Best advice you got?

ergonomics

So my test is looming near and quick (Tuesday!) and I'm getting quite nervous. I've been asking all my friends for the best bit of advice they received while learning and picked up a few gems. Thought it would be nice if we could all share our best advice here cause you never know what you might learn!

The best advice I got so far was this: When driving along, if you turn the wheel more than a fraction to the right or left (Say going around a junction, or a sharp bend) always check the mirrors of the direction you're turning. It may sound wholly simple but I always checked my mirrors at junctions but never thought to check them on a bend. Since I was told my instructor has been full of praises for my observation.

Another one I got seems a bit cheeky but kinda does make sense. I don't know if I'd pass it on as advice though. A lot of people have told me that when I'm doing my test I should wear dangly earrings (I'm a girl) because any slight movement in my head for observation will make them rattle. It's meant to be an aid in showing the tester you're observing even if you only move your head a slight bit. Just seems a bit too cheeky for me and I don't like having advantages over males!

Mr Magnolia

Yeah, observation, observation, observation. The earrings actually sound like a good idea; you want the examiner to witness you checking the mirrors nearly constantly so it would be a good way on enabling this. I exaggerated my movements slightly when checking the mirrors to ensure it was obvious I was being observant.

ROADRAGE2008

Hi ergonomics
as they say at the start of the test ...you should drive in your normal manner... if your looking in your mirrors when turning YOU WILL get marked for.... react to hazard... forward observations

only look in your mirror
BEFORE not WHILST and not prolonged or exaggerated

left mirror

before turning left
stopped at lights and just about to move off to turn left
changing lanes to the left
exiting roundabout
after overtaking something

right mirror

moving off
moving lanes to the right
before overtaking or moving out

reverse and turnaround use all mirrors

center mirror only very occasionally when driving forward not all the time


DO NOT listen to anyone including instructors who say look in your mirrors every 15 seconds

the most important observation when traveling forward is forward

angeldelight

Genuinely the best bit of advice I got was to arrive early! I was able to arrive, take my time parking, go in and wait and calm myself down. They were running a bit ahead of schedule too so they took me in for the test early but I wasn't flustered trying to catch my breath or anything. Anyway try not to be nervous... I was a bit but after I made my first stupid mistake in the car park of the test centre I was grand and I was able to settle into driving the way I had been before! Best of luck

steveland?

Yup, get there early. I got there about 20 minutes early and they called me up pretty much straight away as they were ahead of schedule. Means you're there in plenty of time, not rushing and there's a chance you won't be sitting there bricking yourself before they call you.

Also reverse into your spot in the car park before hand. If they see the car has been reversed in before the test started it shows that you do that in regular driving and means you don't have to go mad checking mirrors and looking behind you to get out

Alanstrainor

ROADRAGE2008 wrote: »

Hi ergonomics
as they say at the start of the test ...you should drive in your normal manner... if your looking in your mirrors when turning YOU WILL get marked for.... react to hazard... forward observations

only look in your mirror
BEFORE not WHILST and not prolonged or exaggerated

left mirror

before turning left
stopped at lights and just about to move off to turn left
changing lanes to the left
exiting roundabout
after overtaking something

right mirror

moving off
moving lanes to the right
before overtaking or moving out

reverse and turnaround use all mirrors

center mirror only very occasionally when driving forward not all the time


DO NOT listen to anyone including instructors who say look in your mirrors every 15 seconds

the most important observation when traveling forward is forward

I have to say i disagree with so much of that post, and a lot of the "advice" given above will make you fail.
1. Do exaggerate your movements, i failed 2 pretests for not doing this, ie. i checked my mirrors but the instructor didn't see me do it. The examiners are only human, they can't follow your eye movements. So DO exaggerate your movements.
2.Do check your mirror(centre mirror) every 10 or 15 seconds, you must be aware of your surroundings at all times, both infront and behind.

Can i just ask the poster above, have you passed your test? and how long was it since you did it?

Alanstrainor

And now for my advice. The best bit of advice i got before my test, was during the test, just to go for it, do as the examiner says and drive as you normally would. Immediately forget about any mistakes you make during the test and never throw in the towel, it's not over until it's over. I hope this helps, and i wish you the very best of luck on Tuesday! Good Luck!

TwoShedsJackson

Best I got was to relax as much as possible, and just concentrate on the drive during the practical part of the test. Don't worry about any mistakes you make, keep going and stay calm.

It's a short twenty minute drive, and after you pass you'll wonder what the hell you were freaking about for months beforehand

ROADRAGE2008

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I have to say i disagree with so much of that post, and a lot of the "advice" given above will make you fail.
1. Do exaggerate your movements, i failed 2 pretests for not doing this, ie. i checked my mirrors but the instructor didn't see me do it. The examiners are only human, they can't follow your eye movements. So DO exaggerate your movements.
2.Do check your mirror(centre mirror) every 10 or 15 seconds, you must be aware of your surroundings at all times, both infront and behind.

Can i just ask the poster above, have you passed your test? and how long was it since you did it?

put it this way i'll be meeting a few of you

Alanstrainor

ROADRAGE2008 wrote: »

put it this way i'll be meeting a few of you

reported.

ROADRAGE2008

what do you mean reported

qualified driving instructor with over 35 years advanced driving experience, former retired rsa driver examiner trained in the UK and Ireland and at present a very high pass rate for my pupils

can i ask you how long you have had your full licence for

SeanW

Ok some of this is the worst advice I've ever heard. When you need to change direction, bearing left or right, and you're following the main course of the road, you should continue accordingly.

Much of the bad driving I see on the roads around here is people who going around a corner on a main road, indicating like they're turning off. OK I know this is different but it's the same general attitude I'm sure, "I'm 'turning'". Use the mirrors as part of an MSMM maneuvre, as part of reversing or taking off, and use the rearview mirror before braking or changing gears.

And yes, do exaggerate your head movements when you're using your outside mirrors - so that there's no mistaking that your doing it. My first driving school made it clear that eyeballing the mirrors is not enough, and when I changed driving schools, the new instructor didn't pull me up on it (even though he had a lot of issues with the instruction I had recieved from the first school) and I went on to pass my test in January with almost a clean sheet, using slightly exaggerated head movements throughout the test.

Seth Brundle

ROADRAGE2008 wrote: »

what do you mean reported

It means that the moderators and admins are watchin this thread!

ROADRAGE2008 wrote: »

qualified driving instructor with over 35 years advanced driving experience, former retired rsa driver examiner trained in the UK and Ireland and at present a very high pass rate for my pupils

You are a highly experienced driving instructor yet feel the need to choose ROADRAGE2008 as a username???

SV

kbannon wrote: »

It means that the moderators and admins are watchin this thread!


You are a highly experienced driving instructor yet feel the need to choose ROADRAGE2008 as a username???

Well when you're driving that long :D

Wishbone Ash

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Do exaggerate your movements

Alanstrainor wrote: »

drive as you normally would

A bit of a contradiction Alanstrainor?

S.I.R

The best driving advice i ever got was " try to think what the driver ahead is goin to do , not what your dong , its the hardest thing to learn "

and that was from my uncle who held a 0 pt. leisence and 35 n.c.b but sadly drink himself to death....


good advice none the less.

gstar

tyres and tarmac. always ensure that when you are stopping behind another car (in a queue of traffic say) that you can at least see their rear tyres and the road between you.

Also turn on your lights when you start your engine, thereby making yourself more visible to other road users, no matter what time of day....

and last but not least, make sure the car is tidy outside and in... best of luck

redcar

S.I.R wrote: »

The best driving advice i ever got was " try to think what the driver ahead is goin to do , not what your dong , its the hardest thing to learn "

and that was from my uncle who held a 0 pt. leisence and 35 n.c.b but sadly drink himself to death....


good advice none the less.

I was told similar advice, "assume they are going to do something stupid." It works for me, makes me very aware of whats going on.

Alanstrainor

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

A bit of a contradiction Alanstrainor?

ah here, i meant that you shouldn't be panicking and driving over cautiously during your test, yes there was one point of contradiction there but i still stand by what i said, in regard to the fact that the tester can't follow your eye movements during the test, hence the reason for the exaggerated movements. But other than that, yes, drive as you normally would.

Wishbone Ash

gstar wrote: »

tyres and tarmac. always ensure that when you are stopping behind another car (in a queue of traffic say) that you can at least see their rear tyres and the road between you

Another way of expressing it is to ensure that you can go around the vehicle in front without having to reverse (e.g. should the said vehicle become immobilised).

hi_im_fil

I'd say to forget about any mistakes made during the test as soon as you make them. No point worrying over them, nothing you can do now but drive your best.

I was on the wrong side of the road, with oncoming traffic, overtaking a bus because it pulled out in front of me and I still passed with only two faults sure!! :)

I was certain I failed there and then but afterwards the tester told me he would have put the foot down and accelerated past!!!

prodigal_son

You shouldnt need to exaggerate your movements.

There are times when you will have to actually turn your head to check your blind spots, you cant do it by simply moving your eyes left or right.

When you turn left or right, take off, leave a roundabout etc, you need to check your blindspots appropriately.

This will mean you will have no choice but to turn your head.

This is why people usually fail, because they just didnt check their blindspots enough, and the next time they exaggerate their movements so the inspector thinks the person gave a quick look to the blindspot. Do it if you want, but you dont need to.

Best advice i got, was to get pretests in the area by people who know the area.

J_R

Hi,

Making exaggerated movements when checking your mirrors may earn you a fault

Examples of 'React' faults include:

11. Where an applicant makes exaggerated use of the mirror(s) which distracts from forward observation.
12. Where an applicant makes exaggerated/unnecessary observations to the side or rear, which distracts from forward observation.

From:- Driving Fault Marking Guidelines - Hazards

To OP. If you wear dangly earrings whcih clank every time you check your mirrors, then when you should check your mirrors and you don't, it will be very obvious to the tester you did not check them. No clank - no check.

The onus is on the tester to see that you check your mirrors. Not the other way around.

In all cases, a tester must be certain that an applicant did not make proper use of the mirrors, before recording a mirror fault.

From Driving Fault Marking Guidelines - Mirrors
Set your mirrors correctly (Otherwise you may also incur a fault) and do not in any way, shape or form exaggerate your mirrors checks. Completely unnecessary.

If you get marked for mirrors it will be because you did not check them at correct time, stared in them too long or did not act on what you saw.

Hagar

I was told to offset my mirrors very slightly from their normal position. It forces you to move your head slightly when you use them and the examiner will notice the slight head movement and be aware of you using the mirrors.

J_R

Hagar wrote: »

I was told to offset my mirrors very slightly from their normal position. It forces you to move your head slightly when you use them and the examiner will notice the slight head movement and be aware of you using the mirrors.

It was unnecessary.

You could be marked for not having the mirrors properly adjusted.

Having to move your head every time you checked your mirror, you then made it very easy for the tester to see when you did not check them. As in my prrevious post the onus is on the tester to see you check them, not on you to ensure he sees you checking them.

Also it can be very annoying watching someone making totally unnecessary idiotic head movements for 30 minutes.

Hagar

I did say very slightly.

Mr Magnolia

The key word here is 'slightly'.


/get out of my head Hagar

Hagar

Great minds think alike...

J_R

Hagar wrote: »

I did say very slightly.

And that is why I said you could be marked for not having the mirrors correctly adjusted

ergonomics

ergonomics wrote: »

Just seems a bit too cheeky for me and I don't like having advantages over males!

Females have better peripheral vison than males.
So in theory the males have to make more of a concerted effort to look.
So your just evening the playing field.

MOH

Hagar wrote: »

I was told to offset my mirrors very slightly from their normal position. It forces you to move your head slightly when you use them and the examiner will notice the slight head movement and be aware of you using the mirrors.

The same was suggested to me.

And forgot about mistakes you make, don't assume you've failed early on and then muck up the rest of it when you might have made it.

spiderdan

It’s a cliché but it has to be RELAX and CONCENTRATE!

I know its an stupidly easy thing to say but for my 2nd test which I passed I was really nervous for the first 5mins and then I realised if I didn't relax I was going to fail, so I just took a min at traffic lights and calmed down, for the remainder of the test I was really focused and felt very much more in control of the outcome.

One major thing that made me feel at ease was when my new instructor pointed out that I was over exaggerating my head movements! All you need to do is do them once and efficiently.

Another one was as soon as the examiner says to take either a left or right, you immediately look in that mirror and indicate, I used to wait maybe 2/3 seconds then do it, which can lead to mistakes.

Finally for the roundabout I was told to use the handbrake after completing each movement, which again my new instructor pointed out was on necessary if the road had a hill, again this made me much more at ease completing the task. Hope it helps someone!

chicoben

Best advice I got? You may be the best driver ever, but on the day you could do something crazy that you'd never do, so don't worry about what the instructor might think and just drive like you usually do and don't set out to "impress" the tester. Relax! The tester isn't there to trick you or ask you any funny questions so go and do it and if you pass, you pass. If you don't, get back out and do it again.

eth0_

SeanW wrote: »

And yes, do exaggerate your head movements when you're using your outside mirrors - so that there's no mistaking that your doing it..

No, DON'T exaggerate headmovements, it will look OTT and the examiner will think you are just looking in the mirrors for the sake of it, NOT to check for hazards!

Instead of exaggerating your headmovements, just make sure you actually MOVE your head when you NEED to check your mirrors, rather than "eyeballing" the mirrors - as another poster said, examiners can't see your eye movements!

Wishbone Ash

Edit - duplicate post

Wishbone Ash

eth0_ wrote: »

as another poster said, examiners can't see your eye movements!

It's up to the examiner to check that the driver is making proper observations. The driver shouldn't have to go out of their way to demonstrate it. They are, after all, requested to drive in a normal manner.

In other words - the burden of proof is with the examiner not the candidate.

Trampas

My tips where as mentioned already is to reverse into the parking spot so means you can drive straight out but still indicate to say which way you going.

Also make the tester feel safe in the care by making him know you are always in control of the car and not the car controlling you.

padraig_f

Best advice I got was just before the test: "make the tester feel safe, that's what they're essentially looking for".

My advice for the test would be: "concentrate on doing the next thing right". When I did my first test (which I failed), I was thinking back to something that happened earlier in the test, wondering if I'd failed then, and this led to me not concentrating and messing up some other things. It turned out later on the original incident wasn't an outright fail, but the later ones were.

For my second test, I tried to put out of my mind anything that was already done, and just concentrate on doing the next little thing right (I passed that time).

siobhcc

The best advice I got was to:

1. Glance at schools, exits etc as you are passing them, you shouldnt have to exaggerate just show you are aware of them. You should be looking carefully especially where there may be children anyway!!

2. I had a huge problem with reversing around a corner but my instructor showed me how I could postition my mirror so I could see the road and the kerb (luckily I could do this with my Kia I know some cars have smaller mirrors so it may not be as easy)
Once the kerb was in line with my back wheel I turned the wheel slightly, stopped, rechecked my blind spots and turned, keeping the kerb in sight at all times. If it was a sharp corner turn you wheel about 180 degrees, again keeping the kerb in site. Practice as much as you can though!

Observation is a huge key though- check left mirror, over your shoulder and right mirror constantly!