Tales Of Woe

Mazletov

Did my driver theory test today. Needed 35/40 to pass, got 34. Ridiculously they didn't even tell me which ones I got wrong, I'd to look them up in a book myself! Turns out I had 35 right but I changed 1 at the last minute to a wrong answer. This cost me the pass and €35. I want to be reassured that lots of people have similar experiences. Share them.

IamMetaldave

No offense, but that test is ridiculously easy.

Don't think there'll be too many.

Wishbone Ash

Mazletov wrote: »

This cost me the pass and €35

Would the other 5 incorrect answers not have contributed to your lack of success?

€35 is very little really. It won't even buy half a tank of fuel in most cars.

Did you prepare for the test?

macroman

Mazletov wrote: »

I'd to look them up in a book myself!

Don't use the book, I found it was easier to use the CD - it's the exact same questions, layout and experience as the actual Theory Test. It's available in most bookshops for around €15-€20.

When I was doing mine back in November, I was called ahead of a Hungarian girl, and when I came out the family were asking how I did and when I passed (39/40 ) they were delighted. Felt guilty though as when the girl came out she got 34/40 - she did it by the book or so she told me.

Mazletov

I prepared for the test, but the CD (old version) probably didn't help too much. Guess I'll just have to get the new CD and redo it.

challengemaster

imo, get the book and cd. Learn with the book, then go over the tests on the CD. You'd be a flipping age with the 4000 questions on the cd trying to learn.

spinandscribble

don't feel so bad, i didn't pass the first time either. i was in the middle of final year exams so my head was spinning , changed answers outa nerves and got a much worse score then you. not only did it mean my job in america was set back a extra month but i also had to cancel teach abroad for a month because i needed to resit it. trust me, it can always be worse .
get the cd rom, it really good, full score the next time i did it.

Alanstrainor

Dave Eyesclosed wrote: »

No offense, but that test is ridiculously easy.

Don't think there'll be too many.

perhaps you did your test when there were considerably less questions? As there was an update to the number of questions not too long ago.

challengemaster

Alanstrainor wrote: »

perhaps you did your test when there were considerably less questions? As there was an update to the number of questions not too long ago.

uhm.. no, its still stupidly easy.

40 questions, 45 mins or so to answer?

I was out after 12 mins, having checked over my answers, with the cert..

spinandscribble

tbh some ppl might have taken an interest in driving or the way roads work before they were to sit the test. personally, it might as well had been fairys that made cars work for all i cared and hadn't a clue before preparing the test. something really clear to one person is a complete surprise to another. everyone has different interests. besides that 45minutes is of no use unless you the know the answers, you mght as well have 3 hours.

Alanstrainor

challengemaster wrote: »

uhm.. no, its still stupidly easy.

40 questions, 45 mins or so to answer?

I was out after 12 mins, having checked over my answers, with the cert..

That's very good for you. No need to be condescending to others though.

TheElf

The theory test can just be unfair to people, I did mine a good 4 years ago, I only did a couple of tests using the CD the day of the test, and passed with 39/40. But on the other hand I know people that have studied for weeks, but just went into a string of completely bogus questions.

snickerpuss

My cousin failed the new one. It happens.
The old one was much easier, I know this because I got 40/40 and I knew nothing about cars or driving before I started.
I've only gotten about 36/40 or so in the new one (on the CD ROM of course)

MMD

I know when I did mine that I did online practice tests for a few weeks. It all becomes very very familiar after a while. Try that, it worked for me. best of luck.

ClimateGirl

Mazletov wrote: »

Did my driver theory test today. Needed 35/40 to pass, got 34. Ridiculously they didn't even tell me which ones I got wrong, I'd to look them up in a book myself! Turns out I had 35 right but I changed 1 at the last minute to a wrong answer. This cost me the pass and €35. I want to be reassured that lots of people have similar experiences. Share them.

I took my theory test for the first time last week and failed by one question too. I couldn't believe it because I had studied about an hour a day for a week beforehand, but it turns out that I'd only studied the first 150 pages in the green section for B licenses and should have also studied the following 60+ pages in the blue BW section. I was annoyed that they don't tell you which ones you got wrong too - how elsae are you supposed to learn for the next go around?

I don't think I'll have a problem the next time but I'll definitely be using the CD instead because the book is horrible! I've done driver theory tests in Washington State and California and always got a perfect score with minimal preparation, so I can say from experience that the Irish theory test book is OTT - the book is over 150 pages, 3/4 of it are multiple choice answers that are wrong so you waste a lot of time reading incorrect information. Plus, you have to learn about tractors/motorcycles even though you may have no intention of ever driving them. It's a really inefficient way to educate drivers, so I wouldn't feel too down on yourself for not passing the first go around. They definitely don't make it straight forward. Good luck on your next attempt!

DancingDaisy

I'm probably going to be disliked for this answer but I found that everything I learned when preparing for my thoery test has been quite useful. I have a better understanding of the rules of theroad and of best practice as it shows the dangers to other vehicles, such as motorbikes in cross winds etc.

I also found that a large amount of the questions are repeated in different forms so the overall question base is considerably smaller than advertised.

IMO, Ireland may not have the most up to date system of practical driving tests, however, I feel that we have a clear and concise method of testing driver theory.

IMO if the effort is put in then it is likely that you will pass. I studied for between 25 and 35 hours in the space of two weeks for my theory test and completed each question in the bank at least four times, through the disk. However, if I had not put in this amount of effort then I probably would not have passed.

Wishbone Ash

Mazletov wrote: »

Ridiculously they didn't even tell me which ones I got wrong

ClimateGirl wrote: »

I was annoyed that they don't tell you which ones you got wrong too - how elsae are you supposed to learn

I am bit confused here folks!

From the www.dtts.ie website FAQs!

If I fail, will I be told where I went wrong?

On the day of the test you will be provided with a written report (if appropriate to your test) showing the areas where you answered questions incorrectly.

DancingDaisy

Now that I think of it, I got 39/40 and I got a report showing me the section that my wrong answer came from, it's easy enough to find then if you have the disk, you just need to enter the correct section in the test preparation part of the disk.

Mazletov

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I am bit confused here folks!

From the www.dtts.ie website FAQs!

They tell you the area, yes, but not the actual questions.

DancingDaisy

You can always just go back over those area's so, at least that way you will be prepared for the next time.

giddybootz

seriously i cannot praise the CD enough. i passed first time because of it! a couple of things to remember....
....1)always give way to the right
....2)always give way to pedestrians
....3)always pick the answer that says 'if it is safe to do so'

i found that remembering those 3 helped me on ones where i thought 'hmmmm 2 of these answers seem good'!!

Nickibaby*

giddybootz wrote: »

seriously i cannot praise the CD enough. i passed first time because of it! a couple of things to remember....
....1)always give way to the right
....2)always give way to pedestrians
....3)always pick the answer that says 'if it is safe to do so'

i found that remembering those 3 helped me on ones where i thought 'hmmmm 2 of these answers seem good'!!

Good piece of advice

Don't worry about failing the theory, I know a guy who failed the theory test (it was the old one which was even easier than the one you did) but he passed his driving test first time then so hopefully the same thing will happen for you. Just apply again don't get disheartened or let it put you off driving after all it was only €35.

meptastic

I did the German DTT, with full marks, before having to come home for other reasons, and do the whole licence thing over here. And I have to say the German one makes ours total childs' play. I went once through the CD, to make sure there weren't differences that would fail me, and definitely felt that at least half the theory I'd learned over there went untested. I'm now aware there are a few points of difference in the Rules of the Road that would have made answers from Germany on those points incorrect here, but these were the least of what was left untouched by the possible questions that can come up here.

And another thing I have to say, even though there are those few points of difference, I feel I was way better prepared for starting to drive on any road in any country by having done the German thing, than any of what we learn here leaves us.