SadMike's training blog TEST PASSED!

[SadMike]

Drove down to the training centre at Ardwick (Enterprise LGV) this morning, listening to a bit of Pink Floyd to chill me out...it did a little bit. Walked into the office to be met by the smell of fish and chips(mmmmm)A couple of the trainers were tucking in. Introduced myself and was pointed to the kitchen to make myself a brew. Came out just as someone walked in with a pass certificate and a big smile. Congrats were given all round, then the bloke disappeared (probably straight to the pub) Then my instructor for the day appeared. An oldish fella..never quite got his name..but began with a K..now here's my problem..even though I had sat next to him for 4 hours, I was so zoned out about everything I had to take in..I cant remember his face LOL Looked on their website, and there are 2 who look similar, with K as their first name!
Kevin

Keith


I'm 87.6% sure it was *edit* "Kevin".....

I digress. Took a little while to sort the gears out(4 over 4)going from 4 low to 1 low is a scream!, and to get used to how slow I had to go(Loved having my own traffic jam ), but got it by the close of play
Did 3 reverses and nailed them all first time, did 3 emergency stops, nailed the first one, ballsed two and three as I fluffed the gearchange approaching it. Apparently you have more room at Bredbury to get your speed up.
I'm back at 12.30 tomorrow....cant wait

[ROG]

Sounds like a typical first day for you err... M, I think your name is

I'm guessing you are doing 1 to 1 PM training for the duration

PS - 8 high to 1 low is MUCH more fun at 20mph when it should be 5 high

[SadMike]

I'll have to try that one Rog
Yeah, its one to one, I'm glad really, as I don't make a good passenger

[ROG]

I'll have to try that one Rog

If you do I'll bet the instrutors voice becomes louder than the crunching noise

Yeah, its one to one, I'm glad really, as I don't make a good passenger

2 to 1 is not for everyone but I generally recommend it.

[mikewhi]

Welcome Sadmike, i did my class 2 at Enterprise with a guy called Phil. Good outfit passed mine first time. Your right about Bredbury you have a much longer run up for the controlled stop, you can sit at 20 for a good few seconds.

ps i know Salford precinct well, used to live near there.

Good luck with the rest of your training and test.

[animal]

I digress. Took a little while to sort the gears out(4 over 4)going from 4 low to 1 low is a scream!, and to get used to how slow I had to go(Loved having my own traffic jam ), but got it by the close of play
Did 3 reverses and nailed them all first time, did 3 emergency stops, nailed the first one, ballsed two and three as I fluffed the gearchange approaching it. Apparently you have more room at Bredbury to get your speed up.
I'm back at 12.30 tomorrow....cant wait

I bet goin from 4 low to 1 is I never done that

Dont you mean controlled stop as they like to call it

Where I took my test it dosent have much doom to get speed up pulled off in 5th as no time to do change


Enjoy the rest of the training good luck with the test

[gonzothejaffa1]

welcome aboard mike i see the enterprse lot parked up on the bridge near the test centre (i live not far from there ) and also was born and brought up round the precint so good luck with it mate and keep us all posted

[SadMike]

Day 2: Tuesday
Got there in good time, for my 12.30 start. Ended up with the director of the company, Rob Smith for the afternoon. Took great pleasure in taking the mickey out of his "Chicken strips" (lines on the edge of his tyre)from his motorbike...I paid the price...He caught me out on a number of occasions for stuff that is in the highway code...pull over when safe...you have failed your test....etc etc etc...just proved to me how much I had forgot since the last time I looked at it (15 years ago?)So I have now got my mitts on a copy and am studying its intricacies.Had some good banter the rest of the afternoon. Did my reverse, got that nailed Controlled stop, check Hill starts check By the end of the day, I was feeling uber confident.............

Day 3: Wednesday
Got there again in good time, had a brew and waited for my instructor. Another new face..He turned up stony faced, handed me the keys, "Check the oil and water" I went and checked them, got in the wagon and sat waiting. He got in, started filling in forms, then says "out of the yard, turn right" Now I don't know if this was a good cop bad cop thing, but I felt a little uneasy. This coupled with a phonecall I got before I went to training (my daughter had looked after someones cat for 2 weeks, and now had fleas in her house.....she was a bit upset ) but I had forgotten everything I had been taught the previous 2 days. My gear changes went out of the window, everything turned to brown smelly stuff....I was sweating like a (insert sweating joke) in a (insert end of sweating joke). I said to the instructor, "Its no good..I need to pull over and gather myself up for 10 minutes" He said ok..We did, I got some air, chatted for 5 and carried on as I had the day before, with no major problems...I know what Rog means by woeful Wednesday now...

Day 4: Thursday.
Thursday started very weirdly indeed for me.. I was sat on the bog at home, minding my own business.. When the house shook...(Nothing I had done )My Mrs came up the stairs..."Did you feel that? It was an earthquake!" I shouts back "I shouldn't have had that last onion bajee!" Oh how we laughed...
I gets into the training centre, to be met by one of the "Two K's" Definitely Keith this time, I made a concerted effort to look at his face this time LOL. The most nicest chap a man could ever meet! I started with a few reverse exercises. First one ok..second one ok...third one ok...but as I was sat in the bay for the third time there was a shake...."Oooooh I thought..another earthquake...weird.." and thought nothing more of it...Did some controlled stops..ok...Then off we went...What a contrast from Wednesday..never put a foot wrong, all my blindspot checks a1...everything was on the ball We set up for a hill start..there was a rumble and the wagon moved..."There....did you feel that?" I asked Keith.."That earthquake has been following me around all day!.." "Ya daft sod!" Keith replied..."its the suspension levelling itself!!" How we laughed... We made our way back to the depot. I must have done something right, as Keith says "Ask for me when you do your C+E, I'd be happy to take you" Left that day with a smile.

Day 5: Friday (test day)
Hardly got any sleep Thursday night. To excited/nervous. Woke up at 6.50, made sure I had some breakfast. Got to base, made a brew..sat waiting for my next instructor. He turned up..bit of banter, got some reverses in, some controlled stops. My test was at 10.30. We leaves around 8.40 and starts driving around. Same as yesterday, making sure all my checks are going in, blindspots, right gear for the situation..then we head for the test centre..
We are sat in the waiting area, and there were two other candidates waiting with there instructors. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife....so I did..."Lets have a look at your driving licence piccy"...he hands it to me, I look and start laughing....this sets of a frenzy of licence passing and laughing between us all..that broke the ice better than a well timed fart
In come the examiners one by one, and we all shuffle away one by one...like a dayglo train
Show me tellme questions...like a breeze..
Reversing..Done
Controlled stop...would have been ok if I could have got up to speed Couldn't get it into 6th...."Ok reverse back and lets have another go.." Nailed it second time round.
Onto the road..Pretty uneventful really,missed a gear here, forgot a blindspot there, just drove and thought, what's the worse that could happen?
Gets back to the test centre..."How do you think you have done?" he asks..hmmmmm..a trick question maybe? "Errr alright?" I reply...


Congratulations I am pleased to say you have passed your test..


WOHOOOOOO! (In my head that is.... )
Thanks very much....
All the formalities were taken care of...and I went back to the training centre as a passenger with a big daft grin!
8 minors if anyone's interested....

[Wozzer]

Since ROG is having his afternoon nap let me be the first....

To congratulate you.

Welldone.

[mikewhi]

Well done.

[Lee G]

well done mike. good on ya.

you will keep the stupid grin for a few days yet!

[curly]

Well Done on passing your test.

[ROG]

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[ROG]

Since ROG is having his afternoon nap

Cheeky - back to ZZZZZZZZZZZzs...........

[spd0121]

Congratulations mate!

Bet you're stil grinnin'!!

Can't wait to start my C+E. Think I need to adopt your 'mentality' so that I ain't so nervous on test day! LOL

P.A.L.M.P.A.L

[SadMike]

You saying I'm mental
LOL I know what you mean though..

[ROG]

You saying I'm mental

Well................




............. you did decide to become a trucker

[dieseldave]

CONGRATULATIONS on your test pass :D

[RUBY]

Well Done
All the best
Richard

[allanwhyte77]

Keith's a great instructor really knows his stuff and make's you feel at ease.

[Snowdog]

Well done


Regards
paul