# driving test tomorrow-any tips?



## evanne (24 Nov 2005)

Folks I have my driving test in the morning and I was wondering if anyone can give me any advice. I didn't get any lessons (Long story) but I've been driving for 2 years with no probs. My friends (with FDL) have all said I should be fine after observing me drive. 
So any tips/advice?? thanks
BTW I'm doing it in Naas Co.Kildare.


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## Carpenter (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Make sure your car is taxed and insured, all lights and indicators are in order.  Also in this weather make sure your wiper blades are good and give the glass all round a good clean.  Before going to the test centre make sure the engine is warmed up and the inside of the car is demisted.  After that just take it in your stride, you may get a very quiet tester, don't be put off by it.  Try and drive around the known routes today/ this evening.  Use you mirrors for everything and move up or down through the gears as appropriate.  My sister got her test last week after driving for a few months, it's all about confidence as far as I can make out.


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## RS2K (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Relax. 

Without lessons at least in test technique, a pass will be a real achievement.

Let us know how you get on. Good luck.


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## SteelBlue05 (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

You really need to make it obvious that you are using your mirrors BEFORE you make any turns etc. Seems obvious but after driving for 2 years you will be doing this simultaneously as you are so used to it. So be careful with that.

Also, keep to the the speed limits strictly. But you need to demonstrate you can go into 4 th gear at some stage of the test (a friend of mine failed because he never went into 4th gear at any time during the test).

Keep a proper distance from the car in front (another thing you probably dont do enough to past the test).

No chance you can get a quick driving lessen this evening? There are a lot of technical things you need to demonstrate that drivers dont do in normal day to day driving.
I was driving for 2 years before I did my first driving lesson and while as you say I had no problem with my confidence while drving I was doing a lot of things wrong based on what the instructor needs to see.


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## ClubMan (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

My mother took up driving at 65 years of age and passed her test first time in the last ten years without having taken any lessons. It is possible.


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## SteelBlue05 (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				ClubMan said:
			
		

> My mother took up driving at 65 years of age and passed her test first time in the last ten years without having taken any lessons. It is possible.


 
I'm sure theres lots of examples to support both sides of how easy or not it is to pass the test without driving lessons.


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## Diddles (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Offset your mirrors slightly so the instructor can physically see you are looking at them before you make a particular move.


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## Dunners (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Also know your rules of the road, i.e. all roadsigns, overtaking manoeuvres etc.
Testers particularly like roundabouts, so make sure you're in the correct lane, that you use signals when coming on to your exit and make a big deal about looking to your right to ensure that you're in the clear before coming on to the roundabout.
Best of luck!


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## ClubMan (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				SteelBlue05 said:
			
		

> I'm sure theres lots of examples to support both sides of how easy or not it is to pass the test without driving lessons.


I'm sure that there are. I was just posting this one to give _evanne _some moral support.


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## MargeSimpson (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

I passed my test recently. I think it's about confidence and observation.
Please don't be put off by the tester. They are just about polite, borderline rude. 
Also there is fine balance between taking your time to make your decisions and not making progress. 
You should drive around the area where the test centre is and get a good idea of the road layout, roundabouts, traffic lights, ROAD WORKS! 
GL!


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## tomthumb (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Hard to get the mirror thing perfect though - friend failed first time cos she didn't use them enough.  Same person failed last week on second test - cos she used them too much!!!!  Best of luck to you tomorrow.


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## ClubMan (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				tomthumb said:
			
		

> Same person failed last week on second test - cos she used them too much!!!!


[broken link removed]?


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## asdfg (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

A friend of mine was asked what the speed limit was in kph & mph. She was aware of the speed limits in kph i.e. 120 kph on motorways but was not able to give the mph figure (a rough guide by the way is to drop the 0 in kph and multiply by 6). I think she did her test in Naas (about 6 months ago) as well. 

Anyway good look.


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## moneyhoney (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

One small tip....when you're coming up to a corner & you'd normally stretch your neck around to see if anyone's coming, if you actually move up off your seat a bit appartently they like that. My driving instructor told me that once after I'd done it.


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## evanne (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Thanks guys. Just to let you know I rang the driving test dept in Mayo and queried the requirement to have a valid tax cert (I couldn't find reference to it anywhere in the forms). And you actually DON'T need to have a valid tax certificate ! You used to, but the guy I spoke to said that my tester won't even check....
Anyway I'm really nervous about tomorrow and have kinda resigned myself to failing- but I will be the ONLY person in my family to fail 1st time if that happens


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## dam099 (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				evanne said:
			
		

> Thanks guys. Just to let you know I rang the driving test dept in Mayo and queried the requirement to have a valid tax cert (I couldn't find reference to it anywhere in the forms). And you actually DON'T need to have a valid tax certificate ! You used to, but the guy I spoke to said that my tester won't even check....


 
Are you sure about that? One of the things they are testing you on is your knowledge and observance of the rules of the road etc., I would have thought driving a car which is not taxed is not observing the rules of the road.


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## Ciaran (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Main thing is observation - check rear view mirrors before and after you do anything. Make it obvious that your head is physically moving. Observation on roundabouts and make sure you look in your left mirror when cornering. Maintain distance from parked cars.


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## Carpenter (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				dam099 said:
			
		

> Are you sure about that? One of the things they are testing you on is your knowledge and observance of the rules of the road etc., I would have thought driving a car which is not taxed is not observing the rules of the road.


 
I'm sure the point is that if the car is not properly taxed and insured then the driver should not be driving it, full stop.  I think my tester gave them a quick glance when I did my test.  If you're driving a car, test or no test, you should be insured and the vehicle should be taxed.


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## michaelm (24 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

You'll do really well to pass the test without a lesson.  It's mostly been said already but the important things are . .

1.  observation (make this obvious)
2.  road position (3 feet from the curb/parked car etc)
3.  reacting to hazards (also you should gear down from 4th to 3rd approaching lights, even if they're green)
4.  keep two hands on the steering wheel in the ten-to-two position, unless you're changing gear; and don’t cross your hands when turning but rather feed the wheel through each.
5.  sitting in traffic you should be able to see the road under the car in front.
6.  gear up & down sequentially, no coasting.

Good luck, you'll need it.


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## mts (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



> 4. keep two hands on the steering wheel in the ten-to-two position, unless you're changing gear; and don’t cross your hands when turning but rather feed the wheel through each.
> 3. reacting to hazards (also you should gear down from 4th to 3rd approaching lights, even if they're green)
> 6. gear up & down sequentially, no coasting.




I sat and passed, 1st time, my test recently after more than 10 years driving. When I learned years ago gearing and hands on the steering wheel were important. I was struggling with both of these points after years of driving and picking up bad habits. The pre-test instructor I went to told me not to worry about either, just keep both hands on the steering wheel and stop in whatever gear you are comfortable stopping in. 

I stopped at lights in mostly 3rd or 4th gear during my test, went from 4th to 2nd, didn't hold ten-to-two and crossed over hands steering and still passed the test. It seems to me that now the testers are more interested in you safely controlling the car than following specific rules regarding the holding of the wheel and sequence of gearing.


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## suzie (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Hope the weather doesnt put you off!!!


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## RS2K (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Fit snow chains!


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## RainyDay (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				SteelBlue05 said:
			
		

> Also, keep to the the speed limits strictly.


I disagree. I failed on my first 2 attempts many moons ago having been paranoid about keeping below 30 mph. When I finally got a good instructor, he advised not to be paranoid about slipping over the limit where road conditions allowed. I passed using this approach.


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## SteelBlue05 (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				RainyDay said:
			
		

> I disagree. I failed on my first 2 attempts many moons ago having been paranoid about keeping below 30 mph. When I finally got a good instructor, he advised not to be paranoid about slipping over the limit where road conditions allowed. I passed using this approach.


 
Were you driving very slow or something, 15mph?

If you keep it at 30 or slighly below I cant believe you would fail on that. Is that the reason they give to you for failing the first time?


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## RainyDay (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				SteelBlue05 said:
			
		

> Were you driving very slow or something, 15mph?
> 
> If you keep it at 30 or slighly below I cant believe you would fail on that. Is that the reason they give to you for failing the first time?



It wasn't so much that they failed me on that - It was the effort of sticking rigidly to the limit meant that I really wasn't relaxed and wasn't concentrating on the more important things.


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## evanne (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

My driving test was cancelled due to the bad weather conditions. Thank God for snow   This gives me an opportunity to get some lessons in (and tax my car)... Incidentally I double checked with the driving test centre in Mayo and  you DO NOT have to have valid tax cert. You are supposed to, but they won't/can't refuse to test you if you don't. Aparently its not their job to 'police' for tax certs. Obviously you do need to have valid insurance/Nct/Licence.


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## dam099 (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*



			
				evanne said:
			
		

> Aparently its not their job to 'police' for tax certs. Obviously you do need to have valid insurance/Nct/Licence.


 
It might not be their job but showing up in an untaxed car is showing complete disregard for the laws on motoring, maybe they are not doing anything about it but in my opinion you should be failed for that.


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## tomthumb (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

By the way have the rules on handbrake use changed?   I was taught "handbrake on, into neutral" on every stop but daughter now taking lessons tells me thats out of fashion, only on parking or on hills according to her instructor?


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## Janet (25 Nov 2005)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

I emailed the driving test centre when I did my test (about three years ago) to ask about this.  I'll see if I can find the reply I received and post it here.  Basically I was told that you don't always have to apply the handbrake and go into neutral but it's a judgement call depending on traffic conditions, length of time you expect to be stopped for etc.


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## Skek (5 Mar 2008)

*Re: driving test tomorrow-any tips??*

Hi, 

I have my test the 20th this month and wondered anybody do the Newbridge Co.Kildare route recently...
I'm driving 7 months now and no problems as off yet...
I have 5 pre-tests coming up including one on the morning off my test.
I'm very familiar with Newbridge but hill starts and reversing around a corner I'd say will be a bit off a nussance for me
anybody give me any advise on that??

thanks


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## nouggatti (11 Mar 2008)

Are you doing it with SGS?

If you are you can end up doing it in either Naas or Newbridge.

I did mine with them today in Newbridge, had a pretest today and one last Saturday and it went fine.

Practice the hill starts and reversing it will pay off.


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## kramer2006 (12 Mar 2008)

Check out the "Learning to Drive" forum on boards.ie, lots of help there.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=909


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