The Test

Horatio

Have just received word of my upcoming test in 3 weeks.
The test centre is Wexford. Anyone done theirs there ?
Looking for any pointers or helpfull hints ?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

tk123

My advise would be to do some lessons and a pretest - just to get you in test mode. After driving around after you the instructor will be able to give you advise about what you are doing right or wrong. Do you know what to expect from the test? Do you know what to tell the tester for the technical questions - tires, breaks, steering etc? I have a list of the questions they can ask - I'll scan it and post it up if you want!(I'll prob forget so remind me tommorrow!:D) There's no point saying to relax cos I don't know anybody who isn't a bit nervous! I did mine last month - I was sitting in the waiting area all freaked out and the tester opened the door all of a sudden - i nearly fell off my chair with the fright!! lol!

Horatio

Yeah, I have lessons set up with Irish Riders Assoc. for this week. Have done some lessons with them before. I have those questions they ask you, nervous is right
did you pass ?

tk123

I failed in Raheny for not speeding up between speed bumps :rolleyes: and took the test 3 weeks later and passed Just listen to what your instructors tell you and practice etc it's not the end of the world if you fail - unless you're getting red faults ie really dangerous stuff don't be upset if you fail. You'll still be able to drive home and take the test again!!! I was sceptical about what people say abt 50/50 pass rates and stuff like that but the second test was more professional and structured than the first one so I'm putting the first one down to an incompetent instructor!!

Horatio

Well of course thats Raheny for you!
Heres to hoping I get a half decent tester then

Chunkylover

you wouldnt mind putting up those test questions would you, I have no idea when Ill be taking mine but I might as well start learning them now, thanks

Markham

Anyone got an accurate idea of how long the waiting list is for a bike test in Dublin nowadays?

Just got my provisional - looking to get the test done ASAP.

tk123

if you go to www.drivingtest.ie there's a list of the waiting times for each centre. I was waiting 14months for mine but when I applied for a retest I got a letter from work and had it in 3 weeks. Chunky I kind find the questions I thought they were still in my pocket! I'll have a look and if I find them I'll scan them in for you!!

2142

Would it be possible to get a list of those questions
Thanks

noby

Markham wrote:

Anyone got an accurate idea of how long the waiting list is for a bike test in Dublin nowadays?

Just got my provisional - looking to get the test done ASAP.

AFAIK, you can be put on the cancellation list if you want to be called quicker

Kang

I failed 3 weeks ago.just drive normally.good luck!!!

Horatio

Wahayyy Passed It !!!!!!

tk123

Well done!!!!

PS - Anybody who is looking for the test questions - i've lost them! Sorry!

dawballz

tk123 wrote:

Well done!!!!

PS - Anybody who is looking for the test questions - i've lost them! Sorry!

I wouldnt mind getting to look at a few of those questions if anyone has them handy...?

Tricia Warner

Horatio wrote:

Wahayyy Passed It !!!!!!

Well of course you did, you had an excellent instructor.
and a girl too!!

Horatio

So very true, are you still doing lessons ?
A friend of mine wopuld realy like a few before
you get rid of the Fazer

Idleater

dawballz wrote:

I wouldnt mind getting to look at a few of those questions if anyone has them handy...?

I don't know if these are the same questions as others have mentioned but I have attached the list that I got a couple of years back. I was asked questions from this list all right but I was also asked 1 or 2 that were not on it. To be honest they are all pretty straightforward from the Rules of the Road but I suppose they are a good indicator of the style of question that is asked.

Oh and Congratulations to the OP on passing the test. Three times round the block one way and three times back again? Or did you get something more complicated?

L.

Tricia Warner

Horatio wrote:

So very true, are you still doing lessons ?
A friend of mine wopuld realy like a few before
you get rid of the Fazer

Yes, I am, but be quick, cos the bike is on the market. Although my friendly bike shop in gorey, have told me that they will loan me a bike if I sell mine early, and still need to do lessons.

McCalvin

Did it in Raheny on a snowy day (well an Irish snowy day)

Was called forward and was asked to produce Driving License. And the theory part began straight away.

Several signs (including the pedestrian one, and the clearway one plus others)
Hand signals (wasn't sure of these, never had bike course and there is feck all online)
questions included yellow box, continous white line in middle road etc.

EDIT- Also had questions on Skidding and on Brakes.

Showed how radio worked.
Went out to bike and checked indicators front and rear aswell as rear brake light. "Indictors working, you will not have to use hand signals"

Started left out of centre towards Kilbarrack road and turned right towards Howth and then left into Foxfield estate.
Normal Dublin estate with roundabouts, bumps etc.
After a few minutes of negotiating roads, turns left and right, stopped bike.

At this stage it's pelting snow.... ("OK, I want you to turn around and come back the other way without your feet hitting the ground") u-turn time
I'd been practisong all morning with a decent success rate but looking down at the wet snowy road, I closed my eyes and hoped for the best. Made it with 10 cms to spare. Next was driving slowly (instructor stayed in car! it was raining) easy peezy.

Out of Kilbarrack and onto coast road heading towards st. annes park. Nice road, but limit is 60KM. Had cars over taking me! Turned right before st. annes and up towards Raheny. Left onto Howth road then left back into Raheny and straight back to centre (Got a tick here for not progressing, there are alot of those small round abouts... I'm thinking you're supposed to drive straight through them!).

Had a few ticks, nothing serious.

Hope this helps anyone doing test... especially in Raheny.

Fabritzo

Congrats on passing, good post too. There's plenty of information there for people doing in the test in the future, a sticky at the top of the forum might be in order.

tk123

Yaaaay - well done mccalvin!!

BigCon

I just passed my test today in Portlaoise, yipeeee!!!!!!!
Got most of the road signs right (must find out what that white disc with a blue circle around it is).
One question that caught me was “What hazards should you watch for on a dry summer’s day on the road”. I said the usual – oil, chippings etc and said if a shower came the road would be slippy – he said “I said a DRY summer’s day” – I’m not sure what he was looking for here. Thinking about if afterwards, maybe he meant the reflection of the sun off the road?
Got three X’s for safety check – I know of one at a T junction where I checked left, then right and then turned left without checking again – it was a narrow road and a truck was coming towards me – I had to stop straight away and thought I was going to fail because of this (maybe he gave me the 3 X’s for this manoeuvre because it was so bad)?
Anyhow, relaxed after that and everything else went smoothly, even the U-turn that I was dreading doing (I didn’t glance to my left in the middle of the turn cause I had decided it was more important to get the turn right without putting my foot down than glancing left – maybe that’s where one of the other “safety check” ticks came from, though I doubt it as there is a separate section on the form for the u-turn and that was clear).
One funny moment was when I was coming up to another T junction – he said “turn left at the end of the road”.
I did my checks and knocked on the signal – he then said “no, no, the other left”.
A pause of 3-4 seconds followed and then he said “I mean right, right – sorry about that, my fault entirely”.
It wasn’t funny at the time, but now that I think of , it brings a smile to my face.

Panic before the test as I couldn’t switch off the indicator once after signalling left. Some WD40 that my instructor had helped, but I needed to almost push the switch through the handlebars to knock it off.

In the office at the end, he handed me the cert of competency to sign and I said “does this mean I’ve passed?” – He said “It means I wand you to sign it”. :rolleyes:
He waited for a minute or two before telling me I’d passed…

Anyhow, alls well that ends well and I now have a full A licence (or will have in 10 days)…

McCalvin

May you never have to U-Turn again

Nick Carter

Are motorbike test questions different to the car ones?

I didn't know you had them!? I've got my full car license but need to swot up about the bike stuff it seems lol.

Got my test 2 weeks tomorrow!

Dr Pepper

They are mostly the same questions.. The ones in the document attached above (in this thread) cover almost everything. The signs seem to always be asked also. (Pay attention to the tricky ones.. obviously!). There are a few motorbike specific questions they ask too:

Q. What are the 3/4 (?) causes of skidding on your bike?
A. Rapid acceleration, rapid deceleration, road surface (ice, gravel, oil, water, leaves, etc), cornering too hard

Q. How would you check the [brakes, chain, tires.. a few other basic maintenance things] on your bike?
A. Brakes - Don't say "start driving and pull them to see if they work"! Check that there is adequet resistance/pressure when pulling the front brake lever or pressing the back brake pedal. Look at the brake pads to make sure there's sufficient 'pad' on them. Examine the discs themselves to make sure there is no substantial wear or damage. Look at front/rear brake fluid indicators to ensure there's sufficient brake fluid.
A. Chain - Make sure it's well lubricated (should be lubed once a week at least). Check the tension (There should be about an inch of movement (in total) up and down). Check that the sprokets are not worn. Teeth should be symmetrical, not 'hooked'.
A. Tires - Thread depth should be at least 1mm. Walls (sides) of tire should be free of cracks/bulges. Check pressure by looking at the tire when bike is on side stand to make sure it's not soft/flat (in the context of the test anyway. Normally you would check using the pump in a garage!)

Q. What is this? *points to something on bike*
A. They usually point to oil or font/rear brake fluid indicator windows.
This type of question can also be asked as: "Show me where the <front brake fluid indicator> is on your bike"..

If you need to, have a quick look through your bike's manual to identify these basic parts..
Good luck,
Brian

2142

I have my test on Friday morning. I decided to to a couple of the test routes last night. I went to the place where my friend had to do his u-turn. I cannot get my bike to to do a u-turn on this stretch of road even when the steering is at full lock. Has anyone any ideas on what I should do. Is there anything you can do like when you are doing a 3 point turn in a car but are allowed to do it in 5 or 7 movements?

Idleater

2142 wrote:

Is there anything you can do like when you are doing a 3 point turn in a car but are allowed to do it in 5 or 7 movements?

Ask your instructor but I think that you are allowed to stop, put your feet down and reverse the bike back up, and then go again.

Where is this road? and where is your test?

Go to a carpark, put down a jumper/marker/whatever and then a couple of meters away put down another one. Start doing figure of 8's around them. You would be amazed at how short you can turn.

Remember to turn your head in the direction of the corner, ie, practically behind you. Use the lean of the bike, slip the clutch but keep the revs up.


L.

tk123

are you able to do it just pushing the bike or will it not fit at all? You can't really so it like a 3-point turn because you'll get a fault if you put your foot down..

EDIT - i just remembered a trick my instructor thought me - do circles but look ahead - as you go round and round the circles get tighter and tighter.. it's great fun!

2142

the test is in dundalk and the road is alongside the fire station. Thanks for your help

2142

2142 wrote:

I have my test on Friday morning. I decided to to a couple of the test routes last night. I went to the place where my friend had to do his u-turn. I cannot get my bike to to do a u-turn on this stretch of road even when the steering is at full lock. Has anyone any ideas on what I should do. Is there anything you can do like when you are doing a 3 point turn in a car but are allowed to do it in 5 or 7 movements?

Just to let you know that when it came to do the u-turn the tester told me that I could use where the road widened at a crossroads. Thankfully passed. For anyone that has their test in Dundalk coming up, the route is below.

You get the usual questions on rules of the road and shown how the radio works. Then it is out to the bike. You are asked some more questions about your bike and told to operate lights and indicators. You then have to the take the bike off it's stand and walk with it. Then he tells you to start your bike and get ready for the start of the driving part of the test.
Leave the Fairways Hotel and turn right towards Dundalk. Take the right turn at PJ Carrolls. Take the left turn bringing you onto Tom Bellew Avenue. Continue through the roundabouts until you come to traffic lights at the Avenue Rd. Turn right and then left into Greenacres estate. Turn left and drive through estate. You ten turn left on the alphonsus rd. Take the 2nd exit on the roundabout and then turn left. Continue past fire station, marshes and old shopping center until you come to the junction with the Dublin RD. Take a left and continue over Hill ST bridge. Turn left at Glenwood estate. On the straight you have to do you u turn and drive at a walking pace. Go back to the entrance of the estate and turn left. Continue straight back to the Fairways Hotel. Hope this helps someone

Idleater

2142 wrote:

Just to let you know that when it came to do the u-turn the tester told me that I could use where the road widened at a crossroads. Thankfully passed.

Well Done! And Congratulations.

Try to keep up the good habits as much as possible.

L.