Class 2 training booked any tips? Test result now included!

Hi all this is my first post so please excuse if it is bad

I have wanted to drive for a living for ages but have only just turned 21 and because of insurance purposes I felt it was not worth obtaining my licences before I 21 as no companies will touch you. So here I am finally 21 I have passed my theory and cpc case study modules and have my class 2 training booked for the 15th of June with learn 2 start LTD in Porchester I have been down for an assessment drive which went really well I believe mainly because I drive for Tescos at the moment on the dot com vans so have nearly 2 years experience driving already! But in that time have picked up a lot of bad habits due to being time pressured ect I feel, but when I completed my assessment drive I tried to forget everything I know which is the best thing I believe? The guy that took my out was very impressed and said I wouldn’t find it difficult at all and couldn’t believe that I had not driven a truck before because of the way I drove. ( this made me very happy ) they have a very nice new truck which was automatic so even easier! I have payed for class 1 as well as a package so feel I have got a good price as well which is always a bonus Its an hour drive from Basingstoke but I feel that its worth it as I don’t wish to take my test in Newbury ( if anyone knows Newbury they will understand my decision) so I will be taking my test in Hedge End Botley wish is a wise decision I believe. So training is approaching very quickly I cant wait only 11 days to go I have read through ROGS tips and have found them very helpful. If anyone else has got any tips for me it would be much appreciated! once I have passed my class 2 I will be obtaining my class one as quickly as possible then I feel the best way to gain experience is to go agency for my first year for experience. (again any advice much appreciated) I enventually want to drive petrol tankers I know you obviously need to do your ADR but how much experience do you need before you can successfully apply for that type of work? Again any advice would be much appreciated. I will also use this post as my training log if you would like a constant update?

Hope you have enjoyed the read and can help where possible

Biggest thing on the test is not to panic, panic and you will mess up. If you are in the wrong lane like I was on my test just check your mirrors, signal then move over safely.

Thank you I will try and relax as much as possible on test but easier said then done and if you cant move over just go the wrong way they cant fail you on that

ash 001:
Thank you I will try and relax as much as possible on test but easier said then done and if you cant move over just go the wrong way they cant fail you on that

They might give you a minor for it but as long as it was done safely then you shouldn’t need to worry.

No need to have waited. I started working at 19!

The main one I always tell myself is “Get the back axle round.” It sounds stupid but the axle is the pivot point (well the center of the tyre is, but axle is easier to remember). So if you’re edging past a building or an expensive car, get out and see where your back axle is.

Also GET OUT AND LOOK. It takes 10 seconds but could save you a hell of a lot of bother!

Test wise, listen to the instructor, take your time, and use your mirrors.

As everybody says, take your time & if you do make a mistake, own up to it - the examiner may look kindly on the fact that you recognised your failing and not mark you down (depends on the situation/examiner mind). The best examiners want you to succeed and will try and help you as much as possible. Anyway, good luck on the day

You can never look in your mirrors to much.

htmldude:
No need to have waited. I started working at 19!

The main one I always tell myself is “Get the back axle round.” It sounds stupid but the axle is the pivot point (well the center of the tyre is, but axle is easier to remember). So if you’re edging past a building or an expensive car, get out and see where your back axle is.

Also GET OUT AND LOOK. It takes 10 seconds but could save you a hell of a lot of bother!

Test wise, listen to the instructor, take your time, and use your mirrors.

No way ! I cant believe I have waited then I was under the influence that because of insurance purposes it wasn’t worth doing until you was 21 how are you finding it ? Yep I would much rather get out and look than hit something

Zeethron:
As everybody says, take your time & if you do make a mistake, own up to it - the examiner may look kindly on the fact that you recognised your failing and not mark you down (depends on the situation/examiner mind). The best examiners want you to succeed and will try and help you as much as possible. Anyway, good luck on the day

Thank you, they like the fact that you have recognised you have made a mistake I am guessing? sounds good ! yes under a week now until training starts I cant wait! super excited ha

Monday is nearing closer and closer guys only 3 more days until i’m done with work and start training I cant wait super excited!

Turn up mentally, ask questions, focus and enjoy!

[emoji2]

Day 1

Right so here goes nothing; it feels like I’ve been waiting months for this day to come even though it’s only been about 4 weeks! My alarm goes off at 5.15am as I have to be at training centre for 7am and it’s an hour drive from my house. I have to leave be 5.45am I tell myself, it hits 5.45am crap I need the toilet so rush in quickly ‘drop the kids off’ as they say. Get out the toilet crap it’s 6am already! I’m going to have to put my foot down to get there on time.
I arrive at training centre with 5 minutes to spare go in do all the boring stuff of handing over licences for them to check ect then out to the truck we go! I meet my trainer Ollie for the day, which I am quite glad about as he is the same guy that took me for an assessment drive, I also think he was quite glad to have me also as he knew it was going to be an easy three and a half hours for him (I would like to think). So first of all quick chat about walk around checks ect (when I say quick a good 15 minutes where I am just egger to just get in and drive) he then explains he is going to do a demo drive so I hop in to the passenger seat to observe.
He pulls off and drives for around 15 minutes this whole time I’m sat there watching him and trying to take everything in at the same time thinking just hurry up because I want to drive but the demo drive did help a lot as it showed me the standard I was expected to be driving at. So eventually (it felt like ages) he pulls over and says we will swap now, so I hop in to the driver’s seat with a big smile on my face. First of all we do a few hill starts where he stopped the truck so I get used to pulling off ect I smashed all three so he is quickly bored of this and we move on. We do some general driving for a little bit I start to gain confidence and have a good feel for the size of the vehicle by now, I also have good road positioning and approaching roundabouts correctly and in the right position and lane ect. I start thinking to myself this is all going too smoothly what is happening! Ollie isn’t talking much or correcting me much so I gather this is a good thing which I find out later on it was. He tells me a couple of times about my road position when approaching roundabouts ect but I quickly listen to what he says and make it right and before long he is no longer telling me to check my road position ect . Then I do a little bit of independent driving first of all the road is two lanes and splits to one so I am in the left lane and the right lane will merge in to this lane all is good nothing is up the side of me, then the two lanes begin to close down in to one then a car comes flying past as it has already turned in to one lane I look at Ollie and say “there’s always one nob isn’t there”. “Well done for noticing obviously you wouldn’t use the term nob on your test with the examiner present” he says laughing. So moving on I’m reading road signs and trying to look where to go and do everything else and all is going well until I get to a large roundabout (6 exits traffic light controlled), I approach the roundabout in the correct lane lights are green ect as I’m going around the roundabout I have to stamp the brakes on across the junction as a car is coming the wrong way around the roundabout! Yes you read correctly he is coming the wrong away around the roundabout me and Ollie are dazzled by such stupidity we can only presume they were foreign, they apologised by putting their hand up and then carried on going the wrong way around the roundabout! By this time I had now pulled off and got away quickly before I found any more idiots!
We then pulled over so Ollie could have a quick smoke and before I knew it we were back out on the road again I’m approaching a bridge and Ollie says “What sign did we just pass” I very smugly say a sign stating the height of the bridge which is 15.5ft he smiles and says “well done but what is the height of this vehicle” I say 13.6ft Ollie to my amazement smiled and laughed he said most students at that moment stamp there brakes on because they think they are not going to fit. So it looks like I can do little wrong to not impress Ollie surely this is all going to smoothly I ask myself. Next I do some more independent driving this is where Ollie gets his own back for me being so smug earlier. So he says “follow the road until directed otherwise” so I’m just casually driving along passing parked cars, buses ect all is going well until I get to a pedestrian crossing I let someone cross then pull off and go to proceed straight ahead Ollie says “stop “ so I do so and am startled as to why he has stopped me then I see a little sign saying 7.5t MGW only so I have to turn right. Yes Ollie has got one back on me at last! As much to my disappointment We then carry on driving through Fareham these roads are very tight so I’m cautious of my back wheels hitting the kerb, we then hit a real tight left hander and I have to go in to the oncoming traffics lane to prevent me from mounting the kerb I do so correctly but then a car comes around the corner as I am doing about to come out on to their side of the road and they don’t stop I keep going( yes I know now that I should have stopped and waited lol) this results in me taking the corner too tight and mounting the kerb But practice makes perfect right? After this I explain what I did wrong and Ollie agrees and says we will cover it again another day. So I drive back to the training centre unaided Ollie not saying a word which made me happy . So day one all in all a good day I didn’t kill anyone or write any cars off so I call that a good day lmao. Can’t wait for my next training session which is Wednesday which I hope will be as successful as today Hopefully do some reversing on the next session.
Long read but hope you enjoyed check my log Wednesday for another update

You’re gonna sail it mate.

Nice start to your training it would seem
And good job on the blog - but holy mother of text walls
Add a bit more spacing/paragraphing in there fella and it’ll be peachy.

Jon

Sounds perfect, glad it went so well for you!

ash 001:
Day 1
Right so here goes nothing; it feels like I’ve been waiting months for this day to come even though it’s only been about 4 weeks!
My alarm goes off at 5.15am as I have to be at training centre for 7am and it’s an hour drive from my house. I have to leave be 5.45am I tell myself, it hits 5.45am crap I need the toilet so rush in quickly ‘drop the kids off’ as they say. Get out the toilet crap it’s 6am already! I’m going to have to put my foot down to get there on time.
I arrive at training centre with 5 minutes to spare go in do all the boring stuff of handing over licences for them to check ect then out to the truck we go! I meet my trainer Ollie for the day, which I am quite glad about as he is the same guy that took me for an assessment drive, I also think he was quite glad to have me also as he knew it was going to be an easy three and a half hours for him (I would like to think).
So first of all quick chat about walk around checks ect (when I say quick a good 15 minutes where I am just egger to just get in and drive) he then explains he is going to do a demo drive so I hop in to the passenger seat to observe.
He pulls off and drives for around 15 minutes this whole time I’m sat there watching him and trying to take everything in at the same time thinking just hurry up because I want to drive but the demo drive did help a lot as it showed me the standard I was expected to be driving at. So eventually (it felt like ages) he pulls over and says we will swap now, so I hop in to the driver’s seat with a big smile on my face.
First of all we do a few hill starts where he stopped the truck so I get used to pulling off ect I smashed all three so he is quickly bored of this and we move on. We do some general driving for a little bit I start to gain confidence and have a good feel for the size of the vehicle by now, I also have good road positioning and approaching roundabouts correctly and in the right position and lane ect.
I start thinking to myself this is all going too smoothly what is happening! Ollie isn’t talking much or correcting me much so I gather this is a good thing which I find out later on it was. He tells me a couple of times about my road position when approaching roundabouts ect but I quickly listen to what he says and make it right and before long he is no longer telling me to check my road position ect .

Then I do a little bit of independent driving first of all the road is two lanes and splits to one so I am in the left lane and the right lane will merge in to this lane all is good nothing is up the side of me, then the two lanes begin to close down in to one then a car comes flying past as it has already turned in to one lane I look at Ollie and say “there’s always one nob isn’t there”. “Well done for noticing obviously you wouldn’t use the term nob on your test with the examiner present” he says laughing.
So moving on I’m reading road signs and trying to look where to go and do everything else and all is going well until I get to a large roundabout (6 exits traffic light controlled), I approach the roundabout in the correct lane lights are green ect as I’m going around the roundabout I have to stamp the brakes on across the junction as a car is coming the wrong way around the roundabout! Yes you read correctly he is coming the wrong away around the roundabout me and Ollie are dazzled by such stupidity we can only presume they were foreign, they apologised by putting their hand up and then carried on going the wrong way around the roundabout! By this time I had now pulled off and got away quickly before I found any more idiots!
We then pulled over so Ollie could have a quick smoke and before I knew it we were back out on the road again I’m approaching a bridge and Ollie says “What sign did we just pass” I very smugly say a sign stating the height of the bridge which is 15.5ft he smiles and says “well done but what is the height of this vehicle” I say 13.6ft Ollie to my amazement smiled and laughed he said most students at that moment stamp there brakes on because they think they are not going to fit. So it looks like I can do little wrong to not impress Ollie surely this is all going to smoothly I ask myself.
Next I do some more independent driving this is where Ollie gets his own back for me being so smug earlier. So he says “follow the road until directed otherwise” so I’m just casually driving along passing parked cars, buses ect all is going well until I get to a pedestrian crossing I let someone cross then pull off and go to proceed straight ahead Ollie says “stop “ so I do so and am startled as to why he has stopped me then I see a little sign saying 7.5t MGW only so I have to turn right. Yes Ollie has got one back on me at last! As much to my disappointment
We then carry on driving through Fareham these roads are very tight so I’m cautious of my back wheels hitting the kerb, we then hit a real tight left hander and I have to go in to the oncoming traffics lane to prevent me from mounting the kerb I do so correctly but then a car comes around the corner as I am doing about to come out on to their side of the road and they don’t stop I keep going( yes I know now that I should have stopped and waited lol) this results in me taking the corner too tight and mounting the kerb But practice makes perfect right?
After this I explain what I did wrong and Ollie agrees and says we will cover it again another day. So I drive back to the training centre unaided Ollie not saying a word which made me happy . So day one all in all a good day I didn’t kill anyone or write any cars off so I call that a good day lmao. Can’t wait for my next training session which is Wednesday which I hope will be as successful as today Hopefully do some reversing on the next session.
Long read but hope you enjoyed check my log Wednesday for another update

Nice write up

It’s good to read your blog, I have my first lesson on July 6th and my test on the morning of the 9th.

Bach home:
You’re gonna sail it mate.

Thank you very much I hope so

Crusher75:
Nice start to your training it would seem
And good job on the blog - but holy mother of text walls
Add a bit more spacing/paragraphing in there fella and it’ll be peachy.

Jon

Thank you haha sorry I wrote it up in word and it had more spacing I swear I just posted it and didn’t look let me off this once ile try better with day two

Evil8Beezle:
Sounds perfect, glad it went so well for you!

Thank you like I said he only caught me out once which is not too bad but shouldn’t have given him a chance to catch me out