Hibernian Ignition Course

Alkers

Thinking of doing this soon as I've recently got my full license. Has anyone done it? Whats the exam like?
Thanks

seamus

It's grand. You'll go out with the instructor, two to a car. You'll both drive around a local route in turn. Throughout the route, the instructor will throw questions at you - how fast are you going, is there a car behind you, and so on.
These are mainly diversionary questions. That is, as you approach a 50km/h sign, he'll ask you a question about the car behind you. You'll look in your mirror, miss the speed limit sign and end up over the limit. They are also there to assess how much you're paying attention to what you're doing.
Don't fret too much about this drive. At the end, he'll give you a big list of what you did wrong, ask you why you did them and so on.
Then the instructor will drive the route and give a running commentary as they go about what they're doing and what they're looking out for. They then talk more about general tips and tricks and generally give advice.

Then you do a different route, doing your best to put the advice given into practice. You're not expected to be perfect but you are expected to be able to justify your decisions. You don't need to give a running commentary, but they will ask you questions.
At the very end, the instructors marks your first run on a variety of items, then marks your second run, shows you the sheet and asks if you agree and then gets you to sign it. They can't give you a pass or fail. They send the sheets to data entry bots at Hibernian who feed it into a machine which spits out your result.

It's not a huge deal and it's nothing like the driving test. Remember that the instructors make mistakes too, just drive logically.

I remember on mine, there was a van parked on my side of the road, but also at a petrol station entrance. As I approached, I saw a car moving towards the exit of the station and a car some distance away on the opposite side of the road. As I got to the van, I could no longer see the car coming out of the station, so I overtook the van and slowly moved past it until I could see the station exit. Then I carried on.
She queried me on this - why didn't I go quickly past the van as there was a car coming down the road? She hadn't seen the car coming out of the station - If I had accelerated quickly, he may have pulled out and hit me.

Sometimes there are no right answers.

BobTheBeat

Its fine. You wont have any problems if you listen to and repeat each bit of advice the instructor gives you. Its very practical info and will actually help you in your everyday driving. Best of luck with it!;)

jameshayes

I called and asked about it a few months ago and I got a quote pending i compelted the course and the quote was still more than Quinn..

Is it like a test in the sense that you should drive with your hands 10&2, feed the wheel etc?

Jeapy

The morning session is boring enough but they ask questions to keep you on your toes and show you videos etc. The afternoon is very informal. An instructor asks questions like how to check you oil, tread (sp) depth etc, tells you where to go, what youre doing wrong and on your next run, you have to put it all into practice. The instructor in my car was very friendly and we all had a big chat!
Its nothing like the real test, far less scary! You find out then at the end what discount you will be given and can get insured the following day. my insurance dropped nearly 400 after it!
Good luck!