Test booked: things to work on

The Black Oil

Hi,

I booked my driving test a few weeks back (Raheny), no word on it yet, but apparently you should get notification closer to the time.

Driving wise, I need to work on a few things before the test.

Rules of the road
Hand signals
Reversing around the corner - am generally OK on this, but need to practice more.
Turnabout - being extra sure on observation, etc.
Knowing a few things under the bonnet

Stopping completely at stop signs. If you don't, that's an automatic fail, right? I do this autopilot now, stop and make sure of it before heading on.

What is the situation with indicating when there are parked cars? I try do it, but sometimes there are many and I'm not sure whether to keep the indicator on if passing 5 or so cars that are parked up and a bit stuck out on the road.

Re indicating when overtaking cyclists, etc. Most of the people who follow behind me don't appear to bother.

Clarifying amber with the instructor. I haven't seen him since April. He said it means stop, but I was under the impression it was stop, prepare to stop or proceed if it's safe, but proceed as in, if it's still orange, you're at the top and you know it won't go red for a second or two or if it's unsafe to stop due to the person behind you. Bit confused on this one as I could have sworn I read something in the 'successful' thread about someone being penalised yet still passing. Any ideas?

I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Rothmans

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hi,

I booked my driving test a few weeks back (Raheny), no word on it yet, but apparently you should get notification closer to the time.

Driving wise, I need to work on a few things before the test.

Rules of the road
Hand signals
Reversing around the corner - am generally OK on this, but need to practice more.
Turnabout - being extra sure on observation, etc.
Knowing a few things under the bonnet

Stopping completely at stop signs. If you don't, that's an automatic fail, right? I do this autopilot now, stop and make sure of it before heading on.

What is the situation with indicating when there are parked cars? I try do it, but sometimes there are many and I'm not sure whether to keep the indicator on if passing 5 or so cars that are parked up and a bit stuck out on the road.

Re indicating when overtaking cyclists, etc. Most of the people who follow behind me don't appear to bother.

Clarifying amber with the instructor. I haven't seen him since April. He said it means stop, but I was under the impression it was stop, prepare to stop or proceed if it's safe, but proceed as in, if it's still orange, you're at the top and you know it won't go red for a second or two or if it's unsafe to stop due to the person behind you. Bit confused on this one as I could have sworn I read something in the 'successful' thread about someone being penalised yet still passing. Any ideas?

I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting. Any pointers would be appreciated.

No need to indicate when overtaking stationary obstructions like parked cars, just make sure to check your right wing mirror. If you indicate you'll likely be marked down for misleading oncoming/following traffic (ie if there is a right turn ahead, by indicating right, other road users will assume you intend to turn right).

Yes, always stop completely at stop signs, then look left,right,left, right.

When you are overtaking other moving vehicles (incl. bikes) you indicate, although in practice, very few people in urban areas do this. Continuous amber means stop if safe to do so. However,if you're going at a reasonably fast speed, and the lights switch to continuous amber, you won't be faulted for driving through it, (unless you break a red of course) as it would be unsafe to stop.

Flashing amber means pedestrians still have right of way, proceed with caution.

Also, (as a pointer) if you are in the right turn box in a junction/ yellow box and miss the filter light and there are no opportunities to proceed right while the main light is green, you are allowed to clear the junction as soon as the main light turns red. This won't get you a fault. This is very important because if you stay in the junction you'll definitely get a grade three fault.

The Black Oil

Thanks for all that. I don't think I've encountered many yellow boxes around the place so that point is good to know. I tend to stay out of them as required.

Rothmans

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks for all that. I don't think I've encountered many yellow boxes around the place so that point is good to know. I tend to stay out of them as required.

No bother. Here's an example of what I'm talking about. See the way the Astra in the right turn box in this link has missed the filter light, and the main light is green?
As soon as the main light turns red he can turn right, otherwise he would be obstructing the traffic approaching from his right!
http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=52.836062,-6.924412&spn=0.00735,0.021136&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.836121,-6.924308&panoid=j3jDyytdfd5xmEqiNkaRXQ&cbp=12,242.21,,0,17.45

The Black Oil

Yeah, I see what you mean alright. So the same principle applies re yellow boxes although by rights you shouldn't be sitting in it anyway? I think there are other rules out there re filter rule, though perhaps they're not written in stone.

How did you find that anyway, what did you enter into Google Maps? :pac:

Rothmans

The Black Oil wrote: »

Yeah, I see what you mean alright. So the same principle applies re yellow boxes although by rights you shouldn't be sitting in it anyway? I think there are other rules out there re filter rule, though perhaps they're not written in stone.

How did you find that anyway, what did you enter into Google Maps? :pac:

It was on my test route lol :P
Ya, with regard to the yellow box, you can enter if you intend on turning right, and provided you are not obstructing any traffic!

Although I've noticed that in Dublin, alot of the junctions have a right turn box as well as a yellow box, so it wouldn't be as much of a concern there.

Eg http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=53.291643,-6.233196&spn=0.014545,0.042272&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.291582,-6.233345&panoid=Jx2BGVpIkTcYJkUtEd-sGQ&cbp=12,253.97,,0,22.2

But as the example below shows, the fellow in the red van is turning right, but he is allowed to go into the yellow box and wait for a gap in the traffic to proceed, even though he is technically stopped in the box, it is allowed as he is turning right. This type of situation ( where the entire junction is yellow boxed) seems to be more common in country towns with narrow main streets etc.

http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=52.991424,-6.988962&spn=0.000833,0.005284&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=52.991425,-6.988961&panoid=DC2UCJB-NkActQ_AwTP37w&cbp=12,123.81,,0,20.1

My instructor taught me this stuff when I was learning, you'll also find it in rotr!!