iDriver:
Now despite my comments about luck or schoolboy errors I am not quite sure which category this one falls into.
What you described happening on the test is a fairly common occurance. On a narrowish road the oncoming traffic is great because you correctly identified that they would provide the protection for you to get going. What you didn’t consider was how much time would they provide that protection for. Even at only 30mph the oncoming cars will travel a fair distance in only a few seconds and then the protection is gone. If the cars are closer than say 50yds forget the moment and wait for a better opportunity to get moving.
Once a vehicle has started to overtake you you must stop because otherwise you are making the hazard (ie your vehicle) longer and longer for the cars to overtake.
iDriver:
Its such a fine line between pass and fail I genuinely believe there is an element of luck involved.
You sound as if you have pretty much got the required skill to pass. I normally say “You don’t need luck if you have the skill…but you don’t need bad luck either”
Thanks for all the support guy’s. Well since my last post I have been away on holiday, had the retest that was scheduled for last Wednesday cancelled because of a trailer mot retest issue and eventually got to take my retest today…
I Passed with 3 minors
I even had a bit of an issue with the gearbox but remained calm and dealt with it. I had stopped in a queue at some traffic lights, hand break on, switch down and into neutral. As lights start to change I go for a gear and nothing, it wouldn’t go into any of them. So remaining calm, I immediately thought, SAFETY and stuck the hazard lights on
Then engine off, engine back on, still nothing, so did the reset routine on the box and at last it all came back to its normal state. By this time cars had overtaken me and some were now in the wrong lane so looking to cut back in on me. I continued in the remain calm mode, switched of the hazards to let those behind know all was well, waited for the lights to change, made sure the cars who were in the wrong lane could now cut back in safely and moved off putting the whole incident behind me. Result, 1 minor
Despite getting the trailer in the box 100% of the time prior to today, I also found myself needing to take a shunt today, but again, your allowed two so took it on the chin and moved on
In the couple and uncouple exercise, I backed onto the trailer, put it in first to do a test drag and again, first time its happened but the trailer stayed where it was, the pin hadn’t locked in. Stay calm… Backed on again, did a couple of test pulls and she stayed connected this time
