Test coming up - not driving in 5th gear

TheTwiz

I've my test coming up and through force of habit I never drive in 5th. Could I fail for just bring the gears up to 4th?

Max Power1

Why not?

Also - most test routes are in areas where the max speed limit would be 50-60 kmh. Now I wouldnt be in 5th gear at that speed anyway.

If you are in an 80 or 100 kmw zone however, it would be a mark for not using the gears correctly as you should be in 5th at that stage.

Theres a learning to drive forum that would be better suited to this post

cup of tea

I'd imagine so, especially if the rev's start to go north of 2,5. When driving in the town you won't need the 5th gear more then likely but my advice would be that if you entered into a 100km/hr zone then to go close enough to the limit and bump it up into 5th

Sobanek

The first time I read it, I thought it was a topic about NCT.

Well, I'd say you wouldn't need to use 5th gear, since you're not going to go faster than 60kph. At least I didn't.
And also, just like my instructor said: It's a SPEED LIMIT - no one forces you to drive at 80-100kph ;-)

TwoShedsJackson

You won't need 5th gear much (if at all) in your test, but if you are taken on a stretch where you can do 80-100kmh, use it, why wouldn't you?

166man

Just go out and practice going into 5th gear a good few times. You're supposed to keep pace with the other traffic but not go over the speed limit. As such use your gears appropriately.

Leonard Hofstadter

Fifth gear reduces engine wear, noise and improves your fuel consumption once you exceed a certain speed, so why wouldn't you use it:)?

I'd use fifth in a 50 kph zone - a petrol will handle this no problem at all on the flat! I remember when I was practising for the test being told that in a 50 zone, you're supposed to be in fourth, but in a 60 or above, you should be in fifth gear!

arleitiss

Isn't one of the last 3 EDT's - High Speeds? (I am doing it tomorrow), my instructor said it's gonna be around 80 km/h , isn't that 5th gear?

ADIDriving

TheTwiz wrote: »

I've my test coming up and through force of habit I never drive in 5th. Could I fail for just bring the gears up to 4th?

It depends where you are sitting your test. Tell us where and we may know if it has roads with higher speed limits or not.
If it is habit to drive in 4th because you always drive on slower roads that is ok. If it is habit to drive in 4th because you don't like 5th and should be in it, then now is the time to break that habit. It is just another gear. it does not make you drive faster. Your foot pressing on the gas does that.

Nissan doctor

TheTwiz wrote: »

I've my test coming up and through force of habit I never drive in 5th. Could I fail for just bring the gears up to 4th?

How would you have gained that habbit?

You will fail if 5th gear is required for the driving conditions and you don't use it.

JoePie

On one of my attempts I was taken out on the dual carraigeway around Finglas and hit 5th gear. There wasn't a problem with it like.

I'm generally in 5th gear by the time I've hit 50 anyway. But I drive a lot more 'proper' in my test.

Atlantis50

TheTwiz wrote: »

I've my test coming up and through force of habit I never drive in 5th. Could I fail for just bring the gears up to 4th?

No but you might get one or two grade 2 faults under the headings of

11. "Maintain Reasonable Progress And Avoid Undue Hestiancy When...('on the straight' and possibly 'overtaking' would be the relevant aspects here)" - for example if you were doing 60 on a road that allows up to 80 you could get a grade 2 fault for failing to maintain reasonable progress on the straight.

12. "Make Proper Use Of Vehicle Controls...Gears" - Not going up to 5th when it would have been appropriate to do so could result in another grade 2 fault.

See the full driving fault marking guidelines here: http://rsa.ie/Documents/ADI/DrivingFault_Marking_Guides.pdf

However, double marking for the same fault are not generally counted:

With certain exceptions, driving faults are not ‘double-marked’, and where 2 (or more) faults suggest themselves, it is usually the fault which conveys the most pertinent information to the applicant which is recorded.
• An example of the above would be where an applicant, e.g. hits a kerb while making a left turn. A fault may be recorded here for ‘Position turning Left’, and not for ‘Steering’ in this case.
• Another example would be where an applicant attempts to move away at a junction in 3rd gear and the vehicle stalls in the middle of the junction, causing other vehicles to slow or stop. A fault may be recorded for ‘Gears’ in this case, and not for ‘Right -of way’.

Faults allowed/what results in failure:

Testers will use guidance from their Supervisor, along with their training and experience to assist them in deciding firstly what importance to attach to an individual fault, and thereafter whether or not it should
be recorded under one of the following headings:-
Grade 1 fault:- Minor fault.
Grade 2 fault:- More serious fault.
Grade 3 fault:- Dangerous/Potentially Dangerous fault, or total disregard of traffic controls.
Of course, it may be that a tester will assess an individual fault to be of such a slight nature that a fault will not be recorded.
Failure of the test arises when an applicant incurs any of the following: -
1 or more grade 3 faults.
4 of the same grade 2 faults for a single aspect.
6 or more grade 2 faults under the same heading.
9 or more grade 2 faults overall.
Grade 1 faults do not affect the test result.

Reati

I passed my test 1st time and I never once went into 5th gear because the route never opened up enough to hit the 50kph mark (was during rush hour traffic.) but you should use 5th if the car and/or road condition calls for it (long straight etc) and you could be marked if your are not adapting to the road by staying in 4th.