Test in Churchtown. Route?

JaysusMacfeck

Have my test in Churchtown in September. Does anyone have any tips about this route? Any particular junctions/roundabouts I should be wary of? Also, can driving instructors take you on the driving test route?

Thanks

WizZard

Yes, any good driving instructor will bring you around several routes in that area (there is more than one route a tester can take) to familiarise you with them.

If they don't offer, ask.

Noelie

Whats the fixation with knowing the test route, your not being tested if you know the route. People should have to do the test in a strange place to them so they are truely being tested, see how the driver reacts to unknown roads.

Supercell

JaysusMacfeck wrote:

Have my test in Churchtown in September. Does anyone have any tips about this route? Any particular junctions/roundabouts I should be wary of? Also, can driving instructors take you on the driving test route?

Thanks

Did two tests there, one on the Bike (passed) and one on the car (failed).

Both roughly followed the same route. Both involved lots of time driving through housing estates with narrow roads and little main road driving, so make sure your reaction to potential hazards is by the book.

Also leaving the Supervalue carpark you'll encounter a stop sign about 10 feet back from the associated continous white line..the bike instructor told me to stop before the white line, the car one said stop at the stop sign and then move to the white line just ahead (which i did (in the car) and fealt totally daft and he marked me down when I was doing it).
Its not a particularily technical route imho but the tester standard seems vastly different , both my tests were with different testers and tbh fealt I drove both times pretty safely, on the bike test got 2 grade one (minor faults) on the car the aul bollix gave loads of grade twos and no grade ones even...bah..am i bitter yes..did it really matter ..nope..I drove away after failing the test..
Have a drive around the local estates around the Nutgrove shopping centre which is where most of the test driving was done both time and get a feel for the area and if you get a sound tester you should be ok if you can handle a car safely.

Best of luck!!

mirage madness

had my test in churchtown annd passed. they bring you to meadowmount i think for three point turn. hill beside dropping well for hill start and reverse round corner in rathmines. Airport school is very good for pre test!!!!

JaysusMacfeck

Thanks very much for the tips, lads. I think I'd be a lot more comfortable in the test if I knew all the places he was bringing me.

Test is next Monday! If anyone has some more tips about this route, please post. Thanks

Supercell

Just drive around the area on Sunday, there is no one test route, the tester can take you wherever he likes - my bike and car tests were mostly in different housing estates with very very little main road driving.
Practice your yield signs, stop signs, turning left and right after a stop/yield etc..
Good luck

Idleater

Longfield wrote:

Practice your yield signs, stop signs, turning left and right after a stop/yield etc..
Good luck

Yeah, just drive around there and get the feel for the traffic in the neighbourhood.

Watch out at the traffic lights at the bottle tower - there is a sequence for turning right (off braemor road) that you can be caught turning on Red because of the way the lights change. Just don't follow the car in front through on green because you can get stuck in the middle of the junction on Red.

Nothing really wrong per say, but in a test situation I would rather avoid a stream of cars beeping me out of the way/pedestrians shaking fists etc.

Arrive early and nab a decent parking space near the exit of the car park with loads of room to get out safely. An easy start settles you down nicely. When you get back, park in front ways, in any easy spot.

L.

mikedragon32

If you do get the hill start on the hill just off Braemor Road (heading towards the Castle Golf Club), just be mindful of the fact that there are usually cars parked either side of the road on the crest of the hill. Stay cool, particularly if there's oncoming traffic. If I were you, I'd practice there as it will prepare you for any of the hills they use for that segment of the test.

Remember, you may end up taking a route used by the Rathgar centre too.

It's now harm to head up to Mountain View and Meadowbrook also for the other manouvers you'll have to attempt.

I agree with nereid about the parking bit, but would recommend you reverse into your parking space when arriving to the test so that you can drive straight out.

You may be asked also about your engine (where the oil goes for example) so no harm to have a look under the bonnet and familiarise yourself with what's going on under there!

Best of luck.

Stark

nereid wrote:

Watch out at the traffic lights at the bottle tower - there is a sequence for turning right (off braemor road) that you can be caught turning on Red because of the way the lights change. Just don't follow the car in front through on green because you can get stuck in the middle of the junction on Red.

Nothing really wrong per say, but in a test situation I would rather avoid a stream of cars beeping me out of the way/pedestrians shaking fists etc.

Do you mean that the lights turn red, but oncoming traffic is still allowed through?