Need driving test scandals, stories etc. Tester whistleblowers esp. welcome!

Chevano Riley

I'm in the early stages of doing a 30minute student documentary on driving tests and I'm looking to hear of any interesting true stories. I want to find out the truth behind alledged daily pass quotas, wildly-differing pass-rates and vindictive testers. Alternatively, tell me about good stories: kind testers and the like.

If you have material that I think would fit my film (and are based in/or around Dublin) I may ask you to talk on video, but even if you're not willing to be filmed I would still love to hear whatever you have to say on the subject.

Kevin.

(reply in thread or, if you'd prefer, at koreilly at gmail dot com)

tvr

yeah what about 5 tests per day for each tester. that pretty cushy . You should discuss that plus the fact they have an great holidays plus above average sick leave.

my only tip is put your indicator on when over taking a car on the road that is fully on the road if its half on the road no need to and when in the test although not neccessary just to show your are fully stopped use the hand brake at the traffic lights.

and keep your car clean inside and out and free of junk. etc.

Stark

tvr wrote:

yeah what about 5 tests per day for each tester. that pretty cushy . You should discuss that plus the fact they have an great holidays plus above average sick leave.

I think the 5 tests a day thing is mainly due to unfilled cancellation slots and people simply not showing up for their test or being sent home on a technicality.

They definitely need some kind of online system for viewing cancellation slots anyway. Someone should be able so simply login, spot a free slot and click to accept.

tvr

Stark wrote:

I think the 5 tests a day thing is mainly due to unfilled cancellation slots and people simply not showing up for their test or being sent home on a technicality.

They definitely need some kind of online system for viewing cancellation slots anyway. Someone should be able so simply login, spot a free slot and click to accept.

yeah thats a good idea , i know of a guy who cancelled his test because it was during an exam or something and someone else rang up looking for it . they said it would go to the person from the lists etc turned out the spot was never filled.

tvr

to be honest do i think they only have 5 tests a day regardless of people be send home or not . thats not an average that is what they have per day . you can see there week work sheet . Have a look at the start when they ask you to confirm your address etc . they sometimes leave it under the signs so you can clearly see what they are doing.

in all fairness people who turn up and get send home because their car isnt safe or has a broke light etc should be shot they wait long enought for the test you think they would be prepared.

regardless of the point that is stressful and they work with live being in danager etc , an civil service person who works from 9.00-5.00 should be able to factor in more than 5 tests per day especially with the wait list getting out of hand . I remember my only took about 22 mins all told , including the two mins at the end for picking up the certificate of competency.

at that stage even when i signed the certificate of competency which was in front of me still though i had failed. LOL! , he had to tell me I had passed which put a smile on my face.

unkel

tvr wrote:

yeah what about 5 tests per day for each tester. that pretty cushy

Get to the bottom of that! I don't believe that's so low because of cancellations only...

I used to work for a very big white goods manufacturer. The service engineers calling to peoples houses to fix washing machines, etc. did an average of 4 calls a day. They were all fired and contracted back on a self-employed basis being paid per call. All of a sudden, most managed to make 12-14 calls a day

tvr

Yeah unkel , your right I d say if you stuck to the standard 5 a day and gave them a bonus for every test they did there after that day you would easily see a doubling of productivity and the test time would fly down . its about motivation and the minute their civil service employees who want to do the min of work possible and get there 3 % increase or what ever it is every 6 months . retire with a guaranteed pension and a gold watch and then die.

I d say if they were self employed there would be a lot of get up and go and the ones that really want to work which there are a few would really benefit and the time would fall.

Im all for performance related pay in the civil service?

CountryWise

The system is ridiculous.
I did my test a few months back the minute he saw i was youngish fella(24) there was no way he was ever going to pass me and id like to think im a very decent driver he treated me like cr@p and im by no means a boy racer i drive a bog standard 1litre Ibiza , if he had of said nothing to me i would have preferred it, he even went as far as to give out to me before we were even driving for a minute before i even made a mistake, i was nervous enough already without that and the minute he gave out to me my legs went to jelly i couldnt help it and my confidence went!
There was also another girl leaving the test centre at the same time as me to go do her test and the other instructor was all jokes and smiles, she was good looking of course and the instructor was male.....i bet she was fairly relaxed doing her test and i bet he passed her too............not her fault or anything but still thats not equal treatment...........now im back on the waiting list while there is people i see with full licenses not able to park a car.............

My test took all of 25 minutes including everthing!!


Sorry if this is a bit off topic

Stark

What did he say to you before the test?

Don't assume the other person passed. I did my test at the same time as a girl and both of us failed.

tvr

yeah it can be like that ,

the best thing to do which I did is when your are being called and directed to the task to sign in and do the signs etc is to give the instructor a shake on the hand and a nice smile , not too cheesy . i was the last to be called and no one before me did it , it sets you apart from the others and shows your in control. he was surprised and pleased and gave a friendly smile back. Thats the best cure for being nervous , also try and get all the signs right it shows you have done your homework and preparation etc..

( I think impressions are everything aswell remember its really down to how the instructor perceives you and how you control your car)

if you turn up in a 96 glanza with bucket seats you can bet the instructor is going to have an more keener eye for errors.

Supercell

If you want to put hidden camera's in a car during a test (a pro score the drive versus the testers maybe ?), i'm game!

Have test comming up shortly, PM me if interested.

gurramok

Chevano Riley wrote:

I'm in the early stages of doing a 30minute student documentary on driving tests and I'm looking to hear of any interesting true stories. I want to find out the truth behind alledged daily pass quotas, wildly-differing pass-rates and vindictive testers. Alternatively, tell me about good stories: kind testers and the like.
/QUOTE]

How about the fact that pass rates are significantly higher in certain country areas that in city ones(check www.drivingtest.ie), it aint because that city folk are thicker

Stark

Probably because you require far less tight manouvers with country driving. They can really pick faults with city driving.

I wonder if you can get failed for not making due progress when stuck behind a tractor?

tvr

Longfield wrote:

If you want to put hidden camera's in a car during a test (a pro score the drive versus the testers maybe ?), i'm game!

Have test comming up shortly, PM me if interested.

Thats a great idea , that should defo be done. Small camera on the rear view mirror pointing outwards , you can buy a clip on ebay . might be cheaper aswell to get a separate sound recorder and place on the dash.

or do the James May with the clip on tie camera , there not that expensive.

Larry David

Most stories I have heard about unfair testers (stories from relatives, friends, etc) are usually just lame excuses for peopel who are simply poor drivers! 90% of people who fail say it wasn't their fault, and most blame the tester - bottom line is, they can't possibly fail you if you drive correctly, as they have to tell you what you did wrong at the end....and if you did nothing wrong, they can't just pull it out of thin air.

I failed my first time - my fault, and I made no pathetic excuses.
I passed my 2nd time because I learnt my sh*t properly and practiced.

wba88

that camera idea is gr8

Stark

Larry David wrote:

- bottom line is, they can't possibly fail you if you drive correctly, as they have to tell you what you did wrong at the end....and if you did nothing wrong, they can't just pull it out of thin air.

Not saying that most excuses aren't just excuses but the test sheet is easily vague enough for the tester to pull something out of thin air. The tester doesn't have to explain your faults to you if you fail.

J_R

tvr wrote:

yeah what about 5 tests per day for each tester.

The testers normal schedule per day is 9. However, he may well average only 5. For example, know one day a tester had 9 tests scheduled and only had to do 2 (two). The other 7 were "no shows". No cancellation notice, nothing, just failed to turn up.

A camera in the car would be a great idea. Unfortunately would not work, unless it was well hidden. Tester would cancel the test if he spotted it.

Wish the Irish test was the same system as the UK. There the instructor can sit in the back. Would make it more open and transparent.

Larry Wrote

bottom line is, they can't possibly fail you if you drive correctly, as they have to tell you what you did wrong at the end....and if you did nothing wrong, they can't just pull it out of thin air.

Correct. If you fail and you complain they must be able to justify their decision to their superiors. Will admit sometimes they may mark hard. Bad hair day etc, but overall they do try to be fair.

Wishbone Ash

Larry David wrote:

Most stories I have heard about unfair testers (stories from relatives, friends, etc) are usually just lame excuses for peopel who are simply poor drivers! 90% of people who fail say it wasn't their fault, and most blame the tester - bottom line is, they can't possibly fail you if you drive correctly, as they have to tell you what you did wrong at the end....and if you did nothing wrong, they can't just pull it out of thin air.

I'd go with that Larry David. I have done the driving test in every category where it is required. I failed some the first time and passed some the first time. All in all, I probably did 9 or 10 tests (all in Finglas) and I have always found the testers to be courteous, fair and impartial. When I failed, I deserved to.

Drax

My sister waited 15 months for a test, and on the big day on the way to the test centre, one of the her brake bulbs blew. The instructor refused to test her because her car was 'unroadworthy'. Needless to say she was very upset. She now has to reapply and wait another couple of months. F*cking ridiculous.

Idleater

wba88 wrote:

that camera idea is gr8

You might want to check up on the legalities of this before you do it. I am not saying it is wrong and/or can't/may not be done, I am just saying to check it out before you do it. I don't know if it is quite entrapment, but I know there are certain things you should have both parties consent for before filiming.

Now that I think of it, maybe you just need the permission to broadcast/show the recorded film publically etc... Check it out anyway beforehand.

Anyway, I have had no problems with tests or testers. Passed the car and motorcycle tests first time (once under the old system and once under the new format sheet with blue/red/green error boxes). The examiner was great each time, put me at ease and conducted the tests in a professional and corteous manner.

L.

Jimoslimos

Not so much an unfair tester but more of an inconsistency. Had a real grumpy b****d for my first time, I was polite and friendly (not expecting him to become my new best friend or anything) and this guy was downright rude. Anyway didn't think too much of it at the time and carried on to eventually fail (I'll admit the test result was probably fair - didn't make any major mistakes but my driving wouldn't have been up to scratch). Left the test centre to get something to eat and on coming back I caught sight of my tester, all smiles and laughs, the difference - he was accompanying a bit of skirt (fine lookin girl too I might add) back to the test centre.

Now my point is I don't mind if examiners are rude, grumpy, etc., as long as they're like this with everyone. Wouldn't have made much difference to me but some people can be put off / relaxed depending on the manner of the tester.

Chevano Riley

Stark wrote:

the test sheet is easily vague enough for the tester to pull something out of thin air. The tester doesn't have to explain your faults to you if you fail.

does anybody know where i could find a copy of the test sheet? do the testers give you a copy of yours to take with you after you leave?

CountryWise

Now my point is I don't mind if examiners are rude, grumpy, etc., as long as they're like this with everyone. Wouldn't have made much difference to me but some people can be put off / relaxed depending on the manner of the tester.

This is exactly my point, as long as they treat everyone the same i dont mind as much if i fail but the girl in my case had an unfair advantage, i was dead nervous and the last thing i needed was him to give out to me, where as the girls examiner was friendly and chatty.

In response to the post asking what the tester said at the start of the test to give out to me.....we had just pulled out of the test center and we went around a bend into an industrial estate, he asked me to pull in on the left(he was wasting no time, straight into my turnabout manouvre) , when he said it we were passing a factory gate, so i thought this was a little test to make sure i stopped in a safe place so i went up the road a few feet past the entrance where it was safe and not obstructing..........then he said" listen Mr Bloggs, you pull in when i tell you to pull in and he said it with a raised voice" i was fairly shocked....i would have no problem if he had of said nothing and marked me down for it instead........cause then i wouldnt have known and wouldnt have done the rest of the test with my legs shaking fom nerves......

People can say i am just making excuses and they are entitled to their opinion but i know thats not a fair way to treat anyone

alias no.9

Drax wrote:

My sister waited 15 months for a test, and on the big day on the way to the test centre, one of the her brake bulbs blew. The instructor refused to test her because her car was 'unroadworthy'. Needless to say she was very upset. She now has to reapply and wait another couple of months. F*cking ridiculous.

Was the car checked before the test? I don't know of any test center that isn't within 10 minutes of somewhere a bulb can be replaced. They're very clear on the conditions under which a car can be used for a test, if anything is ****ing ridiculous, it's turning up in a car that isn't up to scratch. For the record, my sister turned up with her tax a few days out of date and was sent home in a similar fashion. I don't blame the tester, I blame her.

Drax

alias no.9 wrote:

Was the car checked before the test?

It most certainly was. I went through all the lights and fluid levels the night before with her. I think nowadays they ask you to point out various bits of the car - dipstick etc.

Bad luck I know but a terrible decision from that c*nt of an instructor. I was livid when I heard this.

Larry David

Stark wrote:

the test sheet is easily vague enough for the tester to pull something out of thin air. The tester doesn't have to explain your faults to you if you fail.

No it isn't vague. The driving test is very specific - there is an EXACT way for doing everything, from Observation, to road & lane position, to reversing, to 3 point turn, to right turns, to Roundabouts, Progress, etc, etc - if you do all of this by the book, they can't fail you.

podgewalsh

I did my first test back in 2003 (in Dublin) and failed! the tester was not a nice man to be honest. Driving along a quiet road and a man collapsed on the path - I asked the tester should we stop and see if he was ok - he said no ! Poor man looked like he was having a heart attack...I reapplied and waited 15 months to be resat (in Wexford) and lo and behold when I arrive at the centre last week the same guy is the one testing me , what are the chances of that ?!?!..needless to say I failed again...I Have been driving for six years and am still on a provisional..It a bloody disgrace

Larry David

podgewalsh wrote:

I did my first test back in 2003 and failed! the tester was not a nice man to be honest. Driving along a quiet road and a man collapsed I asked the tester should we stop and he said no , poor man looked like he was having a heart attack...I reapplied and waited 15 months to be resat (in a different county) and lo and behold when I arrive at the centre last week the same guy is the one testing me , what are the chances of that..needless to say I failed again...I Have been driving for six years not still on a provisional..It a bloody disgrace

It's not a disgrace - you failed because you can't drive while sticking to the specific rules of the road. It's no mystery...stop making excuses.

"Needless to say...."
:rolleyes:

Yeah, needless to say you didn't improve in the 15 month interim...

Have been driving for six years not still on a provisional

If you haven't passed yet, then surely you ARE still on a provisional, no??

podgewalsh

Larry David are you a Driving Tester by any chance !?!?

podgewalsh

podgewalsh wrote:

I Have been driving for six years and am still on a provisional.

Please read the post properly before nitpicking..Its fairly obvious what I was saying ! I think its fairly cruel thing to leave someone collapse on the path...maybe thats the type of person you are but I certainly didnt like being told by him that I wasnt allowed help - End of Rant !

Eoin

Larry David wrote:

No it isn't vague. The driving test is very specific - there is an EXACT way for doing everything, from Observation, to road & lane position, to reversing, to 3 point turn, to right turns, to Roundabouts, Progress, etc, etc - if you do all of this by the book, they can't fail you.

I disagree - "failing to make progress" can mean that you didn't break the speed limit. My instructor said to do 32-33MPH, or I would be done for not making progress. This is obviously breaking the speed limit, but had I not done so, I would have failed.

Also, is there a set amount of times you should check your mirrors per minute, or is this left to the discretion of the tester? I would think there are lots of potential things that can fail you that entirely up to the judgement of the instructor.

Larry David

podgewalsh wrote:

Please read the post properly before nitpicking..Its fairly obvious what I was saying ! I think its fairly cruel thing to leave someone collappse on the path...maybe thats the type of person you are but I certainly didnt like being told by a nazi pr1ck that I wasnt allowed help - End of Rant !

How does some dude collapsing affect your driving skills? Poor excuse IMO. And I didn't nitpick - you said you "Have been driving for six years not still on a provisional" - yet you say you haven't passed your test! So are you on a provisional or not?

Larry David are you a Driving Tester by any chance !?!?

No, but I did make this video for ISM a few years ago, and spent 6 months going over and over and over the very specific rules of the road with about 5 or 6 driving testers & ISM head instructers (and the owners) who have all been in the business for years...
http://www.ism.ie/ismshop.php (2nd item)

I have also sat the test myself in 2001 - failed once, then passed. No excuses though - I just didn't know how to drive properly the first time!

podgewalsh

sure so every provisional driver who has failed their test is a crap driver , all the testers are great / fantastic / and never fail anyone they shouldnt...Yeah right ! Get yer head out of your arse...

podgewalsh

eoin_s wrote:

I disagree - "failing to make progress" can mean that you didn't break the speed limit. My instructor said to do 32-33MPH, or I would be done for not making progress. This is obviously breaking the speed limit, but had I not done so, I would have failed.

Also, is there a set amount of times you should check your mirrors per minute, or is this left to the discretion of the tester? I would think there are lots of potential things that can fail you that entirely up to the judgement of the instructor.

Totally agree with you there on both points , I didnt break the speedlimit on my test once and I got failed on "Failing to Make progress"

Larry David

podgewalsh wrote:

sure so every provisional driver who has failed their test is a crap driver , all the testers are great / fantastic / and never fail anyone they shouldnt...Yeah right ! Get yer head out of your arse...

I never made such a blanket statement. I said "MOST" people who blame the tester are making pathetic excuses. Like you: "I failed because a guy collapsed on the path nearby..."

Larry David

podgewalsh wrote:

Totally agree with you there on both points , I didnt break the speedlimit on my test once and I got failed on "Failing to Make progress"

You don't have to "break" the speed limit - you can go 10% over, without it being considered 'broken' (i.e. 33mph, 44mph) - any good instructer could have told you this. It's called "maintaining reasonable forward progress", and keeping up with the flow of traffic, and this is what the tester expects you to do!
So drop the "I failed because I refused to break the speed limit!!?? That's mks no sense! lol" attitude.

podgewalsh

I never said I failed cause a guy collapsed , The Thread is about different peoples stories on their test If you would care to read the thread Title.
I did however Fail first time round because I wasnt properly prepared but I was prepared last time around and was failed unfairly like many many others!. Just cause YOU worked "closly" with 6 or so who gives a dam...

MrPudding

Drax wrote:

I
Bad luck I know but a terrible decision from that c*nt of an instructor. I was livid when I heard this.

Yeah cnut. Imagine the cheek, not letting someone sit their test in a car that would fail the NCT. The cheek of it. I hope she got his name and reported him. :rolleyes:

Did she bring spare bulbs to the resit?

MrP

Hotblack Desiato

Drax wrote:

Bad luck I know but a terrible decision from that c*nt of an instructor. I was livid when I heard this.

So you think the tester should have happily gone out in a car with an obvious defect? In the eyes of the law the car is unroadworthy even with one blown brake light. The attitude of Irish drivers to fixing things like this is highly irresponsible, if it wasn't for the NCT I doubt many would ever check bulbs or tyres.
You're calling him rude names for not doing something he's not allowed to do.

podgewalsh wrote:

the tester was not a nice man to be honest. Driving along a quiet road and a man collapsed on the path - I asked the tester should we stop and see if he was ok - he said no !

You could stop if you like but it would mean calling off your test. Up to you.
The tester can't stop for 5 / 10 / 15 minutes in the middle of your test and still make the next one on time. The time spent driving is short enough without taking a break in the middle. It could be construed as giving you an unfair advantage.

I did however Fail first time round because I wasnt properly prepared

Not getting at you, but how often do we hear this? Imagine how much shorter the queues would be if people bothered to prepare properly for their test. If it was up to me the test fee would be €500 or €1000 but with a refund if you pass That would sort out the no-shows anyway.

Oh and about progress - if 32-33mph is on the speedo the car is probably NOT breaking the 50km/h limit (31 mph.)

podgewalsh

Give me a break FFS I was unlucky to get the same guy testing me twice- thats all..this thread has turned into a "Dont Knock The Instuctors!" Thread..all people are doing is posting their various experiences that they have had..

alias no.9

Drax wrote:

It most certainly was. I went through all the lights and fluid levels the night before with her. I think nowadays they ask you to point out various bits of the car - dipstick etc.

Bad luck I know but a terrible decision from that c*nt of an instructor. I was livid when I heard this.

I totally and utterly disagree. It wasn't even a decision because he did not have a choice whether or not to test her, he simply couldn't because the car was defective. Thats the procedure he is required to follow. To call him a c*nt for that says more about you than anything else. It was not his responsibility to provide a roadworthy car.

I can imagine the headlines when the newspapers get hold of this story...

Scandal: Employee carries out duties as required by employers

Larry David

alias no.9 wrote:

I totally and utterly disagree. It wasn't even a decision because he did not have a choice whether or not to test her, he simply couldn't because the car was defective. Thats the procedure he is required to follow. To call him a c*nt for that says more about you than anything else. It was not his responsibility to provide a roadworthy car.

I can imagine the headlines when the newspapers get hold of this story...

Scandal: Employee carries out duties as required by employers

Here here - I'm sick of people blaming testers for their own shortcomings.

Sure - not ALL testers are perfect, but the higher majority are absolutely fine, and even the 'difficult' ones can't fail you if you stuck to the rules of the road!

Jimoslimos

Larry David wrote:

You don't have to "break" the speed limit - you can go 10% over, without it being considered 'broken' (i.e. 33mph, 44mph) - any good instructer could have told you this. It's called "maintaining reasonable forward progress", and keeping up with the flow of traffic, and this is what the tester expects you to do!

Incidentally I'm interested in what the situation is if the examiner has no way of viewing the speedometer in a car. When I did my test (Yaris) the speedo was built into the dashboard and angled in such a way that it was impossible for anybody sitting in the passenger seat to see. Not that it made a difference to the result but I picked up 2 moderate faults for progress on the straight (not sure if it falls into this category?). It seems to me that an already subjective test is made worse by an examiner guessing whether your speed is either 28 or 32mph.

podgewalsh

Larry David wrote:

Here here - I'm sick of people blaming testers for their own shortcomings.

Sure - not ALL testers are perfect, but the higher majority are absolutely fine, and even the 'difficult' ones can't fail you if you stuck to the rules of the road!

How gracious of you to admit there is a problem with some of our testers :rolleyes:
How do you know the higher majority are "absolutly fine",
Is that the same way you know I am a crappy driver...
With thousands of people on 2nd and 3rd provisionals I beg to disagree with your comment the 'difficult' ones cant fail you... They can fail whoever they like whenever they like...

Larry David

podgewalsh wrote:

They can fail whoever they like whenever they like...

Not without a specific reason.


edit: if you are going to quote someone then at least quote what they said instead of making it up!

Stark

Larry David wrote:

Not without a specific reason.

The tester is under no obligation to tell you what you did wrong. You'll get a sheet at the end with a list of faults,but they're just random Xs under various categories like "observation" etc. There's nothing preventing the tester from jotting down random Xs.

Stephen

I passed both of my driving tests first time (1 bike, 1 car). Clearly I'm a ****ing legend to have been able to do this in this environment of Nazi driving testers.

:rolleyes:

The guy I had for the bike test was a surly bollix but he passed me. The guy I had for the car test was silent. Barely said a word besides grunting the odd instruction (suits me tbh, less distracting).

Did the bike test aged 20, and the car at 22, so no sign of bias against me being a young male and all there either.

Supercell

In fairness to the inspectors...

I failed my test in April in Churchtown, on clutch control and observation. I up till recently thought it was the tester being a cúnt as the reverse around a corner and turnabout went flawlessly (aka the *hard stuff*)

Well, have another test soon and have been getting lessons from an instructor recommended to me by some one else on boards and he asked me to take a drive around thye local area first lesson, and then he scored me and then asked to see the test sheet from the failed test.
Guess what..they were very very similar!!
He couldnt believe some of the things my previous instructer told me (eg always hand brake at every blind junction before turning, stop at a stop sign then creep to the solid white line etc etc)
I simply drove badly, partially because I had bad lessons but anyhow would have failed on clutch control (got the car a week before the test and hadn't got it smooth) anyhow - 4 grade twos.

I'd still do a hidden camera thing , but no longer feel i was hard done by last time..well perhaps the last instructor was a pile of crap that frankly told me incorrect things which the inspecter picked up on correctly.

Of course if I fail it this time (and think its unfair) its throw a hissy fit time again

dochasach

Larry David wrote:

Here here - I'm sick of people blaming testers for their own shortcomings.

Sure - not ALL testers are perfect, but the higher majority are absolutely fine, and even the 'difficult' ones can't fail you if you stuck to the rules of the road!

I strongly disagree, people can fail the test for arbitrary reasons which have nothing to do with the rules of the road or safety. If you passed the test, chances are you may be a reasonably good driver, you have a serviceable car AND you are very lucky (tester in a good mood...).

The film sounds like a worthwhile project. I wish RTE and the mainstream media had more guts and creativity to look into Ireland's driving test fiasco. Here are a couple of suggestions:

1) Ask the driving test office if they have any statistics on accident rate of drivers who passed vs drivers who failed. (The fact that they don't or are unwilling to publish this is suspicious) One easy to find statistic is the pass rate of females vs males and the crash rate of males. Even this suggests that boy racers are more likely to pass and more likely to crash.

2) Ask the driving test office if they have any statistics on accident rate of testers (when the tester is at the wheel, of course!)

3) Investigate stories of those who failed when they asked the tester to wear a safety belt, and the tester refused.

4) If you can find evidence of quotas and premarked test sheets, run with it but be sure you have plenty of evidence for these claims.

5) Be careful of legal issues if you try a hidden camera. If all testers were confident of their methodology, they shouldn't object to a non-hidden camera if the driver being tested also agrees to it. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

I've driven a quarter of a century and a quarter of a million miles in snow, ice mountains and heavy traffic without a single crash or a single insurance claim. I've passed several driving tests outside of Ireland and I find the Irish driver testing system to be very very broken.

Stark

Longfield wrote:

He couldnt believe some of the things my previous instructer told me (eg always hand brake at every blind junction before turning, stop at a stop sign then creep to the solid white line etc etc)

:eek:

My last instructor was supposed to have a very high student pass rate even though he told me such bull**** as "weave in and out of the parked cars as you must always keep to the left of the road". He also had some funny handbrake rules which to this day I'm still unsure about. (something to do with whether you're first, second or third car from the lights and crap, plus different rules for different stopping situations. I was well confused).