Passed Driving Test

Pipp

Apologies to regular posters if this thread seems irrelevant/annoying but I felt the need to post my experience as encouragement to those among us who might be facing the test and feeling the effects of nerves.
Ive been driving for just over a year and a half and I applied for my test about six months after my first lesson as I felt I needed time just pottering about the local area in my car to get used to things.
So, I got the letter with my test appointment a month ago and started pre-test lessons straight away.
Now, according my instructor I had lots of issues to clear up which I did with lots and lots (and I mean lots) of practice and five pre-test lessons.
I had a mock test which I failed and in my warm-up lesson before the test I did all kinds of silly things which had the instructor red-faced and me in a knot!! I was actually very close to vomiting with nerves just before I went in so I went for a walk around the block and had a good talking to myself to calm down and get in there and pass. And I did.
I had four marks against me which isnt bad, and I did everything perfectly except the reverse around the corner. I grazed the kerb with my wheel while doing the manouver and was convinced I had failed for that. I sort of paniced a bit at that point but the tester just said very calmly carry on please we're not finished yet. He was very calm and polite and Im sure that that rubbed off on me and allowed me to continue on the rest of the route and even negotiate a very difficult junction that I had major isues with before perfectly.
Anyway, I guess what Im trying to say is that if you put in your practice and get a good lot of lessons with someone who knows the area then you will be fine. I never thought I'd pass and I did, first time and if I can do it then anyone can.
Put in the work and youll get the result you want.

trilo

hey pip, congrats on passing your test..well done!

Cheese Princess

Well done Pip!! I am doing my test on 21st November and have been driving for just over a year as well. Since I changed jobs I don't drive to work any more and have found myself only driving about once a week now. So I'm really nervous that I'll mess it up.
Looks like all your lessons and pre-test paid off though so I'll think I'll do the same. Where did you do the test??

Car Mad

congrats at least thats one more gone off the waiting list

Pipp

Cheese Princess wrote:

Well done Pip!! I am doing my test on 21st November and have been driving for just over a year as well. Since I changed jobs I don't drive to work any more and have found myself only driving about once a week now. So I'm really nervous that I'll mess it up.
Looks like all your lessons and pre-test paid off though so I'll think I'll do the same. Where did you do the test??

Hi Cheese Princess,
I did my test in Gorey in Co. Wexford. The lessons really do pay off as the instructor will go through all the different test routes the tester can pick from. Certain junctions in Gorey have a real "art" to them if you know what I mean and if you werent shown how to do them correctly then you'd never know. Find a good instructor in the area youre doing your test are start taking lessons now.

I couldnt believe the amount of faults I had the first time I went out with the instructor. If I hadnt gotten the lessons and went into the test as I was driving before I would have failed spectacularly! :rolleyes:
I find myself driving the way that she taught me automatically now which is great as even the tester remarked that my driving is "the correct way to drive, well done":D
Thanks for the congratulations everyone, Im still grinning!:D

C_Breeze

Congrarulations.- I finished school , you dont see me bragging.

tk123

Sorry but I think thats a bit harsh C_Breeze. People coming back with feedback from tests is exaclty what we need - especially when it's positive feedback that the rest of us who are waiting for tests can take on. Well done OP!

godtabh

I passed mine. Was very nervous. Even more so after the test. Passed in the end and was delighted.

Its easy to get this wrong when your like that and it was a good call going for that walk.

Not taking anything away from your achievement but I thought if you hit/touched the curb it was a fail? My instructor kept saying that. Maybe it was just to put me off doing it.

When my mam did her test 30 years ago she mounted the cerb. The tester said your fine do it again there is not need to be nervous!

godtabh

C_Breeze wrote:

Congrarulations.- I finished school , you dont see me bragging.

And I'm sure some people were delighted.

tk123 wrote:

Sorry but I think thats a bit harsh C_Breeze. People coming back with feedback from tests is exaclty what we need - especially when it's positive feedback that the rest of us who are waiting for tests can take on. Well done OP!

Right on!

Anan1

C_Breeze wrote:

Congrarulations.- I finished school , you dont see me bragging.

Tosser.

unkel

Congrats, Pipp

Pipp wrote:

except the reverse around the corner. I grazed the kerb with my wheel while doing the manouver and was convinced I had failed for that

As long as you were fully aware of all traffic around you and acted safely, I feel you shouldn't fail a test just for that

C_Breeze

i said congratrulations, well done , seriously. Sheesh , some of u cant even take a smart quip. well done pipp, hope u can put what youve learned to practice on the roads

Wishbone Ash

C_Breeze wrote:

i said congratrulations, well done , seriously. Sheesh , some of u cant even take a smart quip. well done pipp, hope u can put what youve learned to practice on the roads

C_Breeze - you've been lying low lately! Welcome back.

Noelie

Hi Pipp congratulations on passing the test, however your story just outlines how bad driving is in this country, I'm not having a go at you, just motorists in general.
You say you were driving for a year and a half, but you still need to do 5 pretests, and in your words "lots and lots (and I mean lots) of practice". If i was doing something for 18 months i would expect to pass it without much trouble. also for you to think you'll fail your test cause you clipped a curb is a little nieve.

Don't let this take away for your happyness, and i do indeed mean well done for passing your test, i know how nervouse you get on the day of it, but in general the standerd of irish driving is awful and your story outlines it just a little.

Stark

That's pretty insulting no matter how you try and dress it up.

mmenarry

Congrats!

smemon

Noelie wrote:

the standerd of irish driving is awful and your story outlines it just a little.

anyway, driving home a couple of nights ago, some eejit overtook me with no lights on - on a pitch black road and sped off into the distance. :rolleyes:

Also, it drive me nuts when people travel well below the speed limit on a wide straight stretch of road. When will people learn that is quite dangerous. If i choose to closely follow that car and not overtake, you'll get some boy racer trying to overtake 2 or 3 cars in 1990 peugot 106 :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

if everyone travels at the speed limit, everyone's happy and no-one can complain.

Supercell

Congrats Pip.

Bet it felt great taking those L plates down!

Happy non learner driver motoring

besty

Have my test at 10 tomorrow. Hopefully I can second Pipp's joy!

Idbatterim

where did u do test Pipp?

Pipp

Noelie wrote:

Hi Pipp congratulations on passing the test, however your story just outlines how bad driving is in this country, I'm not having a go at you, just motorists in general.
You say you were driving for a year and a half, but you still need to do 5 pretests, and in your words "lots and lots (and I mean lots) of practice". If i was doing something for 18 months i would expect to pass it without much trouble. also for you to think you'll fail your test cause you clipped a curb is a little nieve.

Don't let this take away for your happyness, and i do indeed mean well done for passing your test, i know how nervouse you get on the day of it, but in general the standerd of irish driving is awful and your story outlines it just a little.

I take your point and I know you arent insulting me personally:D

I realise that 18 months is a long time but since I started relatively late in life and had never sat behind the wheel of a car before then it seemed to take me a long time to build confidence in my skills as a driver. My post was a little unclear in the way that I needed lots of practice and such which would seem to indicate that I was a crap driver, which wasnt the case. I just had some bad habits is all and the pre-tests reconditioned me not to do those things.

It was the reversing around the corner that was the bugbear for me which was the thing I had to practice over and over. I had done it perfectly just before the test and thought I had it nailed but I suppose due to nerves I grazed the kerb - which I thought was a fail but it turned out that the tester just gave me one blue negative mark for it. (My instructor told me this was a fail but according to the tester its not)

Anyway, the pre-tests gave me the skills to know the various test routes and be able to judge what was coming next and act accordingly which is why I posted in the first place, to tell anyone thats getting a test soon to get pre-test lessons. I didnt mean in my post that I was a crap driver and needed loads of lessons just to pass.. I hope that clears that up.:D

I agree with you that certain people driving on Irish roads have no clue what they are doing and shouldnt be driving at all, Id like to think that I was a competent driver and not one of these "accident waiting to happen" types.

The main thing I wanted to say on this board is that the driving test isnt as bad as what you think and if youre well prepared and drive in the manner that we are told to in the rules of the road then you will be just fine.

Noelie

Hey Pipp, having read over my post it does seem as if i'm having a go at you, that was not my intention and i'm sorry if i did insult you.

And Smemon my standard of spelling is awful.

Pipp

Noelie wrote:

Hey Pipp, having read over my post it does seem as if i'm having a go at you, that was not my intention and i'm sorry if i did insult you.

And Smemon my standard of spelling is awful.

Hey,
No problem at all..
I wasnt insulted by your post at all, my post was pretty poorly written anyway. :rolleyes:
Pipp

Jimoslimos

Congrats on passing Pipp!

I've actually just passed mine 2 days ago here in London (having already tried and failed in Dublin 2 years ago). Reverse round corner was also one of my fears coming up to the test but it went without a hitch on the day.
Its hard to say which was more difficult, but its shambolic that there is no parking manoeuvers in the Irish test. Also the transparency in the English test is far better, examiner went through my faults afterwards and told me exactly where they happened and what I should have done, whereas in Ireland I got handed a piece of paper that looked like an old game of battleship and the examiner refused to answer my questions regarding where I had went wrong. Anyway rant over:) and congratulations again since I know how difficult it is to pass in Ireland

Stark

They'll tell you your faults if you pass in Ireland as well. Unfortunately they don't tell you your faults if you fail and the piece of paper they hand is pretty much meaningless.

Wishbone Ash

smemon wrote:

if everyone travels at the speed limit, everyone's happy and no-one can complain.

That would be impossible. Many vehicles are legally obliged to travel at a speed which is well below the general speed limit.

Examples:

Goods vehicles >3,500 kg = 80kph
Buses = 80kph
Buses with standing passengers = 64kph
Vehicles towing another = 80kph
Moped = 45kph

And the vast array of vehicles which are, by design, slow moving. e.g agricultural and construction machinery/plant.

smemon

Wishbone Ash wrote:

That would be impossible. Many vehicles are legally obliged to travel at a speed which is well below the general speed limit.

Examples:

Goods vehicles >3,500 kg = 80kph
Buses = 80kph
Buses with standing passengers = 64kph
Vehicles towing another = 80kph
Moped = 45kph

And the vast array of vehicles which are, by design, slow moving. e.g agricultural and construction machinery/plant.

obviously i've no problem with a bus / lorry under the limit if they just don't have the power/speed. But i'm talking about cars here who do have the speed.You then get people sleeping at traffic lights and slow to take off...

what REALLY annoys me is people that will speed out from junctions when really they should wait and then have the balls to drive slowly well below limit. i long for the day when computers control cars and everyone is right on the limit - not able to go above or under it unless turning.

i hate it when people will literally stop at junctions even if there's nothing coming with plenty of visability.

Stark

Chill, you might live longer. You'll be saying you're one of those people who beeps the horn if someone "delays" for 0.5s at the lights next.

Wishbone Ash

smemon wrote:

obviously i've no problem with a bus / lorry under the limit if they just don't have the power/speed.

It's a legal limit for trucks/buses - nothing to do with speed/power. But I agree with the general sentiments of your argument.

i hate it when people will literally stop at junctions even if there's nothing coming with plenty of visability.

If there is a 'STOP' sign, one is legally obliged to stop regardless of what the traffic situation is.

Seth Brundle

C_Breeze wrote:

Congrarulations.- I finished school , you dont see me bragging.

No trolling

smemon wrote:

you'll get some boy racer trying to overtake 2 or 3 cars in 1990 peugot 106 :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

The 106 was released in 1991!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_106

smemon wrote:

if everyone travels at the speed limit, everyone's happy and no-one can complain.

Whilst I would love this to happen, I realise that a speed limit is a limit not a target. People should not be pressurise into driving at a speed that they do not feel comfortable doing.

Wishbone Ash

Jimoslimos wrote:

but its shambolic that there is no parking manoeuvers in the Irish test

In category B, some testers request that you park properly at the test centre before finishing. (I'm not sure whether they mark on it though).

In other categories, it's a standard feature of the test, and in C+E (articulated truck) one is requested to reverse into a mock-up loading bay.

ClaireBear90

Booked my driving test in Gorey and waiting on a date. Are there many different test routes in Gorey?

kasper

this is an old thread and will soon be locked try posting in the learning to drive section it should be more helpful

mink_man

Anan1 wrote: »

Tosser.

ya what a tosser

-Chris-

kasper wrote: »

this is an old thread and will soon be locked try posting in the learning to drive section it should be more helpful

Yep, please post in the Learning to Drive forum to find out more about this.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=909