Would it be too early...

darling.x

Would it be too early for me to apply for the driving test.

I tried to start to learn how to drive in January but its only since march or so that i started to improve with my instructors. I bought a car in may, and my brother crashed it after 2 weeks of having it. I'm still waiting for it to be fixed up - its all body work.

I was so fed up with waiting, and i couldn't get anyone to sit in with me i started to take my car out this week driving to and from work (unaccommanied). I was scared starting off, but not now i'm donig well on my own. My workplace is a 10 min walk away from my house on a narrow bendy and bumpy country road so i'm not getting caught and its great practise for me.

If i was to apply, and lets say i get called for a test in sep/oct would i be ready for it. I think i would be and i've got nothing to lose.

Need advice please

Snakeblood

darling.x wrote: »

Would it be too early for me to apply for the driving test.

Need advice please

I'd apply, at the very least you'd get real world experience of the driving test, even if you fail. I tend to be panicky when in examinations in general, so I'm doing a good few pretests to get used to the pressure.

sonicthebadger*

Snakeblood wrote: »

I'd apply, at the very least you'd get real world experience of the driving test, even if you fail. I tend to be panicky when in examinations in general, so I'm doing a good few pretests to get used to the pressure.

This is good advice. However I would also say that you should be driving with a qualified driver. The law is not for fun, it is there because learning to drive in a supervised environment has been shown to produce better drivers. You will be ready for your test much quicker with lessons from a proper qualified instructor. The earlier you get those lessons the better a driver you will be for the rest of your life too!

Snakeblood

sonicthebadger* wrote: »

This is good advice. However I would also say that you should be driving with a qualified driver. The law is not for fun, it is there because learning to drive in a supervised environment has been shown to produce better drivers. You will be ready for your test much quicker with lessons from a proper qualified instructor. The earlier you get those lessons the better a driver you will be for the rest of your life too!

I'm doing the lessons too, yo, but this was about the test.

darling.x

I'm getting weekly driving lessons with an instructor i'm happy with. I find the weekly lessons are valauble. Will hopefully get a two hour lesson from now on instead of the one hour that i have.

I badly wanted someone to sit in with me but i couldn't get anyone. I asked my sister a few times but she kept defering to sit in with me. I couldn't wait any longer regardless the state of my car. (The way i see it is if i trashed my car its already trashed). But i'm getting on great.

I can't beleive i lived all my life without a car.

wil

Snakeblood wrote: »

I'm doing the lessons too, yo, but this was about the test.

And the lessons are for what?

Lessons are by far the quickest and ultimately cheapest way to pass your test.
An average learner would probably pass the Irish driving test with a good instructor in 20 lessons and NO other practice.
Do those over 3 months or less and you're flying.

Spend loads of time "practicing" and very little learning and all you do is pick up bad habits that are very hard to correct on the day of the test.

The earlier you apply the greater the incentive to try to pass sooner, leave it too long and you keep putting it off - as has been the situation for so long.

At least everyone has a genuine incentive to pass the test now.

Alanstrainor

I have to agree with wil, apply now and get as many lessons as you can. Driving on your own only serves to, allow bad habits to start, and quite obviously the very large risk of being caught and prosecuted.
Also, you must ensure that you have held your learner permit for at least 6 months before sitting your test

sonicthebadger*

Snakeblood wrote: »

I'm doing the lessons too, yo, but this was about the test.

Apologies SB I quoted the wrong post by accident.

Snakeblood

wil wrote: »

And the lessons are for what?

I was answering the question asked, which was 'Is it a good idea to do the Driving Test soon?'. Possibly you didn't understand.

aarnb

Janurary?? Get your application in now... I started in February and passed in May... I was on my second provisional... i didn't use my first provisional at all... so i got full benefit of the that wonderful loophole!

wil

Snakeblood wrote: »

I was answering the question asked, which was 'Is it a good idea to do the Driving Test soon?'. Possibly you didn't understand.

No misunderstanding this end.

darling.x wrote:

Would it be too early for me to apply for the driving test

Possibly you didnt read.

Get lessons, pass your test. To pass your test soon, get lessons.
To fail your test sooner, forget lessons.
Any more ways I can put it?

Snakeblood

wil wrote: »

No misunderstanding this end.
Possibly you didnt read.

Get lessons, pass your test. To pass your test soon, get lessons.
To fail your test sooner, forget lessons.
Any more ways I can put it?

Well, you could try replying to the person who was asking the question. That'd imply you were replying to the person who was asking the question.

Wishbone Ash

darling.x wrote: »

The way i see it is if i trashed my car its already trashed

Why do you assume assume that a car crash only means material damage?

Instead of a 'trashed' car what about a 'trashed' child?

Or a surviving adult spending the rest of their life being fed and having their nappy changed!

Material damage to a car is unimportant - think about people instead!!!

sonx

I wanna know about driving scenario in Ireland now, I'm on my second provisional so how can I practice to drive, what are the laws now. I know I have to be with a fully licenced driver. Is there any other advice anyone could give me please I'd really appreciate it! thank you.:p

Alanstrainor

sonx wrote: »

I wanna know about driving scenario in Ireland now, I'm on my second provisional so how can I practice to drive, what are the laws now. I know I have to be with a fully licenced driver. Is there any other advice anyone could give me please I'd really appreciate it! thank you.:p

All this info is in the stickies. If you want to "practise" you will need a fully licensed driver who has held their license for a minimum of 2 years. You can also get lessons from a driving instructor. You must display L plates at all times.

sonx

I didn't knwo about the stickies.

Greenmachine

If you are feeling confident in your driving then definately apply. I was told by two instructor that all I need is practice. They have though me everything they know. Like the original poster my prob is gonna be finding a qualified driver.

wil

Greenmachine wrote: »

..... I was told by two instructor that all I need is practice. They have though me everything they know. Like the original poster my prob is gonna be finding a qualified driver.

But do you know everything they taught you?

That is the whole point of practice under instruction.
Assuming it is competent instructors you are referring to, then you are far from knowing a fraction of their driving knowledge.

Some learners get a little cocky about how much they know, as they drive uninstructed for months assuming they know it all, then failing on very obvious things, yet assuring all round that they are great drivers and shouldnt have failed.

This is the trap many fall in to, blindly compounding their mistakes and reinforcing their bad habits during months or even years of "practice" then expecting a "Pretest" <joke> to sort it all out for them.
Far better to realise how little you do know and appreciate how much you will learn in your first hundred-thousand miles of driving.

Regular instruction with practice in between over a period of 6 months or less should be adequate for most people to pass.

A couple of lessons at the beginning and months of unsupervised practice would not be a reliable route to passing and I doubt most competent instructors would recommend this.

Greenmachine

wil wrote: »

But do you know everything they taught you?

That is the whole point of practice under instruction.
Assuming it is competent instructors you are referring to, then you are far from knowing a fraction of their driving knowledge.

Some learners get a little cocky about how much they know, as they drive uninstructed for months assuming they know it all, then failing on very obvious things, yet assuring all round that they are great drivers and shouldnt have failed.

This is the trap many fall in to, blindly compounding their mistakes and reinforcing their bad habits during months or even years of "practice" then expecting a "Pretest" <joke> to sort it all out for them.
Far better to realise how little you do know and appreciate how much you will learn in your first hundred-thousand miles of driving.

Regular instruction with practice in between over a period of 6 months or less should be adequate for most people to pass.

A couple of lessons at the beginning and months of unsupervised practice would not be a reliable route to passing and I doubt most competent instructors would recommend this.

I have the full license on a motorcycle already. Passed over 3 years ago and have about 40k miles under my belt on the bike. I have some advanced driving on the bike too. In any case I am confident about the rules of the road. I have demonstarted the manouvers hillstarts, turnarounds and reversing around corners etc. I am capable of everything that is required. Doing everything consistently and accuretly will take time of course.

In any case I need some real world practice outside of a lesson to comfortably pass a test.

They never suggested I should drive unaccompanied.

wil

Greenmachine wrote: »

I have the full license on a motorcycle already. Passed over 3 years ago and have about 40k miles under my belt on the bike. I have some advanced driving on the bike too. In any case I am confident about the rules of the road. I have demonstarted the manouvers hillstarts, turnarounds and reversing around corners etc. I am capable of everything that is required. Doing everything consistently and accuretly will take time of course.

In any case I need some real world practice outside of a lesson to comfortably pass a test.

They never suggested I should drive unaccompanied.

With a full bike licence you are probably even more aware of road safety than the average car driver.

Well as you said they said then - you just need the practice.:D

My words really apply to the beginner learners, not licenced drivers like yourself going for additional licences.
There is a world of difference.

On the other hand, unlearning some of the things you are used to on a bike that would be impossible or illegal in a car might make it more difficult, and that is where a good instructor comes in.
Accuracy and consistency in maneuvring to a standard where you can pass should not require much more than a couple of months of practice.
With good instruction you could acheive this in weeks.
Best of luck.

Greenmachine

wil wrote: »

With a full bike licence you are probably even more aware of road safety than the average car driver.

Well as you said they said then - you just need the practice.:D

My words really apply to the beginner learners, not licenced drivers like yourself going for additional licences.
There is a world of difference.

On the other hand, unlearning some of the things you are used to on a bike that would be impossible or illegal in a car might make it more difficult, and that is where a good instructor comes in.
Accuracy and consistency in maneuvring to a standard where you can pass should not require much more than a couple of months of practice.
With good instruction you could acheive this in weeks.
Best of luck.

I was taking instruction without practice in between because I don't have a car and I am not sure who I can get to drive with me. I am aware of my weaknesses, and know I ahve some areas to improve on. It is not just about getting from A to B in one piece. It require a continous focus on method awareness and continous assesment of my enviorons.

wil

Greenmachine wrote: »

I was taking instruction without practice in between because I don't have a car and I am not sure who I can get to drive with me. I am aware of my weaknesses, and know I ahve some areas to improve on. It is not just about getting from A to B in one piece. It require a continous focus on method awareness and continous assesment of my enviorons.

I did all my learning and practice in my instructors car. Didnt have any access to a car for practice. Never owned a car until I passed my test.
After passing I drove at least 70 miles a day for the next year.
Thats where I learned to drive.

I reckon I saved a fortune and passed way quicker than other relatives and friends by doing it this way. Another cousin passed the same way, whereas his older brother who drove for ages in his dads car took 3 attempts to pass, yet he drove every day.
The amount of practice you need tends to be overexagerated.
In many countries they use driving schools solely and forget about practice.
You will have plenty of time to practice when you pass.:)