South Meath Driving School

Drivers of all shapes and makes, of the adequate genre and inadequate genius have one common denominator when it comes to the driving test – they believe that it fails them, and not that they fail it, when they fail it. For those who do not come up to the mark when the bar is raised, when a little perspiration is evident, there’s the Post Mortem without the Pathologist. Well, it’s what we all do every day in our lives, whether related to important matters or just the weather. ‘Why’ is the question. In the case of Cormac Reilly, last Sunday’s referee in the Kildare – Dublin match, he’s around somewhere listening to all the comments and getting feedback on why he gave the infamous free; there’s the T.V. and Press analysis, not to mention the tried and trusted interpretations of the multitudes who change wine into water at their beloved hostelry .

In a driving test situation, the tester is rarely confronted over his or her marking or Test Report. They will state that they are not permitted to discuss the reason they applied a particular fault in Grade 1, 2 or 3. However, they may give feedback on some aspects of the test, if requested. This is in the form of being merely told that the marking system is explained on the back of the Report Sheet – that’s the colourful sheet outlining the various faults and grades applied to any particular test. An example of a fault may be given by a tester but, they won’t refer to the fault(s) incurred by the driver who may have failed. Any applicant who fails a test may appeal the matter to the District Court which may allow or reject the appeal. If allowed, the applicant is merely permitted to re-sit the test free of charge; however, the Court has not the power to order the grant of a Certificate of Competency in the case.

Interpreting the Driver Report Form is another day’s work. For example, under the heading ‘Take Proper Observation,’ there are seven sub-headings for scrutiny. We’ll take the one ‘turning left.’ So, a fault will be incurred if a driver doesn’t take adequate observation before and while turning left (into a junction.) This is where the ambitious and well-trained driver fouls up on test day and wonders aloud where this fault came from. Firstly, the correct position on the left has to be taken up, then there should be a check on the rear (internal) and left wing mirrors and, while more likely in 2^nd gear’s speed, look into the junction before and while entering it. Reason being,  there could be a cyclist, for instance, moving up on the inside and intending to proceed straight on; (should the driver not have observed him, there could be a little impact and the one who’s insured more often than not  pays the piper.)  Then, there could be an obstruction within the mouth of the junction – say, a pedestrian moving across. Hence, the reason for the mirrors and observation.

The applicant will often believe that he or she complied with the correct steps and wonders again and again where the fault could have come from. The tester doesn’t require X-ray eyes to see if the turn was done safely and adequately. It will all be quite obvious. This is how well a driver has to interpret this one manoeuvre that, in itself, appears simple and puerile. There are about one hundred such ‘faults’ to be negotiated in the pressurised half hour that is the driving test. And, in looking further at the same ‘turning left,’ there are other considerations to boot. At no. 11 paragraph comes the headline, ‘Maintain reasonable progress and avoid undue hesitancy when,’ you guessed it, ‘turning left.’ So, not only have you to take good observation before and while entering the junction – and you can only do that by being in a low gear – you must also get on with the job at a reasonable pace. It does appear slightly contradictory. And, just in case you thought there was no more to ‘turning left,’ there’s further headlines for consumption by the hard pressed applicant; under further headings he must, ‘position the vehicle correctly and in good time;’ ‘give correct signals in good time,’ ‘adjust speed to suit/on approach,’ and ‘yield right of way as required.’

Those manoeuvres may seem simplistic to the regular or even average driver who never had an accident, drives ten miles every day and is aged over 50. Yes they would say it’s a ‘cake walk.’ The real problem that I see with such a turning is the cyclist moving up on the inside or the pedestrian moving across an obscured junction, suddenly. It is very hard on an inexperienced driver to impose all those technicalities. That’s why this new system has come into operation, to give such driver more time to learn and practise. So why then does the more seasoned driver have a problem with those technicalities, one might ask. It may be that they acquire habits which are fairly safe and they get by having the odd scare or close call, or indeed, no such close calls at all.

The RSA’s reply to all who whinge about the high standard of the test and the likes of those nit-picking sub-headings, is that there were 212 deaths on our roads last year and many more times that in serious injury. Safety requires a higher level of awareness to danger that lurks within every junction, especially when you can’t see into it.