Full Licence - taking the test again!

netwhizkid

I have a full licence but am Auto restricted as I took my test in an Automatic which I learnt to drive in from 19 onwards, even today I drive auto. At the time I took my test in a manual Toyota Corrolla:mad: which are a piece of absolute junk. The clutch was too light and the car cut out very easily, anyway long story short I failed my test at the time because of a manual car. Also I had a couple of near misses with that car stalling and decided to go Auto, I since mastered the art of driving and consider myself to be a competent driver, having had my full licence all this time.

I drive an auto everyday but sometime need to drive a van and other peoples cars, I can drive a manual and am ok at it, Diesel manuals being no problem as they are hard to cut out. I can drive perfectly but just want to get the whole manual test out of the way for once and for all.

Legally I am in a kind of grey area as I am not supposed to drive manuals with an auto licence (there should be one licence and transmission not count) and as for insurance, the trouble would be when some dope would be to crash into me not what I might actually do.

When I took my test things were crazy and I had to wait for almost a year and I did not want to fail and wait again! What are testing wait times like now? If they are too long I will not bother and just take the test next time I am out in the Czech Republic.

What is the procedure for taking the test in a manual on an auto licence? Would I have to go back with the other lemmings and get a Permit all over again :rolleyes:.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

robbie_998

the donegalfella got it right there.

just one thing he missed out was that you need to do the theory test again (i think) for a B category on a manual transmission.

from there your a learner all over again and will be waiting 6 months before you can take your test and it will have to be in a manual car.

netwhizkid

Thanks for that fellas, The Irish state can shove their bureaucracy, Now mastering the streets of Praha will be another thing.

Alanstrainor

robbie_998 wrote: »

the donegalfella got it right there.

just one thing he missed out was that you need to do the theory test again (i think) for a B category on a manual transmission.

from there your a learner all over again and will be waiting 6 months before you can take your test and it will have to be in a manual car.

Well that depends on how long the OP's original provisional license has expired, if it's been more than 5 years then he will have to start from scratch, if not there should be no requirement to do the theory test again, or wait 6 months.

esharknz

I'm in the same situation here (although it isn't an issue at this stage), but was informed by RSA that I didn't have to take the theory test again, and just to apply for a learner permit. Might be something that I do if/when we get a manual transmission car.

Interestingly enough, the 5 year rule could apply if I left getting the new learner permit for ages.

cython

netwhizkid wrote: »

Legally I am in a kind of grey area as I am not supposed to drive manuals with an auto licence (there should be one licence and transmission not count) and as for insurance, the trouble would be when some dope would be to crash into me not what I might actually do.

No, just no. As was already said, there is no grey area, and as for there being one licence, there already is if you pass the test in a manual transmission car. However, being able to use a clutch and gearstick in a manual transmission is deemed a significant enough component to have the potential to fail someone on a driving test if done improperly. Thus, there is no way that someone who passed their test in an automatic transmission should be able to take up driving a manual transmission as and when they pleased, with no further assessment. As a result, because a significant component of the test has been excluded, the licence is restricted. Seems pretty fair to me.

neil_purdy

netwhizkid wrote: »

manual Toyota Corrolla:mad: which are a piece of absolute junk. The clutch was too light and the car cut out very easily, .

A bad builder blames his tools..

Should have stuck it out and mastered it..

netwhizkid

I disagree with you cython, Automatic transmission car sales are growing every year and are becoming a bigger and bigger slice of cars on the road. The entire motor industry is undergoing a paradigm shift away from engine gearboxes direct drive over to hybrid electrics, hydrogen electrics or battery electrics. Electric motors are the future source of motor power and will the days of manual transmission or the need for gearboxes altogether will be gone.

As we head into a new decade with limited resources becoming less and more expensive this is the way society will move towards in their buying habits. The most important element of driving is to have good judgement, road positioning and doing the simple things right and having driver etiquette.

What transmission you drive is irrelevent and statistically Manual transmission is less safe because your hand is removed from the steering wheel and there is the added gear changes coming down and up as you go through traffic which will obviously distract a driver for that odd second when he should be scanning for danger at all times.

My old provisional is not expired more than 5 years ago IIRC so that would be handy, having to resit a theory test and wait 6 months for a test would be a disaster, when I am licensed to drive everyday as it stands! It is just really a formality that I will get out of the way as I can drive either, learning to drive auto made a great driver out of me as I was looking out for everything not getting distracted with gears. Now like a student going up the academic ladder I have decided I will a manual as it would be handy for full legal compliance.

Alanstrainor

neil_purdy wrote: »

A bad builder blames his tools..

Should have stuck it out and mastered it..

Neil,
If you have nothing to contribute to the thread, don't post at all.

c4cat

If automatics came along befor manuals no one would bother having a manual car, I have always driven Automatics and can not see the point of a man gear change especially in congested cities,,,,,,,,I soppose for the boy racer types that like to pose with their penile extensions with skanger go faster stripes then its the inthing for them to have a man box

ztoical

netwhizkid wrote: »

Manual transmission is less safe because your hand is removed from the steering wheel and there is the added gear changes coming down and up as you go through traffic which will obviously distract a driver for that odd second when he should be scanning for danger at all times.

Have to disagree - having driven autos in the states and having friends there who've only ever driven autos I've found them to be far less aware of whats going on around them then someone driving a manual car. Because you have to change gears you have to focus more and are more aware of your car/engine and speed and more alert to what's going around as you might have to gear up/down depending on whats happening on the road. One of the points of learning to drive a manual is to be able to change gears without having to look away from the road or be distracted hence why it's seen as a big enough skill to restrict the licences of people taking the test in auto cars.

And on the limited resources point manual cars use less fuel then automatics.

Wishbone Ash

netwhizkid wrote: »

Automatic transmission car sales are growing every year and are becoming a bigger and bigger slice of cars on the road....... ..........Electric motors are the future source of motor power and will the days of manual transmission or the need for gearboxes altogether will be gone..........What transmission you drive is irrelevent............I am licensed to drive everyday as it stands!........... It is just really a formality

You are continually contradicting yourself! You believe that the type of transmission is irrelevant? If so, why bother posting this thread and why didn't you pass a test in a vehicle with manual transmission.

You have berated the Toyota Corolla, - not a favourite of mine as it is excessively boring, but it has to be one of the easiest cars in the world to drive.

Basically, you don't appear to be competent with manual transmission but instead of accepting that you choose to blame everyone but yourself.

And, as has been said, there is no 'grey' area. You are licenced to drive vehicles with automatic transmission in the category in which you passed a test.

Mcloke

The others are right...there is no grey area...I selected to do my test in an automatic as that is the car I currently drive and I like automatics but I knew in doing so that I would have a restriction placed on my licence (or well I should have :rolleyes:). I was happy to do so and I believe there is a significant difference between doing a test in manual vs transmission. I do believe (having driven both) as a learner, an automatic allows you to be more aware but I also believe that once you have mastered the manual you have the potential to be just as aware as an automatic driver (how aware is down to the person) as changing gears and clutch become second nature.

You are very sure of yourself and if you honestly believe that you will have no bother passing a manual transmission test then just go get your permit and do the test...the waiting times are not what they where when you first passed your test. At least then you will be insured when you drive a manual which currently you are not due to your licence restriction.

netwhizkid

Yes, I have spoken to the RSA and got two versions of events one saying I should have to sit my driver theory test again, get a learners permit and then wait 6 months before applying for my test.

Another (more credible) version states that all I need do is get my learners permit and then apply straight away for the test without need for a theory test or 6 month wait. I got the Permit form from the motor tax office and will apply for an Irish test when that gets sanctioned. In the meantime I am also organising to do a test overseas which will see me with a European driving licence which will be handy for dodging penalty points and two full Irish driving licences one Auto and one Manual. I will be like some sort of CIA double agent with multiple ID and aliases!

ztoical

netwhizkid wrote: »

two full Irish driving licences one Auto and one Manual.!

No you won't - if you pass the test in a manual car you will simply have the restriction removed from your B licence.

Wishbone Ash

ztoical wrote: »

No you won't - if you pass the test in a manual car you will simply have the restriction removed from your B licence.

Yes.

....and when a person holds a Learner Permit and a Full Licence simultaneously, they both have the same identity number.

Alun

netwhizkid wrote: »

In the meantime I am also organising to do a test overseas which will see me with a European driving licence which will be handy for dodging penalty points...

No one has pointed out yet that this is also illegal. EU rules specify that you cannot be in possession of a driving licence for more than one EU state at the same time, for obvious reasons, not least the one you alluded to above. In addition, you're not allowed to make a formal application for a driving licence in an EU state where you are not normally resident, i.e. for at least 185 days per year.

From this website http://ec.europa.eu/transport/home/drivinglicence/principles/004_en.htm ...

The issue and renewal of licences

1. Requirements for the issue of a licence

Driving licences are issued by the Member States according to their national regulations. However, these must respect the minimum requirements laid down by Directive 91/439/EEC.

With regard to the issue of a driving licence, the "normal residence" must be in the Member State where the application is made. It is necessary to pass a practical and theory examination. Annex II of Directive 91/439/EEC sets minimum requirements such as the duration of the examination, the theoretical knowledge required and the manoeuvres to be carried out by the candidate (this Annex has been adapted to technical progress by Commission Directive 2000/56/CE, which will enter into force on 30 September 2003).

Minimum standards of physical and mental fitness must also be met as defined in Annex III of Directive 91/439/EEC.

For every vehicle category minimum age conditions must be met.

There is a formal ban on holding more than one licence, even if it is temporarily suspended or withdrawn.