Reschedule Test?

Basq

OK.. so here's the deal!

I've a driving test scheduled for Monday lunch-time. Yesterday evening, i was out practising driving and rolled down my window and to cut a long story short, the regulator is gone in the driver's side electric window.

My mechanic has rang around to look for a replacement regulator and to cut another long story short, he's relying on Belfast to send one first thing tomorrow morning which will hopefully arrive with him on Monday morning and be fitted for my test on Monday lunchtime.

Now there's a helluva lot of things there to potentially rule my car out-of-action for the test on Monday and I've not comfortable in any other car bar my own, especially not so close to the test.

I know if I cancel now, I'll lose my fee but I've heard people mentioning that re-scheduling isn't the same protocol. Anyone know if there's any truth to this? Tried ringing the RSA but they're close til the morning.

At the end of the day.. even if the car is fixed in time on Monday, I honestly don't know if I'll be in the right frame of mind after worrying and stressing all weekend to do a test competently.

Basq

Did a quick search of the forum for "reschedule" and seemed to have got my answer - it still requires 10 days notice.

Ah well.. a weekend of stress and worry ahead!

murphm45

Sorry I might be missing something, and also exposing my ignorance to the mechanics of a car, but is the problem just that the window is jammed and can't be opened/closed? if it is i have a feeling someone asked about this before and a number of people said it doesn't deem the car unroadworthy. If not I appear to have wasted your time, sorry.

Hopefully you'll manage ko get it sorted and either way best of luck.

Basq

murphm45 wrote: »

Sorry I might be missing something, and also exposing my ignorance to the mechanics of a car, but is the problem just that the window is jammed and can't be opened/closed? if it is i have a feeling someone asked about this before and a number of people said it doesn't deem the car unroadworthy. If not I appear to have wasted your time, sorry.

Cheers for the reply murphm.

No, it doesn't deem the car unroadworthy. I'm just curious as to how the examiner will take to a jammed window when he asks me to demonstrate hand signals out the window.

And what approach to take? Say it to him in advance of the test, or say it to him when he asks me to do hand signals.

J_R from DrivingSchoolsIreland.com PM'd me and told me not to worry and quote this from his website:

Hand Signals

After the reverse or turnabout manoeuvre ask the applicant to lower the window in order to demonstrate hand signals. The demonstration should include the five hand signals from the 'Rules Of The Road'. On completion, tell the applicant to readjust the window as they wish. Where the driver's window will not wind down, or in wet weather, hand signals may be demonstrated in the vehicle. This also applies to vehicles with left-hand-drive.

See http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/pratical.html#3

But I can't find this anywhere else - Rules of The Road or anything. My driving instructor said it's best to say nothing until I'm asked.

murphm45 wrote: »

Hopefully you'll manage ko get it sorted and either way best of luck.

It'll be cutting it tight but I'm gonna drop it into mechanic on Monday first thing as part was sent from Belfast this morning.

Midnight_EG

Put your window down before the test.

Basq

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Put your window down before the test.

Good point.. but what if it's not particularly warm? And would prefer to be comfortable doing a test.

I think my biggest problem is having that hanging over me until I get to clarify it with the tester.

Midnight_EG

basquille wrote: »

And if it's not particularly warm?

Grin and bear it, I had the same problem, my regulator was gone so upon getting into the car I just told him the A/C was clogged so I had to leave the window open. He accepted it and drove one even with rain in my face :P

Alanstrainor

I would definitely just go for it. I wouldn't even mention it. Just hope it's not raining! Is there no way you can force the window up?

RayM

basquille wrote: »

but what if it's not particularly warm?

I think the weather is supposed to be fairly ok on Monday, so you shouldn't have any major problems with rain or anything. That might be a bit less stressful than worrying about whether the mechanic will have the car ready or not.

Basq

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I would definitely just go for it. I wouldn't even mention it. Just hope it's not raining! Is there no way you can force the window up?

I have a plastic coaster jammed in it now which is doing it's job in keeping it up!

The window doesn't drop the whole way down... merely half-way. So I could probably demonstrate the hand signals in leaving the window half-down.

RayM wrote: »

I think the weather is supposed to be fairly ok on Monday, so you shouldn't have any major problems with rain or anything. That might be a bit less stressful than worrying about whether the mechanic will have the car ready or not.

I'd 98% sure I'm not gonna leave it into the mechanic on Monday.. I can't take the risk of:

a) it not being done
b) stressing about it for the entire morning
c) not getting a test run of a few routes with my instructor before it

Ah well.. we'll see how it is on Monday.

Cheers for the advice lads.

ha-ya-said-what

Could always try " I'm sorry but would you mind if I didn't roll down the window to do the hand signals? I have a phobia about putting my arms outside of a vehicle window, ever since I did it as a kid & my mother beat it off me "that's what ya get for stickin your arm out the window, it could have been a lorry that hit ya, ya wee brat"

Failing that just tell him, your sorry but your window does not go down fully & that you are aware that you need the the window down for them, & ask would it be acceptable for you to do the signs in the car. Worst thing ya could so is say nowt when it's grand and sunny outside & your sitting there showing him, nowt to stop him marking them as wrong cos you didn't tell him about the window!

Basq

OK, so had the test!

I jammed the window shut with a coaster and said absolutely nothing, and kept the 2 windows open a crack in the back for air. He opened the window on his side.

Then it came to him asking to do the hand signals.. I was about to say something when he said "listen.. it's a bit busy outside on the road so you can demonstrate them inside the car".



So anyways, I passed. Absolutely chuffed!