Driving lessons & test in Finglas vs Raheny?

ProudDUB

Is there any great benefit to doing your lessons and test in Raheny vs Finglas and vice versa?

Do the testers in either one have the bad reputations that the Churchtown ones seem to have, from reading threads here. There is only a 2% difference in pass rates between Finglas and Raheny on the RSA website.

I am starting my 12 mandatory EDT lessons on Tuesday. My instructor wants us to focus the lessons in the Finglas area, and also do the test there too, as it is close to where he lives. It is also where he takes most of his students.

I live in town, and am about 10 mins drive from the Raheny area. I'd much prefer to learn there as it is so near me. Getting to Finglas means a schlepp thru town/Phibsboro/Drumcondra/Glasnevin that I'd rather not have the hassle of dealing with.

I have a full drivers license from the US and can drive unaccompanied, so the current plan is for me to drive to the test area and meet him there. (I just need to do these lessons so I can get an Irish DL and save a ton of money on my car insurance)

I don't know the Raheny area well at all. I do know the Finglas test area well, especially around Finglas village/Jamestown Rd/Willow Park/Sycamore Rd/ Glasnevin Ave/Collins Ave/Ballymun Rd area well. But I only know the area well as a passenger or on a bus or on foot. I have never driven in the area.

Is it worth my while to put my foot down and insist that we go to Raheny? Or should I just stick with Fingas seeing as that is where both of us know?

Thanks.

loobylou

He who pays the piper...

Faith+1

loobylou wrote: »

He who pays the piper...

What are u on about?

ProudDUB

He who pays the piper calls the tune, meaning that I can tell the instructor where we go for my lessons. I know that. What I was hoping for was for some input on whether or not it was worth my while doing that, what is the best area to learn in & take the test in that stands me a better chance of passing the test at the first attempt.

Davy

If you want to do it at Raheny, then do. If your tester doesn't want to, maybe change to someone more familiar with the Raheny routes.

In saying that tho, if you know the rules/techniques you can drive anywhere. The test route can be anywhere, I have passed in both centres and never knew the routes

Nasty_Girl

Hiya,
Ive done tests in Raheny and Finglas and I personally found Finglas a much nicer experience.
The routes are *generally* quieter, the test centre itself is much much nicer (you dont have to knock on the door if you want to use the toilets!) and the parking is better.
I only knew either area from doing lessons though so if you know Raheny well and are used to driving around there I dont see why you shouldnt do the test there but I personally found Finglas easier.

ProudDUB

Cheers ya'll. Thanks for the input.

We went to Finglas/Glasnevin today. I found the fact that I know so much of the area as well as I do to be hugely beneficial. Will not now put my foot down about going to Raheny.

That's the good news. The bad news is that I am no where near the kick ass driver that I thought I was. A lot of it is bad habits from driving an automatic car in the US for as long as I did & never driving in Irish style conditions. So fingers crossed they will not be TOO hard to break. Yikes !

spurious

I learned in Raheny and since I knew the roads in Raheny well I wanted to do the test there.

Six fails later in Raheny, I tried in Finglas and passed first time.

Wendy2000

i failed mine in raheny this morning!! my instructor told me that middle third in killester is not a test route, oo yes it is i ended up going over a few kerbs as the roads are so narrow this was a straight away fail,and plus as i had never been on taht road before!! not that that is an excuse but its deffo goign to be my new driving route!

a word to the wise know middle third road for piece of mind! X i also came up the howth road and was asked to turn right into Furry Park!! total nightmare!

reversign and turn about was fine i was stressed over this the most, i thought at one point i was goign on the artane route but when i turned into brookwood i said oo no i dnt know this way at all!

i guess its ok not to know the way but when asking if middle third is part of the route and your told no, and it is , then your fecked!! fingers crossed in a few weeks time again!

heeres hoping next time goes well!