Looking for Tips and/or advice for driving test.

BUBBLE WRAP

Okay so, I'm booked for my test on the 24th of may @ 2.05pm and I am looking for any advice for the driving test.

I feel I am progressing a little better since I booked it last night, as I went to practice today and I done the reverse around fairly well a few times. I'm still a bit shaky on the hill start and the 3- 5 point turn.

So any advice/tips welcome thanks.

Michael D Not Higgins

Do a pretest with a driving instructor. Focus on the bad habits they point out.

thegreatiam

practice, practice, practice. and dont sweat it.

BUBBLE WRAP

Okay, fist of all I was looking at test sample video on you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdVoy3SUJ5Y"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdVoy3SUJ5Y
He says 3 or 4 times "I roll into first" Does that mean, he puts in the clutch and lets the car roll until it slows down to a speed to be able to use first gear. Is this the correct thing to do?

Now what I do when I come to a round about or T junction is, I press the brake lightly until I get down to a speed to engage 2nd gear, (for a round about).

As for a T junction, I try to slow down to 2nd gear as well. If the road is busy I come to a complete stop. But if the T junction has a stop sign I come to a complete stop anyway.

3 point turn.
I heard this 3 point turn can be completed in 3/5 manurers. Is this true? If say I fail to complete 3 point turn this in 5 moves or less do I fail the test?

Reverse around
If I hit the curb do I fail the test? Is there an exact amount of space that I mist be from the curb?

Hill start
If I cut out on the hill start do I fail?

EDIT: Also in the video he talks about how he must stay out of the cycle lane, but in Carrick-On-Shannon you have to drive on half of the cycle lane because if you don't you will be have a bit of the car on the wrong side of the road.. So this confuses me also..

If I think of any more Q's Il add them here...

Michael D Not Higgins

I was always told that 1st gear was for starting in and not for anything else. You stop in 3rd or 2nd. Pressing the clutch and letting it roll is called coasting and you can fail for that.

It's called a turnaround rather than 3-point turn now. You can do it in 7 if you wish and won't fail.

Usually you'll fail if you hit the curb. The space is subjective. They won't get out and measure it.

Usually you'll fail if you stall the car.

thegreatiam

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

I was always told that 1st gear was for starting in and not for anything else. You stop in 3rd or 2nd. Pressing the clutch and letting it roll is called coasting and you can fail for that.

It's called a turnaround rather than 3-point turn now. You can do it in 7 if you wish and won't fail.

Usually you'll fail if you hit the curb. The space is subjective. They won't get out and measure it.

Usually you'll fail if you stall the car.

1st gear is used for any motion of the car at very slow speed, (pulling off, moving around crowded car parks etc) or when a lot of power is needed (very steep inclines).

If you are stopping, slow the car and stop in 1/2/3. bring the clutch back up as soon as the gear is changed, do not coast.

If you hit the curb during a turnabout its (afaik) a fail (open to correction) but you can take as many maneuvers as you like as long as you make progress.

If you touch the curb during a reverse its not an auto fail. If you go up on the curb then its a fail. Cant be more than a foot and a half away from the curb (May be incorrect on the maximum distance.)

stalling once is not an auto fail, stalling multiple time is a fail.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

if you touch or kiss the curb ,
i have been told it is not a fail, but if you BANG off it - it is .

and multiple stalling is a fail

anythign that shows you are consistenly NOT in control apparently = fail.

BUBBLE WRAP

Another Q...

Today I bought a new set of " L" plates (I know exciting..) as my old ones where gone into ribbons. The ones I bought only stick on the outside of the window. So I'm wondering if anyone confirm that's it's ok to stick them on the inside of the window with sellotape for the driving test? I'm asking because I don't want to fail over something like that. My test is tomorrow so I'm nerves..

The_Nipper_One

BUBBLE WRAP wrote: »

Another Q...

Today I bought a new set of " L" plates (I know exciting..) as my old ones where gone into ribbons. The ones I bought only stick on the outside of the window. So I'm wondering if anyone confirm that's it's ok to stick them on the inside of the window with sellotape for the driving test? I'm asking because I don't want to fail over something like that. My test is tomorrow so I'm nerves..

I did exactly that since the back window on the car I drive is very shallow and it kept falling off.

I don't imagine they'd say anything, and in fact, if you do it carefully they probably won't even notice that it's stuck on with tape.

BUBBLE WRAP

The_Nipper_One wrote: »

I did exactly that since the back window on the car I drive is very shallow and it kept falling off.

I don't imagine they'd say anything, and in fact, if you do it carefully they probably won't even notice that it's stuck on with tape.

Thanks, I think it's a lot more handy, as i find that the l plates don't really stick on the outside too well....

ProudDUB

Go to the test centre itself. Sit and park your car, and just watch as people come out of the test centre with their tester. Watch what happens next. You may feel like an under cover spy, but it will make your own test day seem not so unfamiliar and weird.

Drive in to and out of the test centre a few times. Drive around the immediate area, and see if you can spot any potential trouble spots you may run into during the first 5 mins of your test...is there a school that may be letting out, are there any weird intersections, are there any traffic blind spots, is there a hard to navigate bus lane or roundabout...that kind of thing. If there are, figure out how to deal with them correctly, when you don't have the stress of a tester sitting beside you.

A lot of people are so nervous at the beginning of their test, that they make mistakes that wouldn't happen in their normal day to day driving. Some people think that the test itself doesn't even start until you are off the the test centres property, and are driving on normal roads. Not true. It starts the minute you get in the car with the tester. So get as used as you can to the environment that you will be in at the very beginning of your test. You could could save yourself a lot of marks against you if you do.

Supergurrier

How did you get on BW ?

BUBBLE WRAP

Supergurrier wrote: »

How did you get on BW ?

I passed, yesterday. With 5 blues.

BUBBLE WRAP

Thanks to everyone for the help.