Raheny Test Centre

OLP

I know there was another thread about Raheny but it degenerated into someone encouraging people to speed on the Coast Road (James Larkin Road) and I just read that Baldoyle no longer accept applicants from Raheny so I would imagine this thread will be useful to others.

Anyway I have my test coming up on the 25th of November and I'm just looking for some tips. I'm pretty confident because I know Raheny like the back of my hand, I grew up there and Drive to school in Raheny everyday.

I'm just wondering can anyone tell me exactly where the maneuvers are usually performed in this test centre? The Turnabout, Reverse around a croner and Hill start. If anyone who recently took their test in Raheny could describe the route they took that would be great aswell.

Thanks
Chris

sdanseo

Last time I took a test in Raheny was June, route was as follows, best I can remember;-

Out of the test centre, was parked on the long straight kerb to the side. Usually noticeably full of of L-plated vehicles

Facing towards Garda station. Pulled out, took the first right, down by the station/GAA club, right onto Watermill Road,
Right at the Coast Road,
Right at the Dollymount lights up the road towards St. Anne's Rose Garden,
Hill start on this road.
Continued up, around the tight corner at the back of St. Anne's out onto (I think) Vernon Ave.,
A series of complicated turns in the estates that I can't quite remember - Turnabout, hand signals, reversing were all conducted in here.
Back out onto the Howth road,
Through main traffic lights in Raheny,
Down the hill and left, right into all saints,
Back to test centre.

Failed it, but passed later in swords. Tricky junction in Raheny got me, be sure to get a bit of practice as it's a yellow-box junction but afaik you're still expected to move forward on the green light. I failed for moving too far into the way of oncoming traffic (albeit to see around a van :P).

Best of luck!

OLP

Dragging this up again, just wondering can anyone tell me exactly where they did there reverse around a corner on this test route?

soccerc

OLP wrote: »

Dragging this up again, just wondering can anyone tell me exactly where they did there reverse around a corner on this test route?

Son did his test there yesterday, Monday.

Reverse was on some very narrow road off Mt Prospect Avenue.

He passed even though Raheny and it's environs were totally alien to him, we live in Clondalkin

OLP

Thanks, I have a fair idea where it is. As far is I know it's on Park Lawn, luckily i drive most of this route everyday driving to school.

Well done to your son.

macroman

It's a difficult enough route so I've heard, a lot of people get their marks from getting too close to parked cars, and not signalling out.

Mr.Applepie

Sorry to drag this up but I thought it best to keep as much information as possible in one place.

I just did my test in Raheny and passed. Below is a link to the route I took:

Great forum by the way...it really helped once I remembered about it. I would also recommend http://www.drivingtesttips.ie/ - it has great videos of just about anything you might be tested on.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=4+all+saints+park+raheny&daddr=Oakley+Park,+Dublin+DUBLIN3,+Republic+of+Ireland+to:mount+prospect+park+to:mount+prospect+avenue+to:Watermill+Rd+to:100+all+saints+road+to:30+watermill+park+to:1+st+anne's+avenue&hl=en&geocode=%3B%3B%3B%3BFchvLgMdvOih_w%3B%3B%3B&mra=ls&sll=53.373677,-6.181569&sspn=0.023632,0.052357&ie=UTF8&z=15

Point B: This is where I did my turnabout. I actually did a 5 point turn as the road is narrow enough & I have a peugeot so I can't see the end of my bonnet which makes knowing where the curb is a bit of a guessing game.

Point C: Reverse around the corner. The only thing here is there is another road on the other side that is quite close so just look out for traffic from there too.

Point E: Hill start. This is not a bad hill at all. I controlled it with just the clutch and only figured out this was my hill start after the test. Nothing to worry about here

There are plenty of parked cars on the route plus I did it between 2.10 - 2.40 which meant plenty of mommies collecting their kids. I think there are about 2 or 3 schools that you get close too.
I was very nervous and made a couple of mistakes near the beginning but just tried to stay as calm as possible and forget about my mistakes until after the test.

makeup_emma

Thanks for that, it is really helpful to have the locations! I have my test tomorrow, I am gonna go do that route now

Sinemo

Just wondering if anyone else has another route to maybe try? I've my test tomorrow week :eek:

makeup_emma

I passed my test the last day, what a relief!

Just had a look on google maps there and from what I can remember I went down All Saints Rd, Howth Rd, Station Rd, Springdale Rd, all around Edenmore,

after that it is a bit hazy, but somehow got to Kilbarrack Rd and from there made my way back to test centre. Don't really know that area that well.

Good luck with it

LilMsss

As far as I know there are a few different areas the testers concentrate on:

Raheny
Clontarf
Edenmore
Harmonstown
Killester

Depending on which tester you get, you could be taken on a route in any of these areas.

spurious

I've seen people from the Raheny test centre doing the turnabout on Foxfield Crescent and on Roseglen Avenue and I've seen the reversing around the corner being done from Foxfield Green into Foxfield St. John.