Tips for 'P' plater test?

Serial_Fool · 01-10-2007, 10:21 PM

G'day,

In two days I will be going for my all important 'P' plater test and I was wondering if anyone who has passed it recently (i'm located in SA btw) could give me some tips etc?

I'm a country kid so city driving kinda gets onto my nerves so any pointers would be appreciated!

Not looking forward to driving the crappy Deawoo test car either.....

Cheers

TEaaron · 01-10-2007, 10:27 PM

Take a double lesson before the test or if you're not using an instructors car drive for a good 2 hours around the test area.

Be confidant, stay 5k's under the limet,
Do corners at 20k's
Don't drive too much like a grandma (taking 30 seconds to reach 50k's)

Don't tell people you're GETTING your P's in 2 days. (i know you didn't in the above post)

The test just flys by I reckon.

Serial_Fool · 01-10-2007, 10:31 PM

Righto mate i'll keep those things in mind.

Anyone else got some wisdom?

Kryton · 01-10-2007, 10:36 PM

pretend the other people in the car dont exist.
keep checking your mirrors...constantly.
turn your head slightly too so the tester can physically see you are checking your mirrors.

Venomous · 01-10-2007, 10:45 PM

Yeah i go tomorrow.
Eeeek.
I should be fine though i think, I'm a pretty good driver. And stupid me told everyone i was going, so it will be mighty embarrassing if i do fail haha

XCSEDAN · 01-10-2007, 10:47 PM

ok heres a tip RELAX!
stay chilled and calm.
it seriously is just normal driving!
i was crapping my dacks when there was really no need to at all.

TEaaron · 01-10-2007, 10:50 PM

I managed to pass my test after going 20k's over the limet.

I missed a 40k time zone because I was so concentrated on the road and stayed at 60k's.

The tester said to me that she'l let it go because she could see I had excellent car control skills and I passed with 98%

Serial_Fool · 01-10-2007, 10:52 PM

Yeah i'll get to the place early and do some laps around where I think they will go. I've got a single lesson already booked before my test so if I'm doing anything wrong I'm sure they will point it out.

The funny thing is, even if I do ace the test on Wednesday I wouldn't be getting my P's licence officially until December because my 6 months aren't up yet.

Better to get it out of the way quick I suppose......

Falcon_Phill · 01-10-2007, 11:05 PM

Don't fail, works every time.

majin_andrew · 01-10-2007, 11:12 PM

Have friendly small talk with the tester. It will both help you to relax and get you on the testers good side.

freedom::blue · 01-10-2007, 11:16 PM

i chatted to my examiner the whole time, tried to bring up a topic she'd be interested in, so we talked about the road rules in the uk where she was from and how they are different to here...

stayed 5km under the speed limit, steered carefully with both hands, joked that i'm not used to driving a hyundai getz, i'm used to big fairlanes, she liked fairlanes so we talked a little about that.

in the end the only thing i didn't do right, was that i could have stopped over the line at the lights waiting to turn right into a side street.

also, when i got to the office before my test, i made sure that i 'didn't care' that i was going for my test.. i looked around at the other guys there and they were nervous as hell, shaking their legs and couldnt keep their hands still..

just pretend your taking your mother/father for a nice drive around the block, and take your time.

Conrad · 02-10-2007, 01:25 AM

I didn't really think anything i was doing was being noticed (i did my test 2 weeks ago and passed first time). The tester never looked at me. We jsut drove around and once we pulled back up he just said "You passed." and we both walked in silently he gave me my logbook back and 4 Red P plates and told me to wait and i'd be called over to get my photo taken.

1. Check mirrors
2. Take corners slowly
3. Relax, theres nothing to fret about.. Just drive like you would with mum.
4. Stay 5kms under the limit and if you are doing your test between the hours of 8:30am-9:30am or 2:30pm-3:30pm then make sure you go through school zones at 40km/h!
5. Come to a complete stop at stop signs. Wait 3 seconds. Then go.
6. Indicate for 5 seconds when leaving kerb (from parking).
7. Indicate within 30 metres from the turn, don't leave it too late.
8. Don't worry if you fail, it's not a big deal. You can try again.

V3RSAC3 · 02-10-2007, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conrad

1. Check mirrors
2. Take corners slowly
3. Relax, theres nothing to fret about.. Just drive like you would with mum.
4. Stay 5kms under the limit and if you are doing your test between the hours of 8:30am-9:30am or 2:30pm-3:30pm then make sure you go through school zones at 40km/h!
5. Come to a complete stop at stop signs. Wait 3 seconds. Then go.
6. Indicate for 5 seconds when leaving kerb (from parking).
7. Indicate within 30 metres from the turn, don't leave it too late.
8. Don't worry if you fail, it's not a big deal. You can try again.

pretty much all that, besides it's 25km/h in schools zones not 40!!

and before you indicate, do the rear view mirror check, check ur side mirror that you will be turning to, and check you're blind spot ... make sure you turn you're head to check you're mirrors, even if you dont have too, that way ur instructor knows that you have checked, and hold you're gaze for a little more than a second so as it's not just a quick look ...

remember these and you shouls be fine!!

Goodluck! and to Venomous!!!

the test scares the sh!t out of you ... but once it's over, seriously, it's no big deal

aye you · 02-10-2007, 08:03 AM

Dont ware sunglasses, i know it sucks, but this will help the tester see you checking your mirrors.

whenever they give an instruction mirror check, its the first thing that they will look for.

Don't be afraid to vioce what your doing, helps them understand the thought process you go through once they give an instruction

Keepleft · 02-10-2007, 08:12 AM

Download and read this, if you have not done so already, Pdf 2.2mb
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/...d_feb_2007.pdf

Venomous · 02-10-2007, 11:49 AM

Yeah i'm going in a moment. Got a driving lesson first and then the test.
I went for a big drive with dad last night in mums astra and i did everything fine, just gotta hope i can pull it all together.

It's so different learning in my XR6 and then going to a smaller car though.

EA Bogan · 02-10-2007, 12:23 PM

just pretend you are a taxi driver or a pizza delivery driver or something (thats what i ended up being anyways) and that this is your job, and you must do it well, but there really isnt anything to worry about as you have been doing it for awhile and there is nothnig to be worried about. Or something along the lines of that. It worked for my two friends that i suggested it to. Oh and always move your head frantically in both directions upon approaching an intersection becuse as my stupid old prat of an instructor always said, "If i cant see your head moving i dont know if your actually checking". I know driving lessons can be insulting to ones intelligence as anyone who knows anything about driving technique would not do half the things the so called "instructors" teach them (eg shuffling the wheel with both hands on the sides of the wheel) but unfortunately its what you need to do to get your lisence so just suck it up and bear with it for one last time. Hope it helped..

Venomous · 02-10-2007, 02:21 PM

Heck yes i passed.
Only 1 cross (allowed 8) and yeah. Did really well =)

Off for a drive now, gonna be damn weird

Serial_Fool · 02-10-2007, 06:36 PM

Well done mate!

I'm off to do some practice night hours in the Maverick (Button Plan FTMFW)tonight.... hopefully it will help.

sleekism · 03-10-2007, 08:31 AM

Make sure you have a decent clutch, the car doesn't overheat and begin to stall, it will actually go into reverse and the tyres don't squeel when going around roundabouts.

Good old Lasers.................

Suicidal Goldfish · 03-10-2007, 12:19 PM

Depends on the instructor but be very, very careful around yellow lights. I would've had to brake very suddenly and hard and probably would've gone over the stop line so I decided to continue on through. Instant fail.

V3RSAC3 · 03-10-2007, 12:28 PM

good work ... congrats

vandrsxr6 · 03-10-2007, 02:26 PM

Check mirrors, chech mirrors, check mirrors.

You'll be fine, just relax and focus on the road, eg.signs, speed limits.

My mate failed once only 10 seconds into it, he didn't stop at the Stop sign at the exit to the Vicroads carpark.

stef4001 · 03-10-2007, 08:50 PM

good stuff mate.i know how you feel.im still on my reds.take your time and dont speed.any way.congrates,well done

stef ed fairmont

MITCHAY · 03-10-2007, 09:13 PM

2 people have mentioned to stay 5km/h under the limit. 5km/h under the limit is not the speed limit.

You would not have demonstrated that you can reach and maintain the posted speed limit if you were to stay 5km/h under it and by my logic, wouldn't that be a fail?

Fev · 03-10-2007, 10:29 PM

forget most of those tips.. get there about half an hour before hand and drive around ALL the streets you can around the RTA office.. worked a charm for me.. although its kinda like cheating.. but you wont pass if you suck at driving so its not really

SupahStah · 03-10-2007, 10:41 PM

tip:

#1: pass

gl

Conrad · 04-10-2007, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V3RSAC3

pretty much all that, besides it's 25km/h in schools zones not 40!!

40 in NSW

:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

2 people have mentioned to stay 5km/h under the limit. 5km/h under the limit is not the speed limit.

You would not have demonstrated that you can reach and maintain the posted speed limit if you were to stay 5km/h under it and by my logic, wouldn't that be a fail?

No. It's a LIMIT not a must-do-speed. You don't have to drive at it, but if you drive too far under it (10km/h below) you fail - Holding up traffic/Dangerous.

castek · 04-10-2007, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

2 people have mentioned to stay 5km/h under the limit. 5km/h under the limit is not the speed limit.

You would not have demonstrated that you can reach and maintain the posted speed limit if you were to stay 5km/h under it and by my logic, wouldn't that be a fail?

this is true in VIC. i was told that going to slow on average would give me a fail because i am posing as a traffic risk. if its an 80k zone and theres a fair bit of traffic, than you can go slower, all depends on conditions.

congrats on the pass mate, i know i was worried. crap thing about mine is that i got my ENTER results an hour before my driving test, so i was already on a failing streak lol

XR6_190 · 04-10-2007, 12:09 PM

Sitting 5K under the limit is perfect. If you go to about 10K under you risk getting pinged for too slow but the second you go over the limit you instantly fail. If they see that your too close to the limit they will watch for you too slip up.
I know it sounds really complicated, but believe me it isn't, just stay confident and calm.