places to practice driving

jackofnotrades

Hello there,

My girlfriend has just recently got her provisional license and is about to start taking lessons. She just wants to get some basics down before paying for lessons. Does anyone know any places, like big open spaces, beaches, empty carparks on a sunday etc where she could practice stopping, starting and changing gears. She already tried dollymount beach but there are now loads of big boulders around and she doesn't have enough space.

Thanks for any help in advance,
Jack

68 lost souls

Where abouts are you based so we can try and suggest an area near you?

jackofnotrades

We are living in walkinstown at the minute but her family home is in clontarf. We have a car anyway so anywhere in the Dublin burbs so long as its quiet and no chance of bumping into anything

R.O.R

Morning or evening on Bettystown beach is generally fairly quiet and there are stretches where it's rare to come across anyone. Bit far out, but you can always head over to Funtasia and kick her ass on Sega Rally after she's finished practising.

Justdon't venture in to the soft sand. It's about €100 to get the tractor to pull you out.

68 lost souls

There are times when the Rathfarnham shopping is pretty empty, Im sure the car park in there would be a good spot to practice, often lateish they leave the gates open and you can go in and practice, or square the car park can be pretty empty around the time of the last showing in the cinema. Dunno what the securitys view is on people learning there though.

Yellow Snow

I'm learning to drive too at the moment and in between my lessons I head up the the Fonthill Industrial Estate the odd evening. I'm a nervous driver around any sort of traffic so I find the place great! By 7pm the latest all the car parks are empty (maybe one or two still in the Lidl carpark if it's open late) and there is buckets of room to practice away without seeing another car. A lot of the driving schools take pupils there too i've noticed to practice reversing around corners and stuff too. There's also a good stretch of open road that has very little traffic if any on it to get some gear changing practice in.

It's near the NTC centre and they give a good map on their site if you aren't sure where it is!!

http://www.ncts.ie/locations/maps/fonthill.html

Just stick to the car parks on the Power City side of the road (see map) and you'll have loads of open spaces!

Best of luck to her!

Macca206

Wheres is best to learn to drive in Dublin city centre? Im looking for a quiet stretch of road for the 1st couple lessons to get used to starting, stopping etc so needs to be fairly quiet.

Wishbone Ash

Threads merged.

Macca206

Would phoenix park be an ok spot?

I-PITY-THE-FOOL

If you're in Walkinstown you should consider heading up to CityWest, place is empty on Sunday mornings especially

GreeBo

For the basics all you need is ~30M of road.
You can do 10 start-stops in that space, then do them same in reverse and start again.
Anything more than that you should use an instructor.

Lindaloo

I used Glasnevin Industrial Estate when I started out with my instructor and it was great, hill starts, lots of turns both sharp and easy and a number of longish roads.

compgeek

Hi Guys,


Sorry to open up a old thread but this question is also on my mind.

I currently have a learners permit and in between lessons, I would like to get some extra practice in. I am living in the Glasnevin / Drumcondra area.

Is there anywhere around here (big empty carparks etc) where I could go to practice?


Thanks.