How To Fail Your Driving Test

bigpinkelephant

Driving test on Monday in Newbridge/Naas SGS (Toughers Industrial estate).
Instructor says I will be fine but you know yourself how something can go wrong on the day!

What constitutes an automatic fail/Grade 3?

Aside from showing up without L plates etc.

ZorbaTehZ

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

What constitutes an automatic fail/Grade 3?

I know that one of the grade 3 faults is beckoning traffic, for example car waiting to come out of road on your left, and you motion with your hand or whatever for them to come out. Instructor went absolutely bananas with me when I did it one day. Not too sure what the other ones are though.

Holsten

Anything that could be classed as dangrous driving will give you a grade 3.

Also if you mount the kerb on either the turnabout or the reversing around the corner.

And rolling too far back at the hill start.

Alanstrainor

Holsten wrote: »

Also if you mount the kerb on either the turnabout or the reversing around the corner.

This is not true, both my brother and friend did this, and still passed, so long as you remain in control of the car, ie. stop and reposition you will be fine.

A grade 3 is anything that is classed as dangerous, ranging from breaking red lights, not stopping at a stop sign, aggressive driving(accelerating excessively, speeding etc). They're not really things you should be worried about if your instructor seems to think you'll pass, just stay calm and go for it, put any mistakes you make behind you and just go for it.

Alanstrainor

ZorbaTehZ wrote: »

I know that one of the grade 3 faults is beckoning traffic,

Again i dont believe this is true, if you look at the driving test report sheet, there are 4 "grade 2" boxes before going to the "grade 3" section under the title of "beckoning", which would seem to indicate that it was only result in a grade 3 for repeated beckoning of other drivers. Unless you were to beckon a driver into a dangerous situation it would be a grade 2. Non the less, it's not something to be doing for your test

Kimbot

I failed for a clip on the kerb and was still in control of my car. An automatic fail is hitting the kerb on the reverse around the corner alright.

Wishbone Ash

jonny24ie wrote: »

An automatic fail is hitting the kerb on the reverse around the corner alright.

Mounting the kerb perhaps but not hitting it.

As has been said anything which is dangerous will merit an automatic fail -.e.g. not yielding when entering a roundabout/major road, driving on the wrong side of the road, not stopping at a red light, not in control of the vehicle, etc.

ztoical

jonny24ie wrote: »

I failed for a clip on the kerb and was still in control of my car. An automatic fail is hitting the kerb on the reverse around the corner alright.

mounting the kerb is a grade 3, hitting the kerb is a grade 2.

Kimbot

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Mounting the kerb perhaps but not hitting it.

As has been said anything which is dangerous will merit an automatic fail -.e.g. not yielding when entering a roundabout/major road, driving on the wrong side of the road, not stopping at a red light, not in control of the vehicle, etc.

Mine was a broken kerb, top corner was hanging out and clipped my wheel. I was told by instructor and tester that was an automatic fail.

Wishbone Ash

jonny24ie wrote: »

Mine was a broken kerb, top corner was hanging out and clipped my wheel. I was told by instructor and tester that was an automatic fail.

Going forward or reversing?

Holsten

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is not true, both my brother and friend did this, and still passed, so long as you remain in control of the car, ie. stop and reposition you will be fine.

Whoa.. what?!

Are you sure they MOUNTED the kerb and not just clipped it? I know 3 people who failed because they went up on the kerb on the turn about, all women.. :rolleyes::p

In all driving test books and any instructor I've talked to has said that is an instant fail.

lazygit

well i did my test at 11:35 today..

i mounted the curb in my reverse around the corner, i still passed.
i was so suprised i passed, as i also assumed it was an instant fail, i asked the tester about it at the end
and was informed it is NOT an automatic fail.

Paj

according to the RSA guidelines on test marking that the testers are supposed to follow on the reverse manoeuvre "where the applicant hits or mounts a kerb......a fault may be recorded opposite 'competently' ". A blue mark is recorded if the tester feels you show a 'serious lack of control' (usually a bump), a pink mark is recorded if you show a 'dangerous lack of control'.

As an instructor I always tell students that mounting the kerb will result in an instant failure, as 99% of the time a tester will fail you on it. But as laid out in the guidelines it is still at the discretion of the tester to fail you or not, the guidelines do not specifically say "mounting the kerb will result in an instant fail".

But then again i think its fair enough to say that if a driver mounts the kerb it would constitute a 'dangerous lack of control'.

I think the tester was especially lenient on you Lazygit - or suitably impressed by the rest of your test that he decided to give you a break. It doesnt happen often so congratulations to you - and keep practising your reversing!

Alanstrainor

Holsten wrote: »

Whoa.. what?!

Are you sure they MOUNTED the kerb and not just clipped it? I know 3 people who failed because they went up on the kerb on the turn about, all women.. :rolleyes::p

In all driving test books and any instructor I've talked to has said that is an instant fail.

Apologies, i misunderstood the definition of mounting the curb:o, they hit the curb. sorry lads,

SeanW

In summary, for the OP, if your driving is safe and in compliance with the rules of the road and with regard to traffic controls, you don't have to worry about Grade 3 faults with few exceptions. It's the finickety bits like progress, how you brake and clutch, hand position on the steering wheel, the maneuvres, adherence to the MSMM, and that perennial favourite, reaction to hazards that raises Blue (Grade 2) faults.

50% of this stuff, maybe more, noone will ever give a <SNIP> about once you get your full license. But it's in the Blue section that it's all to play for "on the day." If you have a good instructor, s/he will have trained you into the kind of habits that will allow you to either pass your test, or come very close. Waiting times seem to be down on what they were a couple of years ago, if you don't get it the first time, you most likely will the next time.

Good luck.

HungryJoey

ZorbaTehZ wrote: »

I know that one of the grade 3 faults is beckoning traffic, for example car waiting to come out of road on your left, and you motion with your hand or whatever for them to come out. Instructor went absolutely bananas with me when I did it one day. Not too sure what the other ones are though.

+1

My instructor went bananas at me too when I once thanked a driver on the road for letting me out during one of my lessons:o Ahh, back in the day.

Wishbone Ash

HungryJoey wrote: »

+1

My instructor went bananas at me too when I once thanked a driver on the road for letting me out during one of my lessons:o Ahh, back in the day.

The poster you quote made a gesture to beckon another driver but it ok to make a small gesture of thanks such as raising your hand briefly when another driver shows consideration but anything involving lights/hazards etc. is a no no.

_feedback_

I'm sure it would be to the discretion of the tester, whether something merits a grade 3 or not.

I passed my test first time thanks god!

One hairy moment during the test:

Was coming up a one way narrow street to be greeted by a truck blocking the road while making a delivery to a night club. He was unloading kegs from the truck and looked like he was going to be a while! The car in front of me didn't stop for a second and took off straight up on to the footpath and past the truck.

There was NO WAY i was doing the same and sat it out for maybe a minute or so, then the tester said "sure, you may as well do the same as yer man, or we'll be here all day!" I took my time and done it.

I'm sure though, if I had done it off my own back, it would have been an instant fail.

Alanstrainor

elviscostello wrote: »

I'm sure it would be to the discretion of the tester, whether something merits a grade 3 or not.

I passed my test first time thanks god!

One hairy moment during the test:

Was coming up a one way narrow street to be greeted by a truck blocking the road while making a delivery to a night club. He was unloading kegs from the truck and looked like he was going to be a while! The car in front of me didn't stop for a second and took off straight up on to the footpath and past the truck.

There was NO WAY i was doing the same and sat it out for maybe a minute or so, then the tester said "sure, you may as well do the same as yer man, or we'll be here all day!" I took my time and done it.

I'm sure though, if I had done it off my own back, it would have been an instant fail.

Very true, you're always going to have some odd situation like that when out on a test, i had a similar one where the tester just gave me the nod to do something "against the rules" but it was all good.

Kimbot

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Going forward or reversing?

Reversing.

Red Alert

They can be picked up very easily if your actions cause someone else on the road to have to react. I got one for taking right of way I didn't have, and another for a dangerous right turn where I didn't observe properly. In my experience if you've prepared well and stay calm during the test you should have no problems with grade 3's.