Light gone, couldn't take test - Lost money - Worth writing a complaint?

danny1986

Hey everyone.

My fiancee had her driving test yesterday. Before we left, we checked that all the lights were working, correct levels of fluid, oil etc, and all was fine.

Her driving test was in Castlebar, and we are in Claremorris. The road from Claremorris to Castlebar is rough, loads of potholes etc and it's a surprise that the car doesn't shake to bits on the way... but anyway..

After we got there she came back in to the testers office after a few minutes outside and I was wondering what the hell was going on. She came out and said that the tester couldn't do the test because a brake light wasn't working. I went into the tester and said "so does this mean I lost the 85 Euro I paid?", he said "Yes".

I personally find this ludicrous. So because it broke on the journey down, i'm out of 85 Euro? I am supposed to bring a spare light for every single part of the car and a toolbox down to the test with me just in case? (ridiculous prospect) Why do you have to pay for a test that you did not get to take? Fair enough, if you can't take the test due to x or y, fine. But you should at least get your money back if you tried to take it (i.e. turned up).

It seems like Castlebar testing center in particular either cancels your test or fails drivers for as little as they can to keep those 85 Euro's flying into their pockets all day. (I have had numerous experiences with these people at the Castlebar center, along with friends who suffered the same with them being failed for no good reason etc)

So that's the story, naturally I am more than a little peeved. I got off the phone with the RSA in Ballina just there, and they said that "they could do nothing about it", conveniently. I asked what I could do to take it higher and they said I would have to write a letter of complaint.

The reason i'm overly annoyed is that this is the third set of 85 Euro they have got off me. She failed the first time (deservedly), failed the second time (unfairly) and now this....

So i'm wondering, what chances are there that this letter will get me my money back? Has anyone else been in this situation before?

Thanks for any advice.

SteveAdti

The guidelines for Driving Tests state that all lights must be functioning .
Its good practice and basic common sense to keep spare bulbs in your car and in some countries its the law.
You should have checked the lights 10 mins before she went in and if you had been carrying a spare bulb you could have changed it.
Don't start this rubbish that its a rip off .
Dont blame the RSA for your mistake.

Sam Kade

You could have arrived early at the test centre and checked to make sure all lights were working it would have given you a chance to rectify it.

h.bolla

I think a lot of people rent cars on the day for this very reason.

danny1986

SteveAdti wrote: »

The guidelines for Driving Tests state that all lights must be functioning .
Its good practice and basic common sense to keep spare bulbs in your car and in some countries its the law.
You should have checked the lights 10 mins before she went in and if you had been carrying a spare bulb you could have changed it.
Don't start this rubbish that its a rip off .
Dont blame the RSA for your mistake.

It's not really my fault that the light went on the way down, nor do i know anyone (and have never heard of anyone) who carries spare bulbs with them, I have been driving for 11 years fyi.

I'm not annoyed that the test couldn't be taken, that's fair enough. But you are paying the fee to undergo a test. If you can't undergo that test due to acts of god, why shouldn't you have your money refunded?

I'm not playing the blame game here, this is just very unfair. For instance (very unlikely situation, just for the sake of it) you were to book a service at your local dealer, and when you got there your car ran out of petrol, and it could not be driven into the garage part, would they still charge you for the service even though they couldn't do it?

I think not.

Effects

h.bolla wrote: »

I think a lot of people rent cars on the day for this very reason.

A bulb can go in a rental car just as easily. I'd hate to have to sit my test in a rental after getting used to learning in my own car. It's nerve racking enough without having to get used to a different car at the same time.

Myrddin

danny1986 wrote: »

I am supposed to bring a spare light for every single part of the car

It's actually very good practice to carry a spare bulb set in the car with you, regardless. It certainly would have proved worthwhile in this case. The car is meant to be fault free when doing a test (as well as at all times really), & a failed brake light, while perhaps unlikely, could ultimately be a cause of danger. The tester was not making a personal decision here, but following standard procedure. Regards a refund, in all honesty, why should they refund you? It's not their fault the car had a blown bulb, & they allocated you a slot so by refunding you they'd have been out of pocket.

What you could have done, is asked the tester in a nice way if it was worthwhile hanging around for a bit as they might have been able to fit you in in the case of a cancellation etc. Obviously you'd have had to fly off & get a bulb in the meantime, but really the best way to approach these situations is with a smile. Getting flustered won't get you anywhere, the testers hold all the cards.

Effects

danny1986 wrote: »

If you can't undergo that test due to acts of god, why shouldn't you have your money refunded?

It's not an act of God. Are you sure you checked that the brake light was working properly before you left. Maybe it'll be a lesson that you need to carry spare bulbs from now on.

I'm not playing the blame game here, this is just very unfair. For instance if you were to book a service at your local dealer, and when you got there your car ran out of petrol, and it could not be driven into the garage part, would they still charge you for the service even though they couldn't do it?

So if you had booked a flight on holiday and you car ran out of petrol on the way to the airport would you expect the airline to refund you on your flight cost?
I think not.

Renegade Mechanic

Effects wrote: »

It's not an act of God. Are you sure you checked that the brake light was working properly before you left. Maybe it'll be a lesson that you need to carry spare bulbs from now on.


So if you had booked a flight on holiday and you car ran out of petrol on the way to the airport would you expect the airline to refund you on your flight cost?
I think not.

....... Really?

danny1986

Myrddin wrote: »

It's actually very good practice to carry a spare bulb set in the car with you, regardless. It certainly would have proved worthwhile in this case. The car is meant to be fault free when doing a test (as well as at all times really), & a failed brake light, while perhaps unlikely, could ultimately be a cause of danger. The tester was not making a personal decision here, but following standard procedure. Regards a refund, in all honesty, why should they refund you? It's not their fault the car had a blown bulb, & they allocated you a slot so by refunding you they'd have been out of pocket.

What you could have done, is asked the tester in a nice way if it was worthwhile hanging around for a bit as they might have been able to fit you in in the case of a cancellation etc. Obviously you'd have had to fly off & get a bulb in the meantime, but really the best way to approach these situations is with a smile. Getting flustered won't get you anywhere, the testers hold all the cards.

I actually asked the tester if we could hang on, but he said there were no more slots that day, unfortunately.

I agree that it would be good practise to carry them, and will from now on... but you could argue that point about anything. Are people supposed to carry a medical pack with them at all times in case they get cut, injured etc? 4 spare tires incase all of them blow at once? You get my point.

I don't think this 'slot' system is fair. If you don't turn up for the test that is a different story, but to loose your money for a blown bulb is a real kick in the nuts.

Effects wrote: »

It's not an act of God. Are you sure you checked that the brake light was working properly before you left. Maybe it'll be a lesson that you need to carry spare bulbs from now on.


So if you had booked a flight on holiday and you car ran out of petrol on the way to the airport would you expect the airline to refund you on your flight cost?
I think not.

Well yeah, I don't know. Been 11 years since I was last on holiday so I don't know about airline policies.

PS: I'm not trying to be a dick here. I just find the practices of the driving test very biased towards failure/money loss.

seamus

I'm sure the tester hears all sorts of sob stories about how the lights were "working fine when I left the house".

How is he supposed to distinguish legitimate cases like yours from the lazy chancers who just can't be arsed? Do you propose that these people all get refunded, even though the tester's time has already been consumed and that slot has been booked and now cannot be reused?

Thems the rules and sometimes you lose out because of pure bad luck. There's no point in getting all hot and bothered about it, sometimes **** just happens.

Aside, in France for example, you are legally required to carry a stock of spare bulbs in the car at all times. So don't be surprised if it comes in here at some point too. Though with manufacturers doing their best to force you to attend their garage for even the tiniest jobs, it'll be of limited benefit.

SteveAdti

I am a driving instructor for 15 years and just yesterday i saw two people turned away from their test .
One was brake light another was tax out of date.
Driving tests are booked in time slots .. You have paid for that slot .
If you dont follow the guidelines you dont get taken..
No different than booking a seat on a plane.
You follow the pre defined rules and you get to fly .
Your 85 Euro doesnt pay just for your test.
Its pays for Admin in Ballina to schedule tests . IT systems to book tests.
Leases at test centres to enable you to do your test somewhat local to you.
The Examiners wages etc.
If they didnt charge unless you actually complied with the guidelines it would be a farce.

danny1986

seamus wrote: »

I'm sure the tester hears all sorts of sob stories about how the lights were "working fine when I left the house".

How is he supposed to distinguish legitimate cases like yours from the lazy chancers who just can't be arsed? Do you propose that these people all get refunded, even though the tester's time has already been consumed and that slot has been booked and now cannot be reused?

Thems the rules and sometimes you lose out because of pure bad luck. There's no point in getting all hot and bothered about it, sometimes **** just happens.

Aside, in France for example, you are legally required to carry a stock of spare bulbs in the car at all times. So don't be surprised if it comes in here at some point too. Though with manufacturers doing their best to force you to attend their garage for even the tiniest jobs, it'll be of limited benefit.

That is true. It's the inconsistency also that adds to the frustration. The first test she had the lights were checked, the second they were not, and the third they were. Seems everyone has their own rules and don't always follow the guidelines to the letter.

I'm more distraught than annoyed really. As with most people, money is tight for me.

Cheers

Renegade Mechanic

danny1986 wrote: »

I actually asked the tester if we could hang on, but he said there were no more slots that day, unfortunately.

I agree that it would be good practise to carry them, and will from now on... but you could argue that point about anything. Are people supposed to carry a medical pack with them at all times in case they get cut, injured etc? 4 spare tires incase all of them blow at once? You get my point.

I don't think this 'slot' system is fair. If you don't turn up for the test that is a different story, but to loose your money for a blown bulb is a real kick in the nuts.



Well yeah, I don't know. Been 11 years since I was last on holiday so I don't know about airline policies.

PS: I'm not trying to be a dick here. I just find the practices of the driving test very biased towards failure/money loss.

Worry not, you are far from one. But unfortunately that money is gone too many thingd in this country are based on making profit through the failure of others. And they are under no obligation to return the money. Youll just have to chalk this one up and move on.

TimeToShine

To be fair the pass rate in Ballina/Castlebar is roughly 60%, nearly the highest in the country.

To be honest there's nothing you can do and plenty have been in the same situation. It's your fault the brake light didn't work. If the thread is a general whinge about the RSA and their 85 quid then fair enough, I am inclined to agree but you'll find plenty of threads discussing the same topic already. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere here that one tester wouldn't conduct the test because the seats hurt his back, that would be a real kick in the gonads.

Sam Kade

Not many people carry spare bulbs with them also not many people wouldn't have the faintest idea how to change a bulb if one did blow. It is an ordeal for most people to even check their lights to see if they are working properly :mad:

Effects

danny1986 wrote: »

PS: I'm not trying to be a dick here. I just find the practices of the driving test very biased towards failure/money loss.

That's totally understandable. I'd be pretty pissed of myself having to spend money and time for nothing like that.
When I sat my test the first time they sent me out the wrong date. I arrived a week late and they tried to tell me it was my fault and I'd have to reapply and pay again. I was pretty furious with them but I had the letter to back me up and got to sit it that day.

Effects

Sam Kade wrote: »

Not many people carry spare bulbs with them also not many people wouldn't have the faintest idea how to change a bulb if one did blow. It is an ordeal for most people to even check their lights to see if they are working properly :mad:

Changing a bulb can be a pain in the ass but it has to be done. I can't see how checking your lights is any kind of an ordeal unless you're some kind of moron.

danny1986

TimeToShine wrote: »

To be fair the pass rate in Ballina/Castlebar is roughly 60%, nearly the highest in the country.

To be honest there's nothing you can do and plenty have been in the same situation. It's your fault the brake light didn't work. If the thread is a general whinge about the RSA and their 85 quid then fair enough, I am inclined to agree but you'll find plenty of threads discussing the same topic already. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere here that one tester wouldn't conduct the test because the seats hurt his back, that would be a real kick in the gonads.

It's funny how Castlebar has such a high pass rate. When I did my test there 11 years ago I did great, did not make one mistake (and i'm not just saying that) and the guy was there marking away on his clipboard and I failed by a mile.

I did the test again in Carrick on shannon and passed first go, despite doing pretty bad, as I was a lot more nervous after failing unfairly in Castlebar.

I was later to find that the Castlebar tester who failed me was sacked (after an investigation) due to numerous complaints about him failing people who should have passed.

At least I know not to bother getting more annoyed for no gain then. I heard about that one where the tester wouldn't do the test because of the seats, ludicrous.

Sam Kade wrote: »

Not many people carry spare bulbs with them also not many people wouldn't have the faintest idea how to change a bulb if one did blow. It is an ordeal for most people to even check their lights to see if they are working properly :mad:

Yeah, I know how to change them, but naturally didn't have any bulb to do so. I guess I can be blamed for that, but blaming someone for that is a bit harsh, as it's not common practice (afaik) to carry them. Maybe in the bigger cities perhaps.

h.bolla

Effects wrote: »

A bulb can go in a rental car just as easily. I'd hate to have to sit my test in a rental after getting used to learning in my own car. It's nerve racking enough without having to get used to a different car at the same time.

I know what you're saying. BUt I suppose if moneys tight it might worth it.

With the rental you pay 30euro (well probably varies from company to company) and then if the car fails you get your 30 and 85 back.

Myrddin

danny1986 wrote: »

I agree that it would be good practise to carry them, and will from now on... but you could argue that point about anything. Are people supposed to carry a medical pack with them at all times in case they get cut, injured etc? 4 spare tires incase all of them blow at once? You get my point..

The thing with bulbs is, you can get a full bulb replacement kit that takes up less space than an A4 envelope...they're a bit more convenient to carry around than a full set of spare tires But anyway, you can't change that now, what's done is done no point in what-if's etc.

Effects

danny1986 wrote: »

I guess I can be blamed for that, but blaming someone for that is a bit harsh, as it's not common practice (afaik) to carry them. Maybe in the bigger cities perhaps.

To be honest, carrying spare bulbs is more important in the country than it is in the city due to a lack of adequate street lighting.

challengemaster

Same situation if you arrived at the NCT and they found a bulb blown. It may well have happened on the way there, but tough shít.

danny1986

Myrddin wrote: »

The thing with bulbs is, you can get a full bulb replacement kit that takes up less space than an A4 envelope...they're a bit more convenient to carry around than a full set of spare tires But anyway, you can't change that now, what's done is done no point in what-if's etc.

Heh, yeah.. live and learn I guess. Oh well.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

travellingbid

Great to know that things haven't changed in the Castlebar testing centre. When I went to sit my test there a few years back he refused to let it go ahead on the basis that there was fog. There was no fog, it was overcast and the other tester in the centre went ahead with the test schduled around the same time as mine. Crazy banana's!!

When I called to request a new test, the very nice lady laughed at the story and called me back with a cancellation for 2 days later & didn't charge me!

Myrddin

Sam Kade wrote: »

Not many people carry spare bulbs with them also not many people wouldn't have the faintest idea how to change a bulb if one did blow. It is an ordeal for most people to even check their lights to see if they are working properly :mad:

Others though would argue that as a driver/car owner, it's your responsibility to know how to do these things. Bulbs aren't there for convenience, they have important safety related functions...so not something that should be left to mechanics ect. In saying that though, I accept some bulbs can be an absolute pig to change.

Effects

Myrddin wrote: »

The thing with bulbs is, you can get a full bulb replacement kit that takes up less space than an A4 envelope

Where did you pick up those flat pack bulbs?

Myrddin

Effects wrote: »

Where did you pick up those flat pack bulbs?

Less two dimensional space then :P Though I hear Ikea might be good for the flat pack bulbs

Babooshka

danny1986 wrote: »

That is true. It's the inconsistency also that adds to the frustration. The first test she had the lights were checked, the second they were not, and the third they were. Seems everyone has their own rules and don't always follow the guidelines to the letter.

I'm more distraught than annoyed really. As with most people, money is tight for me.

Cheers

One of my back lights was gone the morning of my test, luckily I had a pre-test booked and the instructor was able to take me to a garage to get the bulb replaced before it....it is up to the individual to ensure they have enough time to make sure the car is in fit condition for the test, it's unfortunate but there you go, expensive lesson to learn, whether they are consistent or no, it is part of the rules of the test. I'd be there an hour beforehand to make sure everything is in working order to be honest.

Sam Kade

Effects wrote: »

Changing a bulb can be a pain in the ass but it has to be done. I can't see how checking your lights is any kind of an ordeal unless you're some kind of moron.

I can change bulbs without any bother as for checking lights I was talking about drivers in general plenty evidence of that when driving at night.

J_R

danny1986 wrote: »

Hey everyone.

My fiancee had her driving test yesterday. Before we left, we checked that all the lights were working, correct levels of fluid, oil etc, and all was fine.

Her driving test was in Castlebar, and we are in Claremorris. The road from Claremorris to Castlebar is rough, loads of potholes etc and it's a surprise that the car doesn't shake to bits on the way... but anyway..

After we got there she came back in to the testers office after a few minutes outside and I was wondering what the hell was going on. She came out and said that the tester couldn't do the test because a brake light wasn't working. I went into the tester and said "so does this mean I lost the 85 Euro I paid?", he said "Yes".

I personally find this ludicrous. So because it broke on the journey down, i'm out of 85 Euro? I am supposed to bring a spare light for every single part of the car and a toolbox down to the test with me just in case? (ridiculous prospect) Why do you have to pay for a test that you did not get to take? Fair enough, if you can't take the test due to x or y, fine. But you should at least get your money back if you tried to take it (i.e. turned up).

It seems like Castlebar testing center in particular either cancels your test or fails drivers for as little as they can to keep those 85 Euro's flying into their pockets all day. (I have had numerous experiences with these people at the Castlebar center, along with friends who suffered the same with them being failed for no good reason etc)

So that's the story, naturally I am more than a little peeved. I got off the phone with the RSA in Ballina just there, and they said that "they could do nothing about it", conveniently. I asked what I could do to take it higher and they said I would have to write a letter of complaint.

The reason i'm overly annoyed is that this is the third set of 85 Euro they have got off me. She failed the first time (deservedly), failed the second time (unfairly) and now this....

So i'm wondering, what chances are there that this letter will get me my money back? Has anyone else been in this situation before?

Thanks for any advice.

Hi,

No chance whatsoever of a refund. Too late now but what you coud have done was replace the blown stop lamp with the reversing lamp. Not always, but usually these two lamps are interchangeable.

Re. carrying spare sets, there is no standard "stop" lamp. Some have double filaments, whilst others have their pins offset. So if purchasing a spare set, check that they are compatible with your cars lamps.

Best of luck to the GF for her next test.

shanec1928

danny1986 wrote: »

Hey everyone.



After we got there she came back in to the testers office after a few minutes outside and I was wondering what the hell was going on. She came out and said that the tester couldn't do the test because a brake light wasn't working. I went into the tester and said "so does this mean I lost the 85 Euro I paid?", he said "Yes".

how hard is it to carry a spare set of bulbs stick them in the glove box.. Its law in some eu countries that a spare set is mandatory.

h.bolla wrote: »

I think a lot of people rent cars on the day for this very reason.

friend of mine went to do his driving test in the instructors car. only to be turned away from the test centre as the driving school car was out of tax.

markfinn

When I took my test I had a blown brake light. I apologised to the instructor, fitted the spare (in about 3 minutes) and proceeded to pass the test.

Inability to change a bulb on your car, or lack of foresight to carry spare bulbs are both perfectly good grounds for failing.

Sam Kade

markfinn wrote: »

When I took my test I had a blown brake light. I apologised to the instructor, fitted the spare (in about 3 minutes) and proceeded to pass the test.

Inability to change a bulb on your car, or lack of foresight to carry spare bulbs are both perfectly good grounds for failing.

What about lack of foresight not to check the bulb before the instructor comes out?

markfinn

Sam Kade wrote: »

What about lack of foresight not to check the bulb before the instructor comes out?

In my (quite out of date now admittedly) experience the conversation goes something like :-

"I'm afraid you've got a dud light back here".
"Oh, I'm sorry. I have spares here. Can you give me a moment to replace it?"
"Five minutes only. Otherwise we'll not have time to complete before the next test is due to start".
*3 minutes later*
"All done."
"Ok... Brakes on? Brakes off? Looks good. Let's proceed".

Del2005

Sam Kade wrote: »

What about lack of foresight not to check the bulb before the instructor comes out?

When I was doing my D test we checked the bulbs after parking at the test centre. When the tester and I came out an indicator had blown. The tester said he'd be back in 5 minutes, we had spare bulbs but couldn't find a screw driver. In the end found one down the back of the bus and got the bulb changed.

Sometimes bulbs blow, but I was lucky as if we couldn't get the bulb changed the school would have arranged a new test

TeaBagMania

That’s just bad luck and it happens to all of us at one time or another.

When im due for an appointment and know the rules are hard and fast I schedule to arrive two hours early

I think about things that can happen on the way… flat tire, traffic accident with lane closures, sheep blocking the road, getting a traffic ticket, etc.
This will give ample time to arrive, safety check the vehicle, and pop down to the garage for a bulb if needed. Spare time waiting can be used to study rules of the road.