| Attitude is best summed up by a review of | | | | reaction times in all situations. If you have |
| what you have done so far, to reach a certain | | | | not taken the trouble to familiarise yourself |
| standard in your driving. Have you taken | | | | with all the various hotspots which may be |
| advice from friends, relatives or | | | | temporary or permanent, scattered throughout |
| acquaintances or have you taken the whole | | | | the general Test Route area then it is very |
| thing much more seriously and picked up the | | | | likely that here is where you will come a |
| phone and booked lessons with a Professional | | | | cropper. "Oh but I only made that one error |
| Driving School?A Professional School will | | | | because I didn't know the new road layout was |
| equip you with the skills needed to survive, | | | | about to be implemented, and it wasn't there |
| stay safe and enjoy trouble-free Motoring. | | | | yesterday ".This type of mistake in an |
| Passing the Driving Test will be achievable | | | | unusual situation leads to numerous grade |
| providing you learn to drive first. Preparing | | | | three faults on Driving Tests and as we know |
| for a Driving Test should only commence when | | | | one grade three is a disqualification. Grade |
| you have reached a certain level of Driving | | | | three type difficult situations are |
| Skill and will be so much easier than doing | | | | commonplace in every day driving and if |
| it the other way round. A Driving Test Pass | | | | strict marking was not in force then there |
| is only the beginning of your Driving career | | | | would be many more first time Test Passes but |
| not the end!There are several every day | | | | many more Write-Offs with the attendant |
| driving skills that are essential for safe | | | | misery.Obviously nerves can play a big part |
| motoring but which are not tested on a | | | | on the day and some candidates are better at |
| Driving Test. Would you ignore these because | | | | controlling these emotions than others. If |
| they will not be encountered on your Test? I | | | | you can reduce this stress by telling |
| hope not.What are they?(1) Driving on Country | | | | yourself that it will not be the end of the |
| Roads.(2) Driving on the Carriageway at full | | | | World if you don't pass this time then you |
| speed.(3) Driving at Night.(4) Driving in | | | | will probably be more relaxed and will drive |
| adverse Weather conditions.(5) Emergency | | | | much better. Remember it is you who has to do |
| Stop.(6) Reverse around a right hand | | | | your homework and be confident that you can |
| corner.(7) Reverse Parking into a tight | | | | do all manoeuvres, not the Examiner. With |
| space.(8) Driving in log-jammed Rush hour | | | | this confidence will come competence and you |
| Traffic.A number of these manoeuvres are | | | | will do a much better job on the day.Not |
| currently included on the U.K. Driving Test | | | | enough homework, not enough practise and not |
| and will one day form part of the Irish | | | | enough lessons all conspire to produce an |
| Driving Test when we finally come up to | | | | unsatisfactory result. Taking lessons two |
| European Standards.Attitude to the Driving | | | | weeks before your Test just won't prepare you |
| Test.There are many myths and legends | | | | sufficiently to be successful and to build up |
| surrounding the Driving Test; lets examine | | | | that level of confidence that is needed.Take |
| some of them The right attitude for a new | | | | care and Take lessons. Driving Schools are |
| beginner Driver should be a non | | | | not there to fleece; you they are there to |
| confrontational one and a realisation that | | | | help you achieve a satisfactory level of |
| you the Driver are responsible for the | | | | Driving Skill and to enable you to arrive |
| result, be it positive or negative.Examiners | | | | alive!Robin Piggott is a Driving Instructor |
| do not have a quota of passes or fails to be | | | | in Ireland who brings four decades of |
| achieved. Yes they are human and subject to | | | | experience to his Astral Driving School based |
| outside influences such as first impressions, | | | | in Limerick. His newly refurbed web site due |
| as we all are. It is just as easy for a | | | | to launch in a day or two can be found at |
| candidate to create a poor first impression | | | | Here you can find a treasure trove of |
| as it is to achieve a good one so why not do | | | | everything for the Learner Driver and also |
| your homework and give yourself a head start | | | | pages for the visitor who is contemplating |
| over those candidates who don't take the Test | | | | Touring Ireland by Car.In the meantime why |
| seriously enough.An Examiner is not looking | | | | not visit the exsiting site at and pick up |
| for perfection but a reasonably high degree | | | | your free seven part mini-course on "Passing |
| of competence allied to good action and | | | | ther Driving Test First Time". |