# Driving Test does anyone have any useful tips?



## Kelb28 (2 Nov 2006)

Hi

I have my driving test next friday, does anyone have any usefull tips! Starting to get little nervous


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## Ron Burgundy (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

insure you have valid tax, insurance, and nct if needed. also make sure all bulbs in the car are working and that you know the various water, oill etc under the bonnet.

if you make a mistake don't worry, unless its very serious like breaking a red light or a stop sign it won't fail you right away, just try to relax and drive your best.


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## Rois (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

Make sure you have a valid provisional licence!


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## stefg (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

Hi Kelb28,

I passed my test a couple of weeks ago so I still have a lot of tips I got fresh in my head. The following website I found useful: [broken link removed] (I know it's a uk site but it's still valid for most things bar speed limits etc).

The best tips I got from instructors and friends etc were:

*Drive smoothly* - imagine there's someone with a cup tea in the passenger seat and that you don't want them to spill it.
*Look ahead* - it is easy to focus on objects near you, but focussing on part of road you are aiming for 15-20 metres ahead will automatically improve your road position and help with anticipation of obstacles. Try not to focus on objects just the road.
*Don't rush maneuvers* - If you have to abandon a reverse around a corner or a hill start due to an unforeseen obstacle , don't panic, go back to your original start position and do it again when the obstacle has cleared. (Remember you should wait if you see an obstacle before you start the maneuver)
*The turn-about is not a 3 point turn* - you can do it in as many points as you wish as long as you are not causing an obstruction or excessively slow in completing the maneuver.
*Do not overtake* - only overtake if you are passing a stationary obstable e.g. a bin lorry etc. The tests are generally done in residential areas of slow moving traffic and there will be many learner drivers around. Show your patience and be respectful of other learners.
*Be familiar with the test route* - you should drive the route to ensure you know the area and if there are any unusual junctions or road markings etc.
*Arrive at the test centre in plenty of time* - but don't hang around nervously, take a short walk to calm the nerves if necessary... It's only a test but it can be quite worrying.
Also, when going into the test centre you should bring your licence and the letter you got for the test.

Hope this helps... it certainly helped me.

Stef


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## dontaskme (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

make sure you have red L-plates with at least a 2 centimetre white margin.


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## johndoe64 (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

check the reg on your tax disk.....happened to me the instructor noticed it the end part of the reg was ok but the year was wrong, he said I can fail you right now for that, he hadn't even got in the car at this stage but fair play to him he took me out and I passed.


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## Ron Burgundy (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*



stefg said:


> *Arrive at the test centre in plenty of time* - but don't hang around nervously, take a short walk to calm the nerves if necessary... It's only a test but it can be quite worrying.


 
that is the most important tip, if your late you might as well not turn up at all, the instructor is doing a number of tests in the day and wants to keep to a schedule.....


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## RS2K (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

Dress like a nerd.


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## Lauren (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

Park somewhere outside the test centre that you can manoeuvre out of easily!

Someone also once told me that when checking mirrors during the test that you do so by actually moving your head slightly to demonstrate what you are doing rather than just moving eyes i.e. slightly exaggerated moves!

Good luck. Let us know how you get on!


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## lab-rat (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*



Kelb28 said:


> Hi
> 
> I have my driving test next friday, does anyone have any usefull tips! Starting to get little nervous


 
Hi There,
If you have time get three lessons on the test route. Use your mirrors-I was told that when your tester asks you to take a turn, etc, look in the appropriate mirror to show that you are acting on his instructions. Learn your hand signals. NB do not panic if you make a mistake, forget about it and get on with the test, you are allowed a few minor errors. I cut out even before I left the test centre, not a great start but I still passed
I lost marks on, not slowing down sufficiently when going past road works. 
Good luck!


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## redchariot (2 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

A couple of tips:

During the theory section at the beginning of the test, one question that is almost always asked is

_*What does an amber light mean?*_ Answer is simply that you stop the car unless it is not safe to do so; do not say that you keep going if way is clear (a lot of people do give somthing along the lines of this answer)

The other tip I can give you is when the examiner asks you to do something, look into the mirror.


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## John_DI (3 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test*

Hi,

Some good advice, however



stefg said:


> [*]*Do not overtake* -



You must overtake, if safe and legal to do so.  All the other advice fine.  But you must maintain progress.

Regarding exaggerating your movements when checking mirrors.  This is unnecessary.  

Several reasons:

He might mark you for not having the mirrors correctly set.
If you exaggerate, it is very obvious if you forget to check.
And the way some people do it, can be annoying. 
You are overstating with your movements, "Look you Blind B ---, I have to do it this way otherwise you would not see me checking.

Relax, try and act normal and natural.

And take a few lessons


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## Kelb28 (3 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

Thanks everyone for the usefull tips... i took one lesson and have another 2m and hopefully one during the week. unfortunately last week the routes for the new centre had not been finalised, my instructor was going to try get them this week, so hopefully he'll have them tomorrow. its in citywest so if anyone know the route let me know please. 

reversing around the corner is a bit tricky, but hopefully i'll get there with practice  any tips for this?


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## aonfocaleile (3 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

Reversing round the corner - practice, practice, practice!

Ensure your wing mirror is angled correctly for this and that you can see kerb edge. The key is knowing when to turn the car so that you don't hit the kerb but don't swing out wide. I recommend that when you know the route you spend a few hours driving it alone and practicing the various manoeuvres where you could be asked to perform them (just be sure to stay out of the way of someone in the middle of their test).

Best of luck!


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## lab-rat (6 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

Hi,
Before driving off from a stationary position you should glance over your shoulder (as well as look in your side mirror) just incase there is a car in your blind spot.
I absolutely agree with previous post: do not over do the head movements when it comes to looking in the mirror! Forget dangley ear-rings etc.

I was completely crap at the reversing around the corner, but I did a grand hill start and 3-point turn. I think over all he passed me as I could manage 2 out of the three. So do not stress too much about reversing a round the corner. It needs a good bit of Pratice

Has anyone bought the dvd advertised on tv for sale in extra vision???
The better half has his test next week, wondering if it is worth purchasing???


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## paddi22 (6 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

just passed mine on friday, i had failed once previously!

my main tips would be to take a 'kalm's tablet before your test as it helps you focus.. 

what i had failed on previously was not keeping enough distance between the car and parked cars at the side of the road, apparently you should keep a car doors distance away.

i found http://www.drivingschoolireland.com a great resource for any queries. The best advice i got was to drive normally and not get worked up about it as the worst that can happen is you fail and retake the test a few weeks later!


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## june (6 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

I think  observation is seen as important. look at mirror don't just glance, move the head!


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## roney (6 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*



paddi22 said:


> just passed mine on friday, i had failed once previously!
> 
> my main tips would be to take a 'kalm's tablet before your test as it helps you focus..
> 
> ...


 
I haad heard this too - that if one failed it was possible to sit the test again soon. i failed mine in April - and reapplied immediately - still no word from them!!


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## paddi22 (6 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

If you send in a letter from work saying you need the car as part of your job then they speed the process up a bit!


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## Itchy (7 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

Then its seven months instead of 12!!


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## Lauren (7 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

June..I agree with you there... Friend of mine was failed as he was told that he did not use the mirrors enough...He felt that he certainly did use the mirrors all the time but that this may not have been obvious to the tester because he didn't actually move his head...When he resat next time, he made sure to do so and passed...I guess it depends on the tester on the day....


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## paddi22 (7 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*



Itchy said:


> Then its seven months instead of 12!!



you can be lucky with cancellations sometimes.. i know a few people that got a cancellation within 3 weeks, it just depends on the centre and luck! what test route are you doing?


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## John_DI (7 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

Hi,



Lauren said:


> When he resat next time, he made sure to do so and passed...I guess it depends on the tester on the day....



Second time he was thinking of moving his head to check the mirrors, therefore  he was concentrating more on actually checking the mirrors.

He passed because he checked his mirrors, not because he moved his head. 
Second time he was more focused.   First time, would guess he forgot to check the mirrors at various junctions, some crucial times.

It is unnecessary to move your head to check mirrors. 

However, if you think it would help, by all means keep telling yourself, "must remember to move my head when checking the mirrors".  Then check the mirrors, but it is unnecessary to move your head 
[broken link removed]


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## Itchy (7 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*



paddi22 said:


> you can be lucky with cancellations sometimes.. i know a few people that got a cancellation within 3 weeks, it just depends on the centre and luck! what test route are you doing?


 
Raheny, its tomorrow actually. I rang up looking for a cancellation and it goes something like:

ME: "Hi im looking for a cancellation"
DT: " You are on the priority list we will be in touch in due course."
ME: " So how long will that be?"
DT: "About four months."


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## blinkbelle (7 Nov 2006)

*Re: Driving Test does anyone have any usefull tips?*

All I can say is take your time, defintely dont get into a state on the day of the test.  Maybe have one lesson an hour before your test and relax dont drive anymore, chill out.  

To this day I still cant believe I passed my test, I think on the day you just know you have to pass and will put all your effort in.

I messed up my reversing around the corner made an ass of my 3 point turn as a car came along and i got paniki and took me 4goes. although you are allowed do it in a few turns if you have a small space.

I think if you mount any kerb its an automatic fail, (friend of mine failed)

And my boyfriend done his 3months after me and failed on observation, bad hill start etc. 

Some of the questions I got were What would you do if dazzled by oncoming lights? what does amber light mean? what are the lines in the middle of main roads (the median strips) must know about them.

Should also know under ur bonnet oil water etc, min thread on tyres. make sure all ur lights are working as he/she will check. make sure uve ur tax, insurance disc and nct if needed.

And dont forget to bring your prov licience in to the test centre.  And reverse your car into a spot and pick a handy one to get out of and when yis come back make sure you park properly between the lines cuz my sister didnt and got a mark for that.

Hope ive helped you.

Let us all know how you get on and Goodluck!!


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## paddi22 (7 Nov 2006)

What time are you doing it at? 

Try and do a practice run at that time earlier in the week.

I did my test in raheny but I got the worst time - when the parents are picking their kids up from the local school. I had driven the routes a lot beforehand, but never when the roads were so packed with stressed parents doing u-turns and parking on corners, it was completely different and really threw me. I got marks for being too slow progressing, mainly because cars were parked at corners and and both sides of road were blocked, and I couldn't see around corners! 

Also, you have prob covered these in your practices but there is a TINY tight roundabout on one of the routes and you have to crawl around it in first, my friend took it in second gear and failed. 

I passed my test in raheny on friday and I got one of the clontarf routes. A tip I got was that when going down the steep hill in raheny, you know the one where the road converges with a bigger road beside the chinese restaurant. Pause at the stop sign for three seconds even if the road is clear to go and make sure the handbreak is used on it.

best of luck with it, its nerve racking but you'l be grand!!


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## Itchy (7 Nov 2006)

Actually my situation is that I decided not to buy a car yet and I have have been learning by taking lessons. After a thought provoking comment by ACA. See here:

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=2095

So I did the maths and the the differance in insurance price between a provisional and full licence was €1100, so I decided to spend the money taking lessons instead. I have had about 20 lessons at this stage and I feel that at least I know how to drive safely now, albeit with less overall driving time.

To be honest I am not really that nervous about the test. Im at that standard now and have had a few more lessons than I probably needed. I suppose thats just my big head, i'll put my money where my mouth is tomorrow!!

paddi, there is loads of tiny tight roundabouts around the test centre!! Its on at lunch time so hopefully all the well behaved Manor House girls will use the pedestrian crossing tomorrow!!


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## paddi22 (7 Nov 2006)

ah if your confident and you've been driving a while you'l fly through it! its just driving with someone sitting beside you for half an hour!

That roundabout is a really tiny one at a T-juntion. Think there's a sign saying saying 'Raheny' behind it. You'l know it if you see it! It nearly caught me out as well but i remebered my friend had mentioned it. Its really tight so crawl around it.! 

Best of luck with it!


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## astral330 (8 Nov 2006)

Some very good comments by contributors. Here is a very basic but misunderstood aspect of the Driving Test here in Ireland.There are three grades of mark...
*Grade One... *which is a minor fault and which does not effect the outcome of the Test.
*Grade Two... *which is a serious fault and where you have a maximum of 8 allowed before you are in the failure zone.
*Grade Three... *which is a dangerous or potentially dangerous fault which will disqualify you. 

Some *Examiners *are really keen on illustrating faults in the grade one category which will highlight your deficiencies and help you in the future but will *not effect* the outcome of the Driving Test. Other examiners don't bother with Grade one faults at all.
The tip is to totally ignore the amount of writing the Examiner is doing , because even if it seems to be constant it may well be many grade one entries and you may be well on the way to a Pass.Just concentrate on listening, observing, and doing what you are asked.
Here is an example from three years ago:- 
18 entries on the sheet ( must be a fail methinks?)
*Result:-*
12 Grade one Faults!
 6 Grade two Faults!
*First Time Pass* with two marks to spare which is a good result for anyone!


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## idontknow (8 Nov 2006)

Testers get a general idea of how experienced you are. You do need some luck.

Be confident (try and relax) and concentrate if you are too nervous you can make mistakes.

Do pre-test.


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## Kelb28 (9 Nov 2006)

All the tips are helping... Must remember to keep a doors width between stationary cars (i tend to stay a bit close too).

Had problems trying to lift the bonnet but i think i'm fine now with it. 

Bit more practice tonight!

Oh do i need to know the distance i should be behind another car when travelling at X speed? In the Rule's of the Road book i bought it is still in Mph


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## John_DI (9 Nov 2006)

Hi,



> In the Rule's of the Road book i bought it is still in Mph



Use the 2 second rule.  Rules of the Road

Much better, easier to compute.


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## paddi22 (9 Nov 2006)

Think positive going in! If you are ready for the test you should pass. I had a pre-test beforehand and completely messed up my reverse three times due to nerves but did it grand in the test! Take your belt off completely when doing it to make sure you get a good view. Take it as slowly as you need to and go easy with the steering wheel, don't lock yourself in too sharp. Cars will prob come around the corner behind you but don't let that phase you. I had to drive back around the corner 4 times due to oncoming traffic and I didn't get marked down for that. Plus when the front of your car starts to swing around the bend make sure you stop and look around yo each way..

Relax and drive normally for the rest. You'l feel nervous at first but when the drive starts you should settle down. 

Take a detached view. What is the worst that can happen ? 

You fail. so what, only cost 38 Euro to do again. Request a cancellation and could be doing again in a few weeks. 

You probably will make a mistake or two, or something totally unexpected could happen but remember its not the event but how you deal with it that is important. So, relax if something happens try and take a second or two to figure out what is the SAFEST thing to do. Then act. Don't waste time or concentration trying to see what marks you have or how often he is marking you. As the poster above said it can be dif to what you think.

Are you the raheny centre? The speed limits are easy enough to remember for those routes. theres only two roads, think its the howth road and the clontarf road where you go to 60. So make progress do not hang around when clear, get up to the legal speed limit immediately. But always drive at the speed you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear. When you are stopping, make sure you can see the tyres of the car in front of you on the road, that means you are a safe distance behind.


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## Kelb28 (9 Nov 2006)

paddi22 said:


> Are you the raheny centre?


 
Thanks... 

No i'm in the citywest centre, have my 3 pretest 2m - hour before test, instructor still didn't know the test route because the testing only started last week as far as i know. Fingers crossed i'm not phased by the area i'm brought...


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## Kelb28 (13 Nov 2006)

*I passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


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## purplealien (13 Nov 2006)

Kelb28 said:


> *I passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


 
Congratulations!


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## paddi22 (13 Nov 2006)

congratulations!!! How did you go markswise? did you get anything tricky?


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## Kelb28 (13 Nov 2006)

No nothing tricky, just asked lots of signs, yellow box junctions and dipped headlights, then had to point to the things under the bonnet and explain how you would check the oil, and in the car i just had to explain what was on the dash board. 
got 2 marks - slighty tipped the corner on the reverse around - it was so perfect but then i had to keep going till he said stop and unfortunately it was a windy kerb . My other mark was about a right turn which i'm a little confusted about - if you are taking a right turn and there is no white box with a right turn arrow should you move past the white line or stay behind it and wait for a gap in the traffic????


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## John_DI (13 Nov 2006)

Hi,

Well Done


Re. Turning Right

Enter junction, stop just before your point of turn (bumper level with white line - other road) then wait for traffic to clear.


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## Kelb28 (13 Nov 2006)

John_DI said:


> Re. Turning Right
> 
> Enter junction, stop just before your point of turn (bumper level with white line - other road) then wait for traffic to clear.


 
and thats even if there is no white box...? normally i was a bit unsure in the test so i stayed behind the white line. It wasn't a main fault which was fine.


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## John_DI (13 Nov 2006)

Hi

Yes, straight in.  Irrespective white box or not.


NSC Right Turn


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## muffin1973 (7 Dec 2006)

Hi all

I applied to do my test (yet again) about 3-4 months ago and got notification in the post the other day. It's not the same as it was previously though - i had done the test on the Rathgar route twice - and this time had requested Churchtown, but the other day I got a letter from SGS who are based in Citywest (obviously where you're did your test Kelb) and I had to ring to arrange a date. I now have to drive out to Citywest next month and get tested on some route and I have no idea where the route goes!

Does anyone know if there are any driving instructors who might know what route they choose out there?? Kelb did you get any more info on it?  How did you get on?

Thanks,

M


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## paddi22 (7 Dec 2006)

the irish driving school website has maps you can buy online of the routes, [broken link removed]
they might have the route


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## Riker1969 (14 Aug 2007)

Well done-I failed twice-9 grade 2s and 1 grade 1 which is better than my first test 13 grade 2 s and  1 grade 3! Any advice????


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## Asbo25 (14 Aug 2007)

I wouldn't be bothered with trying to learn the routes off. The tester will change the route depending on traffic/road work conditions. I did my test in Raheny recently and was taken on a completely bizarre route. I hardly noticed as I was concentrating so hard. 
Anyway, I failed the stupid thing cos the granny in front also doing her test stalled in the yellow box turning right, I anticipated she was going to turn as she had clearence. I got a grade 3 for entering the yellow box, I had only picked up 2 grade 2 faults.. RAGING.. 
I wouldn't recommend Raheny, asking around it's a very difficult centre to pick up a pass and the tester was a complete p***k.


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