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From Alex "What did i get a fault for under this heading on my recent driving test in Rathgar?"
Hi Alex. If you look carefully at the test report sheet you will see that section 3 is headed 'Observation' and section 5 is headed 'Mirrors. The first line in both of these sections is titled 'Moving Off'. If you do not look in your mirrors before moving off it should go down as a mirror fault but i suspect that what the examiner faulted you for was not looking over your shoulder to the right to check your blind spot area. When you were doing your driving lessons(?) you should have been made aware of the blind spot in your car. These are areas just to the rear of where you sit that cannot be seen in your rear view mirrors and so need you to check over your shoulder to make certain that all is clear and safe to proceed Brian
From Tom "I was marked for 3 faults under Progress at Traffic lights. What did I do?"
Hi Tom. Any progress faults on the driving test are usually for being TOO slow or too cautious (but obviously you should not be breaking speed limits). Faults at traffic lights would be for if you do not move off very soon after the lights go green, or (more likely) for slowing down too much when approaching traffic lights and not keeping the flow of traffic going. Did you start going down through the gears when you approached green lights? I realise that you do not want to get caught driving through a red light but there has to be a balance of not slowing up too much and thus causing a hazard to traffic following you. Brian
From Sonia "I was marked for 3 faults under Hazard when i recently took my driving test. What is a Hazard?"
Hi Sonia. A hazard in driving is defined as "ANTYHING that is likely to make you slow down, stop or turn the steering wheel/alter your course". Note especially the word likely. Yes I realise that this is a very broad description, but then a hazard can be a large variety of things. In the driving test the examiner is trying to see if you are observant enough to see hazards (and potential hazards) early enough so that you slow down and do something early enough rather than have to take action suddenly at the last minute. My father used to say to me as a kid, "Don't get yourself into a hole and then have to dig your way out of the hole. Keep out of the hole in the first place. This is very good advice for driving. I will add a section to the web site about hazards soon. Brian
From Dominic "I applied to do my driving test at Churchtown / Rathgar but have just received an appointment to do the test in November in Deansgrange. What is happening?"
Hi, Dominic. After long drawn out negotiations with the testers union, 40,000 driving tests have been franchised out to the SGS Ireland group and will be taken at different centres. People who applied to Churchtown/Rathgar could be offered an appointment at Deansgrange or Fonthhill N.C.T. centres, according to the website. Check back soon as I will update this information when more becomes available. Brian
Additional information:- Tests at Deansgrange are to commence on Tuesday October 31st. 2006. I am aware of one pupil who has a test there at 8.30am, so tests may begin earlier than those in regular centres where they usually commence at 9.15am. It is my understanding that you will receive a letter from SGS advising you that they are to conduct your test, but that you will have to phone back to the number they will send to confirm the date and time of the test. This is again different from the existing tests where you are sent a date and time and do not have to do anything except turn up. See details on 'NEWS' page or go to SGS website from link on my links page
From Sean "What is meant by a 'legal' L-Plate?"
Hi, Sean. A legal L-Plate is defined as "a rectangular plate or sign bearing the letter ‘L’ not less than fifteen centimetres high in red on a white ground and a border of at least 2 centimetres. Most of the plates you buy at the garage/accessory shop are fine. The ones that are "illegal" are the ones people cut away all / most of the white surround, just leaving the red L. Brian
From Orla "I got faults under Progress on the straight in a recent driving test? I felt I was driving at [or just over] the speed limit"
Hi, Orla. Progress on the straight can be faulted if the driver is going too slow, but can also be faulted if the driver does 'not progress up through the gears to 4th. gear quickly enough. I would suspect that you stayed in 3rd. gear too long and did not move quickly enough into 4th gear. 4th gear s the natural gear for the car to drive in. The lower gears are used to get the car up to 4th gear speed asap. Brian
From Mary "My boyfriend could not do his test because the Tester said his brake lights were not working, yet when i did my test i was let go out with one light not showing"
Hi, Mary. In older cars with only two brake / stop lights BOTH lights must show correctly. On more modern cars with a high level brake light and the two lower brake lights it is possible to be legal if the high level plus any one of the other brake lights works. That could be the reason for the discrepancy. Brian
From Sam "I am worried that i do not know enough about the mechanics of my car for my forthcoming driving test"
Hi, Sam. I assume you are talking about the 'Technical Checks'. Click this link to go to the 'Technical Checks Page' where you should find all the information you will need. Don't worry about this though as you only need to know how to open the car bonnet and point out where a couple of things are. Ask a parent or friend to help you, or get advice from your driving instructor well before you do your test. Brian