Dublin based driving instructor - Ballymun SGS route

Amnesiac_ie

Hi all,
I'm sitting my driving test in two weeks time at the SGS/NCT Centre in Ballymun. Anyone have any idea of the routes around this centre and any recommendation for local instructors?

John Mason

i used the independant driving school on jamestown road, they were very good. They next door to the news driving test centre in finglas

Dr Lektroluv

I passed in that exact centre 2 weeks ago, my instructor only has 1 fail there the whole year. PM me if you want his number.

Cr8or

I have my test there tomorrow, I only found out last Friday. With all the uproar with these changes I accepted.

Booked a pretest for this eve at 7pm so it might be a bit dark!

I have been driving for about 2 years in a car and 2 years before that on a bike .. so hopefully I wont muck up!

Amnesiac_ie

Hey cr8or... best of luck tomorrow... if you could post any info on the test route you're taken on I'd really appreciate it.

Amnesiac_ie

ISM could only give me three lessons with a guy named Brian between now and the 13th... and at €190 a pop they better be worth it! Again, if anyone knows anyone else who could give me lessons between now and then on the Ballymun route I'd really appreciate it!

Mizu_Ger

Amnesiac_ie wrote: »

ISM could only give me three lessons with a guy named Brian between now and the 13th... and at €190 a pop they better be worth it! Again, if anyone knows anyone else who could give me lessons between now and then on the Ballymun route I'd really appreciate it!

My test is the week after next in Finglas. I booked 5 pretest lessons with ISM last week and got the lot for €175 (instructor's name is Keith). I'm using my own car. 190 sounds like a lot!

Cr8or

hello all, I failed.

route was left out of NCT the down to the lights and take a right. Straight down the road passed the side of the airport.

At the traffic lights take a right, head down passed santry Ind Estate. On the left hand side across from the Plaza she got me to take a left into an estate.

Think it was a right down here, pull over then take off. then a right again pull over U turn. Back out of the estate, take a left. head up to the traffic lights across from the park, take the left towards coolock.

I was asked to take the left at the first set of traffic lights before the roundabout. This leads on to the right into a housing estate. Drove all the way down and stopped to do the reverse around a corner.

back out on to the main road and head back towards santry. stay in the middle lane. Took the right towards ballymun at the lights (across from woodies) and then basically straight back to the test center.

Oh and a word of warning .. at the end of your test they say "You are just about finished, Find somewhere to park and we will head back in". This seems to be a bit of a trick to catch you out on parking.

I failed on observation and clutch. Not sure what clutch was about.




PS: I did a 3 hour pretest with a school based in <snip> .. not going to name names of course, but you can work out who it was. They where useless!

Dr Lektroluv

hard luck Cr8or, its funny when I did my test in Northpoint NCT aswell , I got 2 grade 2's for clutch use - I also didn't have a clue what they were on about but didn't give a sh1t cos I passed anyway, its strange because I got 6 pretest lessons and my instructor corrected practically everything except my use of the pedals.

Moonbeam

I did mine on the same route a few weeks ago.

I booked 2 pretests with the Airport school of motoring and found them fine.

It cost €150.

niamh carr

Hi Dr. Letroluv,

Please could you pass the number of your driving instructor to me.

gazzer

I got a letter today from SGS to arrange an appointment with them for a test for the Ballymun centre. I failed my first test (not SGS) out of the Finglas Test Centre back in May so I really really want to pass this time. I would really appreciate if somebody could pm me the name of a good pre test instructor. I went with a certain motoring school back in May. 4 hours of lessons but with 2 different instructors who gave me conflicting opinions on my driving. This time around I want to be as confident as possible doing the test. Cheers.

Stark

Independent school of motoring (same ones that irishbird recommended) in Finglas are very good. Just ignore one instructor's advice about driving with parking lights on :rolleyes:

delta_bravo

Moonbeam wrote: »

I did mine on the same route a few weeks ago.

I booked 2 pretests with the Airport school of motoring and found them fine.

It cost €150.

75 quid a lesson!? Just for an hour? That would be crazy.

Stark

Sounds like 2-hour lessons.

niamh carr

Hi Gazzer,

I've got my test tomorrow in Ballymun -so fingers crossed.The instructor I have is very good.He cost €37.50/hr.His name is Cyril <SNIP>.He is a retired tester and he knows all the tricks of the trade.

Good Luck!

Niamh

EDIT: Please use PM function to give telephone numbers.

gazzer

Well i have my test in the Ballymun SGS centre on January 22nd. I really hope I pass. I havnt booked anywhere yet for a pre test so if anybody had any recomendations I would really appreciate it. A couple of people here recomended Independant School of Motoring.. Should I go with them ?

Daith

gazzer wrote: »

Well i have my test in the Ballymun SGS centre on January 22nd. I really hope I pass. I havnt booked anywhere yet for a pre test so if anybody had any recomendations I would really appreciate it. A couple of people here recomended Independant School of Motoring.. Should I go with them ?

I'd recommend them too.

Just a note on the routes. You could end up going though Finglas also. That's what happened to me so it looks like they've got a fairly large area to test you in.

Secondly if they bring you down this route be carefull. One of the roads is only 30KPH at present. It's if you take a right from the NCT, straight through the roundabout, straight and take a right at the flats.

Wishbone Ash

Daith wrote: »

straight and take a right at the flats.

Balbutcher Lane.

aniascor

gazzer wrote: »

Well i have my test in the Ballymun SGS centre on January 22nd. I really hope I pass. I havnt booked anywhere yet for a pre test so if anybody had any recomendations I would really appreciate it. A couple of people here recomended Independant School of Motoring.. Should I go with them ?

I'd recommend them also. Did my pre-tests with them, and passed last week. Found the pre-test on the day especially useful for settling nerves and getting everything clear in my mind immediately before the test.

It's relatively expensive at €45 per pre-test, but I felt like I got a lot out of the hour - the whole thing was very professional.

Moonbeam

I used the <SNIP> school of motoring for a pre-test on this route in October.

I found them knowledgeable about the routes and questions etc

gazzer

I have been pretty ill since Tuesday and on top of that my car broke down last Sunday so I havnt been able to do any driving. I still feel awful today but I just have to bear with it and go out and do some practice on my reverse around corner as that is where I seem to have the main problem.

I got a copy of a 'Pass your Irish Driving Test' DVD so have been studying that. Im also going to drive out to the Ballymun test centre to get a feel for the place

gazzer

I went out to the Ballymun SGS Driving Test centre earlier. I then left there and took a right and headed towards Ballymun as I figure thats where the initial stage of the test takes me. I couldnt see any speed limits until I got to the Statoil garage in Ballymun. Anybody know what the speed limit is up till there?

Then I drove through Ballymun and took at left at a roundabout that left me at Popintree ind estate (where Fas is). Then I went down Jamestown road.. Didnt see one speed limit sign the whole time.

I wonder if I will be taken that way during my test?

Moonbeam

delta_bravo wrote: »

75 quid a lesson!? Just for an hour? That would be crazy.

It was 2 2 hour pretests;)

javaboy

gazzer wrote: »

I went out to the Ballymun SGS Driving Test centre earlier. I then left there and took a right and headed towards Ballymun as I figure thats where the initial stage of the test takes me. I couldnt see any speed limits until I got to the Statoil garage in Ballymun. Anybody know what the speed limit is up till there?

Then I drove through Ballymun and took at left at a roundabout that left me at Popintree ind estate (where Fas is). Then I went down Jamestown road.. Didnt see one speed limit sign the whole time.

I wonder if I will be taken that way during my test?

Just outside the entrance to the Ballymun test centre, there's a speed limit sign. AFAIK it's 80km/h in new money going towards the airport and 60km/h in the other direction. There are signs up anywhere the limit changes now so keep your eyes peeled.

Daith

javaboy wrote: »

Just outside the entrance to the Ballymun test centre, there's a speed limit sign. AFAIK it's 80km/h in new money going towards the airport and 60km/h in the other direction. There are signs up anywhere the limit changes now so keep your eyes peeled.

You'ld be very lucky to get up to 80 going towards the M50 roundabout.

gazzer wrote: »

I went out to the Ballymun SGS Driving Test centre earlier. I then left there and took a right and headed towards Ballymun as I figure thats where the initial stage of the test takes me.

They have a large area. You could be take a left from the centre and right pass the airport, then down towards Santry.

gazzer wrote: »

I couldnt see any speed limits until I got to the Statoil garage in Ballymun. Anybody know what the speed limit is up till there?

60KPH

gazzer wrote: »

Then I drove through Ballymun and took at left at a roundabout that left me at Popintree ind estate (where Fas is). Then I went down Jamestown road.. Didnt see one speed limit sign the whole time.

Where FAS is it's 50.

gazzer wrote: »

I wonder if I will be taken that way during my test?

Possible. On my test I right down Balbutcher Lane (30KPH), down to the roundabout then down Jamestown Road.

gazzer

Thanks everybody for the advice.

I really hope that I pass tomorrow. I practiced my reverse around corner for an hour today and I really feel I have that nailed. Thats a big weight of my mind as even though it is only a small part of the test it was weighing on my mind.

Cr8or

Ok round 2.. I have to do it all over again! Just got my letter...

Would anyone recommend a driving instructor for lessons and a pre test?


Ballymun test center again..

athtrasna

Another vote for the <SNIP> Driving School. I had 3 pre-tests with Michael (not having done any other lessons for years) and I passed first time. €45 a lesson - best money I ever spent.

spooky donkey

Is there any actual driving schools based in Ballymun or are they all from just all over the place? I have my test there next month.

jimalmodovarn

please forwrd his number to thanks