Successful - post here

marieos30

Yay.I get to post here too.Second attempt. 1st time in SGS Finglas and second time in RSA Finglas. Passed today with 4 faults.Delighted!!

Alanstrainor

theleprechaun wrote: »

Finally get to post on this page:D
Passed my test on the second attempt in Tipperary. Got 3 grade two faults. Sound tester! Delighted to finally have passed.:D:D:D:D:cool::pac:;)
Good luck to everyone else sitting tests soon.

marieos30 wrote: »

Yay.I get to post here too.Second attempt. 1st time in SGS Finglas and second time in RSA Finglas. Passed today with 4 faults.Delighted!!

Congrats lads, and welcome to boards marieos30!

mrs munch 2000

Passed in Fonthill on Friday on my 5th attempt - over the moon
Went straight down to Naas with my cert in my sweaty little paw (and managed to miss the N7 exit on my first legal-ish trip on the M50!) The tester put the fear of god into me of losing the cert - stories of certs getting lost in the post and the RSA refusing to reissue them :eek:

The tester was lovely - I was desparately nervous and he really did his utmost to put me at ease.

All over now TG!

Kimbot

YAY... i passed in Roscommon today. The bloke was bang on. As they say... 3rd time lucky

fletch...

Passed this morning on my first test in swords!
Did the test in my discovery which I was constantly told "im wasting my time doing the test in that" and driving less then 2 months!(been a biker about 8 years tho)
get a bloody good instructor and listen to every word and advise he/she says and drill that advise into your head. practice, practice , practice!

Martly

Passed last week in Churchtown. 2nd test. Tester was in his 60's and was a bit deaf ha ha but he was grand. I got 3 faults..Yay im delighted to have it over with

Savman

Passed today at SGS Ballymun centre, have to say the feckin relief is something else. Now, some observations on the whole topic of L drivers on the road etc etc. That was my 4th attempt in 3 years driving. I failed both first and second attempts at the Finglas centre, with the same tester. It was like groundhog day, I knew he was never gonna pass me the second time. Third time I went to Raheny and failed using a family member's car (my car's NCT was out). I don't think I did anything dangerous or silly in any of the tests, and I felt hard done by the 2nd and third times in particular.

But whatever. I spent 2hrs with an ISM instructor who, while being a good tutor, just showed me how to do what needed to be done to pass the test and not really make me a better driver in any way. So it's definitely true that we teach people how to pass an exam rather than teaching people how to drive, which is a different thing entirely. The sad truth is, I'm no better a driver today than I was yesterday and my very basic principle still applies when on the road: try not to hit anything. I had to bit my tongue on here in the last few months with some of the ignorant and condescending comments people made towards Provisional Drivers, like they were the cause of all the country's problems.

I should point out that I was able to build up 3yrs NCB on a private policy and another 2yrs NCB on a commercial policy, both in my own name. So while the high horse brigade might like to believe Provisional Drivers are dangerous lunatics, in reality this simplistic generalization is nothing more than road rage spilling onto a web forum. Everyone has someone to blame and everyone seems to point the finger at someone else, the government, the polish, the nigerians, the L drivers, the gardai, the infrastructure, the RSA, feckin Gay Byrne...a little responsibility wouldn't go astray tbh.

I'm not saying I'm a perfect driver, heaven knows I'm not and some will say I'm one of the lucky ones who got "pushed thru" by a softy softy SGS backed by an authority desperately trying to clear a backlog before July 1st. I can say to anyone who might think they are in for an easier ride with SGS to think again, the guy I had was probably more thorough and prenickity than any of the aulfellas I had before. Really made it clear I was up against it but was also good enough to point out afterwards where my faults occured and why. At least I know he could actually back up his score sheet with some good advice unlike the usual routine of "here's your sheet, now feck off and don't speak to me" - total cop out IMHO.

A female friend of mine went for her test with SGS only last month and passed simply because the tester took a liking to her, flirted with her the entire time and offered to pass her if she "gave him a hug":rolleyes:
So no matter how good a system, when people are involved it will always be flawed, so it's pointless championing this perfect system that only passes good drivers and fails really bad drivers. It don't work that way at all folks.

So, in hindsight, the end justified the means because I was forced to perk up some aspects of my game that definitely help in the long run, but I also got a cold hard lesson in how screwed up the system really is. I won't be quick to get on the case of L-drivers because I was one for so long and the only advice I can offer is to try not to let it get on top of you. You can pass with flying colours or you can just be unlucky and get a moany aul fecker, just keep reapplying and keep the chin up!

This is just one man's journey to that illusive pink club, I'm just glad it's over with tbh...now it's back to the "every man for himself" mentality and normal service can resume.

Alanstrainor

Threads merged

greydiamond

Whats got 2 thumbs and just passed? This guy!:D

Dont worry, it was my 3rd time round. Just keep practicing and you'll get it.


Best of luck to everyone!:)

rain on

Third time lucky here today as well. Passed in Skibbereen with four grade 2s, after no lessons since last year!

Now to unsubscribe from this forum

dudara

Passed on my 2nd attempt with SGS in Dun Laoighre. (1st attempt was in Rathgar Road). Very pleased, I don't think I fully deserved to pass first time, but I know I'm a much better driver now and it was nice to pass. The SGS tester pointed out a few things to continue to work on also, which was a nice touch. (I had 2 x grade 2 in the reversing section as I reversed down the middle of the road - otherwise a clear sheet).

Wertz

Good stuff folks...congratulations and happy driving.

Mellor

Ship it,

Passed,

First time

Nools

YAWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

i passed 2nd times a charm in baldoyle! 3 grade 2's and im delighted! woo just in time too with this operation clamp down!

Alanstrainor

Congrats lads!

smoke

Passed yesterday! Excireh and delireh (spellcheck).

Did it in Tyrellstown. Didnt even really know the area! 3 grade 2s.

My advice for the test is take your time and really over emphasize your observation and be really careful with road positioning (can't believe I'm trying to give advice!).

The tester was one of the nicest people I've ever met!!!

Thanks to everyone herefor their advice. Really helped alot.

Maddison

I passed my test on the 25th March, 2 weeks later I back ended a van.....I hate driving:mad:

helios

Passed today on my first try. I was at the test centre in Roxboro in Limerick. Tester was really nice, and I only had about 5-6 marks. Sweet.

Great timing too before the new rules come in

I already hold a full foreign licence, so that experience might have helped as well

Alanstrainor

helios wrote: »

Passed today on my first try. I was at the test centre in Roxboro in Limerick. Tester was really nice, and I only had about 5-6 marks. Sweet.

Great timing too before the new rules come in

I already hold a full foreign licence, so that experience might have helped as well

There's a sticky for this kinda stuff.

kwalsh000

Passed today in Swords, second time around. Failed first time in Raheny. Tester was grand, while he did not talk during the test, he was fair with marking and while nervous i was no where near as bad as next last time and he even went through the mistakes i did make. Now to burn the L plates

Splinter

just passed mine in swords, tester was nice and didnt talk but i wasnt nervous

2nd time to try, first was finglas

Ciaran500

Just passed in Fonthill, 1st attempt and got 3 grade 2's.

2 of them idiotic mistakes due to nerves. Missed my chance to pull out onto a roundabout, got a progress mark for that and rolled back a bit on my hill start.

Alanstrainor

splinter wrote: »

just passed mine in swords, tester was nice and didnt talk but i wasnt nervous

2nd time to try, first was finglas

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Just passed in Fonthill, 1st attempt and got 3 grade 2's.

2 of them idiotic mistakes due to nerves. Missed my chance to pull out onto a roundabout, got a progress mark for that and rolled back a bit on my hill start.

kwalsh000 wrote: »

Passed today in Swords, second time around. Failed first time in Raheny. Tester was grand, while he did not talk during the test, he was fair with marking and while nervous i was no where near as bad as next last time and he even went through the mistakes i did make. Now to burn the L plates

Congrats Lads,

Overature

i have six weeks to mine, by then ill be just 18, im pissing myself all ready

i_hate_rain

i passed first time today in gorey i am delighted everything was going wrong all week for me and i did it in a strange car!:)

Savman

good shtuff

Heroditas

This post follows on from my previous one in the "fail" thread!
I had failed on March 19th in Tallaght with SGS but got my retest on the 9th of June.
This time I only had 5 grade 2s and a single grade 1!
My observation only got me 2
Grade 2s this time - taking off and turning left.
I also got a grade 2 for my position turning right and also made a bit of a mess reversing around the corner - I over-compensated and fish-tailed. The corner was quite a tough one because it was on a slight incline so it was quite easy to lose sight of it in the mirrors. Still .... these things can't be helped. The instructor said he used that corner specifically because it was a tough test.
My last fault was ... shock, horror... clutch! I stalled the car on the very first turn getting off the Greenhills road into the industrial estate. I was mortified and was sure it wasn't going to be my day.


The instructor again was nice. He stuck to the script and didn't say anything during the test bar give me the directions but he gave excellent directions and gave me loads of time.
Also, I used the same driving lesson guy for both my tests and he really was excellent and worked very hard to improve my driving.
Popped the certificate in the post and got my licence back on the 13th of June - YAY!!!

Karl_2008

Well Booked my test a few months ago got the letter and rang sgs and got Deansgrange. Being from the northside i had no clue where deansgrange was or anything about the area. Drove out found the test centre and pratcted the roads and area 3 nights in a row. Got only one pretest from a woman called kathlean in churchtown she didnt take me on the deans grange route but if your a good driver it shouldnt matter where you take your pretests as long as you good behind the wheel. Passed my test there thismorning with only 1 grade 2 falut ( for observation) tester was nice didnt say much durning the test, got asked about 6 questions and 8 road signs which i already knew from the rules of the road book. I read this book inside out.

Little helper would be to get rescue remadey from the chemist take 3-4 drops the morning of the test and it helps calm your nerves and more in control...

found this site veryhelpful for pointers and tips leading up to the test..

Good luck in your test.:D:D:D:D:D:D:p

Alanstrainor

post moved.

I passed my car test today. First time doing it in a car,well chuffed as I only had one lesson . Did the test at the SGS centre in Blackrock,Cork. The tester was very good. Really put me at ease and gave good clear direction on what he wanted me to do.