RMS Driving Tests / Manual Cars
Preparing For Driving TestsRMS Driving Tests
Have you been reading these books?
Why is that when we ask most students and parents have they been reading these books they all say no.
You can’t teach if you don’t know.
If you have not been reading these books in preparation for a driving test then you may struggle to understand the Driving Test requirements.
Our Instructors will ensure you are familiar with the driving test requirements but we can’t work miracles in a short time.
Too often students who apparently can drive and are the best drivers according to supervisors have limited knowledge of driving properly and what is required for the driving test.
Do we take you around the RMS testing tracks?
There are numerous RMS testing tracks that you could go on during the driving test and it is a random selection at the time of the driving test.
All driving test tracks will include traffic lights, roundabouts single and or dual lane, stop signs, giveway signs, marked roads, unmarked roads, T intersections, hills, bends, single and multilane lane roads, narrow streets, speed zone changes and a 3 point turn or reverse parallel park and a kerbside stop.
Learning the theory about the driving requirements can include reading and understanding the Road Rules – Learners Logbook – The Guide to the Driving Test – The Road users Handbook and The Driving Test Assessors Manual.
The purpose of “assessing” your driving skills and knowledge is to show us that you are ready for the driving test.
If you cannot do parking, 3 point turns, kerbside parking, nose first parking etc and do not understand roundabouts, traffic lights, the ability to respond and make safe decisions you will struggle to pass the driving test.
When you do driving lessons with us prior to a driving test we are assessing your ability to drive “wherever” we take you just as the RMS Testing Assessors will do.
If you are unable to do this with us during pretest driving lessons and cannot follow our instructions then you will struggle with the driving test.
The only way to be a better driver is to understand what the driving test requires which includes the above books, practical driving experience and road awareness all of which take time to learn.
If you want to be assessed properly then consider lessons with us prior to your driving test but don’t wait until a couple of days before the test.
Any lessons should be a few weeks before so students can absorb and comprehend the information required.
Manual Driving Lessons
Parent and Student Information
Read our information on this page about Manual Lessons
For more Information on Manual Driving lessons and RMS Driving Tests
please contact Geoff on 0426446955
Do remember we can’t take phone calls from you when we are on driving lessons.
Please leave a message on voicemail, maybe send a text or use the online enquiry form.
Thinking about learning how to drive a manual car?
Not everyone wants to learn how to drive a manual car these days so if you are just starting out it’s important to learn properly.
It is important to learn properly at when first starting out otherwise bad habits can form which become your “comfort zone” when driving.
For those with very little or no experience, it is important to learn the “correct” way to drive a manual car from the beginning.
You should understand that the RMS requires you to meet the driving test criteria to pass a manual driving test so start understanding those requirements whilst learning.
Parents and supervisors should understand it’s not 20 or 30 years ago, licence and driving requirements have changed.
There’s nothing wrong with parents, grandparents or supervisors teaching but ensure you are teaching correctly incorporating the RMS requirements.
Learning to drive a car is no different than learning a new school subject, a new sport or even learning a new job.
If you want to drive a car on the road then learn and understand the road rules, read your logbooks, the guide to the driving test, the road users handbook.
You can’t learn a subject if you haven’t bothered to learn the requirements otherwise you may not know what you are supposed to be doing on the road.
If you have a learner licence then you should know the road rules and requirements. It’s up to you to learn and teachers to teach.
Penrith Driving School instructor Geoff only teaches the correct way to drive a manual car. Geoff has over 35 years of manual driving experience which includes cars, buses and trucks. He is also a licenced and qualified motor mechanic and has driven thousands of different types of manual vehicles over the years. He can say he knows how to drive a manual vehicle “properly”.
He has also trained many people in driving and workplaces so knows how to convey information by teaching.
You should be interested in listening, learning and understanding what is required to become a good manual car driver. If you can drive a manual car properly, then you will have no problem passing a driving test.
Geoff knows how to drive a manual car properly and also knows what is required to pass a driving test. As mentioned to students if you show Geoff you are meeting the requirements by driving correctly then you should be able to show the RMS assessors. If not, you need more practice.
This starts by understanding the requirements that a person needs to show the RMS driving assessors from the start.
If you don’t understand how a manual vehicle works then how can you drive one correctly and properly?
As with all the driving lessons we need to establish what you know. We can’t assume you know how to drive or how the car operates so questions will be asked. From the answers, we can determine what you know and understand. With that information, we then know where we start and what to teach.
First Lessons
Most of the time the first lesson will be a shorter driving lesson so there will be less driving until we know what we have to teach based on your answers.
We don’t just put someone into a car and say drive that’s irresponsible and dangerous if that’s what you expect don’t come to us.
If you are learning to drive a manual vehicle and think you might know more than Senior Driving Instructor Geoff about how a manual vehicle works or how to drive one the correct way, then you probably don’t need lessons.
Too often Geoff has students that have had numerous manual driving lessons with other driving schools but the person struggles to drive properly.
Why it is they don’t know how to “flow” the car? or read and understand the traffic to make safe decisions?
If a Driving Instructor or Driving School doesn’t have their own “Manual Instructor Vehicle” they teach automatic.
This means you may not be learning properly.
Just saying!
Why are learners still stalling a car?
Why can’t they explain or don’t understand friction point control?
Why can’t they shift gears properly?
Why can’t they control the car at low speed?
Why don’t they know what gear to stop it in?
Why can’t they shift and steer at the same time?
Why don’t they know what clutch coasting is?
Why don’t they know how to transition at low speed?
Why do they want to use a handbrake for starting on a flat surface or small incline?
The list goes on and on with vehicle control.
A new driver can be excused for not knowing, but a driver coming for a driving test should already know this.
If you struggle to control a manual vehicle, then this can affect other areas of driving which include decision making and road awareness.
What are other so-called manual driving instructors teaching? Some people don’t even know why they are shifting gears, they just shift.
You need to know what you are doing when you are driving as there are many things happening all the time..
If you are not aware of what you should be doing or how you should be doing it they could be reasons you struggle to drive properly.
Does the gearbox thump when changing gears?
Is the car labouring when changing gears?
Do I drive too fast?
Do I know how to stop the car correctly?
Is the car rolling back when trying to move off?
How do I do a hill start?
Does the car over rev when shifting?
What is the friction point?
Is my acceleration controlled?
Do I harshly brake/jolt the car when braking?
Do I shift correctly at the right speeds
What is clutch coasting?
When do I shift while steering?
Do I oversteer/understeer?
Can I read the traffic?
Can I anticipate traffic?
What do to gears relate to?
Do I understand vehicle dynamics?
Can I control the car for manoeuvres?
Does the car jolt when I downshift?
Does the car stall too much?
Can I respond to hazards the correct way?
Should I look at my shifter?
Do I miss gears? (wrong selection)
Am I shifting too fast?
Do I over rev the car?
What is holding the clutch back?
Can I control the friction point?
Do I stop the car for the wrong reasons?
Am I shifting down at the right speeds?
Previous Instructors
When instructors don’t know how to drive properly themselves what chance does the student have, now that’s not to say the student can’t get into a manual vehicle and drive it’s just not the correct way. It could be unsafe and may not meet the RMS driving test requirements. It may also mean the student is not able to control the car properly if taught incorrectly.
Geoff has to reteach students the correct way because they just don’t know how to drive properly and safely. This takes time and sometimes a lot of lessons to change bad and incorrect habits as the students revert to their “comfort zones”.
New students sometimes say “my old instructor said I can’t do that”. This is usually because other instructors don’t know how to properly drive a manual themselves. Probably learnt from Utube.
Part of that learning is up to you to learn the road rules, read your logbook if on one, start reading the guide to the driving test.
Just because you passed your DKT test (Drivers Knowledge Test) doesn’t mean you know the road rules.
If you have problems seeing line-markings, traffic signs and traffic lights then you should probably go to the optometrist to get your eyes checked as using your vision is required for driving. If you don’t know what hazards are and you don’t know how to respond properly then you need to learn.
If we also have to teach you the road rules and the driving requirements then learning is going to take longer.
Driving is a Subject to Learn
Driving is just like a school subject (if at school) you need to study and learn not just get in a car and drive. You can’t just turn up at an exam and expect to pass if you haven’t bothered to study. If you don’t learn the requirements like knowing the Roads Rules, Reading the Learners Log Book, Reading the Guide to the Driving Test then you won’t know what you should be doing out on the road. You also have to understand how your car works when driving it, cars are dangerous when not controlled properly.
Learning to get a car moving and stopping correctly is a basic requirement as is being able to creep along in traffic.
There is also learning and understanding the dynamics of the car and how different driving techniques are required when the road conditions change.
Learning the Process of Driving
Learning how to drive a manual car is a process that is built up by understanding smaller processes over time, not overnight.
In the manual car, there are 5 main control items: The steering Wheel, Accelerator Pedal, Brake Pedal, Clutch Pedal and the Gear Shifter.
Other items can be accessory items that are operated but do not control the car when driving.
A manual car is a “thinking persons” car and requires skill, coordination to be able to multi-task.
You need to learn how to listen to the car and how to feel the car is responding. This does not happen overnight and takes time to develop an understanding. Learning how combining the 5 control items allows a driver to control their car but only comes with practice.
There is a 6th main item that is also required and you cannot drive the car without it. All driving is based on your vision.
First Manual Driving Lessons
As a new driver when you attend your first lesson with us it may not be out on the road. More than likely it will be in a car park or a larger area. We can’t take drivers out onto the roads that are new to driving and don’t understand how to drive a manual car.
We need to ensure your safety, our safety and that of the other road users. Inexperienced drivers can struggle to coordinate their vehicle controls. Part of learning to drive requires a term called “Muscle Memory” to be learnt.
Muscle Memory can only be learnt over time by continual repetitious actions that allow the brain to control the body movements.
Learning how to automate your body actions without having to think takes time. Do you think about walking or running?
Controlling your hand, arm and leg coordination to work together without thinking about what you’re doing.
When you learn to do this you will start to control a manual car properly allowing for flowing driving and safe vehicle control.
Preparing for the RMS Driving Test
Students should be able to drive a car “independently” which is required by the RMS assessors. This is general information for those who qualify and are about to undertake a driving test. Having solid vehicle control, understanding of the road rules, line markings and be able to understand complex traffic situations. Be confident about making decisions and have a strong road awareness.
You should also understand what a “Hazard” is and how to respond to a hazard correctly.
Instructor Intervention
People getting ready to undertake the RMS driving test should be able to drive a car without any help. Students tested by us in “pre-testing” lessons struggle to drive a car independently when put under pressure. Most don’t know the road rules or the RMS requirements as they haven’t prepared properly. Manual driving lessons may help sharpen up and improve someones driving prior to a driving test. If we are helping you to drive during lessons and you cannot follow our instructions (like the RMS assessor will give) you may fail the driving test.
Have you learnt how to “Drive Properly” in a Manual Car?
If you struggle to drive a manual car properly to meet the RMS Testing requirements that’s not our fault. If you don’t know what “clutch coasting” is or “engine labouring” is you haven’t learnt properly. If you don’t know how to control a car at low speed or transition from 2nd gear to 1st gear at low speed then you haven’t learnt properly. If you do not know how to steer a car effectively and shift while steering (without losing control) you haven’t learnt properly. These are basic manual learning requirements but are usually neglected so controlling the car becomes difficult.
Use your Vision
All your driving is based on your vision. You must use your vision you to make control adjustments using the brakes, clutch, shifter, steering, accelerator. You also have to make decisions based on your vision. If you have to think about what you have to do when driving you need more experience. You have to look, decide and respond. Gears only need to be changed when a speed adjustment is required. You don’t change gears because they are there. In a manual car, you don’t come to a stop if you don’t need to, you have to “flow” the car.
Unfortunately, nearly all students that do manual driving lessons with us prior to their driving test struggle to drive a car properly. Sometimes it is because they weren’t aware of RMS requirements (they were never taught) and they don’t know the road rules. At other times it is a combination of inexperience which can also include not driving and controlling a car properly. We don’t lie to our students but we will inform them and explain to them what you need to do to improve.
You Came to Us
You came to us to access your driving we only tell you what we see when you drive on the lesson. If your driving needs improving we will tell you, isn’t that why you came to us? We have our driving licences so if you don’t want to hear your driving needs to improve to meet the RMS testing requirements get over it. Listen to what the instructor is saying and learn what you need to be doing. Driving is dangerous. Unfortunately for some reason, students can blame us for their inability to drive properly after being assessed. We didn’t teach you how to drive take it up with whoever taught you. If you struggle to drive correctly why is that our fault? We only tell you the truth based on how you drive from what has been seen during a lesson. If you only learn half of what you should be learning then you will struggle to meet RMS testing requirements.
Get Prepared
Students are given instructions to turn left, turn right, do a manoeuvre etc by following instructions without help. During a driving test, any intervention by the RMS assessor will result in a fail item marked as F6 on the test sheet. This means the student was not able to drive independently and required help. Having some driving lessons before your driving test can improve the areas of driving.
It may also give you the confidence and improve some skills. Driving only starts after you get your licence so be prepared for independent driving early.
How Difficult?
Too many students and drivers struggle with roundabouts, single lane and twin lane, left turns anytime with care, merging with traffic. Lane changing in busy traffic, responding to hazards and even knowing what a stop sign means. (No people do not stop at stop signs properly). It’s just easier to drive up and down a straight road than to be taken out of their comfort zones and actually learn to drive properly.
Using cotton wool buds or treating learner drivers like eggshells will not help them gain more experience. Learn in situations where they don’t feel comfortable. Inexperience is a leading factor in accidents because people fail to learn to drive properly. Driving a car is not a game so if you neglect to teach learners properly this will lead to drivers with lower confidence. Without having solid driving skills and being confident you will increase the risks of driving.
The Driving Test
When a student attends a driving test the RMS assessors do not help a student to drive they only give directional instructions. Students are also asked to do the required manoeuvres assuming they know how to do the required maneuvers. Their expectation is the student is able to drive the car to the RMS criteria to pass the driving test. If a student does not know the road rules or the driving test requirements then this can result in failing the driving test.
The extract below is taken from the “Guide to the Driving Test” on the fail items pages.
6. ACTION REQUIRING TESTING OFFICER INTERVENTION
At this stage of your driving experience, you should be able to drive without any help. If the testing officer has to give you verbal or physical assistance, including using the dual controls in an instructor’s vehicle, you will fail.
RMS Testing Routes
The RMS has identified various driving test routes throughout the Penrith areas. These may include various types of intersections, roundabouts, stop signs, give way signs, traffic lights. It will also include multi-laned roads, understanding of various road markings, signage. Hills, bends, curves and various types of turns and various decision-making requirements are also included. They also include various manoeuvres which a student must be able to do and all form part of the driving test. The purpose of these particular areas is to test a student’s independent driving ability without assistance from a supervisor.
Roads, Signs, Line Markings can all be seen
Driving around these types of areas should be relatively easy for a student who is confident and has good vehicle control. Having good road awareness is essential and understanding of road rules. Students will struggle if they do not have enough experience and knowledge. They may require more practice or lessons to drive independently. If you know your road rules and understand what you have to do when driving you should be able to drive in all areas and on all roads without a problem.
Common Misconception
A common misconception is that parents and students can think passing a driving test means you know how to drive. Some students are definitely much better drivers than others. Students that have more driving skills, vehicle control ability and more road awareness are better drivers. These students usually pass because they are better more confident drivers.
In our view, the RMS driving test is not a proper test of skill and ability as it is a variable test. A driving test cannot be replicated on a consistent basis. The driving conditions can change from minute to minute and hour to hour. Therefore there is no constancy of testing when students attempt the driving test. So basically not a level playing field for students. Some will have an easier driving test and for others, the driving test will be harder.
Variables of the Test
A driving test during school zone hours is different from a driving test outside school zone hours. Various decision-making aspects can be different. Contending with a busy roundabout is different from contending with no cars at a roundabout. Blind intersections that may block your vision are different to intersections where your view is not blocked.
Peak hour busy traffic is different from quieter periods with no traffic are just some examples. Some students pass only passed because they may not have been challenged with harder decisions or more complex traffic situations. A similar student with the same ability will fail when faced with more difficult situations.
Learning Experiences
Another reason is the learning experiences or driving lessons may not have been broad enough or wide enough. Driving areas should include complex traffic situations or driving conditions that require continual thinking and road awareness. Situations require students to make steering, braking and road positioning adjustments using the correct driving techniques. Students and drivers need to learn how to always be prepared for unexpected situations.
Having skills, ability and learning driving techniques will help in responding to the situation. Being able to control the vehicle properly when faced with different driving requirements or challenges only comes with having skills. Most students or drivers we see can struggle when they have been taken out of their comfort zones. As previously mentioned “nanny driving” does not teach the proper driving skills needed to become a better driver. Even a basic manoeuvre can be difficult like performing a simple kerbside stop to meet the RMS driving criteria.
Road Rules
Another main area that students and drivers struggle with is with the road rules, signage and understanding the line-markings. This should be included when learning as a part of driving lessons. This forms part of the requirements for getting a licence. Consequently, misinterpretations, hesitating, unsafe decisions tells us as the instructors they aren’t quite ready to drive by themselves. It is important when teaching driving lessons to have continual repetition but not on the same roads or in the same areas.
By continually varying the driving conditions expands the driving knowledge and experiences of the driver which builds more confidence and driving ability. This results in students and drivers that pass the driving test because they are better and safer drivers.
Not Enough Driving Hours
In most cases, learners are trying to learn how to drive in 12 months or 120 hours with less than 2 hours of practice a week. Inexperience is a leading factor in a lot of accidents so the more driving hours the better. How a parent or supervisor drives a car will be different from how a student or learner will drive a car. Learners may not understand or be able to comprehend your experience and knowledge. Your knowledge and experience are gained over many years of constant driving.
More Practical Driving Hours Means More Experience
Some students may start out doing 10 instructed driving lessons at the beginning of their driving. These can equate to 30 logbook hours but are really only 10 hours of practical driving if that. Some may only end up with 5 hours of practical driving experience depending on the driving school they use. After 50 standard driving hours (according to the logbook) students then go and do “a safer driver course”. This gets them another 20 hours but in fact, may only be 30 mins of practical driving.
Only 2 Weeks to Get a Licence
To sum it all up in most cases, some students may have only achieved about 80 hours of actual practical driving. This is assuming the logbooks are correct. Students may only get about 1.5 hours of practice per week. Nowhere near enough. Overall about 80 hours of practical driving equals 2 working weeks worth of driving to get a licence. 2 weeks of driving to learn all about driving. No wonder new drivers struggle to drive properly. Is that really enough driving experience considering the traffic on the roads these days?
When you cheat you only cheat yourself.
Learn Properly
Passing the driving test is just the beginning of driving. All the previous driving of a learner has been with parents or supervisors so driving independently by themselves is a new experience. If you are skilled, confident and have good road awareness you can reduce the risks associated with driving. Remember there are so many idiot drivers on the roads so you need to be better than them.
Quality Driving Lessons
Penrith Driving School only teaches quality driving lessons to our students and customers. If you want time-wasting there are plenty of other driving schools happy to do that. Some instructors will also take phone calls and make bookings during a lesson, is that what you are paying for?. Not everyone wants to learn properly which is unfortunate mainly because they just want to pass the driving test today. They will worry about tomorrow when it comes, but tomorrow might not come if you don’t get through today.
With all the idiots on the roads, the more experience and knowledge you have could just be the difference in you becoming a statistic.
Geoff,
Senior Instructor
Penrith Driving School
For the correct advice by experienced instructors contact us for further information.
Do you know how to feel and listen to understand a manual car?
Be Aware of Cheap Driving Lessons
In recent times it has become more apparent to us that an influx of so-called “Driving Schools”. They seem to be providing a lesser quality of driving lesson to students. The parents of students that may have purchased these cheap driving lessons.
From the feedback, we have been receiving from our students and the parents of some of these students. It is obvious to us that some of these driving schools are more about time wasting and selling low-quality lessons.
By doing more non-informative time wasting cheap driving lessons these driving schools aim to make more money. Unfortunately, the parents and students are losing out by ending up having to pay more money in the long run. They thought the “enticement” of buying “cheap” driving lessons could save them some money.
Not Teaching the RMS Criteria
Some of these driving schools and their instructors are not meeting the required RMS teaching criteria as they don’t seem to be following the requirements of the RMS.
We always hear from students “I wasn’t told that” or I wasn’t shown that” “I wasn’t aware of that” “I didn’t know that”. So what are these instructors and driving schools teaching?
It is certainly not what they should teaching be from our conclusion.
20 Learning Goals
The RMS has 20 “structured lesson plans” which coincides with the 20 “learning goals” that are in the learner’s log book. This is what driving instructors are required to teach. We see lessons being recorded in students log books as number “35” or number “57”.
None of those numbers corresponds to the “20” learning goals required by the RMS and we have no idea what a student has been taught. The student doesn’t remember which then takes longer for us to further access what they do know.
Lack of Knowledge
We continue to be dumbfounded when these students come to us and the student’s knowledge and ability are way below what you would expect. If a student has already had numerous instructed driving lessons they should have some knowledge and understanding of the RMS requirements.
Not all “20” structured lessons would be taught at once. They would be subject to how many lessons are purchased. Each structured lesson/s number should be recorded each time a driving lesson is conducted by a driving instructor.
Recording in Log Books
Some of these requirements are to record structured lessons in logbooks, keep student information sheets, provide structured lessons that meet the RMS requirements.
We have students telling us that they have had sometimes from 3 to 15 lessons with another instructor/driving school.
There is no evidence of this recorded in the student logbooks along with no instructors licence number or what type of structured lesson has been taught to the student.
The students and parents also tell us that they paid cash and there was no receipt provided which seems to be pretty common for the avoidance of tax and GST. Some without ABN numbers.
Some of these driving schools also seem to be using cars with very low ANCAP safety ratings (or our view “aluminium cans on wheels”) or cars that have seen better days which can put students at risk should there be an incident or an accident.
Using your Own Vehicle
Driving Lessons can be conducted in personal cars on request.
Cars must be roadworthy and have vehicle insurance.
If a car is not roadworthy the lesson must be conducted in the Penrith Driving School car. If the student or customer does not want to that lesson in the Penrith Driving School car the lesson will be cancelled and the lesson fee will still be charged.
We do not do lessons in cars that have no insurance or are not roadworthy. Should it come apparent during lessons the personal car is not roadworthy. If it is deemed to be unsafe the lesson may be terminated and or transferred to the Penrith Driving School car.
Our instructors will not be held liable for any damage that may occur in personal cars during a driving lesson caused by the student.
Students or customers will be asked to sign a waiver of liability prior to any driving lesson conducted in a personal car.
Penrith Driving School cars are fully insured and cover students for any damage that may occur during a driving lesson.
Know what you are Buying
Don’t take driving lessons for granted be sure about who is teaching you and what you are actually going to get as cheap driving lessons with dodgy driving instructors will just end up costing you more money in the long run.
Penrith Driving School only does the best quality informative driving lessons that can increase students driving skills and knowledge. We are not here to nanny drive students so be prepared to learn, take the time to practice properly not just get in a car and drive. Learning to drive is a subject so treat it as a subject and study your learning requirements such as the road rules.
Read the learner’s log book and read the guide to the driving test. If you don’t know the licencing requirements then how can you apply the road rules when your driving?
Penrith Driving School also carries a copy of the “20” structured lesson plans as required by the RMS along with a 200-page breakdown of the those “20” structured lessons that meet the RMS requirements.
We also carry our insurance policies and driving instructors licences which can also be viewed.