The Irish Driving Test

[SteK]

Must the easiest in the World judging by the standard of driving on the M50 this morning.

[famethrowa]

Spike Milligan sketch, 1970, missing believed wiped

[Dog Botherer]

took me 3 goes. but i'm a shit driver. so it's probably easy enough. yank one is like driving go-karts easy.

[SteK]

Spike Milligan sketch, 1970, missing believed wiped

The Irish Moon Shot one is genius! Mission Control, Sligo....

[wosl]

[touchingcloth]

I have a friend who lived in Belfast for a while, and he says that car insurance premiums used to be through the roof due to the number of uninsured poor (as in quality of driving-wise) drivers was so high. Any truth to that second hand observation?

[GMTV]

I have a friend who lived in Belfast for a while, and he says that car insurance premiums used to be through the roof due to the number of uninsured poor (as in quality of driving-wise) drivers was so high. Any truth to that second hand observation?

Don't know anything in the slightest about what you're talking about, but I reckon you're right mate.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I have a friend who lived in Belfast for a while, and he says that car insurance premiums used to be through the roof due to the number of uninsured poor (as in quality of driving-wise) drivers was so high. Any truth to that second hand observation?

In the roi you used to be able to dive solo on a provisional, so a lot of people dragged that out longer than they should. One of my nan's relatives got a licence without a test because they had an amnesty.

[SteK]

..and only since 1968 has a test at all been required. Prior to that, pop into An Post and just pay for your driving licence....

[SteK]

I have a friend who lived in Belfast for a while, and he says that car insurance premiums used to be through the roof due to the number of uninsured poor (as in quality of driving-wise) drivers was so high. Any truth to that second hand observation?

That's the North though.

I'm insured in UK still, £400, in Ireland they wanted 1600 Euro.....

[touchingcloth]

In the roi you used to be able to dive solo on a provisional, so a lot of people dragged that out longer than they should. One of my nan's relatives got a licence without a test because they had an amnesty.

I think that was the crux of it actually - people all over the place legally on the road with no licence, like scooters but smashier.

Don't know anything in the slightest about what you're talking about, but I reckon you're right mate.

Stupid Mick Paddy, right? What's he like.

[NoOffenceLynn]

I know there was an "amnesty" given to people who were applying for their test but never took it and were granted a full licence. This was due to a backlog in applications.
I think that's why there seems to be such older selfrightous/dangerous twats on the road these days.

Having said that, until a few you ago you could drive on a provisional license, fail your test a few times and still be insured.

A Driving Instructor could say "I'm sorry to tell you, you have failed your driving test, you are a danger to yourself and everyone on the road, be careful when driving home"

[Malcy]

Don't think anyone really knows how to drive in Ireland. Especially the huge amount that will drive half on one lane of dual carriageway and half in the hard shoulder.

When I lived there there was loads of people I knew off the road for drink driving and most of the rest just hadn't been caught yet.

I was shocked when someone told me they had got a full licence out in the post despite not even applying for it.

Friend of mine was caught drink driving 3 times in a week. Only on the third occasion did they actually decide to keep his keys. He was given 3 months in jail and released the next morning because they didn't have the room.

[gilbertharding]

And MOT tests in Northern Ireland have been suspended.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51273872

[Fambo Number Mive]

Never been to Ireland, but I doubt they are any worse than English drivers. Using your phone while driving or drinking tea while driving seems to be more and more common. There isn't the infrastructure or resources to properly police driving in England. Driving is a privilege not a right (unless you live in a rural area or your disability means you can't use public transport) and a large percentage of those driving around should not be on the road.

I don't think the problem in England is with the driving test but how easy it is to get away with driving dangerously and how short driving bans are. More banned drivers on public transport would increase public transport revenue and make more people care about public transport as well.

[NoOffenceLynn]

took me 3 goes. but i'm a shit driver. so it's probably easy enough. yank one is like driving go-karts easy.

Agree, it's down to the automatic transmission. If you can open and close a car door and not kill anyone while doing that, then basically you've passed.

[paruses]

Don't think anyone really knows how to drive in Ireland. Especially the huge amount that will drive half on one lane of dual carriageway and half in the hard shoulder.

When I lived there there was loads of people I knew off the road for drink driving and most of the rest just hadn't been caught yet.

I was shocked when someone told me they had got a full licence out in the post despite not even applying for it.

Friend of mine was caught drink driving 3 times in a week. Only on the third occasion did they actually decide to keep his keys. He was given 3 months in jail and released the next morning because they didn't have the room.

It's only just become the case that being done for drink driving gets you an automatic ban rather than points, hasn't it? One of the Healy-Raes was lamenting it as the end of rural life in Ireland.

[Sebastian Cobb]

It's only just become the case that being done for drink driving gets you an automatic ban rather than points, hasn't it? One of the Healy-Raes was lamenting it as the end of rural life in Ireland.

A proposal to increase the limit for old people in rural areas so they could drive to and from the pub was also purposed.

Heaven forbid the landlords or community find a way to get them there and back.

[Glebe]

I'm 44 and I have never sat behind the wheel of a car.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

Never been to Ireland, but I doubt they are any worse than English drivers. Using your phone while driving or drinking tea while driving seems to be more and more common. There isn't the infrastructure or resources to properly police driving in England. Driving is a privilege not a right (unless you live in a rural area or your disability means you can't use public transport) and a large percentage of those driving around should not be on the road.

I don't think the problem in England is with the driving test but how easy it is to get away with driving dangerously and how short driving bans are. More banned drivers on public transport would increase public transport revenue and make more people care about public transport as well.

You sound fun.

[peanutbutter]

Main difference I've noticed between Ireland and England wrt drivers is that a lot of English ones don't seem to believe in using indicators.

Ireland's test is pretty hard, but like, it seems to vary hugely depending on where you're taking it. There's a huge number of older drivers who never had to take it though and I imagine they're a disaster on a motorway when they've to go on one.

[SteK]

And MOT tests in Northern Ireland have been suspended.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51273872

And sort of in the South too. Take your car for NCT (MOT) and they as use the same lift manufacturer they don't do the underside test, you get a fail, plus a nice note in case you get stopped by the Guards saying 'Let him off, he'll bring it back when we've sorted the lifts out and test the underside'.

So you have to take it back when they tell you for the rest of the test. And they warn you it's still your responsibility to ensure your car is road worth.

Only in Ireland.....

[SteK]

Main difference I've noticed between Ireland and England wrt drivers is that a lot of English ones don't seem to believe in using indicators.

Ireland's test is pretty hard, but like, it seems to vary hugely depending on where you're taking it. There's a huge number of older drivers who never had to take it though and I imagine they're a disaster on a motorway when they've to go on one.

Undertaking, it's rampant on the M50, it's like USA. And a complete lack of understanding about what a box junction is.

Was trying to get on the N2 tonight, there's this SUV ON the roundabout indicating left, then right, then left again doing 2mph, no other cars at all, so I overtake (on a roundabout not good but it is actually illegal?) and the SUV turns into me despite signalling left. Luckily I had the horses and it missed me.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Another bit of NI MOT weirdness I saw was that they worded their rules regarding washers on HID lights slightly different to the rest of the UK meaning cars that never had washers but did have HID lights were a failure, meaning people had to get them retrofitted. In fact someone on a car forum just ran some aquarium tubing from their washer line and gaffer taped it to their bumper to get a pass.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Main difference I've noticed between Ireland and England wrt drivers is that a lot of English ones don't seem to believe in using indicators.

A lot of drivers in England don't indicate before turning into a road which makes it quite scary when one wants to cross the road. And you get a few who leave their indicator on after having turned into the road they are driving along so you think they are going to turn again into the road you are about to cross but they aren't.

[touchingcloth]

Undertaking, it's rampant on the M50, it's like USA. And a complete lack of understanding about what a box junction is.

Was trying to get on the N2 tonight, there's this SUV ON the roundabout indicating left, then right, then left again doing 2mph, no other cars at all, so I overtake (on a roundabout not good but it is actually illegal?) and the SUV turns into me despite signalling left. Luckily I had the horses and it missed me.

A lot of drivers in England don't indicate before turning into a road which makes it quite scary when one wants to cross the road. And you get a few who leave their indicator on after having turned into the road they are driving along so you think they are going to turn again into the road you are about to cross but they aren't.

These people are all cunts, but somehow the ones I find the worst are the ones who are aware that their car has an indicator and that they are supposed to use it, but who don't turn the signal on until after they have started their manoeuvre as if it's some form of sympathetic magic.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I AM TURNING LEFT,

[idunnosomename]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DONT KNOW HOW TO DRIVE

WHAT ARE YOU A CHILD