Driving test waiting times

Stark

I want to try and get my full licence by the start of February as my parents' insurance policy comes up for renewal then and my insurance premium as a provisional named driver is punitive to say the least. I'm a native of Cork but if I apply to Cork test centre now I won't have my test by then. Thinking of applying to Ennis test centre as http://www.drivingtest.ie/drivingtest/HTMLContent/passrates.html says the waiting time is 12 weeks (it's probably gone up since then but I've 8 weeks breathing room). Is there much drift in the waiting times since this document was published? Also is it a rediculous idea applying for your driving test in an unfamiliar area? I guess its Ennis so I probably won't be too worried about roads with loads of lanes which always trips me up in a unfamiliar area (I'm rarely sure what's the correct lane to go into unless I know the area).

seamus

The list on the site is updated every two months afaik, (and the 8th June means it was updated around mid-June) so it should be updated pretty soon.

Waiting times have more or less levelled out over the last 6 months - Centres with high waiting times have mostly stayed as is, or dropped slightly, while ones with lower waits have increased slightly, as more people applied to them to get a quicker test.

It shouldn't be long before we start to see a very gradual drop. It'll be a couple of years before they return to normal if there are no changes to the system though.

I wouldn't see a big issue with applying for a faraway centre. I'm doing the same thing on the bike - applied to Athlone a few months back, so it shouldn't be long now (if the waiting time hasn't shot up).
The best advice would be (if possible) to book a driving lesson with a local instrcutor as close to the test as you can - a weekend or whatever. Bring a willing mate with you (who has a full licence) to accompany you on the pre-test (to familiarise himself with the route too), and then spend a few hours that day, after the pretest, going around and around the same circuit. Have him pull little tricks on you, bring you a slightly alternate route, etc.

I would say that part of the reason why a lot of people fail is because they're not familiar with the road. If you can be familiar with the route - each road has its own nuances, its own pitfalls - then you can spend more time concentrating on driving correctly.

Stark

Someone suggested applying for a "cancellation"? Sounds risky though, what if they give me a cancelled appointment space too soon and I don't have time to practice. On the other hand if I leave it too long to apply I might not get the cancellation and end up missing the oppurtunity to do the test in Ennis. *sigh* what a headache

conZ

My friend applied for his test in Ennis in early June. He got the letter with the date a week ago - September 20th or so.

Thats 15 or so weeks.
I applied for my test here in Ennis, a month ago. I'll keep you updated as to when my test is .

You can get your test forwarded if you keep ringing them up, nagging and nagging to get a quicker test. Make up some excuse.

Chalk

seamus wrote:

I wouldn't see a big issue with applying for a faraway centre. I'm doing the same thing on the bike - applied to Athlone a few months back, so it shouldn't be long now (if the waiting time hasn't shot up).

not sure about the few months wait.
i applied for a bike test in raheny in july and had a date within2 weeks and sat the test 4 weeks later [passed on moday ]
maybe i just got lucky but a friend told me to apply as he said bikes where getting doen fairly quick and it seems he was right

seamus

Chalk wrote:

not sure about the few months wait.
i applied for a bike test in raheny in july and had a date within2 weeks and sat the test 4 weeks later [passed on moday ]
maybe i just got lucky but a friend told me to apply as he said bikes where getting doen fairly quick and it seems he was right

Feck. How does that work? Isn't Raheny the one doing a slightly different bike test, or am I way off?

ravenhead

You all seem to be very lucky - I applied for my test in south tipp in april 2003 & I only got my date a week ago for sept!!! How mad is that? I even had to get a new license while I was waiting - it's such a rip - off..

Chalk

hmm not sure..
i only did the test once so im not sure if theres any differences o_0
i had a lesson with ism before it and the guy didnt say anything about this test being different to anywhere else .