Tallaght versus Churchtown

Sleuthy

I'm currently learning to drive with an instructor. I haven't applied for the test yet but I am going to start intensively practising on the routes surrounding the centre I choose.

I've ruled out Rathgar so I am deliberating over Tallaght and Churchtown. At present I am leaning towards Tallaght because the roads are bigger and less busy than Churchtown but would like some more information.

Any advice on which to choose?

brian076

If you chose Churchtown you might get Rathgar, they're treated as the one centre by the RSA, so you might be better going to Tallaght.

phoebe!

When I was taking lessons I was advised to do test in tallaght and the routes are definitely better. I did the test in churchtown(failed) (had applied before getting lessons) and Tallaght(passed ) and found the roads in tallaght quieter for things like reversing around corners and turnabout. My instructor said the examiners in Tallaght have a better reputation too!

greenie

Maybe get your instructor to bring you around each route and decide which feels more comfortable for you. Some people do like Tallaght and think it's a better route (roads wise) but there are many others who don't like it at all...same with Churchtown. It's definitely worth checking each out before you apply:)

af_thefragile

60% of the test in Tallaght is around a housing estate.
If you practice driving around any housing estate and get good at it, you should do well at Tallaght too. As all housing estates are pretty much the same!

And yeah, Tallaght is quiter too, though I did my test on a saturday morning so I can't really speak much!

Atavan-Halen

I'm kind of the same as the OP, deciding whether to do my test in Churchtown or Tallaght. I think I'll do it in Tallaght though as I'm not a fan of the roads around Churchtown/Rathgar.

Midnight_EG

Well OP, I learned in Churchtown as I go to the school around the corner, yet I live in Tallaght. I applied for my first test in Churchtown, I got Rathgar and failed. My second test I applied for in Tallaght, I passed :]

I done better because I knew the roads whereas I did not know Rathgar at all, I would have been fine in Churchtown!

Reloc8

I applied for and got Churchtown. I had a couple of lessons in and around the area in the weeks running up to it, as I didn't know it at all.

I found the road's extremely handy, nothing too taxing at all. A couple of junctions have a box marked for cars turning right at traffic lights, which inspires a bit more confidence in you when doing that, and of course makes you less likely to take up a wrong position.

youcancallmeal

Like a few others I applied for Churchtown and got Rathgar. Failed and for my 2nd test in two weeks time I'm doing it in Tallaght.

dudara

Churchtown/Rathgar are treated as one application centre by the RSA and they probably have some of the highest failure rates in the country. The failure rates there are a statistical anomaly.

You probably have a better chance of passing in Tallaght!

Thinkingaboutit

From recent memory Tallaght test has nice wide roads, while Churchtown has a lot of narrow roads with cars parked both sides, and cars moving both sides. The only thing is that the learner can forget speed and road position on easy wide roads, like I did to some extent, although thankfully not too much.