Hello all,
Well I have some very good personal news - on Thursday afternoon I passed my Class 1 in a 16.5m 16-geared MAN artic! I am absolutely thrilled, but it still hasn’t really hit me to be honest - I didn’t even own a car this time last year. Plus it took four attempts for the rigid in June, but I nailed the artic first time. The MAN had a comfort-shift, which was great - though apart from when engaging half-gears, I forgot to use it most of the time, as foot down on the clutch is just an automatic reaction to change gear!
I had a shorter course than usual for various reasons (about 8 hours actually behind the wheel on the road) and was struggling abominably with the reversing on Tuesday - we spent several hours on the reversing pad but I still couldn’t get it sorted. The drive went well on the morning of the afternoon test - very well actually - I was focused and my instructor said I was up to standard, and he would trust me out on my own for a job - a big confidence boost. I went into the test determined to do my best, whether I cocked the reverse up or not (I was sure I would), and to show the examiner I was a good, safe driver - and lo, I actually passed! The truck slid into the reverse bay like a dream, and the hour’s drive on the road went without a hitch, as did the trailer couple/uncouple. (The test centre was Botley, and the routes are all around the greater Southampton area.)
I was out on my first artic job in a MAN TGA yesterday as well with AFS (who own the training company), just a local one around the Southampton docks and industrial estates under the watchful eye of Ted (an old hand retiring soon), and despite being an automatic gearbox, it was brilliant! Just have to work on the reversing into/around the yards/depots, but it will come with practice - had a bit of an audience in Edsons at Calmore Ind Est, and also when I got back to the yard. But all the drivers are very friendly despite a bit of ribbing; I clearly struggle with it at the moment, but it is coming, and as they said, ‘we’ve all been there’. It wasn’t helped by the fact that in the automatic there is obviously no clutch control, and despite having a maneuver-gear, I found depressing the accelerator to maneuver gently would cause nothing to happen, so you depress a little further, still nothing…a little further, and lurch away she goes, but too much…Certainly not my personal choice as a new driver, but I suppose it is for engine-management/improved consumption.
But I am very pleased to hold this license - when I climb out of the cab I just think, my goodness I am actually driving this juggernaut! People look, and I feel very proud - I don’t expect there are too many 22 year-olds with the top license! It is certainly a real triumph, as although I was positive to do my best, I didn’t expect to pass at all, just to take it as a lesson. And the last couple of nights I’ve struggled to get to sleep for thinking about what I’ve achieved, like a little kid at Christmas or something!
I’ve asked to be out next week (and hopefully the next) in the automatic MAN with Ted, working unpaid just to get experience - I had cash saved up for re-tests so that will cover me whilst I’m going without a wage. You really can’t put a price on this kind of experience anyway, and I think I am very lucky to have the opportunity. When the time is right over the coming years, I would like to drive on the continent doing longer distance trips (and hopefully I will enjoy it, which I’m pretty sure I will.).
Here are some photos, the top three are of the artic I did my test in, and the bottom one is the automatic I was out in on Friday with Ted (pictured):
CONGRATULATIONS on passing your “C+E” test 
