Driving test

BrayHead

Anyone done the test at the Sarsfield Rd. center recently? Any horror stories, words of wisdom etc. you'd like to share? :eek:

LilMrsDahamsta

Ya. Did it for the second time last week, and passed. What do you want to know exactly?

BrayHead

I am doing it soon and was out practicing last night. Did you go down to the Sarsfield roundabout and then on to Wilton roundabout?

Congrats on passing , my first time coming up.

Did you reapply for a cancellation?

LilMrsDahamsta

BrayHead wrote:

I was out practicing last night.

Good idea, but make sure you get some daytime practice too. Pedestrians, school kids and roadworks all seem to be less of a problem at night. Also, make sure you go around all the housing estates out towards Bishopstown and Curraheen, and in around Togher. Sometimes it's very hard to know where the main roads are if you're in one of those estates for the first or second time, and you need to know! I live about as close as is physically possible to the test centre, so I know the area, but I still spent the entire day before out practicing.

BrayHead wrote:

Did you go down to the Sarsfield roundabout and then on to Wilton roundabout?

Ya. AFAIK everyone does. Then either first or third exit off the Wilton one.

BrayHead wrote:

my first time coming up.

Get a driving lesson soon to make sure you're doing everything right, and get another one a day or two before so you know what to watch out for. Try and get someone to sit in the car with you and only give you directions (not talk to you) so you get used to that too. Have a look over on the Motors forum. Someone posted up the grading sheet a while back. It's handy to know what the tester is looking out for.

BrayHead wrote:

Did you reapply for a cancellation?

Ya. But I wrote a very persuasive letter as well (I needed it for work 'cause I'm in Galway most Fridays). Got it in just under two weeks.

BrayHead

Wow ... thanks for the info.

I've had a fair few lessons so fingers crossed it's a thumbs up from the tester.

I heard that sometimes they bring you down to Sarsfield roundabout, all the way around and then back up Sarsfield Rd., past the test centre and then down towards Togher.

Thanks again

rymus

I had my second test (and passed) a couple of weeks ago. Beware the **** down there. I know of at least two but I shant name any names.

Padraig Mor

BrayHead wrote:

I heard that sometimes they bring you down to Sarsfield roundabout, all the way around and then back up Sarsfield Rd., past the test centre and then down towards Togher.

Thanks again

They will take you one of three general routes (different housing estates etc.):
1. Left down Sarsfield Rd. Straight through roundabout. Left at Wilton Rd Roundabout and on to Bishopstown. Quite possibly turning right just beyond Xtravision at the lights.

2. Left down Sarsfield Rd. Straight through roundabout. Right (3rd exit) at Wilton Rd roundabout. (NB: they will tell you if you will be going right when you're passing the lights at Tesco - so be ready for a lane change there! If they say nothing, you're going to Bishopstown).

3. Right out of test centre and up Sarsfield Rd. Left at the top and down the 'back road' (Spur Hill?) into Togher.

All will then go on to a number of housing estates and back via the reverse of one of the three above (but prob not the one you went out on). You may also come back via the South Ring, entering at Togher and getting off at Sarsfield Rd.

BrayHead

Thanks lads, I had the test yesterday and passed!

I had route 1 as described.

I had been out before the test and had covered that route. I'm glad I did as the lights after the regional hospital were out and were still out when I was doing the test.

Anyhow I am now a certified safe driver ... yeah right

dahamsta

Well done BrayHead. All you're short now is a Glanza with Lexus lights, fit in with the cool kids.

Illkillya

Well done - I have heard a couple of horror stories from that test center myself... although I suppose they have to keep the pass/fail statistics in order.

BrayHead

Thanks lads

DawnMc

I passed it recently too.
All you need is confidence and you'll be fine. Honestly, it's all you need. Just remember to use your mirrors and indicatiors and position on the road

LilMrsDahamsta

Congrats Brayhead!!

harryh9

does anyone know if they will take you through the magic (kinsale) roundabout?
Got called for my test the middle of November....

solice

Did my test there too. I seriously doubt they will bring you down the magic roundabout. The only big roundabouts that you will be brought on are the sarsfield and wilton roundabouts.
Generally they only bring u as far as Togher or Bishopstown. It was Bishopstown for me. Driving on the main roads like that isnt a problem, just remember mirrors and indicators. They tell you exactly where to go.
Practice practice practice in the housing estates. Its here they ask you all the ****ty stuff like reversing around a bend (pray the car doesnt conk out) and 3 or 5 point turns

dahamsta

The magic roundabout is the ideal solution to the driving test backlog problem. Take them to Bán Árd, wave a full licence in front of them, and tell them that if they can get to Little Chef without crashing or having a nervous breakdown, they can have it. That'd sort the wheat from the chaff.

chippo

Nah dont worry, you wont be brought to the kinsale rd roundabout. As solice said they nearly always bring you through the Sarsfield Rd and wilton roundabouts. The kinsale roundabout is bad enough in the passanger seat of a experienced driver, no tester would go through it with someone sitting the driving test. The place is kaos, would be taking your life into you own hands!

Padraig Mor

You're safe! No route goes through the Kinsale Rd Roundabout.