# Road Test tips?



## trashion

For various reasons, I've put off learning to drive until it's become damn near impossible to get anywhere 

So my road test is on Monday, the 4th. I'm feeling pretty good about it, just need to keep working at the parallel parking.

I'm trying not to freak too much, but it's really important that I pass this test.

Anyone have any tips? Magical parallel-parking formulas? Oft-overlooked facts?


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## sarahbellum

Well the only thing I was dinged for when I was parallel parking was not physically looking backwards. I used my mirrors and my mirrors ONLY and that was a no-no. Good luck Julie!


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## trashion

Thanks, Sarah! Yeah, my partner made sure to tell me that. Apparently, his driving-course instructor said that if your mirrors are perfectly aligned, you'll have no blindspots. This instructor has since been fired.


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## akangelfood

I would definitely recommend that you practice your parallel parking. It can be enough to cause you to fail the entire test in my state. Not sure how different the scoring system is there, though.


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## trashion

Well, in my state (at least in the area I'm taking the test in) you aren't required to park between two cars, just behind one. So that makes it a little easier.


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## Guest

Psht, that's not even real parallel parking! :razz:

In RI, they don't ask you to parallel park unless you REALLY screw something else up. The most challenging part of my driving test was that I had to make a left turn at a green light (yield to someone going straight). Was the easiest test of my life.

Just remember to always look...use your mirrors and physically turn your head. Oh, and use your turn signal when going to park at the curb and when leaving. They always look for that.


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## mrmoby

Best thing you can do is relax. Practice whatever you think you may be weak on, but don't get in a big sweat over it, but at the same time don't get ****************y. It will go much better. I took my test with a classmate, and a third person. My classmate and I were nervous as hell, the other guy was real ****************y. Guess who didn't pass?

I didn't have to parallel park for my drivers test, and didn't have to do it real time until almost 5 years later. I have very infrequently had to, in 20 years of driving, and still suck at it.


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## s13

If they do simulated parking on a hill, dont forget to turn the wheel, pull the emergency brake, and put the vehicle in park. That's all I had trouble with. Dont sweat it its easy


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## lohachata

close your eyes and floor it....what the worst that could happen..lolwhen i took my drivers test in 1963;there were no choices..you had to do the parking thing.but the cars were a little closer together back then..but i was smart..i took the test in a nash metropolitan..smallest car made in the US..
just relax and pay attention to what you are doing and what you are about to do..


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## trashion

I'm taking it in my dad's '98 Subaru Outback station wagon...wheels are out of alignment so it rides rough. I'm hoping they don't just think that the rough ride is my driving :x


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## mrmoby

no...they won't. But make sure everything...lights, horn, wipers, emergency brake, are working, or you won't even get to leave the test facility!


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## justintrask

if they make you parallel park,the closer you get to the car you are parking behind, the closer you will get to the curb. thats a nifty little trick my dad taught me. And don't do the Boston Bump


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## gil_ong

i got perfect for my friving test here.  the one item for which i got penalized when i took the motorcycle test was moving slowly through an intersection. i did so because another car was approaching and it didn't look like he was going to stop at the 4-way. so i guess the moral of this is to either go or not. once you make a decision, just make it through.


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## COM

Gee, I haven't thought about driving tests since high school. I failed it twice (silly reasons - the testing station had topped its quota both times). A lot of my friends failed it too for various dumb reasons.

Make sure that the car has a current registration and emissions inspection. You will automatically fail if either is expired.

Make sure to look backwards in the parking thing even though there will not be a car behind.

Be prepared to be evaluated by an incredibly rude and obnoxious state employee with B.O.

If you're taking the test in a stick-shift car, make sure that you don't stall out. They don't like that too much.

Pay very careful attention to the speed limit signs. I believe that all New York road test areas are designed to have several minor speed-in-zone changes like a minor curve or a school zone.

Arrive early. When you get there you may find that the are running ahead. The B.O. person will appreciate getting ahead of schedule and getting an extra long break.

If you're nervous, say so. The B.O. person will get a power trip and be in a better mood.

Good luck and remember to yield.


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## trashion

Hahah, thanks COM. I always wondered who in their right mind wants to be a road-test examiner? Seriously, no one says when they're growing up "I want to put my life in the hands of inexperienced drivers every day for a living!" I'd expect them to be a bit odd (and probably a bit of a sadist)

I'm taking it at 9:15 AM, so they should be a little more forgiving, perhaps less tense.


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## BV77

I do CDL instruction, and testing, and the biggest thing that fails people is themselves. Try to relax. People get nervous and turn into a soup sandwich and forget everything they learned. So just suck it up and go for "just another ride" just as you've done in practice and it should go well. Keep your mind on what you're doing and don't rush.
Good Luck
Bob


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## COM

One more tip: if you happen to know the course, don't drive on it. If you get caught practicing in the road test course, I think they ban you from taking the test for at least six months. They are always patrolled on weekends.


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## trashion

Yeah, I heard that. I drive in that neighborhood, but no, I haven't driven on the course.


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## Guest

That's not true in RI. I took driving lessons from AAA (for the insurance discount) and right before my test, my instructor took me through the same course I had to take for my test. The AAA instructors usually do that for all of their students. (I took the AAA student driver car for my test)


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## COM

It is probably only illegal to do that in New York.

Everything is illegal in New York.


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## mrmoby

I have never heard about practicing on the course either. They are public roads, and if properly permitted, you have evry right to be on them. I really can't picture police trying to investigate wether you have a pending driving exam if caught driving on these roads. Sounds more like an urban legend to me.

In Massatwo****************z we didn't have a civillian conduct the roadtest. We were tested by TROOOPAHS!


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## trashion

Sounds like serious business, mrmoby


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## COM

mrmoby said:


> I have never heard about practicing on the course either. They are public roads, and if properly permitted, you have evry right to be on them. I really can't picture police trying to investigate wether you have a pending driving exam if caught driving on these roads. Sounds more like an urban legend to me.


It's illegal. They have signs and everything.
http://www.nysdmv.com/broch/c41.htm

Go to any course on the weekend and you'll see a local cop or a 'troopuh' as we say in New York looking to pull over any young driver with an older passenger nine out of ten times. They'll take you for 31 in a 30.

I'm really serious that in New York, everything is illegal. And taxable.


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## mrmoby

wow....unbelievable!


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## k-dawg-

wow in FL we don't even have to parallel park =) just relax I remember i was really nervous for the first few minutes, but it went fine


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## TheOldSalt

heh, heh

I remember that my examiner suddenly had to go to the bathroom very urgently during my test, and she was in a real hurry to get back to the station. It made for a somewhat abbreviated process, and she let me get away with more than I think she otherwise would have. LOL
ah, good times...

Years later when I took my CDL test, my examiner was much much nicer than the instructors, so the nervousness evaporated quickly. Too quickly. We got to yapping about all sorts of various things, and I tend to gesticulate with my hands a lot when I talk, so my hands didn't stay in the 10 & 2 very much. I still passed with ease, though, and within a year I was an 18-wheeler instructor myself.

*sigh* those days are gone, too.


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## trashion

*Today was the day!*

I got up at the crack of dawn (7:45, hah) and got there a few minutes early. Still had to wait until like, 9:40, but I PASSED!

Easiest test ever. I don't think I had to go over 25 MPH the whole time, just turns in a small village.

I really screwed up the parallel parking at first. First I bumped the curb...I thought I was done for, so I asked politely "May I pull out and start over?" The examiner said yes, so I did...and promptly almost hit the back end of the car. She told me to go further down the street and pull over...I thought that was it, I failed, oh crap. But then she just had me do a 3-point turn (ez) and then try parallel parking with a different car. I did it perfectly that time. What a nice lady! Jeez!

I ended up getting 20 points, (30 to fail) for various reasons (forgot to look in the blind spot twice, etc.)

But long story short, HOORAY! I CAN DRIVE!


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## BV77

congrats. Just be real careful out there , especially until you get some "real world" experience. And remember NO DRINKING AND DRIVING, Please.


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## gil_ong

congrats.

just remmeber to take it easy for the first 3 to 6 months until you REALLY get a hang of things.

an no racing in school zones!


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## trashion

BV77: Believe me, I know about no drinking and driving. I would never do that. My science teacher's best friend was killed by a drunk driver, and he impressed upon us most EVERY DAY how important the issue is. I wouldn't even consider driving impaired, I value all life.

gil: I will be very careful. Today I get to drive to the doc and the bike shop by myself! Woo! I'm taking the back roads instead of the highway, though, just to be safe.


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## mrmoby

Congrats!!!


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## gil_ong

trashion said:


> gil: I will be very careful. Today I get to drive to the doc and the bike shop by myself! Woo! I'm taking the back roads instead of the highway, though, just to be safe.


reminds me of the AutoZone "If you can fix her, you can have her" ad. 

the last scene puts a smile on my face and lump in my throat every time i see it.


FOUND IT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zm4lwCxyjY


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## Kyoberr

The first time I failed because he said I went too slow around corners... !!! But then I went to the driving place and I guess my score was high enough so I didn't have to retake it


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