Driving on a povisional

Alun

Longfield wrote:

Knew a high horseman was about to arrive!!

Why ??, because on public transport it takes me 2 hours each way to get into work..by car its 20 minutes.
If the test wait times were short..then I WOULD get more lessons and definately by now have a full license...and your premiums would be smaller..and less people would die on the roads every year annualy.

Now tell me..whats the simple fix here??...read above..off your horse now.

I'm not on my high horse at all, just someone who uses the same roads as you and would prefer not to be killed in the process.

You chose of your own free will to work two hours away by public transport from you live despite the fact that you can't yet legally drive. That was your decision, and yours alone, not the government's. And what about all the people who can't afford to buy and run a car? What do they do? Right, they get up earlier and take the bus just like I did in your situation until I passed my test. Life's tough, get used to it.

Despite what you and many others here might think, the mere act of buying a car doesn't confer some God given right to drive it on your own on a public highway without first proving that you can do it properly by passing a driving test. The length of the waiting lists is inconvenient, but if you're bothered by it lobby your TD to get it changed, don't whinge about it here.

Big Balls

It's not just L drivers dying on the roads anyway.. it's single car accidents involving 40 year olds in the middle of the night on straight stretches of road too.

The standard of driving in Ireland is appaling. People don't know how to indicate on roundabouts, they sit too close to the car in front, they don't know basic motorway laws - I use the M50 most days of the week and not a day goes by where I have to flash some idiot who just won't move out of the f**kin' way and get into the inside lane where they should be.

I'm not a perfect driver but I do enjoy driving so I do my best to be as good at it as I can be and the stuff you see from day to day is shocking.

Car park yesterday, I'm moving around a parked car and what does the woman in it do? Starts to drive out of the space without looking and nearly takes the side off my new car all because she just couldn't be bothered looking around and then looked at me as if it was MY fault. She wasn't a learner, she was just a sh1t driver.

Alun

Misticles wrote:

i like many others have applied for my test months ago and still waiting! be realistic theres not always a driver there when you want to go somewhere!

This statement really gets to the heart of the matter.

You get a provisional licence to enable you to learn to drive ... full stop. It's not some kind of second-rate licence that just has the inconvenient side effect of making your insurance premiums higher and having to display L-plates.

If there isn't a driver there to accompany you when you want to go out and practice driving, then the option is very simple indeed, stay at home!

Supercell

Alun wrote:

I'm not on my high horse at all, just someone who uses the same roads as you and would prefer not to be killed in the process.

You chose of your own free will to work two hours away by public transport from you live despite the fact that you can't yet legally drive. That was your decision, and yours alone, not the government's.

I cant politely put this..but I disaggree.
If public transport in our capital was up to scratch like most other capital cities then of course it would be the right thing to do.

As to "choose where to live" ...maybe you are bloody rich or lucky to get cheap accomodation close to work..I assure you I am not and I "choose to live" where I can rent affordably on my salary...and this means a two hour trip into work (via public transport - 20 mins in the car)..THAT IS THE GOVERNMENTS DECISION ALONE!!

Sorry for the caps, Mr High Horse type of unthinking posting really gets my goat up.

The problem here is the waiting lists..its that simple.

mikemac

Longfield wrote:

If the test wait times were short..then I WOULD get more lessons and definately by now have a full license

Fair enough but just because your test is months or even a year away, you shouldn't be getting fewer lessons.

I had to do 10 before my parents would insure me on their car and did another 5 coming up to my test.

You should be taking plently of lessons regardless of when your test is simply because you're inexperienced and it's the best way to learn

Longfield wrote:

Any word on when these new testers are coming online ?

I heard that there's some staff being transferred form the Dept of Agriculture so once they're trained waiting times should come down.

Alun

Big Balls wrote:

It's not just L drivers dying on the roads anyway.. it's single car accidents involving 40 year olds in the middle of the night on straight stretches of road too. It's just that the standard is driving is appaling.

I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of the "my car lost control and crashed into a ditch at 4am" type accidents are considerably less than 40 years old, and quite probably were driving on a provisional, but since those statistics aren't kept by the Gardai, we'll probably never know. Anyway, since supposedly 40% of drivers on Irish raods are driving without a full licence, then there's a good chance that anyone involved in an accident falls into that group.

Alun

Longfield wrote:

Sorry for the caps, Mr High Horse type of unthinking posting really gets my goat up.

And these kind of "I've bought a car, so I'm going to damn well use it despite the fact that I'm not qualified to do so and put everyone else on the roads in danger as a result" get my goat too. I hope you get caught.

Big Balls

Well I work in the media Alun so I get to keep a close eye on it through the job I do and I can assure you that weekend after weekend, it's a good age mix of carnage to be honest. Of course you get young people, undoubtably many of them learners dying too.

I'm sure lots of you remember the picture past year of the BMW X5 which LANDED ON TOP of A Daewoo or something similar. The car was in pieces. You have got to ask yourself what in the name of Jesus the X5 driver was doing to put a car on top of another one and to be fair, I don't know too many X5 drivers in their teens or early 20s and with provisional licences.

Supercell

micmclo wrote:

Fair enough but just because your test is months or even a year away, you shouldn't be getting fewer lessons.

I had to do 10 before my parents would insure me on their car and did another 5 coming up to my test.

You should be taking plently of lessons regardless of when you're test is simply because you're inexperienced and it's the best way to learn



I heard that there's some staff being transferred form the Dept of Agriculture so once they're trained waiting times should come down.

micmclo, I did take enough driving lessons to get me on the road, and when I eventually get my test date - heaven knows how far away thats going to be, i'll take a bunch more so i'm as certain as can be i'll pass.

Waiting this long is really really annoying - if the wait time was zero though and license checking etc was enforced don't you think that it would be more worth my while to get extra lessons now, rather than in god knows how many months down the line to complete my driver training and be ready for the test?

Thats great news that extra testers are being trained though.

Supercell

Alun wrote:

And these kind of "I've bought a car, so I'm going to damn well use it despite the fact that I'm not qualified to do so and put everyone else on the roads in danger as a result" get my goat too. I hope you get caught.

Nothing to be caught..i'm taxed, insured and imho a safe driver..though its going to be a while before a tester can confirm this, and the Gardaí will let me past any checkpoint ..why..because the wait lists are so high..you feel unsafe and that your premium is too high???...go complain to your local TD about driving test waiting lists...you have my total support on this!!

Capt'n Midnight

micmclo wrote:

I heard that there's some staff being transferred form the Dept of Agriculture so once they're trained waiting times should come down.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I would doubt it. Numbers on provisionals are something like 4 times the number on the waiting list. So they only way it would reduce waiting times is if people on provisionals did NOT apply for tests. Any move to force people on provisionals to apply for the test would Increase waiting times unless there are going to be four times as many testers. Or if they increase the pass rates - which I think unlikely since a lot of people don't apply for the test because they aren't ready.

Don't you just love it when some people drive around claiming they can drive but haven't applied to do a test because they are worried about passing. :rolleyes:

Big Balls

Longfield wrote:

imho a safe driver..though its going to be a while before a tester can confirm this

Not having a go here Longfield but you can't just assume something like that. People who are inexperienced at things are generally not very good at them.. whether that be flying a plane, singing in a band, having sex or driving a car.. they're all the same.

Just cause you have a pink licence doesn't mean you are flawless either. I'm driving 6 years this year and I still do stupid things that I learn from although they happen a lot less often then when I started.

Supercell

I've applied in three places on recomendations of friends in case i fail the first time (not that i plan on doing so), its a crazy self fufilling situation, ALL the learner drivers I know of have applied to at least two testing centres because of the insane waiting times.,,

More testers needed!

Alun

Longfield wrote:

Nothing to be caught..i'm taxed, insured and imho a safe driver..though its going to be a while before a tester can confirm this, and the Gardaí will let me past any checkpoint ..why..because the wait lists are so high.

This could only happen in Ireland though, and it's pure, utter lunacy. Try the same trick in the UK and you'd be banned from driving for a year, no questions asked and you'd have to walk home after your car was impounded. It's the Gardai's job to enforce the law, not to put their own interpretation on it, or feel sorry for people.

Misticles

nobody is ever an experienced driver, driving is a learning curve, your always learning and therefore cant consider yourself a good/great driver because you really dont know the standard of a great driver because there isnt any!

Supercell

Big Balls wrote:

Not having a go here Longfield but you can't just assume something like that. People who are inexperienced at things are generally not very good at them.. whether that be flying a plane, singing in a band, having sex or driving a car.. they're all the same.

Just cause you have a pink licence doesn't mean you are flawless either. I'm driving 6 years this year and I still do stupid things that I learn from although they happen a lot less often then when I started.

Yep you are right there , I have been riding a motorbike for about 7 years now so I do have a pretty good feeling for whats safe or not on the roads (imho far better than many car drivers on the road..on the bike the first accidant is often the last..so you learn safe driving or die ..simple as that).
But you are right, am certain my driving isn't flawless..but its a damn sight better than many on the road, at least from a safety point of view.

mikemac

Longfield,

When I did my test I applied for two centres (Galway and Nenagh), so if I failed one I wouldn't be waiting another year for another chance.

I also got my manager to write me a letter on company headed paper stating that I needed it for work purposes which was true in my case. Not sure if it helped but I only waited three months for Galway.

Perhaps you could do something similar if you have a sound manager as it would obviously apply for you since you have crazy commuting times

Big Balls wrote:

People like you are the reason I have to pay €2,000 a year to insure a car with brake discs bigger than the wheels on a lot of cars on the road, 5 years no claims and a full licence since I was 19.

I'm not sure of your age but be assured your insurance will drop massivly once you turn 25.

Supercell

Alun wrote:

This could only happen in Ireland though, and it's pure, utter lunacy. Try the same trick in the UK and you'd be banned from driving for a year, no questions asked and you'd have to walk home after your car was impounded. It's the Gardai's job to enforce the law, not to put their own interpretation on it, or feel sorry for people.

What you fail to add (not suprisingly) is that test queues are in the week timeframe not months/year....its just not the same scenario at all - off your horse!!

Alun

I heard that there's some staff being transferred form the Dept of Agriculture so once they're trained waiting times should come down.

It's people in the Dept. of Agriculture who don't want to move to Portlaoise that are being targetted as far as I know. A friend of ours was approached for it, and apparently they get a grand total of 6 weeks training from scratch before they're let loose on the unsuspecting public. It's only for an 18 month (I think) contract too, with an option for the ones that want to to stay on.

[sarcasm mode]
Still, Civil Servant's are supposed to be multi-talented and able to do anything with the appropriate training, so why not a responsible job like a driving examiner?
[/sarcasm mode]

Alun

Longfield wrote:

What you fail to add (not suprisingly) is that test queues are in the week timeframe not months/year....its just not the same scenario at all - off your horse!!

Well, when I took my test in the UK many years ago the wait was 6 months, actually, and did I drive on my own in the meantime? No! Anyway, despite the fact that it's annoying, and possibly inconvenient it's still irrelevant. The relevant legislation is there for a reason, and what you're doing is still strictly illegal, even though the lazy-ass Gardai can't be bothered to do anything about it.

Big Balls

micmclo wrote:

I'm not sure of your age but be assured your insurance will drop massivly once you turn 25.

Not so sure. I'm 24 in a month and I will have 5 years NCB - many companies don't give you much more than 50%. I'm driving a 05 Golf GTI, if it was a 1.0L Polo it'd be €1,000 for me - I checked yesterday.

Supercell

Alun wrote:

Well, when I took my test in the UK many years ago the wait was 6 months, actually, and did I drive on my own in the meantime? No! Anyway, despite the fact that it's annoying, and possibly inconvenient it's still irrelevant. The relevant legislation is there for a reason, and what you're doing is still strictly illegal, even though the lazy-ass Gardai can't be bothered to do anything about it.

Unlucky!!, thankfully thats not the case everywhere there and the Police obviously know so, fair play at being such an upstanding subject.

Litcagral

micmclo wrote:

Longfield,


I also got my manager to write me a letter on company headed paper stating that I needed it for work purposes which was true in my case. Not sure if it helped but I only waited three months for Galway.QUOTE]



When applying for the test add "I AM WILLING TO BE TESTED AT VERY SHORT NOTICE" on the top of the application form. There is a chance that they may call you to fill late cancellations.I have found that useful in the past.

Supercell

Litcagral wrote:

micmclo wrote:

Longfield,


I also got my manager to write me a letter on company headed paper stating that I needed it for work purposes which was true in my case. Not sure if it helped but I only waited three months for Galway.QUOTE]



When applying for the test add "I AM WILLING TO BE TESTED AT VERY SHORT NOTICE" on the top of the application form. There is a chance that they may call you to fill late cancellations.I have found that useful in the past.

Thanks, i'm thinking of doing something similar, wish it didn't have to be so subterfuge..but would like to present an alternate viewpoint to the horsemen of motors when its done.

adox

I only did my test last year for work(and passed).
My boss sent a letter saying I needed my licence asap and we also rang them after I had applied.

After much groveling and agreeing to do the test in any centre in Dublin that became available,I got a call 3 days later telling me my test would be in 4 days time:eek:

It was less than a 6 week wait for me.

Litcagral

adox wrote:

I only did my test last year for work(and passed).
My boss sent a letter saying I needed my licence asap and we also rang them after I had applied.

After much groveling and agreeing to do the test in any centre in Dublin that became available,I got a call 3 days later telling me my test would be in 4 days time:eek:

It was less than a 6 week wait for me.

Congratulations. A lot of people cancel their test at very short notice for a variety of reasons but frequently because they lose confidence. This leaves lots of gaps here and there. I would always recommend informing them that you will be available to fill these and make follow up calls. I have done the tests for all categories and utilised this approach. When I failed the test for EC (articulated truck) I was recalled in two weeks using this approach. (Waiting times for non-car categories are generally much shorter anyway)