The Day of the Test!

Here are the things you will have to check before the Test and on the Day itself.

1.     Ensure that you know which Test Centre you are being tested at.

2.     Ensure that you have checked out the Test centre several Days beforehand so that you know where you have to park and where you may not. This spying mission will give you an idea of how busy the Centre is and also what hazards are present in the immediate Area.

3.     Not all Test Centres have bathroom facilities believe it or not! Limerick’s main Test Centre for the last 25 years does not. The new second Test Centre in Limerick at Castlemungret is custom built and has good facilities. It does however have nasty Roundabout 300 metres from the Test Centre which on a busy day can be treacherous. Hint Hint!

4.     Be at the Test Centre at least 10 minutes ahead of your Appointment.

5.     Reverse park into your space and make sure you are equi-distant between the lines and parallel. (You can reverse by now can’t you?)

6.     Make sure you have Your Provisional License with you.

7.     Double check lights and indicators and brake lights are all functioning correctly. How do you check your Brake lights when you are on your own? The answer is hidden somewhere on this site! Hint. Hint.

8.     Make sure you know all the Technical check Questions inside out and knowing the answers would be a good idea too. Hint. Hint

9.     Be able to demonstrate all the secondary controls quickly and without hesitation AND without taking your eyes off the Road. Practise remember?

10. Don’t forget to fill up your screen wash bottle…even if we are having a heat wave (which is unlikely if you are in the West of Ireland) the weather can turn nasty very quickly and plenty of screen wash will keep your Windscreen clean and clear. Again in Castlemungret Test Area in Limerick you are on the main through-Traffic route for all vehicles by- passing the City Centre which means wall to wall Trucks quite often. Trucks plus heavy rain equals= lots of unmentionable on your windscreen which equals=? Hint. Hint

11. Before the Day of your Test you should have checked all your tyres for compliance with regulations and correct pressures. Don’t forget to check that your spare wheel is fully inflated also.

12. Buy some spare bulbs for speedy replacement. Brake light or indicator bulbs can go at any time even on the way to a Test as happened to one of our pupils last year. The Test was cancelled by the Examiner who graciously said that if the candidate had been carrying some spare bulbs they would have been on the road in a flash. Hint. Hint

13. Your Driving Instructor should be advising you of all these points and showing you how to cope   with simple emergencies yourself. Bulbs can often go in pairs as can punctures! The old Boy Scouts motto is worth remembering…”Be Prepared”. You could also sign up for Sky Satellite T.V and learn a lot from Ray Mears who has a great series on survival in the wilderness! Read “The Emergency Kit” page …one day this could be you!

14. Switch your mobile (cell) phone off and put it away. Put everything else away  that did not come with the car when it was new or better still leave all the rubbish at home .You know.. theC.Ds; the hanging gardens of Babylon; your Nodding Dogs; Fishing Tackle(yes we have even seen this!)And every loose piece floating around in your car. This cr-p does nothing for your reputation and creates an immediate BAD Bad impression with the Examiner. A good first impression could make the difference as with any life situation.

If you can honestly say with your hand on your Heart that you have dealt with all of the above points then you will have given yourself a head start over so many Learner Drivers who are just not on the right wave length!

Give yourself 1500 Brownie points for being serious about your Driving and your Safety and of course that of all the others that you have to interreact with when you are on the road.

Good Luck on the Day

p.s read my quote at Pre-Test Tuition

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