Doha Driving Centre - female expat taking direct test--any advice?
By relativeidentity •
Hello fellow Expats or Qataris,
I am a female that is going to take a direct test for my drivers license in the next week at Doha Driving Centre. Last week, I failed the L test at Al Rayya Driving School. After doing some research, I realized there is a special technique for passing the L test, the P test, and the road test. But all the posts I see don't give me many specifics.
Do any of you have some advice to share about passing those tests? I will be practicing this weekend, and I'm nervous that something small will prevent me from passing.
I've already passed the Signal Test--so that isn't an issue.
Thanks so much!
-relativeidentity
one more advice from my experience go for the test in the last as in start the police is too much strict n keep on failing but in last he is much flexiable and one more point in the last the difference between the poles also increased and in start its too narrow but in last its a bit wide
i suggest that on the test day u will go a little earlier and go for the test in the last and observe others what they are doing and take a advice from the one who took lessons in the same school she will tell u exact techniques as i also went for direct test and passed in my first attempt what i observed there are few points on which if u turn the steering then only the car comes out from the pocket parking and same in the L parking so do ask the one who did the lessons from the same school she would tell u as in every school there are different markings
i suggest that on the test day u will go a little earlier and go for the test in the last and observe others what they are doing and take a advice from the one who took lessons in the same school she will tell u exact techniques as i also went for direct test and passed in my first attempt what i observed there are few points on which if u turn the steering then only the car comes out from the pocket parking and same in the L parking so do ask the one who did the lessons from the same school she would tell u as in every school there are different markings
I would be surprised if anyone passes the parking test without having at least a lesson or two considering the space is just enough for a Corolla to fit in. Yes, there are techniques, like the exact moment to turn the wheel. The instructors will tell u which window u should look out thru and which pole u should be seeing when u start turning ur wheel. Its hard to explain in words. I too went for a direct test, but got hold of an instructor a day before and paid him QR200 (off the records) to give me a few lessons in L and P. and that worked, I passed on the first go.The L test can still be done, but for the P, u need lessons. Good luck
go to observe the test area before your actual one. it will help as u will familiar with the area.
if u didnt take any lesson before that, i advise u not to be the first driver to take any test, try to be the later ones, as u ll be able to notice how they managed or not managed to do their parkings / test.
As for road test, cant help much, just drive slow (about 60kph) and concentrate.
good luck
I'm in the exact same situation as you EXCEPT, I took a couple of driving lessons before my second test (tomorrow). I should tell you how it went after that, but the lessons went into detail about what to expect, in case you're in a time crunch. I thought I could wing it, but there are definitely tips and tricks. A lesson or two wouldn't hurt. Trust me, I've been driving in the states for almost 20 years, and the Qatari Driving Test is the first one I've failed.
For those of you who recently took the driving test, correct me if I'm wrong:
1) You will be asked to do the L-turn up and down a ramp.
TIP TO PASS: go halfway up the ramp, stop, then continue up to the end until you are sitting at the center of the ramp (pole should be ahead of you). Then turn your steering wheel half-a-turn to the right, and use your right-hand rear-view mirror to go down. Adjust as needed, but you want to be more to the right. At the third-to-last pole, stop, turn your steering wheel all the way to the right, and proceed slowly down until you are pretty much perpendicular to the ramp. Keep looking through the right-rear-view mirror. Then stop again and rotate your steering wheel twice to the left and proceed straight back out in reverse, the way you came.
2) Then you'll be asked to park into a parking lot type of space. As you approach the space, keep about 1/2 a meter between you and the poles on the left of you. Then turn right into the space. Parking should be easy. Coming out is similar to the L-reverse. You turn your steering wheel 1/2 a turn to the right, use your right rear-view mirror to reverse slowly, adjusting as needed, but stay mostly towards the right. Then stop at the last pole, and turn your steering wheel completely to the right. Using the right rear view mirror, reverse slowly until you are perpendicular to the parking spot. Then turn your wheel twice to the left, and reverse straight back.
3) Then you'll be asked to drive around outside with an officer/instructor, which should be easy. The only new thing I learned about parking outside at a curb was this 3-step process. After parking, 1) Put up the hand brake, 2) put the car in Park, 3) put the warning signals on. I'm not sure why that is except that at this point, you may have to get out of the car and switch with another student. Hence the warning lights. I think.
Anyhow, good luck!
Sofia
try looking for a recent thread in expatwoman.com (qatar) about someone who has done the test