western europe had become much more productive and their populations were able to grow bigger.

Also i think your last point is a big factor. While rome was wealthy throughout its times the increase of wealth to the powerful western states by their access to the americas was massive. Constantinople finally fell in 1453. Columbus did his thing in 1492. Sadly rome never knew that the americas existed.