Full license Ignition - what's it about?

seamus

I've done a quick search and not found much on this, except for a good thread on the MIJAG board. I have to do this Ignition course on Friday. What's involved? Is it a piece of piss? I've only driven cars for a few days here and there in the last 3 years, and while my skill hasn't deteriorated (if anything it's gotten better), I'd probably not be driving at my best in an instructors car over twenty minutes or so.

So what's involved? Surely it's not a full driving test all over again?

the evil belly

from memory of it
a morning session watching films etc. with group participation. you are expected to contribute, it's part of the course, they mark you on it as well as the driving
the afternoon session involves a 10-15 minute drive where the instructor evalutes you and then tell you what you need to work on. there's 2 more drive of about the same duration where they'll want to see improvement in the areas they told you about but also no dips in any other areas.

bigs things are hazards and observation, generally showing improvement and a good attitude is what they look for. you won't be alone in the car they'll be at least one other candidate with you and ye'll take turns driving

seamus

the evil belly wrote:

from memory of it
a morning session watching films etc. with group participation. you are expected to contribute, it's part of the course, they mark you on it as well as the driving
the afternoon session involves a 10-15 minute drive where the instructor evalutes you and then tell you what you need to work on. there's 2 more drive of about the same duration where they'll want to see improvement in the areas they told you about but also no dips in any other areas.

bigs things are hazards and observation, generally showing improvement and a good attitude is what they look for. you won't be alone in the car they'll be at least one other candidate with you and ye'll take turns driving

Ah grand so. Just don't go in like a big cocky fecker, look like I'm willing to learn (and attempt to apply any advice), and I'll be grand?

kluivert

My girlfriend took this course in dundalk.

She was a good driver before it and she's even better after it as well. Very worth while doing. Helps ease the pain of the insurance bill.

fletch

I did it and passed. My advice to you. Do not coast to a stop, when stopping in traffic leave a good bit of space between you and the car in front. Use your gears correctly, they want you to rev them a little, when entering the motorway stay in 4th gear until you are fully merged Turn on your dipped beams before you pull off (that's all I can think of for now)

saobh_ie

Basically its a test of real world driving, the insurance companies have noted the failings of the goverment test and run this to try and get people to drive in a manner that keeps them out of accidents, thier fault or not.

Best of luck with it.

dogg_r_69

saobh_ie wrote:

get people to drive in a manner that keeps them out of accidents, thier fault or not.

That's their major point Just keep looking at everything around you Observation is key to getting a pass.

When your coming up to a traffic light or junction, put you foot on the brake early(Not necessarily to slow down straight away just enough to light the brake light) to show the people behind you that you're going to slow down.(Well that's what I was told)
Keep a good ditance between you and cars in front of you. They'll be telling you about that in the morning anyway.
Also when I did it I came behind a slow moving car and a continuous white line, the instructor said to pass it out if it was safe to do so Otherwise you'd be slowing up traffic Not a good thing to do on your test either Twas a bit strange telling me to pass out on a white line but that's what he told me
Finally good luck Listen to what they say and it'll be grand!

CCOVICH

You'll have to keep to the speed limit EXACTLY (I know that you have to anyway ), but at the time I did my test, the old 10% 'rule' applied. I went into the Ignition course in the same frame of mind and was slated for doing 33mph.

Worth doing.

jlang

I did it too. Basically they try to put you at ease and get a better idea of whether you're a good driver as the earlier poster said. It's set up so you could ask questions about the rules of the road that you weren't sure on - like whether you should go at 30/31/33 or keep up a reasonable distance from the car in front even if he's doing 35.

It's assumed you can drive so if you're worried about or incapable of using the car's controls, the mirrors, the gears, the steering, etc., you will fail. They're looking for what comes next once you've got the basics down - what you're thinking about and what you're seeing as you drive along. You need to tell them everything you notice as you drive along - the brake lights on the car two in front lighting up (or the fact that the left one is broken so you won't be able to rely on it), the garage on the left (out of which someone may come!), the fact that the guy behind is too close to you, the lights on the cross street changing to orange when you're stopped on a red, a kid on a trike on the footpath or a dog behind a parked car, etc. It feels odd at first to say it all out loud, but you've just spent a morning watching videos of and talking about the kind of things you should be noticing so it's not too hard.

Don't worry if you're nervous on your first go driving - they know it's a strange car and feels like a test. Soon after we left the car park he asked me what the speed limit was - I couldn't tell him for sure that it was 30mph despite having only just passed the sign in traffic (think it was actually 60, although there was heavy traffic so I couldn't have got above 30 anyway)! On the second ride, he asked me what the last sign was and I could tell him the last three.

The course is run by the Institute of Advanced Motoring and they won't tell you the result on the day as Hibernian get to do that. In fact, they can seem more like they're trying to treat the day as an shop window for their own advanced driving courses, which if the taster is anything to go by would be pretty good.

seamus

jlang wrote:

It's assumed you can drive so if you're worried about or incapable of using the car's controls, the mirrors, the gears, the steering, etc., you will fail.
...
Don't worry if you're nervous on your first go driving - they know it's a strange car and feels like a test.

Yeah, that's what I assumed. 20 minutes and I'll be fine. But there's a chance I could stall the strange car in the first few mins

Cheers for the feedback guys.

jlang

Everyone stalls their own car once in a while. It's not panicing, restarting and driving off smoothly without delay every time without letting it bother your next mile that matters.

Don't worry, from your other posts about driving, I expect you'll do fine.

Jivin Turkey

I did it at the airport and I have to say the guy I did it with was a complete asshole.

Anyway, some tips, Id been tipped off on this on myself.

Know the ins and out of all the workings of your car. Under the bonnet, know where oil/water goes in and whats what. Know whats the required wheel pressure and tread depth. You can get devices to test these and a mate of mine gave me one before doing it, your man thought I was great.

Use dipped headlights from the off, you are easier to see.

Stop while still being able to see tyres and tarmac of the car in front.

Observe every road sign.

Make sure you are in the right lanes at roundabouts/junctions etc.

sceptre

jlang wrote:

You need to tell them everything you notice as you drive along - the brake lights on the car two in front lighting up (or the fact that the left one is broken so you won't be able to rely on it), the garage on the left (out of which someone may come!), the fact that the guy behind is too close to you, the lights on the cross street changing to orange when you're stopped on a red, a kid on a trike on the footpath or a dog behind a parked car, etc. It feels odd at first to say it all out loud, but you've just spent a morning watching videos of and talking about the kind of things you should be noticing so it's not too hard.

I didn't have to do this when I did the course/test. My girlfriend did though, she did it the year before I did.

I'd tend to ask questions where possible. Some things you may be curious about, some you'll only ask to let the instructor know you're a thinking sort of driver, which they presumably like. I stalled the car (it was a 1L Punto or similar which would be a little less than I'd be used to (GF's test was done in a 1.9L which would be a little more than she'd be used to) coming on to a roundabout in Carrigaline. Guy behind beeped. I just calmly restarted the car and dropped a comment out of the side of my mouth that he'd have a heart attack before I did. Which obviously I only said because I knew the instuctor would lap it up as evidence of my obvious calm (heh).

The odds are rather good that if you simply drive carefully with good observation that you'll have no problem passing the thing.

AlienGav

kluivert wrote:

Helps ease the pain of the insurance bill.

What kind of discount was awarded for doing this course?

I'd be interested in doing it, if it's worth my while, sounds good.

seamus

AlienGav wrote:

What kind of discount was awarded for doing this course?

I'd be interested in doing it, if it's worth my while, sounds good.

Between 20 and 40% discount if you pass. Tbh, there's not really any reason for not giving it a go, assuming you can't get a better quote elsewhere. Hibernian/Tesco gave me the best quote *before* any Ignition discount, and I rang up yesterday morning and got a course date this Friday. So there's very little waiting. If you don't pass, you get the fee refunded. If you do pass, and take a policy with Hibernian, you get refunded and get a premium discount.

It's win-win tbh.

AlienGav

Thanks Seamus

I think i'll give it a go. My insurance right now is 1200 euro, be nice to get it a little cheaper. I'll let you know how it goes

whimsey

Jlang
Did the full IAM test and training and it is worth it. The training is very good and the test makes the government test look easy (no test is easy I know). Mine was 1hour and twenty minutes long of driving under on multiple road types with the examiner is an instructor from the Gardai with 20+ years on the job.

As a sweetener Hibernian give you ~30% discount for life.

Regards
Whimsey