Took my Cat 2 test the other week and failed on reversing. Utterly gutted beyond belief. Apparently I reversed in too shallow and ended up hitting a cone and stick. When I got out of the cab it was right in the middle under the rear axle. I have no idea how the hell that happened as every single time I reversed in practice I never touched a ■■■■ thing. I followed the trainers directions spot on too. So, it’s now knocked my confidence.
Has anyone got any pointers or helpful advice as I could really do with it seeing in the New Year.
I can have a fair guess at what happened - though it is only a guess of course. During training you were probably encouraged to arrive at A cones (the top ones) as far forward as you can and as far to the left. Sadly, on test, this sometimes ends up as a few feet from the cones and no-where near the left.
And that alone will cause the issue you describe.
The alternative is that you simply didn’t steer left as soon as you started moving. For reasons I’ve never understood, folks do this time after time in practice - but then go straight back 6 or 8 feet before steering. That also will take B cone down.
Just make sure you do a couple before your next test to get your confidence back. And the very best of luck with it.
Peter Smythe:
I can have a fair guess at what happened - though it is only a guess of course. During training you were probably encouraged to arrive at A cones (the top ones) as far forward as you can and as far to the left. Sadly, on test, this sometimes ends up as a few feet from the cones and no-where near the left.
And that alone will cause the issue you describe.
The alternative is that you simply didn’t steer left as soon as you started moving. For reasons I’ve never understood, folks do this time after time in practice - but then go straight back 6 or 8 feet before steering. That also will take B cone down.
Just make sure you do a couple before your next test to get your confidence back. And the very best of luck with it.
Happy New Year, Pete
Thanks for the info. In my training I drove to the near left of the two cones to start, one and a half turns on the wheel and then reversed, keeping an eye on the line on the right side of me so I didn’t cross it. Kept a check of the two cones at the start of the 'bay and lined up so they were both in my mirrors then used the nearest one to pivot the offside rear wheel to reverse in.
I was told I had hit C cone which I really dont get as the truck was mid way between start and the C cones to the bay entrance. I even wondered if it had been set up for a rigid as there had been trailer and van before me. Even the chap training me was perplexed as to how I hit it.
Dont beat yourself up too much. I must have reversed 20-30 times without fail in my training but on the day my nerves got the best of me. I took both allowed shunts and got in with sweat pouring out. The instructor gave me a minor for my hesitation and the fact i didnt need any shunts let alone two.
Trust me, youll crack it. Dont let this set you back, theres loads of people who fail Class 1 & 2 tests and end up passing the next time. Good luck, im sure youll be fine next time.
Peter Smythe:
C cones are the ones at the entrance to the garage - so I really am confused now.
But Happy New Year anyway!
Pete
Lol, well now you know how I feel. The guy pointed to the right c cone (if looking at it from a birdseye view) and said I had hit that. If I had hit that and it was on the back of the rear axle I would have been way over the bay/garage area.
The one thing that did make me chuckle though was that I got a pass for observation…
It’s the pressure you put yourself under on the day.
I went straight for class 1 many years ago- on practice straight in the box every time - on test day the nerves got me and I fell apart.
Came back 2 days later after another couple of hours practice and ■■■■■■ it
It makes no sense at all but just get back on it, try and keep calm and the confidence will return
Haizum74:
Thanks guys, appreciate the replies. Onwards and upwards. Next test on the 19th…
I passed my last test on the 19th so there’s a good omen.
Failed my first class C test too, so know how you feel. Don’t dwell on what went wrong, keep driving your car as if you were on the test for the next couple of weeks and try to relax.
Test on a Friday = great weekend coming up!
Haizum74:
Took my Cat 2 test the other week and failed on reversing. Utterly gutted beyond belief. Apparently I reversed in too shallow and ended up hitting a cone and stick. When I got out of the cab it was right in the middle under the rear axle. I have no idea how the hell that happened as every single time I reversed in practice I never touched a ■■■■ thing. I followed the trainers directions spot on too. So, it’s now knocked my confidence.
Has anyone got any pointers or helpful advice as I could really do with it seeing in the New Year.
When I failed the first time I was gutted too. I rather arrogantly thought that because I had passed my car & motorcycle tests first time, that it was a no-brainer that I would pass.
At the time people told me to simply get back on the horse & do it again. Took me 4 tests to pass ’ C ’ and then I passed ’ CE ’ first time
That was 4 years ago now, and I see it with hindsight as a really good lesson; Driving trucks CAN and WILL catch you out if you do not pay attention, and it serves me well.
So my advice to you is this- Don’t worry about it at all, learn from the experience/failure and GET BACK ON THE HORSE, it’s just part of the journey, and I am confident it will serve you well too. Good luck mate
Cheers folks, appreciate the replies. Looks like I’m not alone in failing first time. I guess it was the confusion as to what I had been told I failed on and by doing what that annoyed me too but as you guys have said, just get on with it. In the mean time I am driving the car and using that as a makeshift truck until my next test.
PS By the way I don’t think for one minute there was anything but my own doing for failling, just frustration at the error in being told what I had hit. End of the day I hit something lol
Failed my car test first time and cried my eyes out.
Sounds like you failed on something that 9 times out of 10 you could do easily. Nerves may play a part so try and self calm a bit. Sure you’ll pass next time as now the fear of failing has gone just crack on.
eagerbeaver:
When I failed the first time I was gutted too. I rather arrogantly thought that because I had passed my car & motorcycle tests first time, that it was a no-brainer that I would pass.
I have failed the first test on every category on my license, passed them all second time round. Car, caught a kerb driving past where I worked as I was a cocky little ■■■■ and was looking around to see if anybody I knew was about, paid attention second test. Class 2 did another kerb as I didn’t nick some of the lane next to me on a turn, Class 1 totally screwed up the reverse, over the yellow line and 3 shunts, comically really when I think about it now, second test straight in on the reverse. It was all nerves for me really and I didn’t enjoy it one bit, when I’m out in my wagon locally and I see people on test it still gives me butterfly’s.
Stick in there mate you have come along way, get yourself over the line.
You’ll do better on your retest, now you know what the tests about and exactly what the conditions/examiners are like you’ll have more confidence going into it.
I passed C and C+E second time, I think after failing first time I kind of had an ‘oh well, whatever’ attitude for the retakes which actually made me less nervous. I mean you’ve failed before right? So whats the big deal if you do it again. Just practice the reverse some more and believe you’ll do it on the day, because the reverse is your bread and butter. A good reverse and you’ll be confident when you go out on the driving part afterwards.
