driving test tomorrow-any tips?

E

evanne

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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
Click to expand...
I'm sure that there are. I was just posting this one to give evanne some moral support.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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 :(
 
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....
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.:)
 
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.
Click to expand...


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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