Irish Driving Test A Racket?

SuperInfinity · 07-11-2012 08:10PM

BattleCorp wrote: »

They don't tell you how you did until you return to the test centre so you don't get the chance to fcuk somebody out in the middle of nowhere anymore.

yeah, I didn't believe it for a second, half of the other "stories" said in this thread are lies as well, you can clearly tell. Couldn't the tester just refuse to get out of the car?

I hate when people lie like that, ****en idiots. What's the point?

Capt'n Midnight · 08-11-2012 12:26PM

PogMoThoin wrote: »

You don't drive at faster than 50kph in the test, but once passed you are allowed you drive unsupervised on a 120kph motorway, madness.

UK test includes parallel parking.
The 360 turn shows you can get back out the way you came in.
I'd be of the opinion that everyone under 25 does a retest every year and have a GPS tracker on their car

50kph ? One of things the driving instructor drilled in to me was to accelerate smartly when we got to the 60Kph zone.

jester77 wrote: »

At least you get to drive home

Not for a very long time. - even then that was only on the 2nd provisional

deelite wrote: »

I passed first time and coming out out of the Test Centre I was so cocky I took the motorway - wasn't allowed on it when I was a learner, so I was "entitled" to go on it. I got lost, had no idea where I was heading, took me at least an hour to get back on the right road.

You are still not allowed on the motorway until you have changed the piece of paper for a license. :mad:

corkgsxr wrote: »

They do fail for no reason.

I was failed for being half the car over the line at the lights by cuh

At that lights I was behind 2 cars.

All you had to do was follow the rules for half an hour as if your license depended on it

Capt'n Midnight · 08-11-2012 12:31PM

Wibbs wrote: »

That said I pretty much never go down the gears when coming to a stop a la the official driving test way.
...
I don't go down the gears while stopping for one reason. I'd rather coast into someone(or something) than drive into them. It's far too easy to slip off the clutch pedal and jump forward and I've seen that one more than once.

Or as someone said , brake pads are cheaper than gearboxes.

Definitely practise slowing down through the gears and so you know how to if you ever need to. Its nice to have options. Even then I do tap the brakes in case the muppet behind doesn't realise I'm slowing down.

Love the way yanks call the hand brake "emergency brake". To me it's because it's going to cause an emergency if you grab it while at speed. You'll all heard of the handbrake turn...

cena · 08-11-2012 12:33PM

I passed my first go.

Capt'n Midnight · 08-11-2012 12:36PM

UCDVet wrote: »

I think it's hilarious that they make Irish folk spend all this time and money on a driving test; but they let tourists from other countries who don't even know what side of the road to drive on - drive all they want. Legally.

It's insane.

I came to Ireland and rented a car from the airport. I can't even drive stick (which is all they had for me to pick from). I couldn't pass a driving test and I shouldn't be allowed to drive.

But you did pass a driving test ?

So you know about looking at junctions and stopping distances and most of the basics.

Not ideal but unless they come up with an international driving test. Interesting point though , in Ireland if you do your test in an automatic it's marked on your license and you aren't allowed to drive 'stick'.

Akrasia wrote: »

My girlfriend failed her test because she didn't look over her shoulder every time she was taking off from a start (including stopping at traffic lights and in stop start traffic.

I don't know anyone who physically looks over their shoulder every time the car takes off. I check my mirrors, but expecting you to look over your shoulder is a but ridiculous

Try posting that in the cycling forum :mad:

Hobbes · 08-11-2012 12:41PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Or as someone said , brake pads are cheaper than gearboxes.

Your gearbox is designed to automatically apply braking. That is why you use your gears going downhill and not your brakes. If you were to use your brakes in that situation, they are more likely to fail possibly killing/injuring you and others in the process.

maintown34 wrote: »

Yet the test lacks basic skills such as an emergency handbrake stop.

That was hilarious.. why not try doing one yourself on a private road and get back to us how that worked out for you. My money is on the airbags deploying just after you destroy your handbrake.

Hobbes · 08-11-2012 12:44PM

MaxSteele wrote: »

Or how about this ? Yes he f*cking did.

Driving instructors never tell you any results until you are back in the center and sitting down.

So your friend is BS'ing you. Also the instructor would only need to call the guards and report a dangerous learner driver (without accompanying driver), they have a copy of your license, etc.

Yea, I can see that myth really working out.

DipStick McSwindler · 08-11-2012 12:56PM

This post has been deleted.

rgmmg · 08-11-2012 01:37PM

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

Anybody who doesnt pass first time shouldnt be driving at all, the test is ridiculously easy! after 10 lessons and a couple of pretests your useless if you cant pass it! its all about learning what you need to pass. its not about learning how to drive, rather learning how to beat the test, like the Leaving Cert! although I do agree its a bit of a scam, so is the NCT test!

Rubbish. Not all factors are under the drivers control - the conditions, the mood of the instructor, fellow motorists on the road during the test. Passing first time doesn't mean you're a better driver than anyone who doesn't. Comparing yourself to soemone who passed on the 20th go might!

Faith+1 · 08-11-2012 02:18PM

rgmmg wrote: »

Rubbish. Not all factors are under the drivers control - the conditions, the mood of the instructor, fellow motorists on the road during the test. Passing first time doesn't mean you're a better driver than anyone who doesn't. Comparing yourself to soemone who passed on the 20th go might!

+1 If the instructor is on your side you're laughing.

Thirdfox · 08-11-2012 02:23PM

Passed first time with 1 grade 1 and 1 grade 2 fault. I did think the examiner was a bit harsh in the grade 2 fault but a pass is a pass.

I think the test should be made harder, we should at least have parallel parking, though emergency hand brake stops should be left off the curriculum.

The theory test is a bit too easy to pass too with quite a few irrelevant questions.

seven_eleven · 08-11-2012 02:29PM

Akrasia wrote: »

My girlfriend failed her test because she didn't look over her shoulder every time she was taking off from a start (including stopping at traffic lights and in stop start traffic.

I don't know anyone who physically looks over their shoulder every time the car takes off. I check my mirrors, but expecting you to look over your shoulder is a but ridiculous

No its not. I always look over my shoulder when moving out on a street, and ALWAYS before merging lanes after coming off a roundabout. I learned about the blindspot the hardway when I didnt look over my shoulder once.

rgmmg · 08-11-2012 02:31PM

seven_eleven wrote: »

No its not. I always look over my shoulder when moving out on a street, and ALWAYS before merging lanes after coming off a roundabout. I learned about the blindspot the hardway when I didnt look over my shoulder once.

I hope it wasn't the local priest looking to merge while wheezing in your ear

Neewbie_noob · 08-11-2012 02:40PM

maintown34 wrote: »

They don't have strict pass limits, but still fail people for the most idiotic of things. Things that have no relevance to safe driving whatsoever. The test error catagories are broad and vague, along with the fact there are so many ways they can screw you, you have to drive perfectly and bear luck/not insult the tester to pass. Just look at the UK test for example, much less room for subjective tick boxing. It's your word against theirs. Ignorant people too, rude as hell. Don't give these conmen your money, do you test elsewhere.

Am I wrong for thinking like this, or are the RSA really as unaccountable as most other institutions in this country? Are they really doing much to ACTUALLY prevent road deaths, or is it just another load of QUANGOS milking the unsuspecting public? Has anybody ever tried to challenge any wrongdoings by this body and won?

I do thoroughly agree, you can fail just for stopping on a yellow box (be it by accident OR design). The test should focus on city driving, country side driving and motorway driving.

Why on ****ing earth do you have to do a reverse around the corner in a test ??? When do you ever HAVE to do that ? and why is there no parallel parking in the test, that comes up way more often than reversing around a corner.

CruelCoin · 08-11-2012 02:49PM

I wouldn't call it a racket, but i do call it farcical.

It's monstrous. You saunter up for your test, fail, be declared unfit to drive on Irish roads, and then be allowed drive home again in your now pissed off state.

Wut?

Failure should result in having your keys confiscated untill a qualified driver can collect you.

RustyNut · 08-11-2012 02:55PM

Itzy wrote: »

To be honest, there's alot of drivers on the road with a full license, who are ill equiped to drive. Most can't drive in difficult conditions such as ice, while the rest can't handle an emergency situation.

For example: I was driving on the M50 towards Santry and it was lashing rain at the time. Driving along at speeds topping 80kph with enough distance between others and myself, I was suprised with how other drivers were discernably weaving in and out of lanes, from what I can gather was to get around slow moving traffic quickly.

Out of the blue the vehicle infront of me broke hard almost coming to a stand still. The only option I had was break and rear end the driver or speed up and change lane quickly to avoid traffic coming behind me. I decided to change lane as I knew it was clear, but in any other circumstance such behaviour on a 4 lane motorway could have caused an accident. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with their driving skills and could have killed them if I got my hands on them.

So in essence what you are saying is that you could not stop within the distance you could see to be clear, how would that be someone else's fault?

08-11-2012 02:57PM

Itzy wrote: »

For example: I was driving on the M50 towards Santry and it was lashing rain at the time. Driving along at speeds topping 80kph with enough distance between others and myself, I was suprised with how other drivers were discernably weaving in and out of lanes, from what I can gather was to get around slow moving traffic quickly.

Out of the blue the vehicle infront of me broke hard almost coming to a stand still. The only option I had was break and rear end the driver or speed up and change lane quickly to avoid traffic coming behind me. I decided to change lane as I knew it was clear, but in any other circumstance such behaviour on a 4 lane motorway could have caused an accident. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with their driving skills and could have killed them if I got my hands on them.

That's not "enough distance"

Wossack · 08-11-2012 03:12PM

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

I do thoroughly agree, you can fail just for stopping on a yellow box (be it by accident OR design). The test should focus on city driving, country side driving and motorway driving.

Why on ****ing earth do you have to do a reverse around the corner in a test ??? When do you ever HAVE to do that ? and why is there no parallel parking in the test, that comes up way more often than reversing around a corner.

the reverse around corner, is more of an indicator of your control, and understanding of how the car handles when moving in reverse (lag to your steering input, and exageration of same), then an actual demonstation of an everyday maneouver - which I agree, Ive never done since the test

Shenshen · 08-11-2012 03:18PM

Well, at least we've yet to produce and idiot like this :

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/woman-wear-idiot-sign-traffic-gaffe-article-1.1197276#ixzz2BY60h7r7

Regarding the reversing around corner thing, I always thought that this was to test how well you would cope with reverse parking, without endangering other people's cars in case you can't do it?

Blitzkrieger · 08-11-2012 05:57PM

I agree with the OP's sentiment if not his reasons.

I'm currently trying to add the EB category to my B license (car with trailer) and it's way too complicated. First I have to do a theory test, then apply for a provisional, then apply for a practical test, pass the practical test and apply for the license. I have a full car license already. Surely the requirement should be to hitch up a trailer, drive 10 minutes down the road and reverse around a corner? Surely everything else should be covered by having a full license?

Some parts of the process are a joke too. Have you seen version 5 of the theory test book? If I was the minister in charge and I was presented with that, people would be fired. It's appalling. There was two questions in a row something like :

Q : What should you do when reversing.
A : Check your mirrors and look over both shoulders.

Q : What should you do when reversing a vehicle with an audible warning.
A : Check your mirrors, to the front of the vehicle and over both shoulders.

What ****ing sense does that make? And there's a section on environmentalism in there. What's that got to do with safe driving? You might as well have a religious section on the proper behaviour when passing a church in there. Don't get me started on the terrible use of colour, repeated questions, tiny pictures and generally crap layout....

And the driving test has some silly stuff in there too. I remember when I did my test some grumpy old bollix marked me down for not checking my mirrors before indicating. I don't recall him ever saying : "Turn right ahead... unless there's something behind us".

Don't get me wrong - I take driving seriously and have passed an advanced driving test. Some parts of getting your license in Ireland make no sense at all.

kiffer · 08-11-2012 06:25PM

I failed the test with a grade 3 error.
Three times, the same error.
Took lessons, and pretests, no mention of anything wrong with my observations.

First test, grade three error, failure to observe during left turn. Thought "fair enough, I must have slipped up"... "sorry" says the tester, "I can't tell you where or when".

Test two, different guy, same testing center 2 months later... Having made a solid effort to be more vigilant and especially on left turns... Fail, single grade 3 error, observation on a left turn.
Leave totally pissed off.

Test 3, same test centre 6 months later, first tester again. Fail, grade 3 error, failure to observe on a left turn... Which I saw him mark during the test (no, I wasn't looking for it but while I was checking my blindspot to change lanes he had the board tilted towards me, and I saw a black mark in a red box). Knowing I failed I became fairly unnerved.
I was upset and really not in the mood to continue.
So I said as much... "I know you've failed me, I'd like to stop the test now and just go back to the centre"...

He wasn't happy about that, I should have been watching the road and not him.
We finished the rest of the test (for the sake of completeness, iirc there was just reversing around the corner left) and drove back to the testing centre and I was gutted.

We went back to the office and went through the pointless ritual of him telling me I'd failed and me asking why and being told "can't give you real details".

And I said that's what you failed me on last time... He was a bit shocked.
I was angry and upset and clearly didn't believe him. He tried to say I made other errors too but he hadn't bothered marking them, and that when I checked my mirrors it was obviously just so he would see me do it...
Then he basically went on to say "look you're a good driver there's no real reason for you to fail, dont leave it so long between tests next time."

That was a good while ago now.
I tried to book another test right away but the website was down and I was fairly disheartened, then stuff got moved around and I was told I wouldn't have to use of the car for awhile and then I had no full licence driver to sit with me and the whole driving thing got put on hiatus... Was also during my long unemployed stretch so money was too tight to do anything...

Back at it now, licence just expiring so will have to get a new one... which will probably mean that I'll have to pay another load of money for more driving lessons to fill that requirement.
Huzzah.

chasm · 08-11-2012 06:55PM

maintown34 wrote: »

yes. Today. By 2 grade 2's.

How many grade 2s did you get in total?

Failure of the test arises where you incur any of the following:-
1 or more grade 3 faults,
4 of the same grade 2 faults for a single aspect,
6 or more grade 2 faults under the same heading, or a total of
9 or more grade 2 faults overall.
Up to a maximum of 4 grade 2 faults may be recorded for any single aspect.

Diabhal Beag · 08-11-2012 07:03PM

I passed the test first go while being horrendously sick. It was the worst I had ever driven too.

Off topic: They really need to sort out people's understanding of roundabouts. Any older driver doesn't obey the clock rules that are on the test these days. I see near collisions everyday on busy roundabouts,

hardCopy · 08-11-2012 07:20PM

SuperInfinity wrote: »

I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how instead of turning gradually they make you have to keep as close to the left as possible, doing practically a 90 degree turn which takes far longer. Now I'm not talking about stupidly going rashly across the lane when someone could be coming, I'm talking about how someone would do it naturally and how everyone does it when the test is over.

I think it's bizarre and disingenuous for people like Keiser to say things like they passed it first time and it was easy when he obviously knew all of these things they would nitpick for. Obviously fully aware and having practised all of these things and yet he tries to call out people for failing as if it were based on skill.

If you don't pull all the way up before starting a right turn then how are you supposed to make sure the junction is clear?

marknjb · 08-11-2012 07:35PM

driving is like sport some people are good at it and more people no matter how hard they try will allways be crap at it

Capt'n Midnight · 08-11-2012 07:45PM

Blitzkrieger wrote: »

I agree with the OP's sentiment if not his reasons.

I'm currently trying to add the EB category to my B license (car with trailer) and it's way too complicated.

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Learner-Drivers/New-Driver-Licensing-Rules-from-January-2013/ All tests conducted from 19 January 2013.

Currently it is possible to undergo a driving test with a completely unladen vehicle.
However, if the person undergoing the test obtains a full driving licence, they may then fully
load the vehicle, without having shown competence to drive the laden vehicle. The new
requirement of real total mass allows for testing in a vehicle closer to the everyday situation
the driver will be licenced to drive in, should they pass the driving test.
In order to meet the requirements of real total mass for the vehicle presenting for the

username432 · 08-11-2012 11:41PM

challengemaster wrote: »

Yes, don't give them your €85, go somewhere else and do your test, like Germany. That only costs €3000.

Honestly if you can't pass the Irish driving test, which is pretty simple, you don't deserve to be on the roads.

If only you knew how stupid what you just said was.

What would you do if your front brakes failed either by mechanical means, or because of a leakage of brake fluid? Because if somebody was to take your advice, you would probably end up killing somebody. It's not ideal by any means, but engaging a handbrake in a controlled manner along with downshifting could save your life someday. Just because it isn't endorsed by your buddy, the Irish Government, does not seek to invalidate the concept. Your handbrake isn't just for parking, you are aware of this? This is common knowledge, except in Ireland.

Hobbes wrote:

That was hilarious.. why not try doing one yourself on a private road and get back to us how that worked out for you. My money is on the airbags deploying just after you destroy your handbrake.

Won't be so funny should you not know how to perform such an action if your life depended on it. It's an extremely risky one, but it has it's place.

CruelCoin · 09-11-2012 09:24AM

marknjb wrote: »

driving is like sport some people are good at it and more people no matter how hard they try will allways be crap at it

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/nations-worst-driver-failed-test-20-times-2386836.html
Springs to mind. Ye Gods.

Hobbes · 09-11-2012 09:57AM

username432 wrote: »

Won't be so funny should you not know how to perform such an action if your life depended on it. It's an extremely risky one, but it has it's place.

o_O Have you ever pulled your handbrake while the car is in motion and no other braking mechanism? Give it try.

There is no such thing as an emergency handbrake stop as part of learning how to drive (there was "Emergency stop"). Unlike the brakes the handbrake is not designed for braking at speed and not for long periods that brakes would work under.

You will brake faster and smoother by changing down gears, and have better control of the car. Switching off the engine will also brake better (although you lose control of steering, and steering lock can engage).

About the only time I would personally think of pulling the handbrake is if brakes have failed, not enough time to down gears and impact is about to happen. I wouldn't expect it to stop the impact, just slow you down a little bit. There is nothing involved in knowing, you just pull your handbrake up.

kunst nugget · 09-11-2012 11:04AM

Freddy Smelly wrote: »

i failed it 3 times before i passed it.

first time i failed it i was penalized for stopping to avoid a lorry running a red light and almost crushing me... the tester told me i should not have stopped and he failed me... i promptly booted him out of the car.

You did in your hole.

Irish Driving Test A Racket?

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