Paying it forward: Port Union Drive Test Centre - My Experience

Hello good people, I just wanted to share my experience at the Port Union location for my G Road Test but before I get started I'd like to add that if you can drive and you've practiced the essentials (i.e. road signs, know your speed limit, know your car (be comfortable and make the tester comfortable)how to balance/blend on the road and signal mirror blind spot checks etc. etc. etc.), you should be just fine. I've heard nothing but horror stories about Port Union, and from what I experienced, it was nothing of the sort. Port Union is good if not great location for many reasons and I'd recommend anyone to go there if its convenient.

First off, I passed. Thanks to many people in this forum, I applied what I learned here to my test.

For answers that I couldn't find in my search, I will put them here as well, if I missed any feel free to ask questions.
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My Test Route and Overall Interaction:

I arrived 40 minutes early (although only required 30 minutes early).
I went to the information booth, asked what I was suppose to do, I was told to drive my car around the back and park in
any spot" and come back in (through a back door) and line up at booth #7 to register.

PARKING:As many have heard, the parking lot is pretty tight. I would suggest anyone going to this location to practice, practice, practice your park...reverse and straight in...you just never know. And don't let someone else park you when you arrive, b/c there are testers everywhere and you don't know which one will be yours. I saw many ppl letting other's park their car for them. In my opinion, if they see someone else park for you, they're going to ask you to perform the same task.

NOTE: I did notice the instructors were of many different ages, mainly young...some as young as maybe 23? And as old as 45/50? The majority were 35 and under. Overall, they seem relaxed.I reverse parked in. (although I had to do it again later, and I'll tell you why further in)

At the booth, they asked for my license, the type of car, license plate number and what # parking spot I was located at.
I gave them this information and was told to wait in my car and that an instructor will be out to see me shortly.

I walked back through the back door, to my car setting up to wait the 30 minutes.
Before I could close my door, a female instructor approached my car and opened it again!
She introduced herself, we shook hands and the test actually started...30 minutes early...

She requested the usual checks: right/left indicators and brake lights

She got into the car and asked me a few questions. Asking if I had been on the highway in the passed 3 months and how often. I told her it was a few times, I wasn't totally sure as I wasn't counting. She asked if a couple of times a week would be close and I agreed...when she said back to me so, 60 times in the last 3 months, I said NO! I almost chuckled...So we corrected it to more like 20 times in the last 3 months. She asked where I travelled to, I told her Durham, Markam...So she asked if I was comfortable with the highway then? Particularly the 401? I told her yes. She was very clear and precise about her instructions and what we were about to do on the test. I appreciated that. There was something, cool but stern about her...I liked her...was trying to figure her out, but my overall feeling was a good one.

She put on her seat belt (mine was already on), asked me to start the car and exit my parking space when its safe.
I indicated to the right (b/c their parking lot is a ONE WAY) merged out and off we went.
There was no speed limit through the back, so I drove at an adequate pace, between 20-30.
I exited the parking lot onto Tideswells (indicated right)
There is a stop sign shortly after this turn bringing you to Rylander.
Stopped, mirror checked! (be sure to check your mirrors all the time!! all the time!! all the time!! Treat it like a story, you want to know what's going on! That's how I do it... So its Signal, Mirror, Blind Spots. I always check my rear view mirror before stopping my car, or as I slow down to be sure the cars behind me know what I am doing. I learned this at Young Drivers of Canada years ago.

So, right onto Rylander.
Now, there's no speed limit here. I heard it was 50..but it felt too fast, so I went 40/45...I think I got docked for that...so check it out before you go. Ask an instructor thats already there...I asked one from Ex-Examiners, but he wasn't too clear, he wasn't specific about Rylander, he just said any residential street with no limit posted, is 50.

Travelling down Rylander, there is a 4-way stop...I thought this would trip me as I've seen no one follow the rule at this stop when I've gone there in the past. Luckily, I was the only one at the intersection.

Arriving at Kingston Rd I was asked to make a right.
Seems anyone doing the G test goes right, anyone doing the G2 goes left to Sheppard/Port Union Rd.
Okay, so because I had said I was comfortable with the highway and have used the 401 before, I was asked to make a right onto the 401 (serves me right! I had been looking at the Lawson route for so long...lol, but I was cool).

Right up onto the ramp, its a short distance from Rylanders right turn to the 401, so keep that in mind. If you are asked to take HWY2 instead of the 401, you will have to merge over quickly all the way over to the left (3 lanes)...do this in stages...S/M/B check for every lane change until you are at you final lane destination.

So I'm on the 401, I merged alright, its a short ramp. (I was told later I went on to slow, but that can be adjusted)
Keep your eye on the speed limit....try to stay just under your 100 or 80 depending on your route. (401/Lawson)

We drove to Morningside making 2 lane changes, one to the left and one to the right.
Exit Morningside, turn left and get back onto the highway.
Now, I missed this part, I stayed in my left lane b/c I knew I was getting back on...just common sense to me. But I was actually suppose to get in my right lane until she asks me to change over to the left. (docked mark)

On the return route, I was asked to perform the same tasks...lane change left/right.

We exited at Port Union, left onto Kingston Rd - straight to Sheppard making a left.

We travelled down to Vandorf? I think is what it was or Durnass?? It was the first street on the left...there was a light there as well.

She asked me to make a right at the first stop sign and on that street, do a 3-point turn. I did.

We then travelled up the street and I was asked to pull over like there was an emergency. I did.

We continued up this street (I believe we were on Tideswell) I was asked to do a parallel park behind a car. Now, normally I go in like butter...today...nope. It was nasty!! I even tried to straighten out...she just shook her head...I was like...oh boy...I told her I knew that was a nasty park...

She then had me make another left onto Rylander...go toward the drive test center, into the parking lot and there she asked me to reverse park into a space that she chose... And I did just that. Whew.

She told me the test was over and that I had passed. Overall I had lost 8 points...2 I mentioned earlier and probably lots in that parallel park!

Anyway, I'll try to shorten it now, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask! I'd love to answer and help out in anyway possible.
Okay, so test is over, I go inside to the info booth, get a ticket number, speak to a lady at the booth etc etc. It was all gravy from there.[/FONT]
Last edited by Ted1234; Jun 1st, 2011 at 06:15 PM.
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