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Mr_Maestro

Cienciano wrote: »

Sent mine yesterday. All you need is the form, (think it's pretty much just the first 2 pages, the rest is just crap), photos with your name written on the back (they don't need to be stamped by a garda), your certificate from passing your test, your current lerner permit and €55. I got a postal order for mine and sent it yesterday.
Do it asap, there's delays getting the new licences out. Its taking some people a month :eek:
Drove on the M50 today :cool:

When I drove on the M50 for the first time I was chuffed to bits. So much so that I missed my exit and had to pay the toll charges :P

That was a good driving experience all the same ha

nlgbbbblth

Sent my licence application off on 15 April. No sign of it yet. So the average waiting time is a month?

Still have my L plates up. What's the legal status - should I keep them up until I have the licence in my hand?

FortyMedals

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Sent my licence application off on 15 April. No sign of it yet. So the average waiting time is a month?

Still have my L plates up. What's the legal status - should I keep them up until I have the licence in my hand?

NO need to, the receipt you get at the motor tax office is your licence until the card comes, if your stopped by the guards, show them the receipt and they will let you go, the receipt acts as a full licence

nlgbbbblth

FortyMedals wrote: »

NO need to, the receipt you get at the motor tax office is your licence until the card comes, if your stopped by the guards, show them the receipt and they will let you go, the receipt acts as a full licence

Got no receipt - I applied by post [sent off certificate of competency, application form, learner permit, photos, cheque].

Kept a photocopy of the certificate of competency. Would that do if I am stopped?

FortyMedals

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Got no receipt - I applied by post [sent off certificate of competency, application form, learner permit, photos, cheque].

Kept a photocopy of the certificate of competency. Would that do if I am stopped?

Hmm, i remember been told i shouldn't drive with the certificate of competency, as your still considered a learner until you go to the motor tax office, you could chance it and just tell any Garda that you sent it off, keeping the photocopy in the car of course, i doubt you would get in trouble about it, Phone the motor tax office and see did they get your application, what ever day they recieve the application will be on your full licence, if the do have it already, and you get stopped by the Garda and they ask you to bring your full licence to the nearest Garda station, your liecence will have the pass date before your stopped and you will get away with it

Dord

I'm gonna submit my form in the motor tax office as for me to go to a post office or tax office is the same amount of hassle, I still need to leave work. I'm gonna photocopy the forms and certificate just in case. My instructor said the wait is around 5 weeks at the moment. Don't take my word for that though.

nlgbbbblth

Thanks for the replies. Actually now that I think of it I also photocopied the completed application form so that might help.

Dord

The FAQ document on the RSA website says this in respect to being requested to show your license...

What should I do while i’m waiting for my new card? E.g. if i’m stopped by a member of An Garda Siochana and asked to produce my licence?

As is currently the case, if a member of An Garda Síochána asks you to produce a licence and your licence application is being processed, you will have an opportunity to produce your licence at a Garda station within 10 days.

But that assumes that they'll have your license made and posted back to you within 10 days. I doubt we'll ever see that happening. :P

Cienciano

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Sent my licence application off on 15 April. No sign of it yet. So the average waiting time is a month?

Still have my L plates up. What's the legal status - should I keep them up until I have the licence in my hand?

How long it takes depends on your local office.
Thread here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056878747
Mine is the clondalkin office which seems to be one of the faster ones.
As for L plates still up, I ripped mine off before getting into the car in the test centre! :cool:
If you're stopped you'd want to get a wánker of a garda to give you points for it. If you want to be on the safe side, keep the L plates on.

conor_ie

Passed my test 3 weeks ago today after a year of trying!! Such a great feeling!!! Now if I could only have my license I'd be quite happy.... applied for it about 20 minutes I passed and still waiting on it....

tommyjin83

I have been driving for just over a year now, and passed mine today in Rathgar, i got 6 blue marks and couple of green.

Nothing major as i far as i can remember. However, i did "kiss" the edge of the kerb with my left back-wheel when i was doing the reversing around the corner and got 2 blue marks there.:o Really thought i'd failed the test as you are not allowed to hit the kerb. I suppose with that in mind i was definitely not as nervous as i was when the test started.

This is my third test, i guess it really is the third time lucky. What a relief now!!:D

Galadriel

Cienciano wrote: »

2 things I got a green mark for that was totally unnessary: didn't know how to turn on the full headlights, so got a green mark for that (any driving I've ever done was in dublin, it's always lit up) and I got a hand signal wrong. Make sure you do the once over on those, would be a shame if you got a few of them wrong and ended up with a blue.
Tester told me to beep the horn at someone too. We were going right, filter to turn right went on and the guy in front didn't notice. He told me to do a quick blip of the horn at him.
One thing that could cost people is the tester you get. My pre test instructor told me to do all the speed ramps in the estate in 3rd gear. 3rd was fine for them. But we passed someone out doing their test and he told me if I get that tester to do the speed bumps in second. She likes people to do them in second! There's loads of bumps, so I guess that's a mark for each one you do in the wrong gear?
Would be awful awkward to have to go up to 3rd, slow and drop a gear for each bump, there's loads of them.
Anyway, if anyone wants my pre test guys name and number, pm me, he's excellent. He has videos of a good few of the dublin test routes, talking the way through them. He used to be a tester in tallaght

Congrats! I think we have the same instructor from the sounds of it, he is really patient (would need to be with me!), really hope to do my first test in the next few months.

Cienciano

Galadriel wrote: »

Congrats! I think we have the same instructor from the sounds of it, he is really patient (would need to be with me!), really hope to do my first test in the next few months.

Is his name Brian? Someone recommended him to me on boards, he's very good.

Galadriel

Cienciano wrote: »

Is his name Brian? Someone recommended him to me on boards, he's very good.

Yes, that's him! he was also recommended to me by someone on boards.

mbradso2003

Just passed my test first time in Rathgar. Only started learning 3 months ago after putting off for years, quite daunting at 35!

I had wonderful instructor if anyone wants his details let me know..

Thanks for tips and all Q&A answered here as well!

boomtown123

Passed in Wexford - third time lucky. :D:D

johnnykilo

Passed today in Waterford, first time! I'm in my early 30's so just relieved to get that out of the way with Thanks to all the people on here for their tips and advice.

BUBBLE WRAP

Passed yesterday in Carrick-on-Shannon.

dango

Third time lucky in Raheny today! Now to enjoy the sun!

Mr_Maestro

dango wrote: »

Third time lucky in Raheny today! Now to enjoy the sun!

What a day to pass on
Congrats !

alphabeat

first time pass ( barely ) aged 45 after 6 months of loads of lessons and driving alone for the last month or so
Very sound tester in rathgar .
i was messed up on nerves for half of it but got into it for the rest.

I did prepare , prepare and practise practise practise loads and loads though.

best tip = forget the examiner is even there , so that it nearly suprises you to hear them say something
get in a zone , and drive anally but with progress.

LOOK and look again , look at everything in a measured way ( mirrors , blinds , ped crossings , etc !

pay attention to filter lights - particularly straight ahead ones if turning right

and dont stop for ambers unless you are quite far back - theyd rather see you go thru than stop and be rear ended.


also

If i can do it ANYONE can do it - honest to christ .

and loads of thanks to my great instructor - he was A1 top notch

muchacho

passed first time in Galway this morning!

ugglasdav

Passed today in Raheny, my second time doing it, had the same tester from the first time i did it, got like 15 grade 2's in the first test and only 2 grade 2's this time, delighted

HurtLocker

F*ckin delighted!! Passed today in Wilton! Failed 10 days ago. Today the tester took me on the hardest route there is and I've driven them all!

Again I went in after presuming I'd failed. My reaction when he said I passed. Happy times!

stephenjmcd

Passed in tallaght

Galadriel

Never thought I would be posting here, passed first time in Rathgar, have been learning on and off for 14 years though but found a fantastic instructor which helped a lot! YAY

deisedave

I did my car test for the first time last Wednesday and passed with a few grade 2's. The test itself is fairly easy and the tester was polite. I am just thankful now that I can drive around without being worried about getting stopped by the guards.

As a side point the price of the test at 85 is ridiculous. In the U.k. when you pass your test rather than make you pay for a new license they just take your provisional and exchange that for the full license because you have already paid for the provisional but of course not in this country. So I had to shell out sixty five for photos and a new license but screw it at least I have it now.

DrumSteve

passed today out in tallaght. this was my sixth attempt, bloody delighted.

spurious

DrumSteve wrote: »

passed today out in tallaght. this was my sixth attempt, bloody delighted.

I know how that feels. Good job for sticking with it.

DrumSteve

spurious wrote: »

I know how that feels. Good job for sticking with it.

must state that those new pads they use are great. lot easier to do the test without being able to see what they are marking you for or if you got a grade 3!

Almost didn't believe him when he said I passed. Only got 3 grade 2 marks.