Will Drop Pants For Driving Advice

cson

Got the test coming up on Wednesday and to say I'm a bit unsure of a few things is quite an understatement. What's troubling me is;

Taking Off: Fasten seatbelt > Start engine > Check Mirror > Indicate > Check Mirror > Check Blindspot > Take Off. Is that correct?

Observation: How in the name of jaysus do you get this right? I was checking my mirrors like a madman during a lesson and the instructor said I still needed to improve my observation. How?

Hesitancy: Speed limit in built up area's is 50kph. Instructor says I should be doing that speed and in 4th gear. It seems mad to me. 50kph is perfect 3rd gear speed in my car.

Coming to a halt: I slow down by braking gently and cycling down through the gears til 2nd. When I start start to feel the engine struggle (i.e. I'm almost stopped) I press in the clutch and stop straight away. Basically, can I get done for coasting? Also, while waiting to turn I keep clutch pressed in, change to 1st gear and keep my foot on the brake. Correct procedure?

Coming to a halt: Traffic Lights: Same as above except I put the gear into neutral, engage the handbrake and keep my foot away from the pedals until lights are green. Is this right? Also, if I'm on a hill at lights and the car rolls back slightly when I start to move, can you be done RE hillstart even though the tester isn't asking you to do it?

Position: Ireland being Ireland cars are dumped (parked) all over the place. If my side of the road is half blocked but there is room for 2 cars to pass should I proceed?

I know there's more stuff too, when I think of it I'll post it.

Muchos Thankos

chris85

cson wrote: »

Got the test coming up on Wednesday and to say I'm a bit unsure of a few things is quite an understatement. What's troubling me is;

Taking Off: Fasten seatbelt > Start engine > Check Mirror > Indicate > Check Mirror > Check Blindspot > Take Off. Is that correct?

Observation: How in the name of jaysus do you get this right? I was checking my mirrors like a madman during a lesson and the instructor said I still needed to improve my observation. How?

Hesitancy: Speed limit in built up area's is 50kph. Instructor says I should be doing that speed and in 4th gear. It seems mad to me. 50kph is perfect 3rd gear speed in my car.

Coming to a halt: I slow down by braking gently and cycling down through the gears til 2nd. When I start start to feel the engine struggle (i.e. I'm almost stopped) I press in the clutch and stop straight away. Basically, can I get done for coasting? Also, while waiting to turn I keep clutch pressed in, change to 1st gear and keep my foot on the brake. Correct procedure?

Coming to a halt: Traffic Lights: Same as above except I put the gear into neutral, engage the handbrake and keep my foot away from the pedals until lights are green. Is this right? Also, if I'm on a hill at lights and the car rolls back slightly when I start to move, can you be done RE hillstart even though the tester isn't asking you to do it?

Position: Ireland being Ireland cars are dumped (parked) all over the place. If my side of the road is half blocked but there is room for 2 cars to pass should I proceed?

I know there's more stuff too, when I think of it I'll post it.

Muchos Thankos

Observation doesnt just mean checking mirrors. YOu must be looking out for hazards, peds, etc. Also whenever at a junction your observsation for the cars from other directions is a must.

Comeing to a stop you should engage the clutch before the engine will shudder, you should more or less know when this will happen. Its at a low enough speed anyway.

You will get a grade for rolling back on a hill. I was told that if you roll back even slightly on a hill start that its a grade 3 fail, not sure otherwise but presume its the same because you are starting on a hill. The tester isnt telling you to do a hill start. He makes you take off from a place that you should know to be doing a hill start.

Alanstrainor

cson wrote: »

Got the test coming up on Wednesday and to say I'm a bit unsure of a few things is quite an understatement. What's troubling me is;

Taking Off: Fasten seatbelt > Start engine > Check Mirror > Indicate > Check Mirror > Check Blindspot > Take Off. Is that correct?

Observation: How in the name of jaysus do you get this right? I was checking my mirrors like a madman during a lesson and the instructor said I still needed to improve my observation. How?

Hesitancy: Speed limit in built up area's is 50kph. Instructor says I should be doing that speed and in 4th gear. It seems mad to me. 50kph is perfect 3rd gear speed in my car.

Coming to a halt: I slow down by braking gently and cycling down through the gears til 2nd. When I start start to feel the engine struggle (i.e. I'm almost stopped) I press in the clutch and stop straight away. Basically, can I get done for coasting? Also, while waiting to turn I keep clutch pressed in, change to 1st gear and keep my foot on the brake. Correct procedure?

Coming to a halt: Traffic Lights: Same as above except I put the gear into neutral, engage the handbrake and keep my foot away from the pedals until lights are green. Is this right? Also, if I'm on a hill at lights and the car rolls back slightly when I start to move, can you be done RE hillstart even though the tester isn't asking you to do it?

Position: Ireland being Ireland cars are dumped (parked) all over the place. If my side of the road is half blocked but there is room for 2 cars to pass should I proceed?

I know there's more stuff too, when I think of it I'll post it.

Muchos Thankos

As for the coming to a stop at traffic lights remember to, when you stop, handbrake and THEN neutral.
And when stopping you have to put your foot on the clutch at some stage so i wouldn't worry about coasting, it seems to me from what you said that you're leaving it a bit late, ie letting the engine struggle before depressing the clutch.
What kind of car are you driving? I was always told that you had to get up to forth gear at 50kph, making use of the gears, My 1.4 Focus goes along grand in 5th at 50kph(petrol by the way). What revs are you doing at 50kph in 3rd gear?
I believe you have to leave a doors width between you and parked cars, if there's any doubt i'd wait and allow the on coming traffic to pass.
It seems to me like you're on top of things, all those questions are just the last minute things that everyone panics about before your test, i'd say you're well on your way to passing, so good luck to ya

chicoben

cson wrote: »

Coming to a halt: Traffic Lights: Same as above except I put the gear into neutral, engage the handbrake and keep my foot away from the pedals until lights are green. Is this right? Also, if I'm on a hill at lights and the car rolls back slightly when I start to move, can you be done RE hillstart even though the tester isn't asking you to do it?



I know there's more stuff too, when I think of it I'll post it.

Muchos Thankos

If you're one of the lead cars at the lights and you're not ready when the lights go green you'll be marked down for that. By the time you get the car in gear and rolling, a car behind you may not make it through the lights.

Alanstrainor

chicoben wrote: »

If you're one of the lead cars at the lights and you're not ready when the lights go green you'll be marked down for that. By the time you get the car in gear and rolling, a car behind you may not make it through the lights.

I wouldn't say that's the case, i mean how long does it take to get ready? 3 seconds?, dont worry about stuff like that, by all means try to get ready but dont panic if you're not.

Before I give any advice does the offer apply to me Cson...or would hate yourself tomorrow?

I could well be wrong Alantrainor but I also think they mark you down for that.
It is really simple and common courtesy to be waiting in gear anyway.

Danbo!

cson wrote: »

Observation: How in the name of jaysus do you get this right? I was checking my mirrors like a madman during a lesson and the instructor said I still needed to improve my observation. How?

Note that there are 2 different sections in the marking sheet, observation and mirrors. checking your mirrors every 10 seconds or so isnt enought for observation, they're completely different but not many instructors really explain this. Its about checking blindspots when moving off, looking beyond the car in front, Checking left and right properly at un-signalled junctions etc...

Alanstrainor

That was a good idea posting up the marking sheet!

Danbo!

yeah i read the book "get it - the irish driving test" the night before my test. it explains everything on the sheet and how its marked by the tester, its short enough (about 30 mins to read) and it definitely helped. Oh and best of luck OP.

bonkey

Alanstrainor wrote: »

What kind of car are you driving? I was always told that you had to get up to forth gear at 50kph, making use of the gears, My 1.4 Focus goes along grand in 5th at 50kph(petrol by the way). What revs are you doing at 50kph in 3rd gear?

My 2.0L (petrol) Mondeo is even fine in 5th at 50kph....but I'd only use 5th at that speed in certain situations.

Alanstrainor

bonkey wrote: »

My 2.0L (petrol) Mondeo is even fine in 5th at 50kph....but I'd only use 5th at that speed in certain situations.

Yeah i'd only pop the focus into 5th if it was a straight road with little traffic. Wooo 500 posts!

tampopo

cson wrote: »

Coming to a halt: I slow down by braking gently and cycling down through the gears til 2nd. When I start start to feel the engine struggle (i.e. I'm almost stopped) I press in the clutch and stop straight away. Basically, can I get done for coasting? Also, while waiting to turn I keep clutch pressed in, change to 1st gear and keep my foot on the brake. Correct procedure?

I used to downshift through the gears when slowing down. I took some lessons before my test and yer man said not to bother. So I didn't/don't and passed the test thus.

Alanstrainor

tampopo wrote: »

I used to downshift through the gears when slowing down. I took some lessons before my test and yer man said not to bother. So I didn't/don't and passed the test thus.

I dont think that's the kind of thing someones going to change a day before their test, but i know it's the hip thing to change from 4th to 2nd, and it is perfectly fine(or so i'm told on these boards) but i still cycle through the gears 90% of the time i like having the engine at the right revs for the speed i guess.

tampopo

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I dont think that's the kind of thing someones going to change a day before their test, but i know it's the hip thing to change from 4th to 2nd, and it is perfectly fine(or so i'm told on these boards) but i still cycle through the gears 90% of the time i like having the engine at the right revs for the speed i guess.

I stopped immediately, but each to his own...

cson

w00t! Passed!

dr.bollocko

Congrats! Today, you have become a man my cson.

cson

Yup, if I can fool them that I'm competent to drive, I can do anthing Seriously though, great feeling to have it done. Happy days. Hopefully happy days of good motoring. :cool:

JackieChan

Gratz Cson.
I remember when I did my test a few years ago the tester pulled me up on coasting.Not in a bad way but just that its habit forming and tends to get worse over the years. Since the test I do it far less. The stress of the test must have allowed his comments to go straight to my sub consious!

dr.bollocko

For me most of the test stress comes when he leads you into the office after the test is complete. OK the guy told me right away I had passed but then laid into me about observation during the reverse round a corner. I was glad I passed but I didn't need an earful after passing!

bonkey

Alanstrainor wrote: »

i still cycle through the gears 90% of the time i like having the engine at the right revs for the speed i guess.

I've been thinking about this a bit recently, because 'the right revs for the speed' seems to be one of the main two arguments given for sequentual gear-changes, and it irked me as an answer, but I couldn't quite place why.

So having thought about it....I've figured out why it irks me Note - I'm not saying that Alanstrainor is wrong. It may be that with a more detailed discussion, we'd find that we agree completely about what gear to be in when...except in situations like braking.

Anyway...here goes...

I know my car will handle 40km/h in 2nd, 3rd and 4th. In all 3 gears, I have acceleration available, and braking will not immediately require clutching to prevent a stall.

The same applies at 50km/h, except now 5th is also valid. If I'm in 2nd, the revs are about the same as doing 130 in 5th, which is certainly nowhere near redlined.

So when accelerating, and it comes to choosing 2nd-3rd or 2nd-4th as a block-shift, I'll choose the one which better suits the traffic conditions, as opposed to my speed. If its an open, clear road, then I'll block-shift 2nd to 4th somewhere around 40km/h. On the other hand, if I'm in busy start-stop traffic, then I'll shift to 3rd, so that at a later point I can reduce speed at need to below where 4th is comfortable, but where 3rd is still fine, without needing an additional gear-change. If traffic continues flowing, then I'll consider shifting up to 4th.

So in clear conditions, on an open road, I'd go 1-2-4 (and maybe -5), In busier conditions, I'd do 1-2-3 (and maybe -4).

When braking, its a similar case, only in reverse. Depending on the situation, I could brake to a stop without downshifting, or I could gradually lose speed, downshifting mostly sequentially. I say mostly, because I rarely find a need to shift from 5th to 4th (except when carrying large weight up enough of a slope), and generally tend to go 5-3. Similarly, I might find myself going 4-2 in town.

Basically, what I'm trying to point out is that except at the limits of a car's performance (both fast and slow), there is rarely one gear which can be said to be "the right one" based on nothing but revs. No-one can tell me that regardless of the situation, I should always be in 3rd at 40, 4th gear at 50, and so forth. There are typically 2, and often 3 gears which are perfectly able to handle the revs, with capability for acceleration and which are not on the verge of stalling. In such cases, there may be multiple "right gears" to select from. When there are, this is enables (but does not require) safe block-shifting.
In other situations, there may not be a safe range of gears to choose...in which case, block-shifting is absolutely the wrong thing to do.