So it’s my first post on hear after lurking discretely in the background for a while and I’ve decided to tell my story, so here goes…
My name is Liam (ignore my stupid username, that’s another story) I’m 27, married with two kids. I live in Keighley, and for those of you that are unfamiliar with the place ill give a quick run down. 50% of the people on Jeremy Kyle are likely to be from here and it’s about 3 miles out of Bradford - need I say more. I’m a full time chef and have been since I left school at 16 and I’ve been DJing most weekends (pubs, clubs, cheesy parties, you name it) for the past 6 years.
When I was at school I always said I wanted to be a lorry driver when I grew up, no idea why, nobody in my family is anything even close. Before I left school I spoke to the careers advisor and I’d narrowed my career options down to either a chef or a lorry driver. The careers advisor tried her damnedest to talk me out of been a lorry driver. “It’s a very unhealthy career choice” she said. Considering I couldn’t start training till I was 21 anyway I went with cheffing, yey for me!
When I turned 21 I decided sod it it’s what I want to do, so I went through the processes. Medical, applying for licence, theory test etc, passing all with a breeze but with plenty of revision might I add. I took a £3k loan off my mum to consolidate some debts and pay for my training and swiftly got it booked early in 2008. I’d decided to do my training with Atkins in Bradford, I’d seen their trucks driving around town loads and heard a few good things. They quoted me about £1100 I think which was about right at the time. Anyways I failed my practical, annoyed and exhausted of all my money I turned my back on the idea and continued my boring life in the kitchen.
5 years on I’m regretting never continuing to pursue what I had laying in front of me, so I’m gearing up to get started again. As my theory has expired I have to start from scratch apart from the medical and stuff as I’ve still got the provisional entitlement on my license. My hazard perception test was completed yesterday (82 out of 100), I’ve got my theory next Wednesday (the 27th) and my modular 2 CPC the Wednesday after that (5th march). I’ve made arrangements with the training, I’m going with mcdowell’s in Keighley and they’ve quoted me a nice £860 all in. Although I’m still wondering where that money is coming from its a hurdle i’ll jump when it comes. I also work for Timothy Taylor’s so have made arrangements with the transport manager and have been giving up my only day off in the week to jump in the artic’s for a day to try and get bits of experience and I must admit its made me want this even more. You never know, if I gain enough knowledge with the runs etc they might take me on when I pass (fingers crossed).
So that’s it, that’s where I am. Hopefully this could inspire some people that maybe turned there backs like I did. Or maybe the fact it’s so long winded it might just annoy everyone, either way any feedback is welcome!
DJC:
Shame you turned back on it at the last hurdle. I’m sure that it will all come back to you. Best of luck!
Thank you! There was a problem with money when I failed before so couldn’t afford a re test. I was also hugely disheartened I just sulked like a petulant child. I’m ready for the challenge again now though!
DJC:
Shame you turned back on it at the last hurdle. I’m sure that it will all come back to you. Best of luck!
Thank you! There was a problem with money when I failed before so couldn’t afford a re test. I was also hugely disheartened I just sulked like a petulant child. I’m ready for the challenge again now though!
I know the feeling, I failed my test the first time.
A month later I had 4 hour training then test on same day and passed. It’s not very comparable to a number of years, but it came back to me instantly.
dar1976:
Just out of curiosity Liam, what did you fail on in 2008?
I failed on two things;
I braked too late on the approach to a zebra crossing - so late the instructor braked the same time as me
for been to hesitant. I was on a road that had cars parked for around 50 metres down my side of the road. As I was always told not to bully with my size or impose it on people I was waiting for oncoming traffic to clear as I needed to impede the middle line. This took a while and cars behind grew impatient and started overtaking me to get past. This created a more challenging situation.
I would have been fine with just failing for number 2. But the first one was inexcusable and one of the most basic things for even a car driver. Looking back now, if I could fail for such a rudimental thing maybe I wasn’t ready for my lgv license.
dar1976:
I would have been fine with just failing for number 2. But the first one was inexcusable and one of the most basic things for even a car driver. Looking back now, if I could fail for such a rudimental thing maybe I wasn’t ready for my lgv license.
I drove in a bus lane on my first test, ■■■■ happens. It’s test nerves taking over, I’ll bet it’s something you’ve never done while at the wheel of your car.
You sound like the sort of bloke that has got plenty of get up and go, so just do your best, don’t put to much emphasis on passing your test first time, just concentrate on what your instructor has told you and try not to stress about it, my theory is you can always take another test, this is how i work anyway and luckily i passed my car and motorbike test first time (somehow) and hopefully i may be as lucky with my hgv test too, good luck anyway !
dieseldoctor34:
luckily i passed my car and motorbike test first time (somehow) and hopefully i may be as lucky with my hgv test too, good luck anyway !
Well I passed my car 3rd time round. I think it’s something about the test situation. I get ridiculously nervous. I think when you want something so bad, and it’s all resting on what you do in 1 hours drive, and it can either completely change your life or remain the same, I just bottle it!
Just a quick update on where I am and what I’ve been doing for the past month. I’ve now passed my theory, hazard perception and (today) the CPC mod 2. All passed with relative ease, although I did plough a hell of a lot of revision in. If anyone is wanting an app for their iphone for theory test training I highly recommend the one by river development. Any ways I’ve now got my practical BOOKED! Excited! Start my training on the 4th of April with my test on the 10th, also the mod 4 CPC is thrown in the middle on the 9th so that’s good!
I’m getting a bit ridiculously obsessed with lorries now, I’m watching endless you tube videos on anything you can imagine, even stopping in the street to watch them driving past to see if I can spot any faults etc. I’m also noting down hauliers names in my phone every time one drives past. It’s all becoming a bit much!
Well done on your passes enjoy your training, & if you don’t understand something Ask!, that’s what your trainer’s there for April is nearly here! Good luck with your test
So… I was called on thurs and was informed somebody couldn’t do their training and that I could start on Friday with my test on the Wednesday. After some last minute shift swapping at work I was ready to go! First day I settled straight into the swing of things and was like I’d never stopped driving. The gear box was lovely but found myself rushing a bit at junctions and tight situations. The second day (Monday) was a nightmare, full of confidence after the first day I was making ■■■■ up after ■■■■ up, getting stressed, then making another! After already failing my test once I was certain it was going to happen again! By the Tuesday I had a different trainer as my previous ones dad had fallen ill. It was fine though as he had originally trained him so they were very similar. Tuesday was much better, the reverse exercise was easy, I was confident, smooth and everything was looking good. Wednesday - test day! My test was at 12.15 so I had a good 3 hours to warm up. We covered the reverse again (easy) and then took on a few tricky corners in the area just to brush up! I was all going well. We pulled up at the test centre and that was it, I felt sick, I was sweating, I was NERVOUS! Did I mention it was chuffing it down with snow! The reverse exercise suddenly felt alien but I managed and stopped perfectly, albeit a little slanted. We started the drive, I felt myself bodge a few signals on the first coupe of roundabouts, I needed something to relax me quick. I soon noticed he was taking me on the best test route I could have asked for, the one that is most familiar to me. I started to relax, nothing on this route could trouble me. The rest went smoothly, until about half a mile on the return to the test centre. I was accelerating towards some traffic lights at green (bad idea) and guess what? They turned red! I had to full on slam the breaks on and I’m not kidding when I say the examiners head was almost through the windscreen. Luckily I did stop in time and somehow had done all my mirror checks so was only given a minor. I did not know this however and the remainder of the journey back I thought I’d blown it! However after all the stress, the money, the tears (yes I’ve cried at points throughout my training), and they joy - I have passed with 5 minors. I’m so happy and relieved. Just got my mod 4 on the 9th and I’m free to drive!
Best of luck!
April is nearly here! Good luck with your test 