Hi, bit of a long story here but will do my best to explain as I could do with a few pointers on what is correct. Today I failed my C+E as I made a disaster of the reversing. I am feeling very bitter as I feel I have been wrongly informed somewhere and there seems to be a difference in opinion with the two instructors at the training school. The situation is that for four days I had the same instructor who said that there is no problem at all in looking out of the driver side window at the rear of the trailer, cone position, bay position etc. throughout the whole reverse manouevre, as long as there are also plenty of glances at the nearside mirror throughout. This morning 2 hours before the test another instructor turned up, as the one who had done my training all week was off sick. This new instructor told me to have a practice reverse before the test, whilst watching me do it exactly the way I had been shown and had practiced all week, he proceeded to tell me that it was totally wrong and under no circumstances should I be sticking my head out of the window to carry out the reverse and that it should be mirrors only. Unfortunately I had been doing reverse after reverse all week, looking out the window to the rear and taking occasional glances in the nearside mirror, and could park in the bay to perfection every time. Suddenly with only time left to have 2 practice shots before the test, the new instructor tried to get me to do it his way with mirrors only. With being nervous due to the fact it was test day and my head crammed with all the other bits and pieces I needed to get right to pass, unfortunately it was too late for me to try and change from the head out the window reversing technique I had perfected last week as taught by the first instructor. I made my way to the test centre totally confused and made a total a**e of it, needing 3 shunts and still being in a knot, at which point the examiner put a stop to it and failed me. I am particularly sick as it is now going to cost me more hard earned money for a resit and has set me back in the search for a C+E job, I feel due to bad training. On saying all this I do appreciate that a professional driver should be able to pull off the test reverse no problem, using mirrors only, but today I was totally thrown at the last minute with the different instructors theories, and training techniques, and the test ended in disaster. Could someone please tell me which instructor is correct so that I can practice it his way before the resit. The instructor today was adamant that his colleague was in the wrong but it is still me who is suffering financially etc. for one of them being in the wrong. Would appreciate your help and thoughts on this and hopefully my story will help prevent this situation happening to someone else. Cheers.
I can’t comment on what’s expected on the test but when you have proof of which instructor was in the wrong you should approach the training company and ask for more training and another test at their expense.
If everything you’ve said is correct, and I’m not doubting it, then I would say you have good reason to feel let down by one of the instructors, I’m sure some of the trainers here will be along to give the answer as to what is expected on the test.
Good luck 
Why would you only use mirrors?
In real life, you can hang out the windows as you like, even do the steering with your feet if you prefer!
My C test I did last week I did the reverse pretty much hanging out of the window and got no minors for it at all.
mk1chris:
In real life you can hang out the windows as you like, even do the steering with your feet if you prefer!
Which East European Country you from then ■■ 
Sorry couldn’t resist
It is unprofessional to slag another instructors teaching methods off, the instructor should have let you carry on with what you were doing the way you had been shown.
The comment about having your head out of the window in real life is probably true for a learner, and to me as long as you are demonstrating good all round observation then that should satisfy the examiner too.
I will be interested in hearing comments from the instructors coven. 
tachograph:
mk1chris:
In real life you can hang out the windows as you like, even do the steering with your feet if you prefer!Which East European Country you from then ■■
Sorry couldn’t resist
I wish I could say I was that confident, but thats just what my instructor said as a joke.
Pretty much I was told to reverse any way I felt comfortable as long as I showed that I had the vehicle under control and used appropriate levels of observation.
mk1chris:
My C test I did last week I did the reverse pretty much hanging out of the window and got no minors for it at all.
Wheel Nut:
as long as you are demonstrating good all round observation then that should satisfy the examiner too.
mk1chris:
I was told to reverse any way I felt comfortable as long as I showed that I had the vehicle under control and used appropriate levels of observation
Wheel Nut:
I will be interested in hearing comments from the instructors coven
The top three quotes say it all really 
under no circumstances should I be sticking my head out of the window to carry out the reverse and that it should be mirrors only
As for the last quote = WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOX !!!
PS - What school you are training with 
ROG:
What school you are training with
Have to say it’s probably not appropriate to get a training company bad publicity for what could be purely the instructors fault.
First see if you can get some satisfaction and recompense from the company, who knows when they know the circumstances they could be keen to put things right, only time will tell.
ROG:
What school you are training with
tachograph:
Have to say it’s probably not appropriate to get a training company bad publicity for what could be purely the instructors fault.First see if you can get some satisfaction and recompense from the company, who knows when they know the circumstances they could be keen to put things right, only time will tell.
That was my reason for asking as most trainees are usually unwilling to do what you recommend
The point is though that once the company has been mentioned here they could potentially lose business, much farer to give them the opportunity of putting things right first.
I’m sure you of all people wouldn’t want a generally good company, possibly a one man company of good repute to get bad publicity for something they may not be responsible for
I tried to refrain from saying this but I feel I must as it is sticking in my throat !!
The second instructor who, for all intents and purposes, just took you to test, should not, in any way have told you to do something different from what your normal instructor had said - THAT WAS TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL and was guaranteed to confuse a trainee, especially on test day !!!
I have had many occasions where I have been just the ‘test day instructor’ and apart from pointing out any ongoing issues (not the odd one) such as not looking in both mirrors before doing this or that on the warm-up drive then I sit there with my mouth shut unless I need to give directions or want to give some praise - or the trainee wants to have some small talk for calming purposes
tachograph:
The point is though that once the company has been mentioned here they could potentially lose business, much farer to give them the opportunity of putting things right first.I’m sure you of all people wouldn’t want a generally good company, possibly a one man company of good repute to get bad publicity for something they may not be responsible for
I see your point but the OP was happy until the test day debacle and I believe was very happy with them for his C which he passed there not many weeks ago.
From what he has written so far on both threads I would say it is a good company that just needs to sort this one issue
OTHER THREAD
williemc:
This morning 2 hours before the test another instructor turned up, as the one who had done my training all week was off sick. This new instructor told me to have a practice reverse before the test, whilst watching me do it exactly the way I had been shown and had practiced all week, he proceeded to tell me that it was totally wrong and under no circumstances should I be sticking my head out of the window to carry out the reverse and that it should be mirrors only.
It strikes me from what the OP has written that this instructor has one way of doing things and that’s it !! - I could be wrong but it seems that way…
I have met such instructors during my time when training and they are totally inflexible and unwilling to do things any other way as ‘that is the way they have always done it’ and have been doing it since year dot so they must be right !! Hmmm… OK then… 
Hope you get your money back, complain about the second instructor as he is talking complete dangly bits.
I was so far out of the window on my test that I could have polished the nut covers!
mikeyb:
Hope you get your money back, complain about the second instructor
I would imagine that the company will give you a free warm up and retest asap once they are aware of the situation.
ROG:
mikeyb:
Hope you get your money back, complain about the second instructorI would imagine that the company will give you a free warm up and retest asap once they are aware of the situation.
Shouldn’t need to complain the company should have already offered a retest at no cost to the trainee.
ROG:
I tried to refrain from saying this but I feel I must as it is sticking in my throat !!The second instructor who, for all intents and purposes, just took you to test, should not, in any way have told you to do something different from what your normal instructor had said - THAT WAS TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL and was guaranteed to confuse a trainee, especially on test day !!!
I have had many occasions where I have been just the ‘test day instructor’ and apart from pointing out any ongoing issues (not the odd one) such as not looking in both mirrors before doing this or that on the warm-up drive then I sit there with my mouth shut unless I need to give directions or want to give some praise - or the trainee wants to have some small talk for calming purposes
Witch is what I said anyway!!
The other bloke was talking Warlocks
ROG:
mk1chris:
My C test I did last week I did the reverse pretty much hanging out of the window and got no minors for it at all.Wheel Nut:
as long as you are demonstrating good all round observation then that should satisfy the examiner too.mk1chris:
I was told to reverse any way I felt comfortable as long as I showed that I had the vehicle under control and used appropriate levels of observationWheel Nut:
I will be interested in hearing comments from the instructors covenThe top three quotes say it all really
under no circumstances should I be sticking my head out of the window to carry out the reverse and that it should be mirrors only
As for the last quote = WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOX !!!
PS - What school you are training with
i did my c test 3 weeks ago and with the examiner standing to my right making sure i don,t hit the kerb, i hung my head out of the window, no minors no problem then passed. i would go back pull the two trainers togeather in the office and see who is in the wrong and get further training on the house if one of them is in the wrong. Then they are both witness to what they both have said.
What did you do in your your C test ? Did you use the same school. I know its not ideal to have different instructors this can confuse the student.
mikeyb:
Hope you get your money back, complain about the second instructor as he is talking complete dangly bits.I was so far out of the window on my test that I could have polished the nut covers!
i was that far out of the window on my class 1 that i was doing the peddles on tip toes, which was a bit hairy as i was shakeing like a shakey thing!