Day 1 report:
Up bright and early, cracking weather again – keen to get started after reading half an Amazon’s worth of theory about driving an HGV but never actually having been within one of those ‘English barge poles’ distance’ of driving one.
Arrive in plenty of time and after introductory formalities, my trainer, Terry (ex-Army Engineers and former driving examiner) and I head out for the Daily Check walkaround and vehicle familiarization.
Find out it’s a Scania 94D 230, and more importantly, an auto.
Terry proceeds to tell me ‘It almost drives itself’ – at which point I am wondering whether he is actually an instructor as surely he wouldn’t set himself up for a fall like that so early on in proceedings. Either that or he is more optimistic in my ability that I am.
Anyway, Terry takes us out first for a 15min run, whilst explaining basic operation/what he’s doing and at which points and why. Within no time we’re back to the yard and it’s apparently me who won ‘fastest finger first’ and who is soon in the hot-seat wondering at what point the dreaded ‘eagerbeaver turtle’ might be making an appearance.
Very first impressions…
Yeah, OK this thing is big, lumbering and sluggish – reminding me a lot of how I was often described back in my school rugby prop’ing days.
Also, the steering wheel seems to have been borrowed from a scrap-ship dealer.
And, jeez, those brakes need a bit of working to get them interested – do that in my car and I’d be through the windscreen making a mess on someone’s rear-end.
Having said all that it was then that my deeply-engrained Trucknet gained knowledge came to the fore and I heard what seemed like an old man in a brown robe whispering ‘Take your time Jon… Feel the…’ when, suddenly, the nice old man turned out to be Terry telling me firmly to straighten up or I’d be clipping the nearside curb.
Well, time ticked by and after around an hour and half we mysteriously just happened to be due a break exactly where Terry’s favourite bacon-sarnie van was set up. Great to get out and stretch the legs, have a cup of empire goodness and ponder over things done and yet to come – all in quality British sunshine.
The subsequent couple of hours roll by rapidly with me doing my best to not let Terry talk.
And please, don’t get me wrong. Terry’s voice is angelic whenever I listen to it, but he did tell me that when I am driving he tends to only correct/point out those things which I have missed or are about to make a pig’s ear of. Therefore the implication is the less talking he actually does, the better I am currently driving.
Of course you’re now thinking that poor Terry’s vocal chords were overused to the point of exhaustion for the rest of the afternoon – but actually, apart from the odd reminder here and there and a particularly funny moment where he was jumping round in his seat attempting to describe how I should be on approach to junctions/roundabouts, things went reasonably well.
In fact the prize for closest moment to ‘turtle head appearance’ went to Terry as he informed me that I had been literally inches away from swapping the wagon’s perfectly good nearside mirrors for a not so useful set of regular pedestrian crossing traffic lights. I maintain ignorance is bliss and the fact that I nearly hit it, as being good judgement on my part. Terry remained unconvinced judging by his face looking like a bulldog licking ■■■■ off a thistle.
So, in summary, considering I had never driven any kind of HGV before, and also that I did not know the local area, Terry was pleased with a ‘good first day’.
Plenty of things to work on (which I will mention below) and am looking forward to Monday with the intention of doing the right things at the right times and so keeping Terry quieter than a mouse ■■■■■■■ on cotton.
In no particular order:
Indicators – are used to INDICATE intention AHEAD of time and will often ‘encourage’ other road users to stay out of your way/flash you in/out/through.
Stopping gap – to the vehicle in front. Make it bigger, simples! Terry got very nervous when I was able to look down through the sunroof of the car in front and tell him what radio station they were listening to.
Roll-back – happened a couple of times when approaching a roundabout/junction on the uphill and I couldn’t go and had to stop. Need to apply the park brake and start off using clutch/accelerator again. Not a problem when I knew I had been stopped to do a hill-start.
Nearside mirror - Keep an eye out on that cluster when things get a little narrower. Interaction with anything is frowned upon.
General observation – very easy to be looking at only what is immediately in front of you (as your brain is having a mini-Chernobyl trying to cope as it is) but get that vision up whenever possible as it allows you to plan ahead to manoeuvre out early and ‘claim’ your space on the road for example.
Think – you have to do this not only for yourself, but for other (generally car) road users. Even the most ‘progressive’ car driver tends to allow you your space when you have taken his options away from him.
Mirror work – general attention to mirrors is obvious, but there are special occasions where order and timing are more critical especially on those nearside checks. Also the more confident you are of what’s around you, the more progressive you can make your drive.
Straightening – if you have manoeuvre out into the road, get it done early so you are straight passing by/through an obstacle. Don’t want to be trying to negotiate things on an angle.
Instructions – quite simple but often forgotten. The examiner is actually there to help you and there are a lot of clues in what they say and how they say it. So listen and do.
Many thanks to those who have commented so far.
Totally enjoyed my first day out.
Jon
hides behind settee
