Driving tests?

aynon

just got back from doing my driving test in carlow. this is my third attempt. first attempt in the old test center in Graig. and in case you haven't realized that this is my 3rd fail....

while there a guy pulled up beside me. he was putting his l plates up at the test center right in front of the testers window. he also had no "full qualified driver", yet was taken out for the test. still failed. but as i was the one of 4 testee....(that sounds so durty....) and one one of the 4 past, the first one....a woman....not sexist, but it is easier for women to pass some how.....ask any instructor. so thats a 25% pass rate. 30% is the standard in carlow. so thats that too far off....

i am wondering how many ppl have failed under what circumstances? and would previous failees be willing to sign a petition against this kind of "quota" system?

SV

Learn to drive properly and ya won't fail.

aynon

i take offence to that cliov6. my instructor informed me that i had everything it took for the last two tests to pass. but most of my fail was on observations... my observation is perfect... i know, my mates know.... i am constantly scanning. i am a life gaurd i have to constantly scan...

patrickc

aynon wrote: »

i take offence to that cliov6. my instructor informed me that i had everything it took for the last two tests to pass. but most of my fail was on observations... my observation is perfect... i know, my mates know.... i am constantly scanning. i am a life gaurd i have to constantly scan...

sorry to hear you failed aynon, whos your driving instructor? I passed 1st time with David Ryan, mind you I got over 10 lessons I was making sure I passed,

aynon

anthony o'reilly the only one of two fully qualified instructors via the adi....


side-note- if any one is going for instruction please ask for credentials. as they may say "qualified instructor" but may not be... they must be licenced by the ADI or the RSA.

patrickc

aynon wrote: »

anthony o'reilly the only one of two fully qualified instructors via the adi....


side-note- if any one is going for instruction please ask for credentials. as they may say "qualified instructor" but may not be... they must be licenced by the ADI or the RSA.

to me it's about who works, god I've tried some god darn awful instructors before.

stick-dan

aynon wrote: »

i take offence to that cliov6. my instructor informed me that i had everything it took for the last two tests to pass. but most of my fail was on observations... my observation is perfect... i know, my mates know.... i am constantly scanning. i am a life guard i have to constantly scan...

Dude so sorry to hear that, fear not I am in the same boat, I failed my first and never bothered to go back since because to be honest i felt that the instructor had made his mind up to fail me before i got into the car. It seems to be a trend in Carlow.

Now i swear i don't mean to be offensive but i have had family members who have had no less than 6 crashes in an 18month period pass their tests first time and yet here i stand, a provisional. Is it a coincidence that these family members are female, i think not.

Something must be investigated into. You lads, between 18-25 age gap present themselves for their driving tests, should just pay the instructor and leave. There is already a horrible stereotype that you are a boy-racer or speed demon if you drive and are aged between 18-25. It's simply not fair. I know i wouldn't have crashed 6 times.

one word


JOKE!

HugoIrl

Sorry to hear bout the fail man. I failed my first one years ago in Navan, was only 18 at the time and as soon as I walked in I could see the guys eyes roll seeing another under 25 coming into him. Ended up with the same guy for a repeat when was 22 and he passed me.

Have definitely heard of the quota system and believe it should be stopped. As for those who get the full licence, their statistically more likely to have an accident within the first 6 months after they pass, so don't feel too bad.

Don1

Sorry to hear about the failing. Screw it, chin up, get it next time!

I failed once, due to a pedestrian walking out behind a jeep onto one of the well positioned pedestrian crossings on a damn roundabout! I hadn't spotted her, as there was no way I could have, so I failed!

Second time I thought about it and realised that it's not a difficult test (don't mean to sound condescending but its not) and it is my opinion, and the opinion of others that failing comes down to nerves most of the time. This is even the case with observation, as you are concentrating so hard on all the mechanics of driving and are so freaked out about mucking up that the observation slips! So, anyway, after thinking about this, I decided to get my lessons in the run up and just drive around as normal, with the instructor, and just not concentrating (not to the point of not being aware) and just let natural instinct take over.

If you have enough hours racked up, with an instructor, and without, and you relax and not worry, you'll fly through it!

My instructor was Fergus Hutton. He was gutted that I failed first time as he thought there was no way I should have. Ah well.

Trust me, you'll get it!!!!

SV

If you're driving is good enough then you would have passed. Sorry to hear you failed but I doubt its to do with any ?system?. Fergus hutton is the best instructor out there btw.

aynon

ClioV6 wrote: »

If you're driving is good enough then you would have passed. Sorry to hear you failed but I doubt its to do with any ?system?. Fergus hutton is the best instructor out there btw.

does fergus have the full accreditation from ADI and RDA? and also anthony is the cheapest in town.

put it this way, its in the tester interest to fail you. having a back log keeps them in a job.

....

think about it...

SV

I have no idea, kind of irrelevant too. A good instructor is a good instructor, no 2 ways about it. Ridiculous accusation to make. Suck it up, get lessons with someone else and see if you learn anything different. 3times failing points to both you and your instructor.

patrickc

ClioV6 wrote: »

I have no idea, kind of irrelevant too. A good instructor is a good instructor, no 2 ways about it. Ridiculous accusation to make. Suck it up, get lessons with someone else and see if you learn anything different. 3times failing points to both you and your instructor.

+1 that was my point earlier too

Queen-Mise

ok, the best instructor out there is a man by the name of Philip >>>>>, have no idea of his second name (for some reason). He was in the army for 30 years, and was an advanced driving instructor in the army. He is also a driving instructor/tester for the Hibernian advanced driving course. The man is absolutely fantastic, is so knowledgeable about the road & driving. pm me & i'll send you his number

I failed the test 4/5 times, and scraped through the last time with 8 blue ticks. It is very ironic i think, i used to drive 70k miles a year, have five years no claims & couldn't get through the test.

I passed just under two years ago, keep at it. i had some very unlucky fails. Brake light failed on one, car accident the day before on another (girl ran up the back of me & wrote off car).

kwinabeeste

Passed second time in SGS. Deserved to fail the 1st time as I was away for work before and came back day before test and used a car I wasn't used to.

Got lessons from Louise in ISM and she was brilliant. I only got 2 ticks on the SGS one, so either it was an easier test or I am a good driver

When I did it in graig the guy wasn't nice and i saw an older guy biut 50 come out and fail aswell so maybe they are more strict there than in the SGS?

ShayK1

I whole heartedly (sp?) agree with ClioV6 here.
If you're good enough you'll pass.
To those saying that testers tend to fail 18-25 year old lads.... b0llix !!!

I passed first time at the age of 17. My instructor was David Ryan's dad Timmy. He instructed my 3 siblings and myself. All but one passed first time.

HugoIrl

Okay fair enough that all testers do not automatically look to fail 18-25 yrs olds immediately but there are they few that would scrutinese a young male more then a driver over say a male over 35, etc.

As with any service there is always a segment of the population which is least attractive to the agent. I just believe that segment for testers in 18/25 males as with insurance companies. Thats all I have to say on that one

Don1

They test people to a set standard, end of. Any bias towards or against certain age groups and/or genders is discriminatory and illegal.

Everybody has to be tested the same way, end of. If you feel aggrieved over the way you think you or others have been treated then go complain to the RSA or another similar agency and I'm sure you'll be listened to, but told the same.

aynon

well, like i said earlier, they need to be kept in a job. so they only pass the bare min. if you understand business, you want you your customers to return. so how do they do it there? they fail you.

ask any instructor. the testers in graig were sent off for retraining a few months ago because of this and the pass rate went down. good on the government(/sarcasm) gorey were also sent for training. after wardds their pass rate went up as the same in naas.

SV

aynon wrote: »

well, like i said earlier, they need to be kept in a job. so they only pass the bare min. if you understand business, you want you your customers to return. so how do they do it there? they fail you.

ask any instructor. the testers in graig were sent off for retraining a few months ago because of this and the pass rate went down. good on the government(/sarcasm) gorey were also sent for training. after wardds their pass rate went up as the same in naas.

blah blah blah.

Stop making excuses for your own poor driving.

Not beating around the bush anymore.

aynon

well, if my drivings poor, then take me off the road. at the very least, my driving aside, the driving testing system needs to be overhauled to something like the English, system with more transparency.....

SV

aynon wrote: »

well, if my drivings poor, then take me off the road. at the very least, my driving aside, the driving testing system needs to be overhauled to something like the English, system with more transparency.....

You shouldn't be on the road without the fully licensed driver(of 2 years) beside you the whole time anyway.


You would be in favour of the 'system' if you passed but because you've failed you have a problem..stupid.

aynon

well while i was there another testee... was taken out with no fully licensed driver....and he was putting his l plates up OUTSIDE the window of the testers!!

yet was still taken out! now theres a legal in the system!

SV

aynon wrote: »

well while i was there another testee... was taken out with no fully licensed driver....and he was putting his l plates up OUTSIDE the window of the testers!!

yet was still taken out! now theres a legal in the system!

Just because he did something illegal on the way to the test is no reason to not be taken out on the test.

christ. GET OVER IT.

bluefirefly

aynon wrote: »

well while i was there another testee... was taken out with no fully licensed driver....and he was putting his l plates up OUTSIDE the window of the testers!!

yet was still taken out! now theres a legal in the system!

sorry you failed your test. but regards to what you have said above. I've read a post before saying that the testers are only there to test your abilty to drive and knowledge on roads.anything outside of that eg a testee drove himself down to the centre is irrelevant its the gardai's job so check license and stuff.
and when the testee HAS an L-plate FOR the test. Its ok to them...(even though i know a guy actually did the test without the L-plate and passed...)

Your driving could be fine.Dont want to be judegmental. You said you did all the observations. but did you MOVE your head? you really have to move your head (which i think is stupid ) to PROVE to the tester that you were OBSERVING. And i think luck counts as well. No sudden obstruction, pedestrains, accidents and other STUPID DRIVERS during the test will lead you a pass.

i passed first time. but i practiced LOTS on my own and had more than 15 hrs lesson.

My first instructor was David Ryan,very good instructor. Had him for 10 lessons. Then been driving on my own since. Before the test he went on holidays so got quantum for few lessons. The guy talks too much,so its Davids teaching that helped me pass.

Don1

They cannot just fail a certain amount to keep their jobs and the suggestion of this is ridiculous.
Yes the system should be overhauled, but not due to this "reason". It should be like Germany, where you do several hours testing/lessons with a licenced tester/instructor, and when you are deemed good enough and have completed the required hours in the different driving conditions you pass with varrying degrees which affects your insurance. Great system if slightly expensive, but hey, the result is waaaaay better drivers, where enternal failing doesn't result in going back on the road on a provisional, you are just not allowed to drive!

RealistSpy

No but in all fairness the drive test centre in graig should be investigated. They are alo qurr rude.

aynon

Don1 wrote: »

They cannot just fail a certain amount to keep their jobs and the suggestion of this is ridiculous.

Actually yes they can, its called supply/demand. why is it that SGS, the other test centre had a double the pass rate, huummmm?

ShayK1

aynon wrote: »

Actually yes they can, its called supply/demand. why is it that SGS, the other test centre had a double the pass rate, huummmm?

Cause that's where all the good drivers went to do their tests?
Actually, let me rephrase that... That's where all the people who know how to pass went to do their test.

SV

aynon wrote: »

Actually yes they can, its called supply/demand. why is it that SGS, the other test centre had a double the pass rate, huummmm?

oh ffs.

yes that's it.
you're failing cos they want to keep their job.

you're really an EXCELLENT driver.



:rolleyes:

aynon

well, admit it, there are ALOT of really bad drivers WITH their full licences. how might i ask?

SV

aynon wrote: »

well, admit it, there are ALOT of really bad drivers WITH their full licences. how might i ask?

Through having the neccesary skills to pass the driving test.

It's a piece of piss.
You could pass it after learning to drive the week before if you wanted to.
Doesn't prove you're a good driver though.

ShayK1

aynon wrote: »

well, admit it, there are ALOT of really bad drivers WITH their full licences. how might i ask?

ShayK1 wrote: »

Cause that's where all the good drivers went to do their tests?
Actually, let me rephrase that... That's where all the people who know how to pass went to do their test.

Cause they know how to pass a test

aynon

talk to any qualified instructor and you are talking through your anus.

ShayK1

talk to most people that have done and passed the test and you'll see we're right.

The Irish driving test is a piece of piss, but as ClioV6 said, passing it doesn't make you a good driver.

patrickc

i passed mine after loads of lessons, but i don't always claim to be a good driver now, i always break the speed limit well on national roads and motorways i do.

aynon

but can we at least agree then that the test system needs to be overhauled?

patrickc

aynon wrote: »

but can we at least agree then that the test system needs to be overhauled?

well one thing that needs adding to it is parallel parking..

i for one have only got anyway good at it lately, it should be thought to you by your instructor and mandatory in the test

ShayK1

aynon wrote: »

but can we at least agree then that the test system needs to be overhauled?

That we can.

patrickc wrote: »

well one thing that needs adding to it is parallel parking..

it should be thought to you by your instructor and mandatory in the test

+1

aynon

ShayK1 wrote: »

That we can.

can some one please explain more clearly the german system?

aynon

patrickc wrote: »

well one thing that needs adding to it is parallel parking..

i for one have only got anyway good at it lately, it should be thought to you by your instructor and mandatory in the test

i have a video i think you'll laugh at here if you want to see it?

parallel parking is a defo, same as yourself, only got good at there, but i got my instructor to show me, and he explained the theory of reversing into a space, is basicly the same for parallel parking.

ShayK1

i can try.

There are stages. Different parts of getting your license.
For one, you have to put in the hours. You can't just get a provisional and go do a test. You need to be part of a Fahrschule for a certain number of hours.

You have to learn to Urban drive and are graded on it.
You have to learn to Motorway drive and are graded on it
and so on .....

That's my understanding of it anyway

patrickc

i for one am off to bantry , i will test my driving skills on the way up and back..

ShayK1

good luck sir!

aynon

patrickc wrote: »

i for one am off to bantry , i will test my driving skills on the way up and back..

we want graded papers!!

HugoIrl

Defo agree that it needs an overhaul, the parking I agree with and the emergency stops are another! Is the motorbike licence done in grades?? Or am I completely wrong on that.

patrickc

aynon wrote: »

we want graded papers!!

i failed:pac: