Reverse Around The Corner-Automatic Driving Lessons In North Dublin

Reversing around the corner is one of the 3 manoeuvres you will be asked to complete in your driving test. The other manoeuvers are hill start and turnabout. Reversing around the corner can be challenging when you are learning how to drive as the car behaves differently in reverse. Looking at the diagram above, you see the car will be reversing left around the corner. The car behaves differently because now the wheels you use to steer are at the back of the car rather than at the front of the car. (when driving forwards the steering wheels are at the front of the car) With the wheels at the back of the car, the car will take an extra millisecond to react. When you are reversing around to the left, the front of your car will swing out to the right before following the back of your car around the corner. (see diagram below)

When we are reversing around the corner, observation is so important as your vision is not as clear as to driving forwards. When we are pulled up on the left, try to make sure your car is parked in a straight line with your wheels straight. Before you do anything, make sure you take a good look around to see that there are no cars driving up towards you or that there are no pedestrians around. If the way is clear, select reverse gear, take a good look around, checking blind spots and your mirrors. If the way is clear, reverse the car in a straight line until the back wheels reach the bend in the road. When reversing back in a straight line always look out your back window as you must be looking out the window the direction your car is travelling. When you reach the bend in the road, using all your mirrors, before you turn your steering wheel, take a good look over your right shoulder. This blind spot check is so important and the examiner will be looking out for this check. If the way is clear, turn your steering wheel anticlockwise, about a quarter of a steer. Using your left wing mirror, judge how far away from the path you are. If your car is out too far, give the steering wheel another quarter of a steer. Always remember your car takes an extra second to react so when you steer allow your car time to adjust. Many people here tend to see no difference in their position and start to over-steer at this point. Over-steering at this point will bring you too close to the path that is way allowing the car to adjust is very important.

Once you feel like your car is around the bend, unlock your steering wheel so that the front of your car straightens up and keep reversing backwards until the examiner says stop. It is important to keep your car reversing bank in a straight line to show your examiner you are in complete control.

In your driving lessons, you will get plenty of practice on this manoeuvre and after some time you will find it easier. Always remember that when you are reversing, observation is key. If another car or pedestrian comes towards you, stop your car immediately and let them pass. Failure to do this will be an automatic fail on your driving test.

Automatic Driving Lessons in North Dublin – Hand Signals

Hand signals are another aspect of the driving test. Learning these is important as you want to give yourself the best possible chance when you are driving. Not knowing your hand signals will get you 1 grade 2 fault. ( Blue section on the marking sheet ) This one mark could be the difference in you passing your test. Once learned, they are easy to remember as long as you keep refreshing in your head.

On the diagram above, you see the same signal for both car drivers and cyclists. As the driver, you should carefully bring your right hand and arm out of the car window, holding your arm straight out with thumb facing up. Always check your mirrors before using hand signals as unexpected vehicles coming up from behind could cause serious injury if they were to connect with your arm.

The second signal on the diagram is turning left. Cyclists raise their left arm to turn left but as drivers, this would not be effective. Instead, we drivers bring our right arm out the window and we rotate our hand anti-clockwise. This warns other road users from behind that we intend on turning left.

The third signal on our diagram is slowing down or stopping. Cyclists and drivers use the same signal. We again bring our right arm out of our right window, palm facing down and slowly raise our hand up and down in a gentle motion. This warns other road users from behind that we intend on slowing or stopping.

The last 3 diagrams we covered are to warn the other road users behind us our intension. The next 3 diagrams are to show other road users in front of us our intension. The first diagram displays turning right. Turning right is the same from behind as it is from the front. Simply bring your right arm out the window and hold your arm out straight with your thumb pointing up.

The second diagram is for turning left. As drivers, we bring our right arm across our chest and point out to the left with our thumb pointing up. This way is more effective to show other road users in front of us our intention.

The third diagram shows us the hand signal for continuing straight ahead. This simply is raising your left hand up, with your fingers pointing up and showing the palm of your hand.

These are some basic hand signals that will be asked on your driving test. Hand signals would normally be used if you knew you had an indicator bulb not functioning or your brake lights were not working. Always remember to check your mirrors before you bring your arm outside of the vehicle as it could result in serious injury.

Automatic Driving Lessons in North Dublin

Automatic or Manual? That is a question we hear a lot as driving instructors. Here is my opinion on the topic.

Automatic cars are becoming increasingly popular nowadays with an increase in automatic and electric cars being sold in Ireland. DoneDeal reported that in the first 3 months of 2019, 19000 automatic cars rolled off the forecourts – a record high for the transmission. In my experience, automatic cars are becoming more popular because they are so easy to drive. They are easier because there is no clutch and gears to be managed.

When driving automatic cars, there are usually 4 options on your gears. P – park, R – reverse, N – neutral and D – drive. Usually, when you start your car, the gear lever would be in Park. By pressing down on your footbrake and moving the gear lever down to the Drive option on your gear lever, the car is automatically ready to move off. The reason you hold down on the footbrake is to prevent the car from rolling forward. When it is safe to do so, the car will move off with ease and without the constant fear of cutting out.

The diagram about displays a typical automatic gear lever. As you can see, the letters are displayed on the gears and selecting your gear seems pretty straight forward.

Manual gear boxed on the other hand has more steps involved in getting your car to move off. First of all, you have to press the clutch down to the ground. From this position, selecting your gear is possible. Without pressing the clutch down, selecting your gear is impossible without completely destroying your gearbox. Providing you want to go straight ahead, you would press the clutch down, select first gear, gently release the clutch to the “biting point.” The biting point is where your clutch and gear is engaged and the car is ready to move off. When it is safe to do so, you would release the clutch a little more, about the thickness of a coin and apply a little pressure to your accelerator. As your revs will be increasing because of the pressure on the accelerator, slowly come off the clutch and your gear will be fully engaged and you will be driving.

The diagram above displays a typical manual gear lever. As you can see, there are gears 1 – 5, N meaning neutral and R meaning reverse.

It is easy to see why automatic cars are becoming more popular. As there is no clutch or gears to negotiate, driving becomes far more fun and enjoyable.

When you are learning how to drive, sometimes people get so wrapped up in the gears they find it difficult to learn anything else. They worry about “cutting out” when moving off and do not check their mirrors and blind spots.

I would recommend anyone who struggles with gears to drive automatic as it is much easier and fun. If you pass your test in an automatic, your licence will only allow you to drive an automatic car. This can create some issues when they want to borrow a parents or friends car that is a manual transmission.

Driving Lessons Raheny – ADM Driving School – Roundabouts

Roundabouts

Driving in Ireland, roundabouts are part of everyday driving. Roundabouts are designed to keep traffic flowing freely and they replace traffic lights at bigger junctions. When you are doing your EDT lessons we will spend a full lesson learning about roundabouts and what to do when you get to them. Although all roundabouts are different, usually the same rules apply unless road markings or road signs say differently.

Before we drive to a roundabout and drive around it, we learn from our book what to expect and what rules apply. Once we know the basic rules we will approach a roundabout. In a previous blog, I mentioned MSPSL. ( Mirror, Signal, Position, Speed and look ) As with nearly every task we take when driving, MSPSL is so important as it prepares you for the task ahead.

In our lesson, I will be giving the direction for us to take the first exit. ( see diagram and imagine the diagram to be a clock and we are approaching from the 6 o clock side of the clock ) When I give you your instruction, that is when MSPSL will start. You will be expected to check your mirrors, signal your intension ( indicate ) to inform other road users of where you are going, position the car on the left lane, reduce your speed and look ahead onto the roundabout and also look at the other road users and anticipate potential hazards.

As we are taking the first exit we would use the left-hand lane. ( see diagram ) Providing there are no cars ahead of us, we would drive up to the yield lines on the road. Once at the road markings, we are looking around for potential hazards but more importantly, we are watching traffic coming from the right. Traffic coming from the right will have right of way on roundabouts so if you see traffic on the roundabout you must stop at the road markings. Only when it is safe to do so with no traffic coming from the right can you move off. If there is no traffic around and the way is clear, it is not necessary to stop but slow down on approach. Always check your mirrors for cyclists especially when turning left as they can surprise you up the inside. When exiting the roundabout, check your mirror, cancel your indicator, position your car safely, adjust your speed to suit the new road and look ahead. (MSPSL)

When going straight ahead, you would position your car in the middle lane. The same principles apply. When I give the direction we use MSPSL. After executing MSPSL, we will be in the perfect position to approach the roundabout. Signalling is different when going straight ahead. When we are on the roundabout, we signal after the first exit. This warns other road users of our intension. Once the way is clear, we exit the road about and the same principle apply.

When turning right on the roundabout, we use MSPSL again. This time, we signal right before we reach the roundabout. On approach to our exit, we signal left when we are past the second exit. If the way is clear we will then exit the roundabout smoothly.

After practising roundabouts a few times, you will become more confident and you will approach them with ease

Road Signs

Road signs and road markings are in place to keep all road users as safe as possible. You must know what road signs and road markings mean before you attempt to drive on a public road.  You must know and understand these signs and respond correctly when you see the on the road. Signs and road markings are divided into three broad categories:

• Regulatory
• Warning
• Information

Regulatory Signs

These indicate what you must do under the road traffic law, so all road users must obey them. Regulatory Signs are divided into a number of groups:

• Upright Signs
• Road Markings
• Traffic Lights

The diagram above displays some upright signs. They can be circular, triangular, rectangular or octagonal. Usually, the signs would be on a white background with a red border and black letters, symbols or numbers or on a blue background with white symbols or letters.

Warning Signs

These signs warn you of hazards ahead, such as roundabouts, crossroads, dangerous bends or anything else that would call on you to drive more carefully. You should always take special care when you see a warning sign. If you fail to observe these signs, you could create a hazard.

All warning signs have the same format.

• are diamond or rectangular in shape;
• have a yellow and black background with a black border
• use a black symbol to show the hazard ahead

Information Signs

As their name suggests, these signs give information about directions and distances from your current location. There are three format for information signs.

• blue signs with white letters for motorways
• green signs with white letters, which are on national roads
• white signs with black letters, which are on local and regional roads.

Under The Bonnet

Under the bonnet can be a daunting part of your driving test. Knowing the engine parts is so important, not only to pass your test but to keep your engine in the best possible condition. Knowing when to add oil and how to apply it is vital to the health of your engine as driving a car low on oil increases wear and tear and could potentially make your engine seize up.

First of all, you need to know how to open the engine. Usually, there is a bonnet release lever at your right knee where the accelerator would be positioned. In some cars, the lever would be positioned on the passenger side where your left knee would be positioned.

Once opened, the tester would usually ask “how would you check the oil level?” The tester doesn’t really need to know a mechanical answer, an answer as simple as “take the dip-stick out, wipe the dip-stick with a rag, re-insert and take back out to see where your oil level is on the dip-stick.” A simple answer like this is more than enough. To add oil. all you do is open the oil cap which is located on the engine. ( black cap on the engine block.)

Adding windscreen washer fluid, the tricky part is locating where to insert the fluid. All cars are different and place their fluid tanks in different places. Usually, they are big caps with a picture of a windscreen and a wiper on the cap. ( Blue cap on the right-hand side on the diagram.)

Another question is about coolant. Coolant is vital to keep your engine cool when driving. Coolant is normally a big tank with pink fluid inside. Adding coolant is easy enough but so important to do when the engine is cold. Top coolant up to between the minimum and maximum lines located on the tank. ( See top left on the diagram.)

Brake Fluid could be another question the tester would like you to explain. Brake fluid is normally in a small tank with a cap and a diagram on the cap. The diagram looks like (!) on the cap. If you see your brake fluid is low it is very important to top up with more brake fluid.

Warning lights on your dashboard are a great help in telling you you need to top up fluids. If the light comes on the dash the fluid is at a critical point and must be topped up immediately. A red oil can will appear when your car needs oil or a (!) will appear when you need brake fluid. Acting fast could save your engine from failure,

Moving Off From A Parked Position

The ability to move off from a parked position is key in passing your driving test. This manoeuvre is completed 4 times during the test without the student even realizing it. Many people actually fail there test by not doing this manoeuvre properly. There are so many possible hazards when you are moving out and we will cover the main ones today.

From the diagram above we see the letters MSPSL. These letters stand for Mirrors, Signal, Manoeuvre, Speed and Look. As the diagram suggests the car must be put into gear. Usually, you would move out of a parking area in 1st gear.

Mirrors. Once the car is in 1st gear, we then check our blind spots and our mirrors. It is so important that you check these areas for a number of reasons. First, you check your blind spot out the passenger window. You are looking for any potential hazards from pedestrians to small animals. Next is your passenger side wing mirror. Checking this mirror will show you if you have anything coming up behind you on the footpath. Next is you inside rearview mirror. This mirror tells you what is coming up from behind. Next is your driver side wing mirror. When moving out from a parked position this mirror is so important as it shows you what’s coming up from behind you. This could be anything from moving traffic to cyclists. Next is your blind spot. To check this turn your head and look out the driver-side window. The blind spot check is so important as it warns you of any potential hazards coming from the side. Again this could be a pedestrian or a cyclist or a number of different scenarios.

Signal. After your blind spot and mirror check, if the way is clear, signal your intention. In other words, indicate in the direction you are moving out. If there are lots of cyclists and cars coming, don’t indicate right away as you could potentially make a cyclist swerve into the line of traffic. Wait until you see a safe gap in the traffic coming up, then signal your intention.

Manoeuvre. Once it is safe to do so, pull out from your parking position. Looking into the road ahead, position your car safely so you are not in the middle of the road or too close to potential parked cars on the left. Position your car so you are not constantly weaving in and out of potential hazards.

Speed. If the road ahead is clear, accelerate the car up to the speed limit on the street you are driving on. In your driving test, the examiner really wants to see your progress and will penalize you for driving slowly. So don’t be shy and get your car up to the speed limit.

Look. Now you are in a great position on the road. Look into the road ahead and examine the road for potential hazards. this could be a number of things like pedestrian crossings or speed ramps. Negotiating potential hazards before you get to them is vital. You can adjust speed and position the car safely long before you reach the hazard. This will avoid harsh braking and swerving in and out of parked cars.

This is a very important aspect of the driving test and it is vital to practice these every time you move out from a parked position.

Drivers Theory Test

The Drivers Theory Test ( DTT ) is a test you have to complete before the RSA give you your provisional licence. To pass the exam you must study the Rules of the Road and The Official Driver Theory Test Questions and Answers book. This book covers all the possible questions the could be asked.

When you get to your designated test centre you will have to produce ID. ID must be valid and failure to produce a valid ID will result in the cancellation of your test. Applicants must also be on time preferably 15 minutes before the test time. You will be signed in and a Test Centre Administrator how the test works. You will be then shown to your computer where you will take the test.

There are 40 multiple choice questions in the Category B ( car ) section. In order to pass the test, you must answer 35 questions correctly. In the test, each question you are asked is accompanied by four possible answers. Only one answer is correct. The test is computerised and you will get a chance to practise before the test. You will be given 45 minutes to complete the test.

Possible questions could be:

What should a driver do when approaching traffic lights stuck on red?

• Maintain speed and continue through the red light?
• Stop and proceed with great caution?
• Slow down and beep your horn to alert other drivers of your presence?
• Assume they should be green and continue through the red light?

What should a driver do when being overtaken by another vehicle?

• Continue at the same speed?
• Speed up and not let the overtaking driving in ahead of you?
• Press hard on your brakes?
• Beep your horn because he is driving dangerously?

These are types of questions that could be asked in your Drivers Theory Test. As you can see there could be complications in doing the test if you do not study the Diver Theory Test Questions and Answers Book.

Once you have completed your Driver Theory Test, before you leave the test centre, you will be handed a score report with your results. This report will show the specific category seas where you answered the questions incorrectly.

If you pass the test your next step is to apply for your provisional licence at the National Driver Licence Service ( NDLS ). Once you have your provisional Licence you are ready to start your driving lessons.

Under The Bonnet 

Your examiner will ask you to open your bonnet before you start driving. Your examiner will ask you questions such as “where does the oil go?” or “can you tell me where you would put the coolant?” It is important to know these things as you will start your test on the right track and you will impress your examiner.

Oil is essential to keeping your engine running smoothly as it keeps all components lubricated. Driving a car with little or no oil can cause serious, sometimes unfixable damage. Your examiner will ask you “where do I put the engine oil?” This is usually an easy one to find as it is the only cap on the engine.

Check your oil level regularly by using what is called a “dip-stick.” Ideally, you would check the oil when the oil is cold and the car is on a flat surface. Take the dip-stick out wipe with a rag or tissue, reinsert, take back out and you should see oil on the end of the dip-stick. You want the oil to be between max and min on the dip-stick.

Coolant is vital to your engine as it keeps your engine cool when your car is driving. You can easily spot the coolant tank as it is the big, see-through tank. This tank is supposed to contain a pink liquid “coolant” inside.

Your examiner could ask you about brake fluid. This can be harder to spot as it is usually a smaller see-through tank. Usually, there is a small diagram of “!” with a circle around it and that image is in brackets.

Your examiner will ask you “where do you put the windscreen washer fluid?” Having a clean windscreen is vital when you are on the road. Filling your windscreen washer fluid regularly is so important as you will use it all the time. Sometimes it can be tricky to find as all cars tend to have it in different areas but you will spot it easily as there is a small diagram on the cap of a windscreen and wiper with a water droplet.

Video published by the RSA on Youtube

Tests postponed until the 19/04/2020

Please see the following statement published on the RSA Website. (https://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Learner-Drivers/The-Driving-Test/Driving-Test-Disruptions/ ) 13/03/2020

Following the Government decision to introduce measures to delay the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) the Road Safety Authority (RSA) sought and has received advice from the public health authorities who are managing this public health crisis. Based on that advice we are suspending all driving tests following the conclusion of the last test today Friday 13 March 2020.

The suspension of driving tests will run until 19 April 2020 and this will be kept under review.

We understand that this will cause inconvenience to our customers, but it is the correct measure to take given the public health advice concerning social distancing and given the personal nature of the driver testing service. RSA driver testers are in close proximity to members of the public, in a confined space, for up to 40 minutes on each driving test.

Those who have a driving test scheduled during this period will have the test rescheduled free of charge and we will be directly in contact with candidates in the coming days. Updates around the re-starting of driving tests will be published on rsa.ie and RSA social media.