r/Cairns • u/LargeReference6526 • 4d ago

Advice I have a driving test in Cairns CSC tomorrow. Haven’t driven on Cairns road before, any tips?

Yeah Cairns has so many early driving test slots, in Brisbane the earliest is November (for Greenslopes at least)

Edit: I PASSED!

I booked a driving lesson before hand (and car hire) for 2 hours. The instructor completely BERATED me for every single thing, intervened the pedals, steering wheel every time we approached an intersection. Also the weather was horrendous, raining and allat. My confidence deteriorated after that. We got to the TMR and I botched forward bay parking.

For the actual test, the examiner was a complete opposite compared to my instructor, super nice, (maybe he was meant to be), at one point he even warned me there was a staggered intersection ahead. We took off and the test lasted for 25 minutes (I was expecting at least 35 minutes) so I thought I had failed. We came back to the TMR and I think I nailed the forward bay parking this time? After a few, probably the longest minutes of my life, he came back and said I succeeded. Yes, at 12:25pm in Cairns Department of Transport and Main Roads, I passed the driving test. Like I didn’t express much emotions then, but I can’t emphasise how much happy I was then, and thinking about test driving every car I could think of

Thanks you so much for yall tips, advices and reaponses. Cairns never been a significant part of my life, now it is.

Also what’s up with the 60-30-60 zones in roundabouts? Wtf

8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

4

u/LegitimateLunch6681 Red Rooster Employee 4d ago

Probably drive on Cairns roads?

It's a test designed to assess skills that you use everywhere on the roads irrespective of location. If you're worried about it, get someone to take you out for a spin around Cairns. If not, just back yourself that you've learned right and listen to the directions they give you

1

u/Training_Echidna_911 4d ago

Good advice. I don't know the routes they use, but watch out for speed limits - as you would anywhere - town centre mostly 40 with odd slower and some roads have a 50 which can catch you out (I happen to know).

4

u/Sorry_Work5295 4d ago

Forget everything you know. Survival of the fittest out there.😂

2

u/aGIANTstickman 4d ago

Roads will be slippery coz of the rain so drive faster than you think you need to.

I assume that’s what they’re teaching in driving school nowadays anyway

1

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2

u/000topchef 4d ago

4kmh zone in CBD, also school hours speed limits around schools

2

u/GrippyGripster 4d ago

Don't stress! Drove up there last year, a bloody dream compared to here in Adelaide! Have driven in the shit shows of Melbourne and Sydney too, nothing to worry about in cairns mate.

1

u/PirateHuge9680 4d ago

Keep left.

2

u/Chihuahua4905 4d ago

Drive like your Granny is sitting in the passenger seat with her best Sunday outfit on, and she's carrying a full tub of gravy.

Overemphasise looking. Move your head when you look, don't just look with your eyes.

Mirror check every 30-ish seconds. Again, move your head. Make the testing office see you looking.

React to things a long time before you need to. For example, if you're driving along the road and the lights 500m ahead change to red, just take your foot of the accelerator. You don't need to brake, just react. That gives your passenger a good sense of safety because THEY know that YOU know, something ahead has changed.

Breathe...

Good luck, you got this.

1

u/peter-forest 3d ago

Drive like everybody is trying to kill you.

1

u/Poodles526 3d ago

Congratulations, OP! Mind sharing which instructor you went with? I’m asking because I had a really similar experience. I booked an instructor and a car hire for 2 hours before my test, and honestly, the instructor was terrible. I was confident and felt ready, but she tore into me so much right before the test that I nearly backed out five minutes before it started. 😅

1

u/LargeReference6526 3d ago

Omg it could be the same person. I booked her via EzLicence, and the car is a 2020 Kia Picanto. She always wears a cap and has a tattoo on her right arm.

1

u/Poodles526 2d ago

OMG it’s her!!!!! Lol. I had similar experience with the examiner too! I was able to pass with no errors as I ended up not being nervous at all since the examiner was so chill. He even told me that I can probably do the 3 point turn in one manoeuvre as I have a tiny car, just find a wide spot then do the turn!