Driving Test Today : any pointers?

seán79

Lads my driving test (first time, but waiting a year) is today??

Any last-minute advice??

Instructor reckons I'm well able to drive and "should" pass; but I'm still sh1tting it!! :eek: :eek:

ravenhead

se&#225 wrote: »

Lads my driving test (first time, but waiting a year) is today??

Any last-minute advice??

Instructor reckons I'm well able to drive and "should" pass; but I'm still sh1tting it!! :eek: :eek:

Best of luck - I'm tomorrow at 11.50 !! sh@tting it!
Just remember use your mirrors like your head was going to fall off!! Come into roundabouts as slowly as you can & don't use your mirrors for your three point turn - over the shoulders to see behind you!! Best of luck - let us know how you get on!!!

seán79

ravenhead wrote:

Best of luck - let us know how you get on!!!

thanks ravenhead.

For the reverse-around-a-corner bit: did you hear that it's (allegedly!) ok to use one hand on the wheel, and the other behind the passenger headrest??

I thought this was nuts, but my Instructor reckons it's Gospel.

Is it necessary to take the car out of gear for a STOP sign?

thanks ppl

ravenhead

se&#225 wrote: »

thanks ravenhead.

For the reverse-around-a-corner bit: did you hear that it's (allegedly!) ok to use one hand on the wheel, and the other behind the passenger headrest??

I thought this was nuts, but my Instructor reckons it's Gospel.

Is it necessary to take the car out of gear for a STOP sign?

thanks ppl

I haven't heard anything about having your hand on the passenger seat - sounds a bit iffy to tell you the truth - I know it's ok to turn around to look over your left shoulder when you're doing it instead of just using mirrors - & no it's not necessary to take your car out of gear at the stop sign cause you're going to be moving over after you check that it's clear ....

Any idea what kind of questions they ask on the rules of the road?

delly

Heres a tip that served me well;

move your rear view mirror up a bit, so that you have to actually move your head up to look at it. It means that the tester can see that your looking into it, rather than just moving your eyes, if you know what i mean.

ravenhead

delly wrote:

Heres a tip that served me well;

move your rear view mirror up a bit, so that you have to actually move your head up to look at it. It means that the tester can see that your looking into it, rather than just moving your eyes, if you know what i mean.

that's a really good tip - my instructor has said to me that i'm not using it when I am .... that should sort it

thanks

seán79

ravenhead wrote:

Any idea what kind of questions they ask on the rules of the road?

I was asked the following questions last time (before the test was abandoned due to a "vehicular breakdown" LOL )

- When is overtaking on the lefthand side permitted?
- When should you *not* use your fullbeam headlights?
- List the order of the traffic lights
- Name the following signs: road narrows, clear way, no parking, major/minor junction etc

445279.ie

mirrors, mirrors, mirrors, mirrors!!!!

Really exagerate looking in them.

And good luch Sean79 and Ravenhead

ubu

anyone that i know that failed the test failed on observation, so yea the main thing is to just keep your head moving around constantly and that the tester sees you doin it, before you indicate look in the rear view first, also keep an eye on your speed, if the speed limits 30 dont do 25 coz they'll mark you for not making due progress
and make sure your brake lights and indicators are working, u dont wanna get there and then tester wont even do the test because of something stupid like that(happened to my brother!)

seán79

ubu wrote:

u dont wanna get there and then tester wont even do the test because of something stupid like that(happened to my brother!)

I was that stupid person the last time, LOL !!

Tester was sound tho, instead of just failing me; I got a free re-test.

ubu

se&#225 wrote: »

I was that stupid person the last time, LOL !!

Tester was sound tho, instead of just failing me; I got a free re-test.

and you only had to wait a year for it :rolleyes: , the only other question i can think of is "when can you stop in a yellow box?"
there really be any surprises there not tryin to catch you out, they just want to establish that you have a good grasp of the rules of the road
best of luck anyway

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Borzoi

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Like the man says..

Oh, and best of luck to both of you

seán79

Result: FAILED

Basically, I got 10 blue marks; and you're only allowed 8.

The big ones were:
- Coasting (3 ticks) (sliding into 1st before being stationery)
- Steering wheel (3 ticks) (changing gear while in a turn => only one hand on wheel)

It's the pissey ones that are annoying me!
- 1 tick: being "too near" the kerb when completing the reverse. NB: wasn't even close to hitting it
- 1 tick: not looking over right shoulder before commencing reverse (though I did do this during the turn)
- 1 tick: failed to look left on the 3rd movement of turnabout-- even though I moved my head 360 degress through-out)
- 1 tick: not counting to 3 at a STOP sign (the road was clear!)

Does anyone else think he was a bit hard on me??!!

seán

Borzoi

se&#225 wrote: »

- 1 tick: being "near" the kerb when completing the reverse. NB: wasn't even close to hitting it

New one on me I confess. Too near without hitting it? Bizarre

se&#225 wrote: »

- 1 tick: not counting to 3 at a STOP sign (the road was clear!)

Well, the car must come to a complete halt, I didn't know there was a specified time :rolleyes:

Lookit whether or not he was harsh, there is damn all you can do, except reapply as soon as possible. Learn from it, resit the test, pass and on with it.

The pass rate is only 45%, so don't beat yourself up too much, but do get on with it.

Ravenhead - how many pointers do you need

muffinhead

hard luck sean79!

ah well, at least you have another 12 months to practice !

my instructor told me I'd pass (on my second attempt), but I failed due to a complete s#!thead of a tester - he thought I was driving too carefully, plus he hated lads under 25 :mad: !

Stark

Dear God seán79, that was VERY harsh I'm very worried about my test now. Coasting was something my instructor told me to do when I'm in a situation where cars are just stopping but are likely to start again straight away, and I often change into second gear just as I'm turning off from a traffic light And all that looking stuff, I don't think I'd ever hack it. I'd imagine the driver would fail me for my ability to move eyeballs without moving head feature

cormie

se&#225 wrote: »

Result: FAILED

Basically, I got 10 blue marks; and you're only allowed 8.

The big ones were:
- Coasting (3 ticks) (sliding into 1st before being stationery)
- Steering wheel (3 ticks) (changing gear while in a turn => only one hand on wheel)

It's the pissey ones that are annoying me!
- 1 tick: being "too near" the kerb when completing the reverse. NB: wasn't even close to hitting it
- 1 tick: not looking over right shoulder before commencing reverse (though I did do this during the turn)
- 1 tick: failed to look left on the 3rd movement of turnabout-- even though I moved my head 360 degress through-out)
- 1 tick: not counting to 3 at a STOP sign (the road was clear!)

Does anyone else think he was a bit hard on me??!!

seán

Coasting? As in, if your in a traffic jam and 2nd gear is too fast, you're not supposed to go into 1st gear or what?

Turnabout? as in a 3 point turn?

demosuzki

i think coasting is having the clutch in as you are slowing down.
like keeping it in the last 50 meters before you stop.
very common with people who teach themselves its a tough habit to break.

tough luck on the test
all i can say it take it again as soon as you can


/ds.
(who managed to crash on the way back from passing his motorbike test)

ubu

hard luck man, the marking does seem harsh alright especially to whole 'being too close to the kerb while not hitting it' thing, but theres fcuk all you can do about now, just take the experiance from it, apply again go on cancellations list if you feel you would be ready to do it again at short notice, u should get it before christmas that way

illumin

I failed my test as well today. Thought i had it in the bag When i came out my instructor told me i got the worst possible tester (( Failed me on the similar stupid things like seán79. Ive applied again, hopefully i can get a letter to fasttrack me through.

Stark

What test centre is this? I'm scared now

illumin

Rathgar/Orwell Test Centre. The guy i got, cant remember his name (it prolly wouldnt be wise to post it even if i did) is usually in Churchtown i was told by my instructor. By what i was told on the way back, i had little or no chance passing with this tester. I dont think i can get the same guy again (thank **** :P)

Stark

Oh nice one, that's nowhere near my test centre. "Steering wheel (3 ticks) (changing gear while in a turn => only one hand on wheel)" - Dear god that takes the biscuit especially the reasoning for it - "only one hand on wheel" ???? And "- 1 tick: not counting to 3 at a STOP sign (the road was clear!)" sounds seriously harsh as well. I mean it says so nowhere in the rules of the road. It's such a pity you can't protest these things.

Tommy Vercetti

illumin wrote:

Rathgar/Orwell Test Centre. The guy i got, cant remember his name (it prolly wouldnt be wise to post it even if i did) is usually in Churchtown i was told by my instructor. By what i was told on the way back, i had little or no chance passing with this tester. I dont think i can get the same guy again (thank **** :P)

Sounds like your instructor is trying to cover his own arse.

illumin

I wish that were the case

ian25

Stark wrote:

It's such a pity you can't protest these things.

Found this on the www.drivingtest.ie website :

Q. If I fail the test can I appeal against the decision of the tester?

A. Article 33 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 provides for an appeal to the District Court. The Court may affirm the decision of the tester or direct that a further test be offered to you free of charge.

Looks like you can protest, just depends whether you'd be bothered going through the courts

ravenhead

I GOT IT!!!!!! Only 2 marks - one for being to close to a car going really slow in front of me & the other one I'm tivk about - I was coming to traffic lights & the lights had been green for a good while so I new they wer r going to go orange so I slowed down & stopped as they turned orange to red - he told me that I should have kept going! Go figure.... but I have to say that only for me instrutor being a complete bit@h & really getting me to do the work I wouldn't have passed - best €150 I ever spent!!!!

aodh_rua

ravenhead wrote:

I GOT IT!!!!!! Only 2 marks - one for being to close to a car going really slow in front of me & the other one I'm tivk about - I was coming to traffic lights & the lights had been green for a good while so I new they wer r going to go orange so I slowed down & stopped as they turned orange to red - he told me that I should have kept going! Go figure.... but I have to say that only for me instrutor being a complete bit@h & really getting me to do the work I wouldn't have passed - best €150 I ever spent!!!!

Congrats! Now high-tail it to your insurer and get yourself a nice fat rebate.

ravenhead

aodh_rua wrote:

Congrats! Now high-tail it to your insurer and get yourself a nice fat rebate.

Yeah how does that work - do I have to wait until my license arrives in the post or is the thing your man gave me yesterday enough?

koneko

The cert is enough, just give them a call or pop in. All they did in my case was take a look at the cert (and write down the ref numbers possibly) and I got my rebate.

a_ominous

Yeah how does that work - do I have to wait until my license arrives in the post or is the thing your man gave me yesterday enough?

I remember bringing my licence to get copied. The thing you refer to is a certificate of competency which is not recognized by the insurance company. It doesn't show endorsements, etc.
Get your provisional in the post or yourself down to the motor tax office ASAP

mike65

As someone who passed thier test when cars were still steam-powered I wonder if I could do it today.

Mike.

ravenhead

a_ominous wrote:

I remember bringing my licence to get copied. The thing you refer to is a certificate of competency which is not recognized by the insurance company. It doesn't show endorsements, etc.
Get your provisional in the post or yourself down to the motor tax office ASAP

Thanks for the info - will do....

koneko

I'm with AXA, I was while I was a prov driver, and when I passed the test they told me to bring in (or post in) the cert, and they'd give me the discount/money (well, they posted a cheque out).

Ring your insurance company, they'll be able to tell you.

muffinhead

ravenhead wrote:

but I have to say that only for me instrutor being a complete bit@h & really getting me to do the work I wouldn't have passed - best €150 I ever spent!!!!

are you in mayo? i know one hell of a bitch who's a driving instructor - she has very high pass rates !

ravenhead

muffinhead wrote:

are you in mayo? i know one hell of a bitch who's a driving instructor - she has very high pass rates !

No tipp - she was a brill though, well worth the grief