Driving test in Queensland

[Deactivated] on 17/04/2014 - 22:54

A friend of mine has failed 5 times taking their driving practical test at the Logan & Greenslopes test centre. Based on their recollection, the examiner marked pretty toughly on minor errors such as slight deviations in maneuver, going over the double lines whilst entering traffic, awareness etc.

I've taken my test in Victoria and didn't hear of these minor penalties as strict as in Queensland. My question is, are there particular states where its easier to pass the practical exam? Or even in Queensland itself, are the Logan and Greenslopes test centres harder to pass relative to the other centres? And does the test time (early morning, mid day, late afternoon) influence the passing chances?

I've heard that test centres in the Northern suburbs have simpler roads, terrain and signs compared to the Southside. Can someone verify this?

Automotive

Comments

  • Christn on 17/04/2014 - 23:10

    I passed on my first attempt in Cleveland. My advice would be to use an instructor who knows the probably routes and preps your friend better for the exam. I found it easy here, but I might have gotten lucky.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/04/2014 - 23:17

      Are professional instructors worth it? I know alot of people who are trained by their parents/relatives etc.

      • Daabido on 18/04/2014 - 03:39
        +3

        Some are and some aren't. The professional one are worth it and those who are less than professional, aren't. Don't take your clients in a particular direction so you can pick up your dry-cleaning, don't talk on your phone taking booking while driving or text during someone's first lesson, don't take people during peak-hour traffic at night for their first lesson and make them do a hill start turn at a set of traffic lights, don't yell at your clients when you have made not yelling at them part of your advertising, belittle them or tell them they are going to fail their test because they didn't practice what you told them to, don't tell them they are steering wrong but don't tell them how to correct it, don't fall asleep for 45 minutes during a lesson. The list goes on and on and on. Let's just say the barriers to entry to the industry are pretty low.

        On the bright side, all of these things which other instructors have done have gotten me some mighty nice clients. The majority of instructors work very hard and when you look at their input costs they don't make a large amount of money, but some definitely need to be weeded out of the industry.

      • kwaker on 18/04/2014 - 10:02
        +11

        yes instructors are worth it. I have never met anyone who was taught by their parents who is actually a good driver, of course they think they are and that's why they never learn. if you learn from your parents you learn outdated road rules that they knew and pick up their bad habbits.

        I originally paid 3 different professional driving instructors and they absolutely know what they are doing aswell as having a brake on their side of the car! then after years of driving I paid again to learn manual.

        for what you get its cheap and I don't know why people complain, I guess its because they haven't realised how much running a car actually costs. you get a persons time, a good quality safe car, insurance and petrol for that hour lesson including their time it take to come to you and to go back again after. I wouldn't risk teaching someone in my beat up box for that pittance.

        I have never met a person who has had professional lessons that has thought it wasn't worth it.

        • ThisJustin on 18/04/2014 - 19:28
          +5

          Wow. Why are you getting downvoted? Nothing you've said here seems unreasonable.

        • owli on 20/04/2014 - 10:51

          I would have to agree with the above,

          I got 100 hours without proper instructors and I was making minor errors in my driving once a tried my test. I probably failed, 4 or 5 times as well (Rosalie & Zillmere) it is really depressing…

          I paid for a couple of lessons, I was prepared to pay for 5 or 6 hours to iron out the creases but by the 1st lesson the instructor said I should be fine and did not even understand why I was failing.

          I think a lot of it came down to the instructor spotting the minor flaws (some of them pretty major I guess like issues turning right at traffic lights without an arrow) and the instructor able to point these out and teach them properly, but also, just before I was about to jump into the instructors car with the tester. He gave him a 'He'll be right' kind of reassurance. Pretty ridiculous but I feel this instilled some peace of mind in the tester. And like that I passed, with rainy conditions.

      • Randxyz123 on 24/04/2014 - 12:51

        Yes they are.
        I am from Victoria and did my test with an instructor. I had a 2-3 lessons per week for about 2 weeks before my test. This was funded mostly by my parents and relatives since I had just turned 18.

        100% worth it. The instructor took me around the test routes about 5 times we did a mock test and because of all this I passed first time no problemo.

        He was also a nice guy.

        My tester on the other hand was a complete f***ing douche. He was about 60, and spent most of the test grunting. At one point he told me to turn left but I couldn't because I was in the right hand lane after completing a lane change. He claimed he told me to get into the left lane, well me nor my instructor actually heard that. Still I passed so I don't really care anymore although at the time I had a good mind to complain.

    • Daabido on 18/04/2014 - 12:42

      Don't skimp on the time for your test prep either. A decent test prep should go for 90 minutes. It is very difficult if not impossible to do it in 60 minutes, talking about what will happen before the lesson until after it is completed. When I do test preps I allow for however long it takes to go over everything. I have had them last 75 minutes and I have had them last for 2 and a half hours. Two hours is the average. I charge the one fee no matter how long it takes. Find an instructor that gets paid by performance, not time when it is time to do a test prep.

  • Tech5 on 18/04/2014 - 01:15

    In sydney, they seem to mark about the same too. If you tread the double lines, it is a definite error that they will pick up on. When you say awareness, do you mean head checks? Because they are pretty strict with that too, 3 missed checks and it's a fail.

  • Ughhh on 18/04/2014 - 01:47
    +6

    Wow, 5 times. Maybe your friend isnt born to drive, lol.

    In the test, always makes things obvious with checking mirrors etc, that means moving your head and not just your eyes.

    • kwaker on 18/04/2014 - 10:06

      and saying it out loud too so they don't miss it. "checking blind spot" "checking speed" "checking rearview" etc,

      • Daabido on 18/04/2014 - 12:25
        +1

        That's completely unnecessary. The examiners are very aware of what you are doing. It won't hurt, but it won't help you either particularly. It's not like you are going to continue to do that when you have passed the test.

        Sometimes in a test situation people think the examiner is in control, whereas it is really you who are in control of the vehicle and the examiner is there to assess. While examiners are not allowed to trick you, very, very occasionally they will make a mistake or give an instruction too late to safely do so. In that situation, you just continue down the road and say "I don't think that was safe to do so." This happens about once every couple hundred of tests, so don't go into the test thinking this will happen to you.

        But you are in control and it is up to you to decide whether something is safe to do.

        • YTW on 19/04/2014 - 00:02
          +8

          Yep. Good point.

          My examiner told me to "Come on, keep moving" when I slowed to a stop just after pulling out of the driveway of the test centre. He hadn't heard the telltale screech I'd just heard of nearby hoons.

          I didn't move and said "But, I think there's a car…" and he just looked at me like I was an idiot, then just at that moment a car sped round the corner on the wrong side of the road and lost control (spun out). We both just sat there open mouthed. If I'd kept moving as he told me we would have been right in its path and he would have likely copped the impact on his side.

          Once they'd regained control and sped off he said tensely "Very good. Drive on". I could do no wrong after that!

        • Risser on 19/04/2014 - 12:45

          It's been awhile since my test, but the checking blind spots and moving your head so it was noticeable, etc. were clear instructions given by the driving instructor prior to my test.

          I barely passed on account of not indicating while parking in a car park. I remember him saying "You just scraped in, bottom of the barrel!" haha

  • Daabido on 18/04/2014 - 03:22
    +6

    Greenslopes is quite a challenging testing centre. I think the first time pass rate is in the low 50s, percentage wise. I can't comment about Logan, as I've never taken someone through there. Sherwood and Rosalie are slightly easier, but in the end you want to be able to pass at any centre if your friend wants to be a competent driver.

    You don't mention how old your friend is or what their driving experience is. Obviously if they are under 25 then they need to have done 100 hours of driving and not to have cheated the logbook. The examiners can pretty easily tell who has done the time in a variety of situations. If your friend is over 25, then I have found that they need a minimum of 30 hours of driving experience, but preferably 40, to be competent to do the test.

    Just because someone has an overseas license does not mean they can drive, especially if they just bought their license without sitting a test, which I have come across before.

    Test time does not influence pass rates, but traffic conditions will be different. I usually suggest somewhere between 10:30 am and 1:00 pm to minimise the amount of cars you have to deal with. I have had competent drivers who have taken multiple times to pass the test due to nerves and others who were nervous who passed first time. I think your friend should reflect on whether they are actually capable of driving independently on the road with other road users without causing an increase in the risk to other users.

    This will involve being proactive, rather than reactive to situations, being attentive at all times, treating their car as a bubble to be protected from all directions, not just from what is in front of their windshield. You can lose up to 8 minor points and still pass the test. Or you can fail the test if you commit the same error a number of times or if you do something and the examiner has to intervene. Without knowing what your friend has failed on in the past, as well as their driving experience, I couldn't offer further guidance.

    If they have never had professional instruction, it is worthwhile to take a 90 minute lesson or so because any competent instructor will be able to point out what they need to do to get up to the standard necessary to pass. I won't take anyone in my car to do the test unless I am sure they are ready to successfully complete the test, but also that they will not increase the risk to my loved ones once they are on the road.

    Occasionally this has meant turning down business, but so be it. Don't ring me up and say I've got a test tomorrow, can I use you car? No way. There are plenty of driving schools which will do it, but without previously assessing someone's skills, I'm not going to rock up to a driving centre with them and throw them at an examiner in the hope they will pass. That's professionally indefensible.

  • verio on 18/04/2014 - 06:59

    I passed my test in Redcliffe. Very easy suburb to have a driving test, low traffic (especially at 10-11am), simple roads.

  • npc on 18/04/2014 - 07:31
    +11

    Nothing personal but I wonder how many times one should fail to understand that he is not good enough to have a licence yet.

    Correct me if i'm wrong but according to you message your friend - can not: drive straight, stay within his line, check surrounding traffic before changing the lines. And what he can actually do i believe is accelerate and brake. Wow.

    Answering the question:
    - i've passed in Greenslopes from the 1st attempt, no issues at all there except the heavy traffic around shopping centre in peak hours
    - perhaps some rural areas are easier to pass
    - current moon phase affects chances significantly

  • blitz on 18/04/2014 - 08:56
    +6

    going over the double lines whilst entering traffic

    Look, if your friend can't do this at the test while they're under scrutiny, they ain't going to be able to do it on a Saturday night, car full of friends, and there's no scrutiny at all.

    The test is not designed to allow everyone to pass - or it wouldn't be a test! To pass, you need to be better than the terms of the test, and some people sadly will never, ever be there. If it were me, after the second fail I'd go right back to basics, and make damn sure I'd had everything covered. Once someone starts coming back four or five times to do a test, I'd be questioning their ability to assess their own ability (i.e. not only can they not tell that they're a bad driver, but they can't tell that they can't tell they're a bad driver).

    The average driver on the road (i.e. me) is bad enough at driving! To be brutally honest, I'm happy for this person not to be on the road yet.

    • [Deactivated] on 18/04/2014 - 09:27
      -2

      I'm not taking sides with that friend and I do think a strict system disallows less recklessness one our roads. Totally agreed. But question is how many of the current drivers on our roads now actually will be able to be confident enough to take the test again and blitz it?

      I've seen plenty of cars doing basic mistakes (some have >30 years driving experiences). Don't get me started on how hoons get on our roads in the first place. What about the mature aged driver who has never taken a 'modern day' test (referring to someone who got their license 50-60 years ago). And to add to that the number of overseas students/working holiday people on their foreign translated licenses on our roads (some countries drive on the other side and have slacker road rules).

      Still no excuse for my friend.

      • p1 ama on 18/04/2014 - 09:39
        +4

        I'm actually pretty sure you are mistaken.

        Most people I know will be able to take the test at any particular given point and be able to pass it.

        Yes, there are plenty of cars doing basic mistakes, but that's because you only tend to notice them, i.e. a case of selection bias. If you actually count the cars which make mistakes and the total number of cars, you'll see that a very small percentage of cars actually make mistakes.

        I still personally disagree with foreign licenses. If they come here and wish to drive here, they should sit the test just like everyone else to show that they know the road rules in Australia and can drive in Australian traffic conditions, so I know where you are coming from.

        To be perfectly honest though, it just sounds as if your friend can't drive.

        Most people do make mistakes at some point, however, most people can usually drive within their lane, not cross double lines and are pretty aware of the traffic around them. I would say that if your friend can't stay in his lane…etc. then he shouldn't even be on the road.

        These are not mistakes, but they are driving skills which he has not yet learned. You can make mistakes once or twice, but you can't make them in 5 different driving tests, that's incompetence or carelessness.

  • kwaker on 18/04/2014 - 10:13

    most current drivers don't bother refreshing their road rules. so many older drivers still don't even know that you have to or how to indicate at roundabouts (when exiting), and who has right of way on roundabouts ….. its not whoever is on your right.

    • Daabido on 18/04/2014 - 12:51
      +5

      Roundabouts would certainly be a lot easier to navigate if you could actually trust people to indicate correctly. If you are going left on a roundabout, indicate left as you come into the roundabout and keep that left blinker on as you exit. If you are going straight (around the 11-1 position if you looked at the roundabout like a clock), you don't indicate as you go into the roundabout but do indicate left to exit. And if you are going right or all the way around a roundabout, indicate to the right and then indicate left to exit.

      You must give way to whoever is on the roundabout, not whoever is on your right. That is the technical rule. The practical rule is that it depends on the width of the roundabout. If it is a particularly small roundabout and you are waiting and someone to the right is waiting, people will assume you give way to that person. On a larger roundabout, however, where it is safe for you to enter the roundabout and proceed through before someone on your right can enter and be slowed down by you then you can go. Always scan as you come into a roundabout too, so if it is clear you can keep traffic flowing. Always check the lane markings on a multi-lane roundabout to see what you and others can do and maintain your position in your lane as you move through and exit the multi-lane roundabout.

      Hopefully the lady who gave my client a mouthful the other day because she assumed she was entitled to use both lanes when she was going straight ahead rather than sticking in the lane she was in (right), as we turned left into the left hand lane will be reading this.

      • p1 ama on 18/04/2014 - 13:00
        -7

        Why would anybody indicate that way?

        You can do one of four things at a roundabout. You turn left, you indicate left. You go straight, you don't indicate. You turn right, you indicate right. You want to U-Turn (i.e. all the way around), you indicate right.

        You're just making the indicating more complicated than it has to be.

        • ankor on 19/04/2014 - 13:43
          +3

          I was told that going straight through a roundabout is taking the second 'turn', so you indicate to exit.

        • Gina Rinehart on 19/04/2014 - 16:51
          +3

          That is not correct. You must indicate left when exiting the roundabout, no matter which way you are going.

          Of course in the real world, not many people do this, but it is actually the law and you should.

        • p1 ama on 21/04/2014 - 09:41

          Except it makes people even more confused as to what you're doing.

          I went through a couple of roundabouts in my driving test indicating like everybody else does and everything was okay.

          Plus, I have never, ever seen anybody indicate this way. .

      • AntMan76 on 18/04/2014 - 21:37
        +1

        You would think people weren't that dumb… but alas they are and they prove it every day.

        I like the system I recently experienced in Finland. Don't indicate entering the roundabout, simply indicate when you are exiting. So if you are approaching the roundabout, look for the traffic approaching from your left (remember this is Europe), if an indicator is on then they are about to exit, if no indicator then give way. Simples :p

  • Chongy288 on 18/04/2014 - 10:48

    Character evaluations should be done to see if people are capable of being a safe driver on the road… even at the age of 15 when you can go for the test, some people just will not be ready for that and should mature more.

    if you think your friend is safe enough to have the privilege to use the road with a car and have just copped some tough luck with the test they I suggest doing the test at Zillmere on Pineapple st and get an instructor who will take you to areas where the test usually get done.

    • Daabido on 18/04/2014 - 12:22

      I haven't been to Zillmere in many years but I believe it may have moved to Carseldine now. I could say more about why you wouldn't want to go to Zillmere / Carseldine but I won't.

  • ankor on 18/04/2014 - 20:39
    +7

    I must say that these are not minor errors at all.

    There are potentially dangerous consequences to each of your friend's driving failures. Think of what he's going to do to a cyclist or motorbike rider if he doesn't have awareness on the road.

    Your friend needs to take a step back, take his eye off doing the test and focus on foundation skills. The is no shame in seeking professional driving instruction.
    Get the skills, get the awareness, and pass the test when he's ready.

  • maybeamacy on 18/04/2014 - 21:26
    +2

    Logan is one of, if not the easiest test centre lol.

  • lo200 on 19/04/2014 - 07:19
    +5

    I taught my mum how to drive and she passed her test first time at Sherwood QLD. She is also Asian and she is in her 60s. She is a natural born driver who thought she was too scared to drive. Now she drives everywhere on her own.

  • lplau on 19/04/2014 - 08:27

    Get a good pro instructor. E.g. one with over 10 yrs experience. Although my experience is with Victorian streets, it would apply the same with you. My instructor was a Certified Porche Instructor too. lol.

    My whole family (parents/brother/cousins/wife) all had the same instructor, he has over 30yrs experience with teaching on Victorian Streets. We all passed on our first go, except for my wife who came across a extremely rare traffic situation, she passed on 2nd time.

    I remember going into my prac test, my instructor went into VicRoads to get the examiner, the instructor came back first, we waited in the car. While we waited in the car for the examiner, my instructor quickly went through "I know this guy very well, he is very strict on the following things therefore YOU must do it perfectly". Sometimes the instructor also helps you out by giving you small hints or distracting the examiner by starting conversations. Obviously the instructor has to know the examiner to know if they are OK with conversations or not.

    While i was doing the test, I was like "oh…. i know this route" because my instructor already taken me through all the possible test routes, due to his experience with taking people through the tests.

    Good ones are more expensive, but they do make your chance of success higher, in the end you save more money, as you don't have to keep on doing the test over and over again.

    The places which offer package deals are usually crappy, like "10 lessons and test", they usually have the most inexperienced or newbie instructors.

  • nikey2k27 on 19/04/2014 - 09:21

    South side harder. but like my self smaller town easyer it is i got mine in town of 500 people where it was drive around conner get the milk and coffee for local cop shop and pop in get mail. he passed me.

  • nikey2k27 on 19/04/2014 - 09:26

    http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/aboutus/rti/disclog/700_04… this pass and fail information.

  • cornholyio on 19/04/2014 - 10:10

    I know we're talking about cars, but I did my riding test in Clyde yesterday. One guy brought a cruiser and had a hard time weaving through cones and kept stopping and dropped cones. In speed test he skidded beyond imagination. He still passed. I wouldn't want to be riding anywhere close to that guy.
    Your friend is better off learning and practicing more and then give the test again. Safety first.

  • Cheapo333 on 19/04/2014 - 17:10

    It is very plausible that a test in a quiet suburb with wide streets would be slightly easier to pass than say in busy and narrow metropolitan area.
    But you are making a huge oversight for the purpose of vehicle driving licensing and public safety.
    As a fellow road user, I'd like to know that I'm sharing the road with safe competent drivers, and not those which can only pass the driving test in "easy" test centres.

    Your best option should be your local test centre because driving on familiar roads help a lot with planning lanes, speed, blind corners etc.

    Since this is an ozbargain forum, I assume your question is financially motivated, that is you/your friend want to save money/time by not failing 5+ times or you want a license asap so you can go to work.

    So here are my tips:

    If you have kind parents with competent driving knowledge and experience, let them teach you and drive as often can allowed. It's cheaper than paying an instructor, and your parents will probably pay for fuel ;)

    Travelling interstate for a driving test will cost you more time and money so drop that idea.

    In terms of time of day to do the test, mornings and afternoons can be busier with slow moving traffic. This can prevent you from speeding by moving with slow traffic, but it means you might have to watch for school zones and be more aware of surrounding vehicles.

    Good luck to all fellow ozbargain learner drivers.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/04/2014 - 17:31
    +2

    It's almost pot luck based on where you go, the conditions that day, who's taking the test, how you perform on the day…

    Don't worry about failure just tell him to try and improve and keep trying. Getting a license is more important than grades 11 & 12 in my opinion.

  • Geewhizz on 20/04/2014 - 06:23
    +1

    Based on their recollection, the examiner marked pretty toughly on minor errors such as slight deviations in maneuver, going over the double lines whilst entering traffic, awareness etc.

    Crossing double lines would probably have gotten him a fail straight away. His/her idea of 'minor errors' is probably a bit different to how many of us would see it, it seems. Those are all fairly serious issues, and simply put, really, if he/she can't even drive straight, and within the lane, what on earth makes them think they're ready to take the test, let alone be let lose in a vehicle that can so easily kill them or others?

    Are professional instructors worth it? I know alot of people who are trained by their parents/relatives etc.

    If they have had no professional lessons that is probably half of the problem. Parents and friends can teach you their own bad habits. A lesson or two with a professional instructor will help them to deal with the issues that have caused them to fail the test to date. By the sounds of it, they probably shouldn't assume they'll only need the one lesson prior to taking the test though. The cost of a couple of lessons is nothing compared with that of a funeral: it will be money well spent.

  • MATTDAMON on 20/04/2014 - 09:54

    End of the day, the test is designed to be passed, it isnt overly difficult and is a general test to show your basic road knowledge and basic driving skills.

    By failing 5 times isnt the testing center or the tester, its the driver. He should seriously consider getting some professional training which will hopefully start to put him down the right path.

    The test is pretty easy, one thing i do with young drivers i teach on weekends, and also to other professional drivers is get them to talk out what they are doing whilst they are driving along, so pointing out potential obstructions/obstacles, any potential threats etc. Gives a good indication of what they are doing whilst holding that steering wheel.

  • goku on 20/04/2014 - 10:14

    I passed my test the first time at Greenslopes.

    I already knew how to drive from overseas. But I used an instructor to show me any particularly difficult spots, different rules etc.

    Greenslopes is pretty tricky. The area is quite hilly and has got very narrow roads in some places. It also has a particularly tricky spot where an access street almost continues straight from the road you are following, but your road takes a deep right angling downwards. It you are new to the area it is very easy to get confused. The instructor was telling me several students fail their test in that spot.

    My mates have told me other test locations are much easier like Ipswich. But at the end of the day, I think it is better to take a few lessons preferably from a local instructor who knows the area before attempting the test.

    • Lili7997 on 29/04/2014 - 18:39

      I'm doing my test at Greenslopes tomorrow, do you remember the name of the road/street of that tricky spot you mentioned? That would be really helpful :)

  • Tech5 on 21/04/2014 - 02:49
    +1

    I remember during my test something pretty bad happened. I was coming to a small 1 lane 4 exit roundabout and I lost concentration. I stepped on the accelerator when there were a column of cars coming in from the right about 5-10m away. My car entered the roundabout and the instructor had to step on his brake and I heard him say "no no no no". The cars on the right then had to drive onto the middle raised portion just to get past my car. After that I finished my test with no more errors but was pretty devo since I thought it was a fail if the examiner had to step in.

    Turns out I actually passed the test but I don't know why. Anyone have an idea?

    Good news is I haven't had any problems when driving alone with my P plate. Relax, I'm not a menace (that much anyway).

  • kwaker on 21/04/2014 - 16:05

    I watched some show that was on a midnight about australias worst learner drivers - last chance -hosted by mike Whitney.

    Some had taken a lot of tests and were real shocking.

    I knew a guy for a week who nearly crashed everday of that week, I dumped him because of this as I didn't want to die. Surprise surprise the next day he merged into the back of a truck (wtf) . Unfortunately he didn't die. I sincerely hope the only death he causes next time will be his own.

  • rlam on 27/04/2014 - 22:13

    Go to Pineapple Street at Zillmere. Handful of my failed friends went there to pass.

  • saumil1987 on 20/05/2015 - 09:22

    Hi I've booked a test date at Carseldine, can I please ask any one to tell me what is usually the test route?

  • tanabby on 01/10/2015 - 21:31

    My dad failed 3 times in the Carseldine centre and every time it was the same examiner who did the test for him.

    Does everyone know if it is the same examiner until passing if fail for the driving test in same centre? I do think that examiner is very strict and impolite and I wouldn't recommend a driving test in Carseldine.

    Also, any easier centre to pass a driving test in North side anyone? Chermside, Strathpine or Redcliffe?

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