so the whole driving thing finally "clicked" and I'm thinking towards test...

miss no stars

Right,

After a couple of months driving at weekends, everything suddenly fell into place overnight during the last week and I sat into the car on Friday evening to find I could drive :cool:

I have bulk of the mechanics of driving down (tho a little dodgy on the aul parking business) and for now I'm gonna spend a few months as a learner improving my ability to read the road and to fine tune the mechanics of it. Have already taken 10 lessons with an instructor (albeit ages ago, didn't have the use of a car during the lessons so progress was kinda slowed by that, then it was like starting from scratch in the car I use now - a Hyundai Santa Fe with a not so fantastic gear box :eek:) and I'll probably get a few more, maybe 2 or 3 and then a couple of pretest ones, but I would really like to be just about ready for my test before getting more lessons - I'd like those to be an ironing out of any bad habits my parents have passed on to me if that makes sense.

So, does anyone know where I can get the checklist of things they examine in the test? There's a fair bit of dispute in my house over little things (my brother took and passed test about a year ago) so it'd be nice to know EXACTLY what is and isn't allowed. As examples:

• Dry steering - I'm fairly sure my instructor told me absolutely not to, but my parents are "fairly sure" I couldn't be marked down for that in the test
• Roundabouts - doing them in third gear. Yesterday for example, I was on the roundabout just before the glass bottle site and I took it in 3rd and it was just dandy, car felt completely under control, yet I suspect I could be marked down for that?
• If you go on the clutch too soon when slowing do they mark you down for that? I'm particularly concerned about that one as the car I drive is "long-legged" (or so I'm told) in that the revs have to be very high before you can move up a gear and it will stall very easily when the revs drop, despite the revs actually not being very low. That's fine and well once you get used to it, which I am at this stage, but comparing with the instructor's car, it does mean you're on the clutch a good bit earlier than in other cars. (I tried driving it once as I had driven the instructors car... Stall central).

Basically, what little niggly things do they check for in the test? I can't seem to find the checklist online

MascotDec85

Dry steering is allowed on the test although it's not great practice. I'd always teach a pupil to steer whilst moving, even from the very beginning. It's not particularly great for the tyres.

On roundabouts it may be possible to approach in 3rd but really only when you are talking about the larger type of roundabout that you would find over a motorway. In general approach in 2nd and try to be in 2nd and off the clutch by the time your car reaches the splitter island (to your right) as you approach the roundabout. Depending on the observations you have on the approach it may be necessary to go into first before reaching the entrance of the roundabout (there are 2 roundabouts like this on a Navan test route).

As far as your clutch is concerned it sounds as though you are breaking and stopping in 4th and putting the clutch down prior to stopping. Without driving the car it's hard for anyone to comment as exactly what you should do but going down through the gearbox 4th > 3rd > 2nd or just 4th > 2nd might be something you could try if it's concerning you.

Here's the test sheet. http://www.drivingtesttips.ie/Irish-Driving-Test-Report-Form.php

If you have any specific questions on the sheet and any of the items contained in it just ask.

loobylou

And heres the list of what not to do. http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/ADI/DrivingFault_Marking_Guides.pdf

miss no stars

Thanks for that! They're useful links.

Regarding the stopping, I'm definately working down the gears from 4th to 2nd... (Well usually, couple of times I've had to stop in 3rd when a light goes amber just before I'd be at a point where I could safely make it through). It's just that the revs have to be quite high for the gear to avoid it cutting out and I was worried that a tester would think I'm just on the clutch too early rather when if I went on it later I'd stall :-/. I'm actually thinking of hiring an instructor's car for the test to avoid the problem during the test, but no harm to make sure what I'm doing is ok in the car I'm actually driving.

Useful to know about being completely off the clutch when entering a roundabout though, bad habit I seem to have picked up That's one to work on!

MascotDec85

miss no stars wrote: »

Thanks for that! They're useful links.

Regarding the stopping, I'm definately working down the gears from 4th to 2nd... (Well usually, couple of times I've had to stop in 3rd when a light goes amber just before I'd be at a point where I could safely make it through). It's just that the revs have to be quite high for the gear to avoid it cutting out and I was worried that a tester would think I'm just on the clutch too early rather when if I went on it later I'd stall :-/. I'm actually thinking of hiring an instructor's car for the test to avoid the problem during the test, but no harm to make sure what I'm doing is ok in the car I'm actually driving.

Useful to know about being completely off the clutch when entering a roundabout though, bad habit I seem to have picked up That's one to work on!

You should always come completely off the clutch after making a gear change whether it's up or down. If you don't come off the clutch completely how haven't fully engaged the gear and will pick up a mark for it.

As for using an instructor's car it might not be a bad idea.

m5alive

hi, just on the stopping bit, I was taught by my instructor to not really give a toss about what gear I was in when I stopped, so along as when i did stop i put into 1st ready to take off or neutral + handbrake if you think your going to be stopped for a bit. They will mark you down for coasting though, so make sure you time your clutch down with your break down approacing stop.

The roundabout thing, honestly i would always approach a roundabout in 2nd you have way more control over the car, and they are not gonna mark you down for that however if you lose control or lane position in 3rd they will. Feel free to bump to 3rd while on the roundabout if you need to though

Other bit of advise would give is around mirrors and being obvious, check mirrors all the time and be very obvious about doing it. They watch this like a hawk. The other bit is when your turning off a road either left of right, look into the turn really obviously. As a driver you should always be watching the oncoming driver to see what they are doing as well as watch the car nose in case they decide it not indicate a pull across you.

Past test first time around, 10 lessons and about 6mths driving at weekends/evenings. Its not that hard just make sure you know your signs(testers are more likely to let ya off on a fault in the test if you get all the signs rights) and do at least one pre-test before it. Good luck!