Driving license question please

P

peeps

Guest
Hi,

I will be moving to Australia in the New Year and am in a panic. I only have a provisional license and will need to have a full irish license to transfer over for a full license in Australia. I will be very badly stuck if I can't drive in Australia, living in an area where a car is nessessary. Need to bring kids to school etc etc. I have applied for a test and have asked for a cancellation date and have explained my circumstances.

Is it wishful thinking on my behalf but will the driving tester know about my circumstances and be lenient in my case seeing as I'm leaving the country. Is there anything that can be done? Any suggestions would be very very appreciated as I'm panic stricken at the moment.

Thanks

Ps: I have taken 2 tests previously and failed. Im an excellent driver but the nerves get to me on the tests!
 
peeps said:
Is it wishful thinking on my behalf but will the driving tester know about my circumstances and be lenient in my case seeing as I'm leaving the country. Is there anything that can be done? Any suggestions would be very very appreciated as I'm panic stricken at the moment.

Thanks

Ps: I have taken 2 tests previously and failed. Im an excellent driver but the nerves get to me on the tests!
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The tester will not know your circumstances and probably won't care either. All he is interested in is your ability. Without being picky you are probably not as good a driver as you think you are or else you would not have failed the two previous tests. The only advice I can give is to take plenty of lessons and get to know the test route intimately. Know the speed limits for each part of the route and the junctions controlled by STOP or YIELD signs. (there is a big difference) Practice the manouvres required as often as possible and get feedback from your instructor.
 
Book yourself a lesson every day before your test. Book one just before your test, which will have you in test mode. Regard these as "test practice" not "lessons".

You are probably well able to drive, but you may not be very good on the finer points. For example, you may well be able to turn your car on a sixpence, very quickly, but if you touch the kerb doing your test you will fail, because your instructor will see that you are likely to knock over a pedestrian on the pavement when doing so.

Your ability to drive a car is demonstrated not only by skill at the wheel, but also your regard for every thing else in the enviornment in which you are driving - other drivers, pedestrians, signage and driving conditions.

Invest in the lessons, it is money well spent. Get a well established Driving School, with a good reputation, and be prepared to pay for them.

Don't know where you are, but have a look at waiting times on the RSA website and maybe you will find somewhere you might be called quicker. I don't think you are restricted in where you can sit your test, but I may be wrong. RSA should be able to tell you.

Best of luck in the test and in your new life Down Under.
 
Thanks for the replies and thanks Bluebells for the good wishes.

Ok, I'm not an excellent driver - should have said I consider myself a safe driver with many years of experience. Anyway, my problem is my nerves!! I just seem to go to pieces on the day of the test. I have always taken many many lessons before each test and the instructors have always been happy with my driving. I do not take the tests lightly believe me. Oh well, I will give it one more bash before I leave and hopefully it all works out. If not, there will be one sweathy irish woman walking around Oz without the comfort of A/C!!
 
I don't think telling the instructor is the best idea. Some test centre's are notorious for testers who frown on even saying "nice day isn't it!" with the usual reply being "I don't have to talk to you".

I wouldn't risk it.
 
Hey Peeps,

I know it probably isn't what you want to have to resort to but just to let you know, I learned to drive and got my licence in Australia. There is a much fairer system over there where you do your test's in six months stretches, starting with your red P plates, onto green P plates and then R's for a year. The tests run every day and you can literally take a test a week after the last one if you fail - no half year wait! I'm wishing you the best of luck in the Irish one but if that doesn' happen don't panic you can do it over there. And the best thing is that you can exchange your Aussie licence for an Irish one too! Have a great time over there.

And just one more thing - and I don't know if it does definitely work but my doctor friends tell me that if you put a doctors coat or stethoscope on the back seat they have never heard of anyone failing! I've a friend who lends hers out and none of them have failed! - I know it's very wrong but what can you do?

Square 1
 
square1 said:
And just one more thing - and I don't know if it does definitely work but my doctor friends tell me that if you put a doctors coat or stethoscope on the back seat they have never heard of anyone failing! I've a friend who lends hers out and none of them have failed! - I know it's very wrong but what can you do?

Square 1
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Whatever you do so, make sure you don't put a copy of your Tax Return on the back sheet or they'll think you work for Revenue !!!! Definitely a fail there !!
 
square1 said:
Hey Peeps,

I know it probably isn't what you want to have to resort to but just to let you know, I learned to drive and got my licence in Australia. There is a much fairer system over there where you do your test's in six months stretches, starting with your red P plates, onto green P plates and then R's for a year. The tests run every day and you can literally take a test a week after the last one if you fail - no half year wait! I'm wishing you the best of luck in the Irish one but if that doesn' happen don't panic you can do it over there. And the best thing is that you can exchange your Aussie licence for an Irish one too! Have a great time over there.

And just one more thing - and I don't know if it does definitely work but my doctor friends tell me that if you put a doctors coat or stethoscope on the back seat they have never heard of anyone failing! I've a friend who lends hers out and none of them have failed! - I know it's very wrong but what can you do?

Square 1
Click to expand...
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i think any country has to have a better system for young or inexperienced than ireland. so i'd advise you to try for your full license in Australia and exchange it for an Irish license if you ever return to Ireland
 
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