Speed bumps and gears

jendafer1

I know to most driving questions theres no "correct" answer but I thought I'd throw this one out there anyway - I'll ask my instructor tomorrow as well and see what he says.

So you're on a road in a build up 50 zone with speed bumps - clearly you slow down to go over the speed bumps but generally I would be in 3rd gear in a built up area. As you slow on approach to the speed bumps should I go down to 2nd, then go over bump, speed up - up to 3rd, then slow down and down to 2nd, go over bump etc etc? Its a whole lot of gear changing and changing in speed, am I better off staying in 2nd and going slow for the length of the road? Or would I then be marked down for lack of progress?

Also - unrelated but am just curious, in the reverse around the corner should you aim to stay close to the curb for the entire maneouvre and will you get marked down if you veer away from the curb (but dont cross the lane)

challengemaster

jendafer1 wrote: »

I know to most driving questions theres no "correct" answer but I thought I'd throw this one out there anyway - I'll ask my instructor tomorrow as well and see what he says.

So you're on a road in a build up 50 zone with speed bumps - clearly you slow down to go over the speed bumps but generally I would be in 3rd gear in a built up area. As you slow on approach to the speed bumps should I go down to 2nd, then go over bump, speed up - up to 3rd, then slow down and down to 2nd, go over bump etc etc? Its a whole lot of gear changing and changing in speed, am I better off staying in 2nd and going slow for the length of the road? Or would I then be marked down for lack of progress?

I'd say so, tbh - I know I'd always slow down, into 2nd going over, and speed back up again... there's no point crawling along the road...

Also, tip for going over speed bumps - dont actually brake going over them, if anything, accelerate slightly just before it - when braking the nose of the car goes down, accelerating a little just before the ramp evens the car out again and makes it less bumpy (and if its an awful ramp, less chance you'll scrape/damage the front of the car)

jendafer1

challengemaster wrote: »

I'd say so, tbh - I know I'd always slow down, into 2nd going over, and speed back up again... there's no point crawling along the road...

Also, tip for going over speed bumps - dont actually brake going over them, if anything, accelerate slightly just before it - when braking the nose of the car goes down, accelerating a little just before the ramp evens the car out again and makes it less bumpy (and if its an awful ramp, less chance you'll scrape/damage the front of the car)

Never thought of that before - nice tip! I'll give it a go later on when I'm out and about practising!

Any one else any speed bumps tips?!

LDC ADI 34490

jendafer1 wrote: »

I know to most driving questions theres no "correct" answer but I thought I'd throw this one out there anyway - I'll ask my instructor tomorrow as well and see what he says.

So you're on a road in a build up 50 zone with speed bumps - clearly you slow down to go over the speed bumps but generally I would be in 3rd gear in a built up area. As you slow on approach to the speed bumps should I go down to 2nd, then go over bump, speed up - up to 3rd, then slow down and down to 2nd, go over bump etc etc? Its a whole lot of gear changing and changing in speed, am I better off staying in 2nd and going slow for the length of the road? Or would I then be marked down for lack of progress?

It depends on the distance between the bumps. If they are close enough, stay in 2nd. If you're car is revving out in 2nd gear between the bumps then change up to 3rd and back down as you near bump. Don't go to slow between your bumps or you will indeed pick up a fault for "Progression"

jendafer1 wrote: »

Also - unrelated but am just curious, in the reverse around the corner should you aim to stay close to the curb for the entire maneouvre and will you get marked down if you veer away from the curb (but dont cross the lane)

You should aim to keep 1/2 a metre or less all the way round your corner. If you drift further than this you can pick up a fault on "Competency"

Rgds,
Padraic ADI 34490

**Timbuk2**

For the reverse around the corner, the tester is more interested in your observation and control than about how far you are away from the kerb.

As a car is straight, and the kerb is rounded, it is actually impossible to maintain the exact same distance away from it the whole time (technically speaking). Generally, as long as you don't cross the centreline of the road you are reversing onto (or where a centreline would be if there isn't one) then you'll be ok. Practice makes perfect.

DrivingTestTips: Brian

Both of you questions are subject to situation.

Ramps: slow enough, use the gear you need, speed up when you can, and slow down again before the next ramp.


If ramps are very close: slow enough, use the gear you need.

Reverse: look at the reverse video tutorial ( http://www.drivingtesttips.ie/Irish-Driving-Test-Video-Tutorials.php ) and remember you don't need to be very tight to the kerb.

brian076

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

For the reverse around the corner, the tester is more interested in your observation and control than about how far you are away from the kerb.

As a car is straight, and the kerb is rounded, it is actually impossible to maintain the exact same distance away from it the whole time (technically speaking). Generally, as long as you don't cross the centreline of the road you are reversing onto (or where a centreline would be if there isn't one) then you'll be ok. Practice makes perfect.

That's not correct. The tester asks you to keep reasonbly close to the kerb, and while that's open to interpretation, he'd expect you not to go more than about 2ft away from it. Depending on the width of road you're reversing into going anywhere near the centre line could result in a fault for competency.
While observation is very important the tester is just as interested in seeing that you can control your speed and steering as well

jendafer1

Thanks for all the responses guys! This forum is really helpful for those of us learning to drive! Have my test in Raheny in a week and half - eeek!

rx8

Good luck with the test,... but remember.....practice makes perfect.

Keep trying the reverse manouver until you are happy with it !

I find, even now that if you can adjust the near side mirror downwards so as to see the kerb, it is a great help.

**Timbuk2**

For the reverse, you should be looking behind you more than in your left mirror, which seems a bit counter-intuitive at first as you can be so caught up with keeping a set distance from the kerb.

User Friendly

jendafer1 wrote: »

Thanks for all the responses guys! This forum is really helpful for those of us learning to drive! Have my test in Raheny in a week and half - eeek!

JEN,.............why have you not discussed this with your tutor?

robbie_998

i usually take a speed ramp as fast as i can .... bout 50KM/h and i cant feel a thing going over them... feels like theres nothing there.****


****DO NOT DO THIS ON YOUR TEST****





dunno why im posting this tbh :pac:

**Timbuk2**

robbie_998 wrote: »

i usually take a speed ramp as fast as i can .... bout 50KM/h and i cant feel a thing going over them... feels like theres nothing there.****


****DO NOT DO THIS ON YOUR TEST****





dunno why im posting this tbh :pac:

Well don't do that anyway, test or no test. You will damage the suspension in your car. You don't have to be driving for very long to know that some speed bumps can look more innocent than they actually are. Some can be small, and thus look easy enough, but are actually very sharp and as such you should go over them quite slowly, in second gear.

robbie_998

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Well don't do that anyway, test or no test. You will damage the suspension in your car. You don't have to be driving for very long to know that some speed bumps can look more innocent than they actually are. Some can be small, and thus look easy enough, but are actually very sharp and as such you should go over them quite slowly, in second gear.

oh the sharp one's i slow down for... like in palmerstown :mad:

but the more gentle one's are fine to go over.

although i must say my favorite speed bumps are the one's in inchicore that are literally just painted onto the road :pac:

**Timbuk2**

Actually I have a question!

What about those square speed bumps on the road? Can you adjust your position so that your wheels actually clear the bump on either side, or do you just go over them (one wheel) as per usual?

challengemaster

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Actually I have a question!

What about those square speed bumps on the road? Can you adjust your position so that your wheels actually clear the bump on either side, or do you just go over them (one wheel) as per usual?

You mean the ones that are 2-3 squares across the road? AFAIK, for the test, you shouldn't alter your position to try make it easier, just slow down and take it normally. In every day driving, however.... :P

**Timbuk2**

challengemaster wrote: »

You mean the ones that are 2-3 squares across the road? AFAIK, for the test, you shouldn't alter your position to try make it easier, just slow down and take it normally. In every day driving, however.... :P

I've already passed my test a few months ago, I was just wondering for general driving. They aren't all that common. I normally adjust my position if it's clear but the cars behind me probably think I'm mad! It feels so 'unbalanced' though to have only one wheel go up on a speedbump if you don't adjust position - it isn't as smooth or as comfortable as driving straight over it.

robbie_998

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Actually I have a question!

What about those square speed bumps on the road? Can you adjust your position so that your wheels actually clear the bump on either side, or do you just go over them (one wheel) as per usual?

the problem with these is that people do adjust and there are ones that when you do adjust you end up driving on the dotted white line and the people coming the opposite direction do the same thing !!!

that gets really close.... and if theres an accident cos of it then they are both to blame.

these people annoy me.

a good example of this is Park West B-Park where there are 4 in total going across the road people always move out to the middle to avoid them.

i myself move inwards to the curb and avoid them on the inside as oppose to the outside because i deem it safer and i dont hit the path or anything cos theres a bit of room there.

challengemaster

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I've already passed my test a few months ago, I was just wondering for general driving.

I know that, there are other people on the forum y'know! :pac:

ADIDriving

You should generally straddle the split ramps for your driving test. Put two wheels either side of the one furthest left and you are only adjusting normal position by a small amount. This usually becomes correct position for the full road. If you can not get to the ramp on the left, due to a parked car, you can move out to the next one if that is clear. Driving during your test should be more like your normal driving then most people think.

brian076

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Actually I have a question!

What about those square speed bumps on the road? Can you adjust your position so that your wheels actually clear the bump on either side, or do you just go over them (one wheel) as per usual?

If you can alter your position a little and take proper observation you should try to get both wheels to pass either side of them. You're not allowed to swerve or weave in and out to avoid them, but if you can avoid them safely, but don't do so on the test, you'll be marked for Reaction to Hazard.

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for the answers!

challengemaster wrote: »

I know that, there are other people on the forum y'know! :pac:

Oh sorry, that's my misunderstanding - I thought you were talking directly to me because my post was quoted. Sorry about that!