I'd appreciate advice!

Computerfd

Hi Guys, I'm having a bit of a dilemma and I'd really appreciate advice. I sat my drivers text for the second time yesterday and failed it. Originally, I sat it in an SGS centre in Blackrock. I was really pleased thinking I passed but was surprised when he said I wasn't successful. I had in total 10 Grade 2 mistakes. Then Yesterday, I sat it in the RSA in Wilton. Now I knew my roads signs backwards, my hand signals, and had covered the questions that I would be asked. I go in and I am asked about what height plate would be on the back of a lorry if I was about to overtake it-I hadn't a clue, then I was asked how to prevent aqua-planning without getting new tires, in the car, I was asked about the icons on the dash board and we never opened the bonnet to do the checks. So I knew after that it was down-hill. Of course, I had read the rules of the road, I had downloaded and learnt the answers to 80 questions and a sheet that my driving instructor had given me, I even bought that DVD and had followed it. So we came back to the centre and I knew that the tester I had was just peculiar. He said that I was being too rough with the gears and the clutch, I tended to go into first when it was not necessary. My kerb turn, my turn about, hill start were all fine, my observations were fine apart from telling me that I didn't need to observe as much when I was on the roundabout. In total I accumulated 21 grade two faults.
I'm at my wits end with it. I've got over 10 lessons are 40 euro a pop and even was assessed by another instructor who told me I'd pass as long as my right corners were perfected and my position on the road was too. I don't know where I should go from here or what I should do. I have a car that I can't drive without a parent and that's really awkward because both my parents work. Does anyone have any advice?

TheNog

Probably better suited in Learning to Drive forum

peasant

TheNog wrote: »

Probably better suited in Learning to Drive forum

snuck that one in while the thread was on the move, did you?

anyway ...moved from main motors

tdc

Hard luck man, those questions sound a bit mad though, I did mine last week and I got no questions like that at all. Still 21 grade 2's is a proper fail, I don't know what advice I can give you there?

Anyways I know some members here will want to kill me for saying this but just drive as usual, you don't need a parent with you every time you take the car out because in all fairness that law isn't being enforced. I drove on my own every day since it was introduced, was stopped twice, and never had a problem. Same story with a lot of my mates.

My only advice is to apply for your test again and try to identify all the grade 2's you got and improve on them.

hobochris

Computerfd wrote: »

I'm at my wits end with it. I've got over 10 lessons are 40 euro a pop and even was assessed by another instructor who told me I'd pass as long as my right corners were perfected and my position on the road was too. I don't know where I should go from here or what I should do. I have a car that I can't drive without a parent and that's really awkward because both my parents work. Does anyone have any advice?

More Lessons(10 is no where near enough, the instructor should have nothing to say about your driving if you are ready for the test), they don't fail you without reason.

tdc

hobochris wrote: »

More Lessons(10 is no where near enough, the instructor should have nothing to say about your driving if you are ready for the test), they don't fail you without reason.

10 lessons isn't enough? If you've been driving for a while I would think 5 would be grand. I've been driving for the last year, got 2 lessons before I started and 2 more in the weeks leading up to my test and I passed with no bother, got a couple of grade 1's for turning left, other than that it was a clean sheet! The idea that you need a minimum, let alone more, than 10 lessons is ridiculous.

DriveSkill

Hi,

Well it sounds like you had a bit of a rough day! To be honest I have no idea what the question about 'height plate on the back of a lorry' was about . You mention that your reverse, turnabout, hill start and observations where fine so where did you pick up the 21 faults ? These are the areas you need to focus and practice on.

If it was raining it would account for not being asked to open the bonnet - they dont want you standing in the rain so will go straight into the car ask some questions in addition to the secondary controls.

As for the number of lessons required before doing a test. There is no simple answer : some people do zero, some do 10 and others do 40 or 50 and still fail the test. It all depends on your own aptitude and also how much supervised driving you can get in outside of the actual lessons. In the UK the average number of lessons taken before a driving test is over 30 for people who dont have access to a car outside of the lessons and approx 20 if you have access to a car. !!! Higher than most people would think. The main point is to understand the rules of the road and understand the system of safe driving (primarily based on Mirror-Signal-Maneouver) being looked for in the test. For example, if you dont know when to look in the mirrors you may fail even though you will come out thinking I was definitely was looking in the mirrors!

Best advice is to apply again and best of luck next time!

Declan

macroman

It's not the amount of lessons you get that affects your result it's your overall ability. You could just have a pre-test and pass with flying colours.

But the questions can vary, the best you can do if you don't know the answer is guess - it gives you some chance of getting it! Most of them come from experience, in fact you shouldn't get into the car unless you know what the warning lights on your instrument panel indicate.

It also could have been the tester himself, it's known that they're the old stock and are set in their ways. My instructor told me he has a higher pass rate with SGS than RSA as SGS tend to be more fair whereas RSA are the old stock-by the book and don't take nerves into consideration (that's just what I've heard, haven't had experience with RSA yet).

I'd advise you to get out and practice. You can't really practice driving with an instructor, you need to get someone who won't open their mouth to accompany you and let you gradually build up road confidence and experience. I failed last week on a roundabout (just as test was ending) so that's what I need to focus on without neglecting the other aspects of driving.

J_R

Hi,

First regarding the number of driving lessons.

In the UK the Driving Standards Agency (UK equivalent of RSA) say

Those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training combined with 22 hours of private practice. Learners who prepare this way, with a combination of plenty of professional training and plenty of practice, do better in the test.

Next, did you drive in the test the same way as you did with your driving instructor ????

If the nerves took over and you made mistakes you never made before, then am afraid the only solution is to get in plenty of practice and some more lessons.

However, if you drove the same in the tests as you did on your lessons, then you have an incompetent instructor.

My advice, try a different instructor from the two you have already used.

Driving test examiners may at times mark hard, but they do not manufacture faults from thin air. And they all make allowances for nerves and all realise that you are inexperienced and therefore do not expect a perfect drive.

Regarding signs on the rear of a lorry you are about to overtake. Do not see the relevance of the "height" sign. However perhaps you misunderstood and he was talking about length, that is "Long Vehicle" warning signs - more than 13 meters. This would be highly relevant if overtaking.

Don't let the buggers get you down (examiners and/or instructors). Get lessons, practice, try again.

Computerfd

Well, I really don't know what to do to be honest. I booked it again. I don't know which test centre it will be in.
As regards getting practise, I don't know what to do. My mam can't come everyday with me driving and usually we get into a shouting match because she feels I'm doing things wrong when I think I'm doing things right.
Money is tight, I'm a post-graduate student. I don't have it to burn. So I want to get as much money as possible out of my 40 euros.
I don't know what instructor to get if I'm to get a new one. I don't think I should go back to my last one.
I'm so peeved about it all. This morning I woke up and had to come into College and feel so upset that I'm back walking and getting busses everywhere after two attempts.

tdc

why dont you just drive on your own? that "law" isnt being enforced, plus it will probably give you some confidence to be driving the car on your own rather than with someone whos there to just tell you the mistakes your making.

Alanstrainor

Warning given tdc. Encouragement to others to act illegally is strictly forbidden on this forum.