If you are Miserable, can you decide not to make a roll and automatically fail (but without the risk of a Sauron's Eye)?
If true, it can be done with any type of roll?

So you're asking if you can strive to fail?

That's an interesting concept.

Then again if your goal is to fail, and you do - did you ultimately fail or succeed?

If you are required to make a roll (it's a test), or you proposed one, you can't abstain from rolling and automatically fail.

Francesco

I suppose you could just refuse to act.

Courtesy check to introduce yourself? Don't open your mouth.
Athletics check to cross the river? Sit at the riverside and don't cross.
Swords check to attack the Orc. Just drop your weapon and cower.

Of course, that sounds like someone who got the Eye result anyway, so as GM I'd say that your reluctance to act is your bout of madness, give you the permanent point, and just move on.

Perhaps not as harsh as that, but I'd certainly make you spend a Hope point. By not making the effort, the character is giving in to the shadow and accepting their fate.

An Awareness roll (for example) can be "ignored" by the player?
(I don't play attention to the surrounding).

I'm sure it's deliberate that Miserable player-heroes should be discouraged from taking the fore and asking to make lots of rolls: TOR 'Tasks'.
Every one they do make is going to be doubly charged with significance, as they'll only attempt Tasks in situations where it's worth risking that 1 in 12 chance.

On the other hand, a TOR 'Test' is required by the Loremaster. It's not the player's choice.

If a player invoked an applicable Trait to say that they automatically fail a test without having to roll ("I'm 'Sulky', so I'm not paying attention to the surroundings right now.") that would be creative and bringing out character flavour, so I might give them a break. But that wouldn't apply as a general rule.

Cheers,
--Os.