Provisional Licence D-Day

From 1st July all provisional licence holders need to be accompanied by full licence holder.

The RSA seem to have significantly increased the number of tests so now done on weekends too to get the backlog down. Its amazing they could not do this years ago.

I know a couple of people who passed recently at second attempt & unless they improved dramatically I have a suspicion pass % has been increasing. Either that or the fear of July 1st deadline made them take the test seriously.

Any one else noticed this?

Waiting list has gone way down. I just applied yesterday for the 4th time. Twice I accept I failed, the third time was a joke (I didn't take the first seriously, the second nerves got the better of me and I made a silly mistake, the third baffles me, reasons for failing were never highlighted in numerous lessons and pre-tests and I know I drove the same way in the test itself as I had no nerves at all).
Unfortunately our testing system is horribly flawed, but that's a whole other argument.

It's ridiculous that it's taken this long to get the waiting lists down, it'll be interesting to see if they keep them down once the publicity dies away. I still think our attitudes to teaching people to drive and driver education need to be tackled before road safety improves. Many full license holder seem to think that getting a pink license allows you to forget the basic principles of safe driving.

It's like the 80s all over again. Two female drivers I know recently (last two weeks) passed on the first attempt. This despite one of them admitting to breaking down on m50, pulling over and crying the day before her test. She did so badly in her last test run she wasn't even going to bother going, and was only persuaded to go by her boyfriend asking her to drive to the test centre, see how she did and decide from there. Judging by that I have a feeling they are just throwing licences out before the deadline

Pass rates are still below 50% in most of the Dublin and East coast test centers. As you go further West the pass rate is 60% or more oddly.

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

Pass rates are still below 50% in most of the Dublin and East coast test centers. As you go further West the pass rate is 60% or more oddly.

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Its probably because we're better human beings than East Coasters




:)

Better drivers than me anyway... apparently! :)

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

Better drivers than me anyway... apparently! :)

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Took me 4 goes too so dont feel too bad First was nerves 2nd i thought i did well in but failed , 3rd i failed because i went through an orange light , it changed when i was 5 feet from the line so i kept going as i couldnt stop in time and he said i broke a red light !!!! and the last one which i feel was the worst of the lot i passed !!!

So go figure

People driving too fast on country roads seems to be the main cause of accidents and death in this country. Very rarely hear of any fatal crashes in Dublin. Got my test last week with only one fault. First time I had ever sat it. Wouldnt say they are any easier than before but the out sourced testers seem to be a lot less anal than the civil servant ones. As well as that the testing sheet and marking scheme is out there so easy enough to focus on the competencies.

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Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

Wouldnt say they are any easier than before but the out sourced testers seem to be a lot less anal than the civil servant ones.

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I'd be inclined to agree with that :D

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Originally Posted by pete

The RSA seem to have significantly increased the number of tests so now done on weekends too to get the backlog down. Its amazing they could not do this years ago.

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Good point, my brother did his test a few weeks ago, I was astounded that he only had to wait about 6 weeks ! Its not so long ago another family member had to wait an eternity (well more than 6 months anyway) for the test date.

6 weeks is reasonable and acceptable and in line with the UK for example, should have been done years ago but at least they've got it right eventually.

In fairness, all credit to the powers that be for finally getting this sorted. The situation in this country with L drivers driving home (and everywhere else)after failing the test has always been slightly bothersome to me.

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Originally Posted by KevB76

I'd be inclined to agree with that :D

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That's my opinion as well.

Failed my first attempt last month due to a bizarre mix up about the test centre on the day. Waiting on my date for the second go.

The crackdown appears to have started in Cork already pete, you sure its not til July?

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

It's ridiculous that it's taken this long to get the waiting lists down, it'll be interesting to see if they keep them down once the publicity dies away. I still think our attitudes to teaching people to drive and driver education need to be tackled before road safety improves. Many full license holder seem to think that getting a pink license allows you to forget the basic principles of safe driving.

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Driving should be a school subject. Its certainly more worthwhile than say, Irish, or imaginary numbers. It should be taught on a lessons-style basis and on an "hours"/miles type basis like flying a plane. I've driven 15,000 miles up and down the country in cities and in rural areas and on high speed areas; yet at the moment I'm just as much illegal as my girlfriend who hasn't actually driven at all. The test seems to be just a performance, putting on a show for the tester, all the exaggerated head movement, checking mirrors in cul de sacs, constant gear changing.

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

The crackdown appears to have started in Cork already pete, you sure its not til July?

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I think that is a separate campaign this weekend although L platers current rules will be enforced. i.e. some L players can drive unaccompanied.

Maybe the system has always been a lottery (I know when I passed years ago on 2nd attempt I was a little surprised) however the two guys at work failed very badly last year. One guy was unable to acknowledge why he failed but maybe he did take it more seriously this time. Still surprised some of ye have same suspicions.

Where can you get the current pass rates?

Pass rates and waiting times here, in the column on the left

http://www.drivingtest.ie/frameset.html

I got my test in 5 weeks last December passed it first time

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Originally Posted by jebus

Judging by that I have a feeling they are just throwing licences out before the deadline

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I agree. I know a fella who got a couple of theory questions wrong in the test and yer man said 'are you sure' basically giving him the hint that he's wrong and to guess again. It's only a small thing but I do think they're easing up just to clear waiting list.

Good time to get your test out of the way now.

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Originally Posted by redtildead

Pass rates and waiting times here, in the column on the left

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Figures are for 2006. I think there were 400k+ provisional licence holders last winter. At 50% pass rates that is a lot of tests to get number down. Of course if pass rate is say 70% could clear in them a lot quicker.

Would not be surprised at all if Minister gave an unofficial decree as lets face there would be massive backlash and votes lost fromL platers unable to drive to work legally.

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Originally Posted by pete

Figures are for 2006. I think there were 400k+ provisional licence holders last winter. At 50% pass rates that is a lot of tests to get number down. Of course if pass rate is say 70% could clear in them a lot quicker.

Would not be surprised at all if Minister gave an unofficial decree as lets face there would be massive backlash and votes lost fromL platers unable to drive to work legally.

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That's what i was thinking, i knew the figure was between 400-500k, if Fine Gael were to come out and say that they would back the L plate drivers they would gain a massive margin on Finna Fail, voters don't care about Hospitals and roads(in general), they care about stuff that affects them directly and it would get a lot of new voters on the register.

However the election has just passed and from a safety point of view i could'nt it been offered to a return to the current system.
What's needed is a new system that does'nt put new drivers COMPLETLY off the road, there has to be some lee-way.
How are new drivers meant to get experience when they can't legally drive?!

Didn't realise those pass rates were from '06. I'd imagine they probably have started passing more people then. Would be interesting to see. I hope to God I pass this time, I don't think I could live with the slagging if I get failed again.

The girlfriend passed first time a few moths back, she only had her first provisional 7 months. To make it worse the same instructor, on the same test route, passed her, all her family have passed first time too (parents and three siblings) the slagging I get is unmerciful already.

I wouldn't mind but people are always commenting that I'm a good driver, including instructors and people who would normally be nervous passengers. I reckon I've clocked over 20,000 miles of driving, seriously think I'll be tempted to burn the car if I fail again!

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Originally Posted by sligoman

I agree. I know a fella who got a couple of theory questions wrong in the test and yer man said 'are you sure' basically giving him the hint that he's wrong and to guess again. It's only a small thing but I do think they're easing up just to clear waiting list.

Good time to get your test out of the way now.

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it is policy to give them as much chance to get the questions rite as possible. its on drivingtest.ie or something. to fail the test on the questions you would nearly need to get every single one wrong.passinginterest there is a little book out called how to pass the driving test. i found it v helpfull. its not that big but it goes thru each thing they test ya on in a clear way. its deffo on the counter of the book shop n stephens green centre. just read that and didnt get any pre test lessons.

best of luck with it anyways and dont be bothered bout anyone else passing it.