I’m doing 8 hours training this week and my test on Wednesday. I had a test in May after 16 hours training and failed for my class 2. I’m really nervous about it this time I’m just absolutely bricking it because failing knocked my confidence a bit. I’m going with a different company this time. I need to pass because if I don’t I can’t really afford to pay again. Any advice?
Take your time and use your mirrors. Mirrors mirrors road mirrors.
What did you fail on the first time?
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stuwozere1:
Take your time and use your mirrors. Mirrors mirrors road mirrors.What did you fail on the first time?
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I failed at the reverse as I went over the line (nerves I’m guessing) also my approach to roundabouts as I was trying to compensate as I was too slow at roundabouts on my training so I tried to be faster but examiner said I approached them too quickly.
I remember when you could go straight to class 1, and the training was 10 full days (2 full weeks) now you can do it in your lunch break. No wonder people feel unprepared for the test and fail.
oDillonx2:
stuwozere1:
Take your time and use your mirrors. Mirrors mirrors road mirrors.What did you fail on the first time?
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I failed at the reverse as I went over the line (nerves I’m guessing) also my approach to roundabouts as I was trying to compensate as I was too slow at roundabouts on my training so I tried to be faster but examiner said I approached them too quickly.
With the reverse, get out and look. Even if its just so you can have a quick breather to reset your brain. As for roundabouts, don’t be afraid to come to a stop. Watch other drivers joining the roundabout and their direction of travel. Pick your spot well in advance so you’re not rushing your pulling away procedure [emoji106]
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stuwozere1:
oDillonx2:
stuwozere1:
Take your time and use your mirrors. Mirrors mirrors road mirrors.What did you fail on the first time?
Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
I failed at the reverse as I went over the line (nerves I’m guessing) also my approach to roundabouts as I was trying to compensate as I was too slow at roundabouts on my training so I tried to be faster but examiner said I approached them too quickly.
With the reverse, get out and look. Even if its just so you can have a quick breather to reset your brain. As for roundabouts, don’t be afraid to come to a stop. Watch other drivers joining the roundabout and their direction of travel. Pick your spot well in advance so you’re not rushing your pulling away procedure [emoji106]
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Thanks for the advice I’ll definitely keep this in mind getting out and having a look sounds a really good idea especially.
I failed at the reverse as I went over the line
At a guess, this was the driver’s side front wheel. Two likely causes for this: wild oversteering to the left (though you can get away with this with some vehicles) but most likely not lined up correctly on the approach. When the examiner produces his little picture of the reversing exercise, they tend to use the phrase “position your vehicle centrally between the two cones”. IGNORE HIM! Position your vehicle as far to the left and as far forward as you can. But the examiner must be able to stand at the cone at the passenger side front and be able to look across the front of your truck and see the other one. He must also be able to see “B” cone - - that’s the one you need to steer around. So don’t completely cover the cone as you line up. Out of interest, doing so doesn’t incur a mark. You will simply be asked to go back and line up again. But it’s not a great start and is completely unnecessary.
Hope this helps; all the best with your test, Pete 
Watch other drivers joining the roundabout and their direction of travel. Pick your spot well in advance so you’re not rushing your pulling away procedure
+1
Pete
There is more traffic on the road these days, and standards have dropped so you get more numbskulls in cars paying no attention whatsoever to what they are doing, just driving like guided missiles. The roads are harder work now. I know they have dumbed down the test, using automatic vehicles and removing half the exercises you used to have to do. But I think cutting short the length of the courses is a mistake. You hear frequently on here of newbies who have passed class x, and are ■■■■■■■■ themselves because they have to drive said vehicle tomorrow morning.
I don’t mean everyone, for some the courses are adequate, but I think the older system was better. If it costs 3k to go to class 1 from a car. Why not allow people to go straight for class 1 for 2k and a proper length course. It’s got bugger all to do with safety, the way things are. Europe is just ringing drivers for money by making them do class 2 first, when the driver may have no interest whatsoever in driving rigids
Why not allow people to go straight for class 1 for 2k and a proper length course. It’s got bugger all to do with safety, the way things are. Europe is just ringing drivers for money by making them do class 2 first, when the driver may have no interest whatsoever in driving rigids
Totally agree. I’ve been training drivers for over 40 years. These rules were introduced in 97 so I’ve done 20+ years on the old system and the same on the new one. And I see no difference apart from the fact that folks are having to settle for a C licence as they simply cant afford to go to CE. There is no reason, apart from the rules, why a driver should not learn on an artic. After all, they have a car licence now. And that only came in as a rule in 97. I’ve taught plenty of non car drivers on buses and artics from scratch. If the trainer knows what they’re doing, it really isn’t as ludicrous as it sounds. But rules is rules.
A longer, more thorough course on CE from start to finish would be great. But don’t hold your breath. I see no huge changes post-Brexit either.
Just my opinion.
Pete
You have a lot of experience, and I have enormous respect for you Pete. Yes, I remember hearing that people could go from a provisional car license to artic. I bet that was fun for the instructor 
I think that you should have a car license personally, before training on something bigger. I wish I had known that you could do that. I would have gone from moped to class 1 back in the day. But I think learning roadcraft in a car helped. I was keen, but I could have saved about 500 quid which it cost me to get the car license (and a yaer of my life) driving is driving! I would have been happy to have paid 3k in 199x to skip 2 driving tests and get where I wanted to go.
jbaz73:
I remember when you could go straight to class 1, and the training was 10 full days (2 full weeks) now you can do it in your lunch break. No wonder people feel unprepared for the test and fail.
You could go from a car licence to class 1 in less than 10 days, I did it on a 5 day course and I know plenty of other people did the same.
Sent from my mobile.
So do I.