Test was a bit of a disaster

narwhalthe

I had my test today and had a good few pretests and everything went well.
I've been driving everyday for a while now so felt confident.

The tester took me on a different direction which I hadn't heard of before (although I didn't learn the routes so it shouldn't matter).

Was all going well until the reverse around the corner. I had to reverse over a speed bump and around the corner. Thought I hit the curb but turns out I didn't. Then as I was reversing to straighten up an other car car (think it was a test too) came up behind me so I couldn't finish. He told me to keep going until he said so but I couldn't because of the car.

The tester was rude and was sighing and threw what I think was chewing gum out the window at one stage.

At one point outside a shop a van stopped in the middle of the road in between two parked cars so I couldn't move. I waited for him to move and as I was taking off a parked car just shot straight in front of me without indicating so of course I stopped and made sure my mirrors were clear. He gave me 3 blues for that alone.

To be honest the guy was a total prick once we got into the car and acted like he didn't want to be there.

Alanstrainor

It sounds to me like you did well, except for a couple of unfortunate events, what test centre was it? I remember doing my reverse around the corner over a speed ramp too, was a bit weird, but it was pretty okay.

Reapply and get it next time, no bother to you.

narwhalthe

Thanks Alanstrainor. I did it in Tallaght. I might do it in Rathgar next time as I know the area better. Just heard it was pretty hard countless times.

Conmaicne Mara

What Alan said :cool:

I remember doing my test, my instructor actually went into the centre ahead of me to check the resident pr!ck tester wasn't on duty. Thankfully I got another tester who spent the test talking about his holiday in Egypt The only thing I had to deal with on my test was a really slow moving piece of plant, which I over took, told the tester I wasn't sure should I or not but I was going to because I thought it was safe to do so, I was overly nervous!

Tis like anything in life dealing with people, sometimes you meet a gem, sometimes you meet a knob. From your description you had a lot to deal with and done a good job, must've been your testers time of the month, don't worry over it, try again and you'll get it.

Wishbone Ash

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Thankfully I got another tester who spent the test talking about his holiday in Egypt

That wouldn't impress me and if you had been unsuccessful it might not have pleased you either.

Faith+1

narwhalthe wrote: »

To be honest the guy was a total prick once we got into the car and acted like he didn't want to be there.

Welcome to the public service!

narwhalthe

Conmaicnemara, that sounds like a pretty nice test! Where did you do it?

Faith+1, haha you're pretty dead on there.

gozunda

Mine took me ona 1 hr 20 tour of the country after the city route (this was a good few years back though)

F@@cking eegit! Was just waiting former to mess up - sorry to disappoint but

Many of these boys are ego trips - time they were sorted the good from the bad - present system doesn't allow for this tbh...shame

Conmaicne Mara

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That wouldn't impress me and if you had been unsuccessful it might not have pleased you either.

I was looking to pass my test, and I did, which made and still makes me happy It was not a faultless test, but I passed which is all that matters.

narwhalthe wrote: »

Conmaicnemara, that sounds like a pretty nice test! Where did you do it?

Clifden.

J_R

narwhalthe wrote: »

I had my test today and had a good few pretests and everything went well.
I've been driving everyday for a while now so felt confident.

The tester took me on a different direction which I hadn't heard of before (although I didn't learn the routes so it shouldn't matter).

Was all going well until the reverse around the corner. I had to reverse over a speed bump and around the corner. Thought I hit the curb but turns out I didn't. Then as I was reversing to straighten up an other car car (think it was a test too) came up behind me so I couldn't finish. He told me to keep going until he said so but I couldn't because of the car.

The tester was rude and was sighing and threw what I think was chewing gum out the window at one stage.

At one point outside a shop a van stopped in the middle of the road in between two parked cars so I couldn't move. I waited for him to move and as I was taking off a parked car just shot straight in front of me without indicating so of course I stopped and made sure my mirrors were clear. He gave me 3 blues for that alone.

To be honest the guy was a total prick once we got into the car and acted like he didn't want to be there.

Hi,

Hi,

Sorry, too bad you failed, but in my opinion you are being angry with the wrong man. The examiner, after all was merely doing his job - however rudely. Your instructor on the other hand does not appear to have done his.

On a lesson , before doing the "corner reverse", he should have first explained the procedure, then the objective and finally what to do in all the possible scenarios that may occur. For example. the most commonest, what to do if a car comes up behind.

Try another instructor for next time

Best of Luck

J_R

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

What Alan said :cool:

I remember doing my test, my instructor actually went into the centre ahead of me to check the resident pr!ck tester wasn't on duty. Thankfully I got another tester who spent the test talking about his holiday in Egypt The only thing I had to deal with on my test was a really slow moving piece of plant, which I over took, told the tester I wasn't sure should I or not but I was going to because I thought it was safe to do so, I was overly nervous!

Tis like anything in life dealing with people, sometimes you meet a gem, sometimes you meet a knob. From your description you had a lot to deal with and done a good job, must've been your testers time of the month, don't worry over it, try again and you'll get it.

Hi,

At that point he had realised you were a good driver and unless you did something stupid he was going to give you a pass.

Its always a good sign if they start to chat. No way would they talk if they were going to give a fail at the end of the test. Applicant could complain, claim they were distracted by his chatter. But if they pass nobody complains

narwhalthe

Thanks for the reply J_R.

I guess you're right. Just couldn't get over how rude he was.

No biggie, I know for next time

Wishbone Ash

narwhalthe wrote: »

Just couldn't get over how rude he was

Testers aren't supposed to talk to clients other than to issue instructions/ask questions. Some people interpret this as rudeness especially if they are doing a first test or not accustomed to having a passenger who doesn't engage in conversation.

You mentioned that a car came up behind you when you were doing the reversing manoeuvre and that the tester sighed when you didn't follow his instruction. That other car was probably someone doing a lesson and their instructor (if they had one) should have known to wait. It's frustrating for you and your tester when this happens. He was probably hoping the other driver would get the message and leave if you proceeded.

When I was doing the reversing manoeuvre in an artic several car instructors and their clients were getting in the way. The tester got out of the truck to give them a telling off and asked them show some respect for me on my test.

Basically his sighing may not have been directed at you. I've done the test in all categories and have never found any tester to be rude whether I passed or not.

(The chewing gum issue is a red herring in my opinion.)

Good luck with your next test and don't go in with any expectations regarding the personality of the tester.

J_R

Hi,

Perhaps he was a really really nice examiner and absolutely hates failing anybody. ?

It can only take a few seconds to assess a persons driving ability and when he realised he was going to have to fail you he was sighing with regret and frustration, because, however painful he was going to have to do his unpleasant duty and fail you.

Doing pretests is not the best way to prepare you for the test and they certainly do not prepare you for a lifetime of driving which is after all the real reason for the driving test. IMHO the RSA should ban them.

Re the corner reverse. If a car comes up behind and stays left, you wait a second or two, until you are sure of their intentions, you then check your mirrors, blind spot, indicate right, move off, indicate left and return to your starting position for the reverse - unless the examiner intervenes and says otherwise.

If you sit and do nothing you are forcing the other car to maybe overtake on a corner, which is extremely dangerous and you receive a Grade 3 for not realising the danger you forcing the other car to take.

For the next test take lessons with a proper instructor who will actually instruct and your examiner will be a nice pleasant happy individual, all :):)