Not going through this crap again.

richard2010

Howdy,

Done the test again today and failed miserably, I think from memory this is the fifth one and to be honest it’s gotten to a stage where the driving test is a money making racket and they really are out to fail people. I really hope they improve this system because after today I feel it’s seriously fudged up. Between lessons and applying for the test I've spend well in excess of a grand. I am just going to stop applying for tests for about six months get experience in any way I can.

Rant over just feel very pissed off and disappointed!!

Permabear

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Mint Sauce

richard2010 wrote: »

Howdy,

Done the test again today and failed miserably, I think from memory this is the fifth one and to be honest it’s gotten to a stage where the driving test is a money making racket and they really are out to fail people. I really hope they improve this system because after today I feel it’s seriously fudged up. Between lessons and applying for the test I've spend well in excess of a grand. I am just going to stop applying for tests for about six months get experience in any way I can.

Rant over just feel very pissed off and disappointed!!

Sorry to hear that mate, but can i ask, are you failing on anything in particular, is your instructer going over with you on the things you have failed on, are you getting enough time behind the wheel between lessons?

Nasty_Girl

Heya,

I know exactly how you feel.

I'm approaching my 5th test and am seriously considering that pass or fail it will be my last but I keep telling myself I have to do this, I've put so much in to it.
I mean it has to be worth it right?

I never thought it was all a scam until my 4th I really did not deserve to fail.
I can't do any more lessons, I'm done!

Going through this stupid dance over and over is soul destroying but if you stick with it I will too!!

Axe Rake

Under what area's are you being marked?

You should seriously consider this and sit down and think as to why you are getting marked down on it. Surely you are doing some things seriously wrong.

Have you tried a different test center?

Fighting Irish

richard2010 wrote: »

Howdy,

Done the test again today and failed miserably, I think from memory this is the fifth one and to be honest it’s gotten to a stage where the driving test is a money making racket and they really are out to fail people. I really hope they improve this system because after today I feel it’s seriously fudged up. Between lessons and applying for the test I've spend well in excess of a grand. I am just going to stop applying for tests for about six months get experience in any way I can.

Rant over just feel very pissed off and disappointed!!

lol no, and the test should be way harder than it is

ADIDriving

Reasons for repeated failing can be nerves ( If you do well in pre tests, try keep that going until the end of the test ), poor instruction ( get good advice from a good instructor, consider a different one ), ability ( rare, very rare. Keep trying )

mydarkstar

irish-stew wrote: »

Sorry to hear that mate, but can i ask, are you failing on anything in particular, is your instructer going over with you on the things you have failed on, are you getting enough time behind the wheel between lessons?

Out of curiosity, how much time behind the wheel should you get inbetween lessons?
I started lessons recently and my instructor wants me practice in my own car between lessons but it's difficult to find suitable roads for a learner in Dublin City Centre. And it's nerve-wracking for my accompanying driver!!

ADIDriving

mydarkstar wrote: »

it's difficult to find suitable roads for a learner in Dublin City Centre. And it's nerve-wracking for my accompanying driver!!

Thats true. Maybe your accompanying driver could drive out of town a bit. Then you can get started and drive back after.

Mint Sauce

mydarkstar wrote: »

Out of curiosity, how much time behind the wheel should you get inbetween lessons?
I started lessons recently and my instructor wants me practice in my own car between lessons but it's difficult to find suitable roads for a learner in Dublin City Centre. And it's nerve-wracking for my accompanying driver!!

As much as possible, learning to drive is practise practise practise, and then practise some more.

When it came to my second attempt at the test I just pretended the examiner was not there apart from when he was giving me an instruction, and just drove the way i had been doing, basically tried to get out ever day after failing the first time.

mydarkstar

i know I need lots of practice but it's not easy to fit in and is difficult to find quiet places in the city centre. Will try a few suburban places this weekend which will hopefully be less hairy.

Started learning hill-starts in my lesson today so that'll make things easier - won't have to choose flat places to practice.

mardy_bum

I have to sympathise as I will be doing my 4th test in a couple of weeks. I'm not saying I deserved to pass all of them but I seriously question the integrity and honesty of some of the testers.

Also, its a <SNIP> state exam. If the average mark in a Leaving Cert exam was 70% for schools in Sligo, and 40% in Kildare, there would be uproar. But somehow its ok to have driving test pass rates that are polar opposites? Joke.

Captain Havoc

mardy_bum wrote: »

Also, its a <SNIP> state exam. If the average mark in a Leaving Cert exam was 70% for schools in Sligo, and 40% in Kildare, there would be uproar. But somehow its ok to have driving test pass rates that are polar opposites? Joke.

I really question that. A friend told me he was speaking to an examiner and the examiner said that he sets very high standards in his tests. Surely it's not up to the examiner but the system to set the standards, no? Anyway, I've got my third test coming up in the next two weeks in the test centre with the third highest fail rate in the country (62.3%), this centre obviously also has high standards.

Reg'stoy

Hopefully you don't live too far away from your test centre and are able to practise on the routes normally taken. If you don't just sit back now and think about the route of all tests.

Your test will involve left and right turns from minor to major and major to minor roads, right turn through a junction, make up a route where ever you live and practise all these turns and start a little mantra when you drive.

Speak out loud to yourself about what you are doing as in G.O.S.H

Starting off from a stop

G.ear I'm clutching and putting car in first gear
O.bserve I'm checking 360' all round me including my blind spot
S.ignal I'm indicating my intention to move off
H.andbrake I'm releasing my handbrake after I have found my biting point and it is safe to move off

Repeat the above everytime you move off

When driving on the straight

Talk to yourself again as in, I am checking my mirrors for cyclists and motorbikes and talk about what you see "I see a cyclist up ahead I may have to brake" check at least a 100 metres ahead, "I may have to brake so I'm checking my rear view mirror before braking, it is safe to brake" "I may have to move to my right to give the cyclist/parked car/etc room" "I'm checking my rear view mirror because I must brake first, ok to brake, I'm checking my right wing mirror and blind spot all clear 50 metres to go". "I am indicating my intention to pass the bike/parked car/etc, I have passed and now intend to return safely to the left side of the road I am checking my left wing mirror and left blind spot, I indicate and cancel indication and will now progress correctly"

When you see any road sign speak it out, "I see a 50 kph sign, there is a roundabout up ahead I must get in the correct lane" etc etc for all road signs.

I have been asked to take the next left after the lights.

O.bserve Rear view mirror is it safe to brake in preparation to turn "I'm safe to brake". Check 360' blindspots indicate my intention to turn left. "Check correct lane" "there is a stop/yield sign I must prepare to stop"

Now for your reverse, three point turn and hill start, again pick a suitable location and don't just practise from a stop, in the test the tester will ask you to pull over safely on your left/right. So

Practise stopping safely

Plan your stop, the tester should give you plenty of warning that he/she will want to come to a safe stop up ahead on your left/right. On the day of the test he will ask you to do this to do either a three point turn, reverse or a hill start, on one of these occasions he will ask you to demonstrate the correct hand signals.

It should be obvious what manoeuvre he is going to ask you to do. So if approaching an incline he asks you to pull over on your left safely, don't pull up behind another car and remember to leave at least 15 feet 5 metres space from a junction but not so much that you will be reserving for half a mile.

Ok so speak again to yourself "I'm going to come to a stop safely" as soon as the tester asks you too pull over the following will be second nature.

Pick your spot to pull over and now plan, check your rear view mirror, can I brake safely enough so as not to effect the traffic behind me. I'm checking my left mirror and blind spot for cyclists/etc. I'm indicating my intention to pull over so I start to stop (you should be able to stop your car while still in third gear(at least) without clutching too early or juddering the car) come to a stop and now work your way up the car

H.andbrake on slowly release footbrake to check hand brake on enough particularly on incline.
G.ear into neutral release clutch
S.ignal switch off indication

Wait for instruction as to what he wants you to do

Reverse around corner

G.ear, reverse
O.bserve 360' and blind spots "I am looking for the kid playing ball"
H.andbrake off Clutch is in, covering my foot brake

Walk your car around the corner O.bservering constantly

Hill start is as per moving off, G.O.S.H.

Three point turn is all about O.bservation O.bservation, slow movement of the car and quick hands.

There is no quick short cut to passing the test, confidence in your own ability through practise practise and more practise will reduce your nerves on the day.
Repeat everything until it becomes routine and second nature (just like clutch control becomes instinct) this repetition will make you a safer driver once you do!! pass (everyone passes).

Best of luck but you won't need luck as you will be a competent, confident driver next time you take the test.

Permabear

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Permabear

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Mint Sauce

donegalfella wrote: »

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Good point, the Sligo Town test invloves merging on to a HQ duel carriage way and leaving it at the next juction with traffic travelling at 100km. The Letterkenny test centre, although being near to a Duel Carriage way, its test does not invlove it (as per talking to anyone who has done their test there).

I'm thankfull for that tuition on a DC as would have been nervious now joining one on my own had I not had that experience.

ADIDriving

donegalfella wrote: »

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But is it fair that driver can scrape a pass on easy test routes and get a full licence and all that goes with it. While a significantly better driver fails on harder routes and all that goes with that. This happens every day. Still some of this will be reduced by planned changes.

Permabear

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Neddieog

Speaking of Letterkenny, Does anyone know where the main test routes are and what kind of testers they have?

daveharnett

richard2010 wrote: »

Howdy,

Done the test again today and failed miserably, I think from memory this is the fifth one and to be honest it’s gotten to a stage where the driving test is a money making racket and they really are out to fail people. I really hope they improve this system because after today I feel it’s seriously fudged up. Between lessons and applying for the test I've spend well in excess of a grand. I am just going to stop applying for tests for about six months get experience in any way I can.

Rant over just feel very pissed off and disappointed!!

My sympathies Richard. As to the money-making part, put your mind at ease. The state/rsa actually loses money on driver testing, and while there are inconsistencies between centers, they seem to average out at about 45-50% pass rates depending on the inherent difficulty of the test routes.

Taking some time off of the testing treadmill mightn't be the worst idea at this stage. Forget about the test for a bit, and just focus on doing a little better every time you sit into the car. When it does come around again, you'll be much better prepared.

Fuinseog

richard2010 wrote: »

Howdy,

Done the test again today and failed miserably, I think from memory this is the fifth one and to be honest it’s gotten to a stage where the driving test is a money making racket and they really are out to fail people. I really hope they improve this system because after today I feel it’s seriously fudged up. Between lessons and applying for the test I've spend well in excess of a grand. I am just going to stop applying for tests for about six months get experience in any way I can.

Rant over just feel very pissed off and disappointed!!

know how you feel. some people take longer than others. there are loads of people out there with full licences yet are a danger to themseleves and others. getting lessons means a more thorough education.

richard2010

Hi folks,
My apologies for not getting back to you sooner, I figured a period of self imposed exile would be of benefit. Following a period of self evaluation I have realised that if after five tests and failing them I must be doing fundamentally wrong. I feel that a three month break from all things driving related is best advised. Once the New Year comes we will source a new driving instructor and start learning to drive from scratch again. I wish to thank all the posters who have advised in the past. I will be back periodically to see if anything has changed in regards to what testers are marking.
I wish all those applying for the driving test in the coming months the very best of luck.
Talk soon!

ADIDriving

Enjoy the break.