SN0WM4N_:
… it’s knocked my confidence and I’m starting to think whether I should do another test or not.
Hi SN0WM4N_,
I know that feeling too… I failed my first HGV 1 test (now C+E) in 1979, then I went through all the gut wrenching wondering, then passed at the second attempt.
Many years later, I’ve never forgotten it… so I can tell you that the bitter pill of failure just makes the eventual pass all the sweeter when it comes.
I’ve got the fireworks ready, but you need to get back on the horse before you get to see them.
The test is as much about luck as it is skill. Now I’m not saying you’re perfect, but on a bad day a good driver will fail, and on a good day a bad driver may pass.
All you can do is try a bit more and hope you get a good day sooner rather than later. No parked cars on roundabouts, no nutters speeding round and catching you unawares, everyone indicating obediently so you can better predict what is happening, a few decent breaks in traffic to ease you on your way…that kind of thing.
However, there may come a time eventually when the facts may tell you that you’re not cut out for driving trucks. It doesn’t sound like you’re there yet, though, so give the law of averages a chance to balance out for you.
SNOWM4N. Most days of the week I end up doing something that I would get a fail for on the test. Sometimes I end up in a wrong lane, sometimes I have to clip or ride a kerb. More often than not my Actros let’s me down when pulling out at a roundabout. Sometimes I get caught out at lights and go through borderline amber/red.
The test itself on any given day can be a lottery. IF you have concerns about your driving ability and struggle with confidence that’s one thing, but if you KNOW you are COMPETENT and SAFE in a lorry, then crack on.
I used 5 test’s to get through class 2 and class 1, so don’t sweat it. (The average is 4 for both anyway). You will soon recover your cost’s.
Now get it passed and stop fannying around Another idea (as already mentioned), is to change your training provider. Have a quick research session on LGV test centre pass rates. I changed my provider when I realised that Bredbury test centre was one of the hardest places in the UK to pass! GOOD LUCK FELLA…
Sometimes these things happen bud. My first attempt at my 'bike Mod2 was a complete flop (a bag of nerves, clocked up 2 serious ). Second time around I passed it with 1 minor (for a flaming show me, tell me question at the beginning).
Several of my friends failed their cars the first time through due to not reacting to outside stupidity fast enough . It happens and if the rest of your drive was clean the last time you just have to chalk this one up to “s**t happens” . Good luck to you for the fourth attempt
crazyplay:
Snowman in your area there is company called John Flair Lgv. You should have gone with them. I am not saying the trainer you choose is bad or anything. I am just saying the money soon mounts up incase if you fail more than 2 to 3 times and this company lgv flair has this thing called unlimited training and you only pay for the test fees incase if you fail. I would love to choose that option but I got small car and that place is like 200+ miles away. Good luck now you have come this far so might as well do it all the way.
I can recommend John at Flair training I would book a couple lesson with him see what he say then go for it again
This is where I done mine I went from North East England ( near Newcastle down to Chelmsford )
SN0WM4N_:
Now that I’ve failed 3 times it’s knocked my confidence and I’m starting to think whether I should do another test or not. I’m thinking of doing a few lessons then trying again but I don’t want to put more money into it all only to fail again.
Driving lorries is something I seriously want to do and I’ve been waiting ages to even start the practical due to other mods. Question is I just don’t know what to do now. Do I take more lessons ? or am I just not good enough lol.
I’ll appreciate any advice given to me, please be honest.
In your situation I think I would want to just forget all about it for 3 months say (maybe even have a few days holiday) and then come back to it, feeling more fresh and with everything put more into perspective. Hopefully you could then view it as your first attempt, second time around rather than your fourth attempt that you will view it as now. You are hurting a little right now, but time is a great healer etc. etc.
I passed my Cat C and Cat A (motorcycle) first time, but I took my car test twice at 17 and then twice more at 24 before getting a pass - so considered that my 2nd attempt, 2nd time around
eagerbeaver:
Have a quick research session on LGV test centre pass rates. I changed my provider when I realised that Bredbury test centre was one of the hardest places in the UK to pass! GOOD LUCK FELLA…
A good idea - check out Walton test centre where I did mine, at a guess it will be quite high, my trainer uses Autos and I would guess that the local driving conditions are easier - nobody parked on a roundabout FFS
ORC:
The test is as much about luck as it is skill. Now I’m not saying you’re perfect, but on a bad day a good driver will fail, and on a good day a bad driver may pass…
I think many folk fail and make mistakes due to being nervous - I think the test is more stressful than many other assessments. After all you have had 16 hours driving a large vehicle and that’s not long.
I thought I had failed mine when an oncoming van started to veer across the centre line; I said to the examiner I was hanging back and checked in the mirror noting there were two trucks behind. The van did it’s U-turn and we pressed on. BUT could have been different and I could have failed.
I think it is worth choosing an area that has fewer test routes and try to get a test at midday when it is a bit quieter not ‘rush hour’. Fewer test routes will allow you to get round more of the roads you are likely to drive down in the test.
Friend of mine is a good driver now but did his test 6 times - in his case nerves. Certainly worth doing the test in an auto as gears is one less thing to worry about but I prefer a manual for everyday driving now. Too many autos that don’t change at the right time I have found… each auto DAF I’ve driven has differed to the next.
If you have a car pre 97 you could try and get a 7.5T job to give you confidence driving a truck for a while. I did my test in a 10T or 12T so same size.
As your in Ashford kent, consider a re test at the hersden test centre close to canterbury, i passed there and so did a colleague of mine, we did not go to gillingham , both live in sittingbourne area, another test centre could prove lucky ■■? . Good luck with it all M8.
As said really dust yourself off and try again. However you personally and your instructors should be able to decide to go for it again or if your just not cut out for it. I don’t know what else to say, I only cocked up my car test the first time due to being a plonker and every other test I’ve passed first time, I know that doesn’t help but some people are more natural drivers and some aren’t
In fact part of my point above is the following. I have passed all my truck tests with ease first time, my car test had I not been so daft (failed on parralell parking of all things) didn’t realise you had 3 attempts at each manouver for some reason and cocked it twice after as I was getting annoyed and flustered thinking I had failed at the first attempt. So even though I have been capable of passing all 3 first time due to how things go or happen sometimes a fail is inevitable sometimes. It’s knowing what was just down to bad luck or the wrong frame of mind etc on the day.
I hope if you go for it you get the result you want next time and have everything in your favour on that day.
Dude you got the skill it’s just bad luck. You have improved there so I’m sure you will nail it on 4th and the last.
I passed my car driving test on 5th lol was thinking of giving up after 3rd till I realised I was improving each time I took a test… but I passed class 2 first time lol how does that work??
But anyways you will be fine dude you can drive a truck it just was a bad luck for you on 3rd.
If it’s what you really what to do then stick at it and learn from your mistakes.
I to was in a similar position 12 years ago …
Got made redundant had spent all my life working in factories so decided HGV’s is the way forward.
First port of call was a local general haulage who was looking for trainee drivers, so went for an assessment drive which cost me £30 well the driver trainer took an instant dislike to me, anyway after the assessment drive he turned and said “forget it son you’ll never make a lorry driver”. I was gutted.
So I thought oh well I will concentrate on passing my CPC in national road haulage, whilst on the the course I got chatting to a TM for a large logistics firm who told me they had just started a their own driver school up and if I was interested . I passed my class 2 on the second test because they run a class 1 only fleet it was straight on to class 1 training. This wasn’t has easy failed the first 2 tests badly and then was told the third would be the last attempt. So on this test rather then getting worried that the examiner was in the cab I listened to his instructions and drove as if he wasn’t there and it worked passed (2 minors) .
So after passing my class 1 the first 6 years were up and down trying to find a good company to work for.
For the last 6 years been driving class 2 gas tanker for a good company that respect’s their drivers and for the last couple of years become a driver/mentor.
So stick at it or you may never know where it will lead you.
Ohhh the CPC in national road haulage never used or needed it! however has a newbie to the industry it did me an insight into the legal requirements of both the operator and the driver, this was before the dcpc came in.
Started Training for Class 2 last June,
Done 5 day course with cpc module 4.
Failed first test on lane discipline (fair enough wasnt ready)
Failed second test a week later clipping curb coming off mini roundabout on way back to test centre (6 minors)
Gave up for a year and then tried again last week with 8 hours training. Instructor told me there was absolutely no reason i wouldnt pass because my driving ability whilst training was decent.
Started third test and then ran over a pole during the reversing excercise. Ive never struggled with it before but hey ho.
My instructor tells me once again that i dont need anymore training just a slap round the head lol.
Its knocked my confidence AGAIN but i really want to get this done!
I failed my Class1 first time, but in all fairness I was getting married the next day…
I went through a GREEN filter light just as it extinguished, and traffic started moving. I’d probably have been penalised for stopping at it too! Damned if you do and damned if you don’t…
If you think you’re going to clip the curb to get out or around something, make it known by telling the guy, same for pulling out in front of moving traffic - you’ll get marked down on hesitation otherwise.
I failed my class 2 three times, all due to nerves getting the better of me, every time I made a minor I was telling myself oh bz I’ve failed. At the end of third failed attempt examiner told me stop trying to read examiner’s mind. What you “think” is a major fault it might not be in his/her eyes, take a deep breath and carry on. I nearly gave up after 3rd failed attempt but bit of encouragement from my instructor and examiner’s words of wisdom made me go for the “last try” and I passed with one minor fault. Also passed my class 1 first time with only one minor. I’d say take a deep breath, be natural and go for it.
ProudNewbie:
I failed my class 2 three times, all due to nerves getting the better of me, every time I made a minor I was telling myself oh bz I’ve failed. At the end of third failed attempt examiner told me stop trying to read examiner’s mind. What you “think” is a major fault it might not be in his/her eyes, take a deep breath and carry on. I nearly gave up after 3rd failed attempt but bit of encouragement from my instructor and examiner’s words of wisdom made me go for the “last try” and I passed with one minor fault. Also passed my class 1 first time with only one minor. I’d say take a deep breath, be natural and go for it.
That works the opposite for me as if think I have failed would have relaxed & just gone with it thinking well failed now might as well just continue ( in fact I did with my class 2 but got back & had passed )
As above, an automatic horse will do just fine. 
Another idea (as already mentioned), is to change your training provider. Have a quick research session on LGV test centre pass rates. I changed my provider when I realised that Bredbury test centre was one of the hardest places in the UK to pass! GOOD LUCK FELLA…
). Second time around I passed it with 1 minor (for a flaming show me, tell me question at the beginning).
well the driver trainer took an instant dislike to me, anyway after the assessment drive he turned and said “forget it son you’ll never make a lorry driver”. I was gutted.