Driving test Westside

Fuinseog

Does it take a very definite route or does it vary. Are there any major obstacles or anything you really need to watch out for?

apoeiguq3094y

Fuinseog wrote: »

Does it take a very definite route or does it vary. Are there any major obstacles or anything you really need to watch out for?

There's loads of routes that they can mix and match. I did my test there, went down into shantalla.. be wary of the turning signals and crossings there. If you're coming out of shantalla there's a red/green light for the pedestrian crossing, and then a red/flashing orange one to merge into traffic. Went along mary's road -which is a b!tch cos of the parked cars. Take it handy there. You can't be too close to the parked cars, but you can't be on the other side of the road either :rolleyes:.

Went up taylors hill. did the hill start coming up threadneedle road. Oh yeah be careful of the roundabout at the bottom of threadneedle road at the prom. I heard of a dude who met someone who did a 180 (legally) on the roundabout. The guy assumed they would take the 1st or 2nd exits.

I also went up to the city direct bus depot. I was coming up to the T junction... checked left and right... proceeded to take off... never noticed the big red bus coming out the gate straight in front of me...

Passed with only 1 tick (took a right turn too wide)

seriouslysweet

Big one is filter lights looking at Dunnes Westside with your back to Aldi, watch that one!

darraghking22

its a fairly easy route, it does vary quite a lot, i did my turn around in the roadway in shantalla (in what im sure was the narrowest road in galway)

i did my hill start on circular road heading back to westside after the school.

the test is easy as anything.

if you can start and stop without jerking, have confidence while driving (not overconfidence mind) and observation, but again not too much or over pronounced observation for the testers benefit. if you do all these things you will pass for sure.

i know terrible drivers that have passed. they give a lot of leeway these days in tests.

i did my test 3 years ao in westside. was driving fro years on provisional before that and had one lesson the morning of the test. i passd with one minor fault ( i was stopped in traffic and came out of gear and pulled handbrake, but when about to move off i went into gear put down handbrake and went to go but gear wasnt fully engaged....silly mistake)

be confident

LadyMayBelle

seriouslysweet wrote: »

Big one is filter lights looking at Dunnes Westside with your back to Aldi, watch that one!

This. Caught me a few times during lessons.

Tomebagel

seriouslysweet wrote: »

Big one is filter lights looking at Dunnes Westside with your back to Aldi, watch that one!

For turning left towards dunnes?almost failed my test on that one,was stopped ready to turn left and the cars behind kept beeping to move on,afaik theres no red light for it just the flashing amber arrow when its time to move,

i was brought all around westisde for mine when i did it two months ago,corrib park for the reverse around the corner,highfield park for the hill start and cherry park for the 3 point turn,just watch the speed limit on the road where theyre doin roadworks,its temporarily at 35kmph now

best of luck

snubbleste

Tomebagel wrote: »

For turning left towards dunnes?almost failed my test on that one,was stopped ready to turn left and the cars behind kept beeping to move on,afaik theres no red light for it just the flashing amber arrow when its time to move,

There is a red light, activated by the pedestrian crossing. You are obligated to stop at it when red, even if there are no pedestrians. Otherwise it's a flashing amber arrow.
People have died crossing the Seamus Quirke Road in the past.

Fuinseog

this is all very helpful. Hope to do the test over the summer and have to get familiar with the route. I am screwed if I have to do a hill start at the top of threadneedle road with a car in front of me.

the law keeps on changing . Three years ago I could have gone around without an accompanying driver. While you really do need someone to tell you what to do in the early stages its not entirely necessary, but illegal, as you progress.

ten years ago, those with a second provisional did not even need to sit the test.

Fuinseog

darraghking22 wrote: »

its a fairly easy route, it does vary quite a lot, i did my turn around in the roadway in shantalla (in what im sure was the narrowest road in galway)

i did my hill start on circular road heading back to westside after the school.

the test is easy as anything.

if you can start and stop without jerking, have confidence while driving (not overconfidence mind) and observation, but again not too much or over pronounced observation for the testers benefit. if you do all these things you will pass for sure.

i know terrible drivers that have passed. they give a lot of leeway these days in tests.

i did my test 3 years ao in westside. was driving fro years on provisional before that and had one lesson the morning of the test. i passd with one minor fault ( i was stopped in traffic and came out of gear and pulled handbrake, but when about to move off i went into gear put down handbrake and went to go but gear wasnt fully engaged....silly mistake)

be confident

it was easier back then as you could legally practice in your own car. Now you need an accompanying driver which can be hard to find-family is not a good idea and friends either lack the nerves or think you should know it already. I have heard people tell me they only needed four lessons, but I feel I would need at least 60 hours of driving before the test.

snubbleste

The test should be at night in pouring rain with a strong wind, you know because you will find yourself driving in those conditions :cool:

Head The Wall

Fuinseog wrote: »

the law keeps on changing . Three years ago I could have gone around without an accompanying driver.

ten years ago, those with a second provisional did not even need to sit the test.

The law is still the same, they just enforce it now and apply penalty points if caught.

It was around 30 years ago or more when the license amnesty was on, not ten years ago. I sat my test in 2000 after 2 lessons and passed, I just needed the instructor to tell me what to do to pass the test and applied the info on the day.

biko

There's also a thread here from 2009 with a bit of info.