TIPS for Full driving test

[htra024 0]

Hula,

I have been driving for more than 11 years and I am man in mature stage I believe.

9 years driving in NZ and have had 2 tickets by check point (I held learner licence ), 1 overspeed ticket at 140kmph (I was a lier by giving my mate DOB to the police , I paid the fee but still feel sorry for him as he lost his point LOL) and several of infringement tickets with Auckland City . Whatsoever info above just to clarify what I am saying I am in mature stage . My driving skill...rhmm... I think would be reasonable. I do not drive fast between 50-60kmph and 100-110kmph normally, I pay attention as other mature driver. Have not cause any accidents myself so far in fact some fckn dckhead hit my car and ran away without notices several times.

I intented to go for Full Driving test around this week or early next week.

Do you have any tips for me to take into consideration to aware of wasting >$100 fee?

Im looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Kelvin.

[mtech1e30 0]

Have lessons with an instructor before the test. The instructor will tell you all the things about your driving that you need to change/improve on.

Then theres all the basics, like obey all road rules. Stop completely at a stop sign, don't crash, stick to the speed limit. But all these things the instructor will go over with you.

[antil33t 90]

Yeah, +1 for getting an instructor... but get one that lets you take your own car. that was my big mistake, I lost heaps of points for sh*t gearshifts.

[kingkarl 136]

I personally don't think you need an instructor. Did mine last year without one and it was easier than the restricted test.

Take HEAPS of time. I consciously tried to slow everything I did down and still got told at the end of the test to not rush so much. They won't fail you for taking a few extra seconds at an intersection.

When passing through speed limit changes (say from 70kmh-50kmh) make sure you are down to 50kmh before the sign.

When you get to the hazard identification part, make sure you point out anything that remotely resembles a hazard. Pedestrians, intersections, parked cars... nothing is too stupid.

Finally, check your mirrors!!!! Check them when you get into the car, before you get out of the car, before you pull out, before you pull in, before you indicate, before you change lanes, before you change gear and before you brake. Before you do anything check your mirrors, the testers love it.

[greenday-rulz21 6]

Everything above is good. Just to repeat a few things.

Mirrors. This is a biggy. You can't check too much.

Stop signs. Completely stop. If you don't, they will cancel the test right there.

Speed signs. If you're going at 100, corner coming up, sign says 50. Do what that sign says exactly.

If you're doing it in a manual. Always change down to 2nd before you stop, at lights, give way signs etc. I lost points for coasting the last like 5 meters (b*tch).

Everything is pretty much common sense and i'm not just saying that. They're not as hard as some may think.

[m_power 0]

I did all my tests with no help from getting an instructor before hand and got my full when i was 16 and a half, never failed any test. They are easy, just be really aware, make it clear when u check mirrors etc and your sweet.

Edited August 3, 2009 by D1BMA

[318isCoupe 0]

do it in an auto if you can, they love to criticise shift technique and things like how far from corners you downshift blah blah blah, just about cost me my full test. other than that its easy as long as you use common sense and don't crash or do anything dangerous.

[my_e36 43]

They just critise everything. My wife did her test few month ago and was told she was driving too slow. The examiner said why is she driving so slowly in a BMW. I mean WTF?

[318isCoupe 0]

I almost got failed for resting my elbow on the armrest on the drivers door, even though both hands were on the wheel. Isn't that the point of an armrest?

[Cale 36]

do it in an auto if you can

But only if you got your 1R in a manual, otherwise do the full in a manual. Who wants to be restricted to only driving auto cars!?

[QuickSilver 0]

I do believe it is irrelevant once you have completed your full license your allowed to drive both. I think the manual/auto restriction only applies to restricted. (I could be wrong of course)

[Silver Fox 43]

Right Alex

[Wervie67 0]

i thought that the auto / manual thing didn't matter after you pass your full test?!?!?

dosent apply to me anyway (did my restricted in manual, the piece of sh*t mazda you can see under car2, no idea how to get it off!). going for my full in a few months aswell.

Edited August 3, 2009 by Wervie67

[M325is 0]

Yeah I think you are meant to check your mirrors at least every 10seconds.

Always drive in the left hand lane unless passing, this includes highways (not motorways - you dont have to go on the motorway).

But when turning into a 2 lane road always stay in your lane which usually means turning into the right hand lane. I hate c**ts who turn into the left lane, the left lane is for people turning into the same street from the adjacent road!

Constantly look out for pedestrians, cars parked in driveways, cars reversing out of driveways etc as you will be asked to stop and tell the officer everything you have seen in the last 1 km. This includes cars traveling infront and behind you and oncoming traffic.

Use median strips for braking and waiting to turn into a driveway etc dont brake in your lane, but indicate to merge onto the median strip then brake.

Have fun!

[M325is 0]

They just critise everything. My wife did her test few month ago and was told she was driving too slow. The examiner said why is she driving so slowly in a BMW. I mean WTF?

I had the same thing, they try to peer pressure you into speeding, if you give into them you fail. If you are taking a corner at 35km/hour because it is recommended on a sign stick to that speed until you are out of the corner. If they tell you to hurry up DON NOT listen to them! And yes they will fail you if you do not do recommended speed!

[Nobimmer 694]

When you go to do a U turn, do it like it says in the book. Don't know what it is and have never been bothered to check. But it is NOT... Pull over for half a second,make sure theres noone in either lane, full lock and accelerate. That's all I got a cross for.

And for the hazard identifying part, just (as said above) point out everything, you won't get failed for saying something is a hazard and it isnt.

[318isCoupe 0]

the whole manual/auto restriction thing only applies to restricted license, once you've done your full it doesn't matter.

[Mark 178]

Don't ask if you can turn on the radio.

Friend of mine did this, the instructor said "that's up to you". He turned it on and got an instant fail. Hadn't even reversed out of the carpark hahah!

[M325is 0]

And don't reach for your sunglasses when you come round the bend and get sunstrike. I didnt fail but was told to take them back off because she couldn't see my eyes.

[318isCoupe 0]

And don't reach for your sunglasses when you come round the bend and get sunstrike. I didnt fail but was told to take them back off because she couldn't see my eyes.

mine commented on my sun visor being pushed right up against the windscreen, apparently they are supposed to sit "90 degree's from the roof of the car" completely vertical. unfortunately at my height if you have the sun visor like that you can't see anything past the sun visor. I really wonder where they get some of the license testers.

[kingkarl 136]

haha, yeah most of them are retarded. The guy I had was telling me how he wanted to drown Maoris. Mate of mine got failed for not looking in his mirrors enough, when the rude bitch was sitting there texting for 90% of the test.

[mtech1e30 0]

And for the hazard identifying part, just (as said above) point out everything, you won't get failed for saying something is a hazard and it isnt.

When I did my full test the tester said NOT to say all the pointless things like that. Only the things that require you to take action/change what you are doing.

For example he asked me to id hazards coming up to and going through a roundabout in a residential zone. I pretty much said what I was thinking and doing "approaching roundabout, preparing to stop, looking right, no cars.... silence.... there's not really any hazards here" and he was happy.

If you were to list everything you would be there all day naming pointless things. Hell you could be naming power poles and light posts because they could come alive and jump on your car.

[Silver Fox 43]

If you were to list everything you would be there all day naming pointless things. Hell you could be naming power poles and light posts because they could come alive and jump on your car.

Hell, had that happen to me once.

[my_e36 43]

Oh yes, if you come upon a Stop sign, it means STOP. You must stop still at the line before driving off again even if there is no other cars for miles. If it's Giveway though, you can slow down and roll over it slowly.

[brockie123 31]

i got questioned on my car. e36 manual 325i "is it legal? seems a bit loud?" it was the stock exhaust and he said he saw this car speeding a bit.. dads car haha. me and my test guy had a chat about rugby ( i have no clue about rugby) and 15 minutes later i was done!