I’m a new member. My name’s Matthew and I’m from New Malden in Surrey; I’m 37 and have been driving 7.5T vehicles since 2000, and passed my class 2 last November.
I’m currently having C+E lessons around Guildford – test is Friday. I’m finding that (as with cat C) that the instructor makes me nervous and I slip up a lot because of that. I’m hoping that I’ll ease up for my test, which is what happened last time (same area). The other day when I was having a hard time grasping the reversing and then the coupling (which we did at Dunsfold airfield, which has a really crap surface), he ended up telling me to “shut the [zb] up” which is obviously really quite rude, given that I’m paying more than £1,000 for this. (He’s also twice taken me to fill up the motor, in lesson time, which he should have done before he arrived.)
Anyway, we were going along the B3000 from Godalming to Puttenham in Surrey, which is apparently a common test route for artics at Guildford. (When doing class 2 I was never taken that way, and I specifically asked if I could be taken south of Guildford and was told no – it was always between Guildford and Woking, and sometimes east to Clandon.) The B3000 is a narrow two-lane road with a narrow bridge, and I was coming down it this afternoon and there was a line of cars coming the other way. I drove slowly, because I was steering a narrow course between the kerb and a line of moving vehicles. The instructor told me off for going too slow (about 15mph I think) and said I could be failed for “hesitancy” for driving that slowly, because I would be causing a tailback.
Is he right? I’m an experienced driver and have not had a scrape with another vehicle since 2001. I always drive fairly slowly when passing oncoming traffic on a narrow road. In this case it would only take for a driver coming the other way to be momentarily distracted for them to swerve into my path. I told him that and he said “[zb] them, it’s their fault”. I wouldn’t take this attitude towards killing or injuring another person, ever – I may not be technically at fault but they could still be dead. Should I ignore him?
He doesn’t sound like he’s very helpful. You can fail your test for hesitancy but it’s an instant fail if the examiner tells you to stop because he thinks you’re going to hit something.
Just bite your tongue for the time being and prepare yourself for your test day. Having a different person in the cab with you should help.
I had a female examiner at Botley for my C test and we got chatting once in the road. She could see I was nervous and did this to help keep me from being distracted by my nerves.
Is your instructor a one man band/owner of the driving school or just an instructor? I would probably make my feelings known towards the company once we had parted ways.
Sounds like a crap instructor to me, mate. As has been said - if the examiner thinks you are likely to hit something and intervenes that’s an instant fail. Good luck for your test, it’ll probably be a piece of ■■■■ without the dumbo instructor in the cab
It does sound like you haven’t got the best instructor in town. Playing devils advocate, I would defend the instructor on two points. The choice of route is his; IF he is a professional, he will know the fixed hazards on each route and build up the difficulty accordingly. I also sometimes fill up in lesson time - - but the time is spent going over what we’ve just done, are about to do, safety questions or talking through coupling/upcoupling. So the time isn’t wasted.
Airfields with crap surfaces are not unusual. But with the advent of Customer Site test centres where the test is conducted from the trainer’s premises, the area MUST be reasonably well surfaced and correctly marked.
Swearing at trainees is unacceptable.
Too slow when meeting oncoming traffic is a matter of judgement. Maybe he could have said something more like “with a bit more practice perhaps we’ll pick the speed up just a little”. He may have been correct - just a matter of how it’s said. Going by the rest of the comments I would not like to automatically assume he is correct.
For the benefit of other readers, this is a classic case of the need to research the choice of trainer properly and ensure that all the facilities are in place. Choose a DSA Accredited LGV training centre and this is guaranteed. Apart from that you have to do your own checks as well as possible. (There are good trainers who are not in this scheme for whatever reason).
The company’s JC Coates. The instructor, as I write, is having his breakfast in a lay-by on the A281, on my time.
We had another go at reversing and coupling today and he swore at me yet again. He also had a go me for not reading his book, when I don’t remember skills learned from books very well - I learn to do things by doing them. He hasn’t got a patient bone in his body. If I fail, I’ll have to find another school, I think.
IndigoJo:
The company’s JC Coates. The instructor, as I write, is having his breakfast in a lay-by on the A281, on my time.
We had another go at reversing and coupling today and he swore at me yet again. He also had a go me for not reading his book, when I don’t remember skills learned from books very well - I learn to do things by doing them. He hasn’t got a patient bone in his body. If I fail, I’ll have to find another school, I think.
Yeah, will do. Probably just before my test tomorrow – that way, my complaint can’t just be dismissed. (If I complain after, they can say I’m just bitter if I fail, and “well, you passed, what are you complaining about?” if I pass.)
The guy acts as if he’s working for my boss, not for me. We must have spent more than 30 minutes at that lay-by and then in the Guildford test centre, where he chatted to another Coates colleague while I was waiting to get back to my car. Not very professional at all.
IndigoJo:
The company’s JC Coates. The instructor, as I write, is having his breakfast in a lay-by on the A281, on my time.
We had another go at reversing and coupling today and he swore at me yet again. He also had a go me for not reading his book, when I don’t remember skills learned from books very well - I learn to do things by doing them. He hasn’t got a patient bone in his body. If I fail, I’ll have to find another school, I think.
Hi IndigoJo,
I agree with everybody who has said that the instructional style is unprofessional.
It is absolutely unacceptable for an instructor to swear AT a candidate in the way that you have described.
I’ve no idea how J Coates is set up, but this is certainly serious enough to involve head office in Leicester if local management are indifferent to your complaint.
PLEASE give them the opportunity to answer your concerns, it’s only fair.
This might get you a free re-test, or a substantial discount IF you fail, but let’s not jump the gun and consider failing at this point. However, you should raise your concerns BEFORE your test.
Sadly you’re not the first on here to make these comments about Coates at Slough.
A while ago I taught a member to reverse a CE in around an hour (free of charge) who had been on the rough end of an instructor’s tongue at Slough. That person has subsequently pass the test with me and is in regular artic work.
I would certainly voice your concerns to the management as they seem to have a problem that perhaps they are not aware of. Coates is an old established school that always had a decent name. I am sure they will want to help.
Also mention the layby time. IMO it’s fine to stop for a few minutes, stretch legs, have a smoke if needs be, a cuppa and discuss what has happened and what is planned. This is positively constructive if done properly and I consider it to be good professional practice. But this doesn’t sound like your experience.
From what the OP has posted it seems as though there might be one instructor out the many that work for Coates who is not up to the job so it is now up to the trainees to report this issue and then to see what Coates does to remedy it
Before making any negative comments about the company I always like to see what they do first so please lets us know what feedback you get from the company on this issue
I hope I didn’t make any negative comments about Coates. But I do feel quite negative about this particular instructor. If he is DSA registered, the DSA might be interested to hear about his conduct.
Sounds like you’ve had a lot if undue pressure on top of whats already a stressful week. Good luck tomorrow and whatever the outcome you certainly need to tell your trainer what you think of him you’ve certainly got more self control than me lol
jusholmes:
Sounds like you’ve had a lot if undue pressure on top of whats already a stressful week. Good luck tomorrow and whatever the outcome you certainly need to tell your trainer what you think of him you’ve certainly got more self control than me lol
Thanks. The trainer is completely oblivious to how nervous he’s making me, perhaps because I don’t show it, but people often don’t accept that their behaviour is the problem. Not the first time I’ve had this problem with a driving instructor. I think he will have to hear it from his boss, as he doesn’t respect me.
Get it out of your head and focus on your test. Your instructor is not the one that will be sitting with you tomorrow.
Leave all your fustrations in your car before you start any driving tomorrow and count to ten. By getting stressed about it he will cause you to lose concentration and do something silly.
The best way to get over this idiot is to pass and deal with him after.
If you find it possible try and take the positives out of your training into your test. I honestly believe you may relax on test not having your incompetent abusive instructor next to you.
PLEASE give them the opportunity to answer your concerns, it’s only fair.