Raheny Routes?

xeroshero

Hi all.

ive been called for my test for next week. I was hoping for Baldoyle but got Raheny. I know Raheny village fairly well, but don't know the little estates etc. Can anyone who did their test there post the route they were sent on? Or any parts of it the can remember, like where they did the turn about etc? I havn't been driving long but need the licence for my job - both fo rgetting to/from work as well as for work as I may need to travel to different factories/offices. I have five lessons booked for next week so I presume the instructor will know/bring me on the routes?

I think its important to knwo the area so at least you know when you are coming up to lights, pedestrian crossings, schools, taht kind of thing, surely its all of use when you are nervous and strangling the steering wheel!?lol

thanks in advance. (btw, I have triede the seach function but couldn't find anything on this which surprised me?)

snickerpuss

I did mine there in April (and failed but nevermind I passed a month later!)

I tried to draw my route out in Google Maps, apologies if I made a balls of it.

Raheny Test Route

If you have google maps handy, We first went down watermill road, right onto the coast road, up to turn right onto mount prospect ave, down Sybil Hill Road, up the Howth Road (it's 60kmph so dont go too slow) back through raheny village and turned right at the big junction to main street and back to test centre.

I did the reverse on the corner of Park Lawn by St Anne's Park and my turnabout on Hampton Court. If I would advise anything it's get totally used to the big junction box from Station Road to Main Street. The entire junction is a yellow box so know who has right of way and all that. If you go down the coast road (or James Larkin road to give it the proper name) go very quickly. I got progression marks here when people overtook me even though I was going 60 (i.e - the speed limit)

Oh if you think the route is very short it was, the whole test was done in 30 minutes, we literally flew around, I barely got to answer the questions when he'd come out with another one, he generally sighed and grumbled and I came out with 20 grade 2's. Bad experience. I hope yours is better!

Um that's all I can think of. Some areas are quite built up, lots of cars on both sides of the road so watch distance between you and stationary objects.

Good luck!

xeroshero

Thanks a mill for that. Really appreciate IT! Thanks for the hints/tips too... (Although, regards the speed on the coast road, surely if you break the limit you will fail? I guess sometimes you just can't win! Maybe its not 60 there? That's something I want to check, the limits right around the route)

Thanks again! Hopefully I'll have a more pleasant experience than you had!!! I know the area, but I was hoping for Baldoyle... Ah well... Guess you just gotta take what comes along! (especially when you get it two weeks after applying!)

snickerpuss

My driving instructor was insistent that I shouldn't worry about the speed limit but rather try to keep up with the traffic flow (as long as they weren't going wildly above the speed limit) While going over the speed limit on the Coast Road I got progress marks, no speed ones. (However, I have a Yaris and I only I can see the speedometer!)
The Coast Road is definately 60, as is the Howth Road.

I know plenty of people who passed there so don't worry, I think mine was just a bad experience! (I did my second one in Baldoyle and it was much better)

Best of luck!

Alanstrainor

snickerpuss wrote: »

My driving instructor was insistent that I shouldn't worry about the speed limit but rather try to keep up with the traffic flow ....

Okay, i have to disagree with that. Keep to the speed limit. Breaking it will result in faults against you. You should try and keep up with traffic, as in accelerate at an acceptable level, but do not break the speed limit.

trout

snickerpuss wrote: »

The Coast Road is definately 60, as is the Howth Road.

I don't think all of the Howth Road is 60 ... I'm pretty sure it's signposted at 50 near the library, and back to 60 just after the Old Shieling.

Nools

i did my first test in raheny and i havent a clue where i was! all i know is that i took a left at the garage/ petrol station just before you enter killester then a right some where after that road....i no this is of no help!! just a general idea!

snickerpuss

Well I went at the speed limit and got progression marks for going too slow because I was overtaken!
The limit on the Howth Road is 60 on the part I had on my test, before Raheny village.

Alanstrainor

snickerpuss wrote: »

Well I went at the speed limit and got progression marks for going too slow because I was overtaken!
The limit on the Howth Road is 60 on the part I had on my test, before Raheny village.

Obviously there was something else at fault here, perhaps you were slow at moving off and not keeping up with traffic? You will be marked down for going over the speed limit, so i would seriously advise not doing so in the test.

tomcosgrave

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Obviously there was something else at fault here, perhaps you were slow at moving off and not keeping up with traffic? You will be marked down for going over the speed limit, so i would seriously advise not doing so in the test.

I tend to believe Snickerpuss - I failed my test when I last took it because of this very thing on the James Larkin Rd - and the instructor told me at the time "it was the final part of the test on the coast road that caused your failure" - he didn't say why, but we were on it only for that bit. There was NO traffic and I chose to keep to just under the limit in the interests of road safety and no need to speed / keep up with traffic. The moral of the story is to keep at the limit, they expect it!


The problem with driving tests is that all the testers are different and there is a lack of consistency, too much heed paid by testers to the rules they have and not whether the candidate is safe enough to be trusted on their own. I have very little faith in the system, to be honest.

I was furious when I failed here and I wish I'd taken the tester to the district court to appeal it. If this happens again I'll be off to court.

Wishbone Ash

tomcosgrave wrote: »

I wish I'd taken the tester to the district court to appeal it. If this happens again I'll be off to court.

You don't "take the tester to court" as such. You may go to the District court to appeal for a retest only. The original result given by the examiner stands.

tomcosgrave

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You don't "take the tester to court" as such. You may go to the District court to appeal for a retest only. The original result given by the examiner stands.

You are of course correct, I should have been clearer about what an appeal is.
But I still like the idea of taking the tester and his conclusion to court - I believe that the tester has to show up!

snickerpuss

I take your point but I was over the speed limit and I only got progression marks, no speeding ones. And it was progression on the straight. I could see him mark them after the cars had overtaken and none of the others I got would match that road.

Not being a stickler but really you don't always get marked for speed. My instructor was insistent you would get marked for holding up traffic and he's being doing it for 20 years.