Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Please note that it is not permitted to have referral links posted in your signature. Keep these links contained in the appropriate forum. Thank you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055940817/signature-rules

Driving licence - absolute farce of a system and 83,000 waiting

Options
24567

Comments

  • Options
    #32
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    How do you legally practice learning to drive when you have no family with a full licence?

    With an instructor.


  • Options
    #33
    Jim Gazebo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭Jim Gazebo


    Guy:Incognito wrote: »
    With an instructor.

    You clearly have not been through the system. Extra lessons cost serious money in the end. So I should get my 12 hours lessons and pass test? This is what I did but it is not good. More practice would have benefited me. It is not fair on individuals in this situation...


  • Options
    #34
    Charles Babbage
    Registered Users Posts: 5,462 ✭✭✭Charles Babbage


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    You clearly have not been through the system. Extra lessons cost serious money in the end. So I should get my 12 hours lessons and pass test? This is what I did but it is not good. More practice would have benefited me. It is not fair on individuals in this situation...


    Many people have deficiencies in their families, that isn't a basis for compromising road safety.


  • Options
    #35
    DaveyDave
    Registered Users Posts: 6,185 ✭✭✭DaveyDave


    I passed first time in Tallaght. As I mentioned in another thread the only person I know who had an issue with the test was the one who failed four times. I haven't had an issue nor have my close friends or colleagues.

    It helps to understand it's a simple box ticking exercise. They want you to do a few manoeuvres and get to each of them in one piece.

    I failed my first pretest by not checking my mirror before indicating. After that the next fail was on minor stuff. Third pretest was fine as was the test itself. Whatever I failed on I made sure not to repeat. Process of elimination really.


  • Options
    #36
    sameoldname
    Registered Users Posts: 897 ✭✭✭sameoldname


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    You clearly have not been through the system. Extra lessons cost serious money in the end. So I should get my 12 hours lessons and pass test? This is what I did but it is not good. More practice would have benefited me. It is not fair on individuals in this situation...

    Buying and insuring a car costs serious money too. Far more than extra lessons. If you can afford the car, you can certainly afford the lessons.

    I live out in the middle of nowhere and my instructor just picked me up from the end of my driveway for each lesson. Never owned a car before I passed my test. I did about 15 lessons total and passed first time (Naas in case you're wondering). I think what helped me was I was never on the road without an instructor and probably didn't pick up any bad habits as a result.

    Problem is, people don't want to wait to start driving. They get their provisional, get a few lessons from their parents (and based on experience, the parent probably can't drive properly either) and then go out on the road and pick up a catastrophic amount of bad habits based on what they see everybody else doing. I pity the instructors who have to beat all they've "learned" back out of them.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #37
    tritriagain
    Registered Users Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭tritriagain


    I think people are being hard on the op. Waiting times are ridiculous down the country. My young fella applied in early Jan 2018 and didn't get appt until June. He passed luckily enough but he had said he would take a cancellation. That's 6 months. Crazy. I don't understand why every kid who does transition year in school can't leave it withsufficent training for full license. Proper training at right age , even let them do the test but not on the road before 17.its one of the most important skills they will ever learn.Instead of this bloated system we have.


  • Options
    #38
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    You clearly have not been through the system. Extra lessons cost serious money in the end. So I should get my 12 hours lessons and pass test? This is what I did but it is not good. More practice would have benefited me. It is not fair on individuals in this situation...

    You had money to buy the car but not money to do enough lessons so you are safe on the road?


  • Options
    #39
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    You clearly have not been through the system. Extra lessons cost serious money in the end. So I should get my 12 hours lessons and pass test? This is what I did but it is not good. More practice would have benefited me. It is not fair on individuals in this situation...

    Just as well you dont live in a country that actually takes driving seriously.

    My mother is German and had to go through their expensive and time consuming system.

    People in Ireland really think we're unique for some reason.


  • Options
    #40
    Jim Gazebo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭Jim Gazebo


    Guy:Incognito wrote: »
    Just as well you dont live in a country that actually takes driving seriously.

    My mother is German and had to go through their expensive and time consuming system.

    People in Ireland really think we're unique for some reason.

    Just because someone else has an even worse system does not mean ours is fine then.


  • Options
    #41
    Jim Gazebo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭Jim Gazebo


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    You had money to buy the car but not money to do enough lessons so you are safe on the road?

    Come on. I couldn't buy a car for lessons? I had to do them all in the instructors car so I got no practice in between. I couldn't justify the insurance and the lack of time I would have driving having NO ACCOMPANYING DRIVER


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #42
    Johnnyhpipe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Johnnyhpipe


    Fails test, blames the minister..


  • Options
    #43
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    Just because someone else has an even worse system does not mean ours is fine then.

    Nothing wrong with our system

    People just love to complain and blame someone else


  • Options
    #44
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    Come on. I couldn't buy a car for lessons? I had to do them all in the instructors car so I got no practice in between. I couldn't justify the insurance and the lack of time I would have driving having NO ACCOMPANYING DRIVER

    You have a mouth and can talk?

    You have neighbours?

    I know it’s a crazy idea and more of a 60-70 vibe but talk to your neighbours, offer them a few quid to sit with you while driving around the odd weekend to get experience.....you will find most people are reasonable, some not but majority are and they will help out.....


  • Options
    #45
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    sunshine1977 wrote: »
    You have a 60% failure rate against you before you even put a foot in the door in Finglas and most of Dublin – 2018 stats.
    On the other hand, down the country, where most of the tragedies are happening, you have approx 60% pass rate.
    I see you didn't link any of these claimed stats so I went and found them for you
    https://www.newstalk.com/news/figures-show-majority-of-driving-test-candidates-are-failing-489140
    The figures, released to the Journal.ie, show that the Clifden in Galway had the highest pass rate at 77%.

    Meanwhile, Kilrush in County Clare had the lowest pass rate – with 66% of people failing.

    Overall, 49% of drivers across the country passed the test in the first ten months of 2018.


  • Options
    #46
    languagenerd
    Registered Users Posts: 3,201 ✭✭✭languagenerd


    Guy:Incognito wrote: »
    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    You clearly have not been through the system. Extra lessons cost serious money in the end. So I should get my 12 hours lessons and pass test? This is what I did but it is not good. More practice would have benefited me. It is not fair on individuals in this situation...

    Just as well you dont live in a country that actually takes driving seriously.

    My mother is German and had to go through their expensive and time consuming system.

    People in Ireland really think we're unique for some reason.

    Ireland is one of the most learner-friendly countries IMO - some countries don't even have learner permits. In Spain and the Netherlands, for example, there's no such thing as a learner permit: before you pass your test, you can only drive with your instructor in a dual-control car. My Spanish friends were shocked when I was learning and mentioned in passing that my dad accompanied me so I could drive his car to work one day.

    The system here isn't perfect but it's necessary. I know it's frustrating when you're learning and need to get from A to B, but ultimately a car is a piece of heavy machinery that can be dangerous if not operated correctly. The idea that you should just be allowed to drive around unsupervised on public roads before you've officially learned to do so is crazy.


  • Options
    #47
    Charles Babbage
    Registered Users Posts: 5,462 ✭✭✭Charles Babbage


    Meanwhile, Kilrush in County Clare had the lowest pass rate – with 66% of people failing.

    Overall, 49% of drivers across the country passed the test in the first ten months of 2018


    I would be a bit concerned about the difference between these, both in western locations that should be fairly similar. Either the testing or the driving tutition might differ here.


  • Options
    #48
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    Just because someone else has an even worse system does not mean ours is fine then.

    Having to actually learn how to drive is not a bad system.

    Letting people decide on their own when they are ready to drive most definitely is.


  • Options
    #49
    MascotDec85
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 1,924 Mod ✭✭✭✭MascotDec85


    I replied to this thread when it was moved over from it’s original location but my response seems to have been lost.

    Shane Ross didn’t cost you your test. Neither did tester 1 nor tester 2. You cost yourself the test.
    Testers aren’t pre-disposed to failing candidates. They can only mark based on what they see you do, or sometimes, more importantly, what they see you NOT do.
    My advice would be to take responsibility for your own actions, prepare for the test again, improving the elements that require work.

    In relation to waiting for retest, you don’t need to wait months to resit. Pick up the phone 096 25000 and call for a cancellation. Do this every morning until you get a date. You might get one the first time you call. It might take you a couple of attempts but you will get one. Make sure you’re ready for the test BEFORE you call as you might get one within a matter of days!


  • Options
    #50
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 27,527 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    How do you legally practice learning to drive when you have no family with a full licence?
    I have no family members with a full licence. My friends in Dublin don't drive either, and my friends down the country are too far away. There is no point in me spending thousands buying and insuring a car I won't be legally able to drive.
    So I'm plodding along doing a couple of lessons a week and feel like I'm getting nowhere. It's frustrating. It's expensive. But I'll just have to keep working away until I'm good enough to sit a test.

    I might do a couple of days 'intensive driving' to kick start things a bit, because it is annoying starting each subsequent lesson having made no progress, whereas those with dads/mothers/brothers to drive with are getting out and working on the things they need to practice. Intensive lessons are also very pricey- €500 for two full days.

    So that's how I practice learning to drive- it's slow and expensive but I hope that I'll get there eventually, and be a better driver for it.


  • Options
    #51
    no.8
    Registered Users Posts: 778 ✭✭✭no.8


    Jim Gazebo wrote:
    I'm disagreeing with you here, it's been done to death, but we hold back our young people too much. The amount of people my age who can't drive, or even move out of home is astonishing. I'm 25!!!


    What has moving out of the home got to do with driving (specifically in urban settings)? Driving and learning to drive is not a choice for a number of people


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #52
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    I'm disagreeing with you here, it's been done to death, but we hold back our young people too much. The amount of people my age who can't drive, or even move out of home is astonishing. I'm 25!!!

    Not disagreeing that law was there and being enforced now, disagreeing about the rightly so part.




    I moved out of home when I was 17, 2 weeks after the leaving cert and never returned.



    I had my drivers license by 19. Now I had got some practise at home but I made sure I got my own lessons etc

    I done all while that while doing 3 years of college, having a job and paying rent

    I didn't buy my first car till I left college and was working but I had my full license at that stage

    Complaining because YOU can move out of home and YOU can't get a drivers licenses is nobody fault but your own....


  • Options
    #53
    no.8
    Registered Users Posts: 778 ✭✭✭no.8


    Tbh if a waiting time of 10-12 weeks is quoted and in reality it is a 26 week wait then yes.... There is something wrong with the system.

    I'll agree in that moaning is rampant but so is the acceptance of mediocrity


  • Options
    #54
    Jim Gazebo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭Jim Gazebo


    Look, I'll admit every system is different and they all have benefits, including ours, there are absolutely benefits to ours but there are a lot of flaws too. I think this system in particular is now too hard on the learner. It just means there are less learners out there imo. On top of the frustrations of the waiting time and the archaic test itself, it's surely easy to understand how young people get upset about it.


  • Options
    #55
    MascotDec85
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 1,924 Mod ✭✭✭✭MascotDec85


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    Look, I'll admit every system is different and they all have benefits, including ours, there are absolutely benefits to ours but there are a lot of flaws too. I think this system in particular is now too hard on the learner. It just means there are less learners out there imo. On top of the frustrations of the waiting time and the archaic test itself, it's surely easy to understand how young people get upset about it.

    There definitely aren’t less learners out there


  • Options
    #56
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    Look, I'll admit every system is different and they all have benefits, including ours, there are absolutely benefits to ours but there are a lot of flaws too. I think this system in particular is now too hard on the learner. It just means there are less learners out there imo. On top of the frustrations of the waiting time and the archaic test itself, it's surely easy to understand how young people get upset about it.

    Young people get upset when their porridge is too hot. And again when it's too cold. I was 33 when I passed on third attempt and wasn't too worried about it either way. How someone feels about the system shouldn't be a concern. If people are going to worry over how to get lessons, how to get time, how to pass the test. They aren't really in a position to do it. We can only hold their hand's while crossing the road. Driving on it, is no place for that.


  • Options
    #57
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,174 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Jim Gazebo wrote: »
    ...On top of the frustrations of the waiting time and the archaic test itself, it's surely easy to understand how young people get upset about it.

    I wouldn't say the test is archaic, aside from the strange absence of motorway stuff. That particular corner of it needs an overhaul.


  • Options
    #58
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    jimgoose wrote: »
    I wouldn't say the test is archaic, aside from the strange absence of motorway stuff. That particular corner of it needs an overhaul.

    We don't need motorway testing. It's no different than driving on a dual carriageway.


  • Options
    #59
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,174 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    We don't need motorway testing. It's no different than driving on a dual carriageway.

    Aside from the higher speeds, limited access, ban on pulling over, and probably a couple of more things that I'm not thinking of right now. Learner permit holders are barred from motorways in all circumstances and thus become fully licensed without any experience of them. This needs to change.


  • Options
    #60
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    jimgoose wrote: »
    Aside from the higher speeds, limited access, ban on pulling over, and probably a couple of more things that I'm not thinking of right now. Learner permit holders are barred from motorways in all circumstances and thus become fully licensed without any experience of them. This needs to change.

    They can drive on dual carriageways. A motorway really isn't anything different. It's just designed to have junctions that don't interrupt the flow of traffic on the highway.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #61
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,174 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    They can drive on dual carriageways. A motorway really isn't anything different. It's just designed to have junctions that don't interrupt the flow of traffic on the highway.

    I would argue that the higher speed limit on a motorway is a fairly serious
    difference, at any rate. And yes, I know that certain HQDCs have 120k limits, at least in part, but they're not that common.


Advertisement