Cat C test fail once again. End of journey

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

After another cat C fail and about £2500 spent, I realized this is not for everyone. I started it all late November 2014 and it is now July and I am with nothing. I am now trying to figure out what went wrong. Well I must say I trained with PSTT and unfortunately they can’t get me to pass however I can’t really fault the school which in my opinion is very good, new vehicles, trainers very professional, own facilities…

first driving test at the end of my training I failed because i touched the cone on the reverse, okay nerves took over and had 4 total faults.

Still plenty of confidence… Booked retest and paid for cpc module 4

Some 6 weeks later I arrived for cpc training concluded with test and driving test. I know it seems like I’ve put myself in sh*t but it kept travelling to a minimum (230miles round trip) Managed to pass cpc and ust before test I had a refresher driver which lasted about an hour. New examiner this time, not sure how many of them are up in Mansfield. First problem 5 questions. He dropped a question I’ve never heard before and got pretty confused and this is how I earned 1 minor, which later became a drip in the ocean… What a drive I had, very difficult route, like 5-6 times I stopped in a safe place ( between cars, in a bay, on a corner, pretty much everywhere… I was given some misleading instructions. I was told to go right at the junction in Sutton where there was no righ turnt but road ahead went slightly rightish. I came back and I was told I didn’t pass because I rushed a roundabout, very arguably though as I moved off when the car slowly entered fairly big roundabout. on top of that I accumulated one more serious and some minor what brought total number of faults to around 7-8…

Yesterday there no was no cpc and refresher driver was swapped for extra 4 hours training. Again same man arrived for my test, well it is going to be tough. Off we went. A few questions, one which probably very unusual, operation of tail lift (actually not fitted on the training vehicle) passed it. We are in the cab about to go… More questions… “did you check your tilt cab is engaged?”, “did you check your load is secure?” It was a message you are going to a have a hard time young man. I really did. Well route was actually not too bad I felt very good this time. Stayed focused all the time, later I knew I made some mistakes but overall was pretty pleased, I had some problem with meeting oncoming traffic. I was told before the test that if not necessary to not take too much room however judgement is mine. So where I felt it would be a bit tighter I stopped to let the oncoming traffic come through (this is how I earned a serious for hesitation) To cut long story short at around 45-50th min of test I saw the paper with 3 minor so I knew I failed :slight_smile: Anyway we arrived safe and sound and I said the verdict myself. I failed and got quick confirmation and rest of faults were explained… Shocking 3 serious and total faults 14… I was told I wasn’t checking left mirror when moving off… :astonished: I wasn’t doing tailgate mirror on tighter turns yy?

Never mind… I realized I will never pass with this man.

I am trying to find out the roots of this failure and it is hard to judge. I believe it is a combination of training, my abilities and personality and the examiner strictness. Unless there is more personal side of the story since I am not from England and maybe this is how someone tries to keep Eastern Europeans away from the industry.

This is how I wasted 2,5 grand and shattered my confidence. Funny enough this money would be enough to BUY me the license abroad and just exchange it for a UK one. I believe this is not the way and safety is paramount. Anyway my journey ends with PSTT and it is time to find alternatives as driving is apparently not my thing. Maybe I will check some other areas this time closer to where I live but I really doubt it. Another waste of hard earned ££’s

Hats off to those who passed with Mr Briggs in Mansfield.

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If you have spent that amount, surely you would be even more determined…

3

Really sorry to hear you have failed twice pal, but you know what you are doing wrong, so you know how to do it right.

Also, you say you are going to give up, so why write your post? If I was going to give up, I doubt i would bother posting about how it went wrong.

Come on pal, don’t give up. Get back out there and kick some ■■■■! :smiley:

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Hiya, I just failed my C test yesterday first time on a horrendous drive, I totally messed up while during lessons my teacher said I should pass as I drove beautifully. I am not British either, my ears were blocked so couldn’t hear properly and by the time my test was I was exhausted. I’ve also spend £2500 plus now my retest £449, that’s including Class 1 so I’m under even more pressure but hell am I giving up? No way! I’m a good driver and this is my lifelong dream so I will get through it. Giving up is throwing that money away, just try again and concentrate. You can do it.

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Sorry to hear that Yoni, but as you say, you got to keep going!!!

Good luck next time! :smiley:

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Hi Blacov89,

One thing that springs to my mind is how difficult I would it be to say take my truck driving test as a driver used to UK roads is say Italy for example. I’ve seen numerous times at our training school that you will pass the test but not as easily as someone born in the UK. The standard of driving in every country is different and the attitude to driving alters too. You will adapt to the UK driving method but as its often not a natural style for non UK born candidates it takes a lot of driving practice and determination with a very attentive instructor.

It might seem crazy to some drivers who managed to pass their tests with very little practice but in my experience with non UK born drivers you need a minimum of 30 hours actual driving instruction, even with an automatic. We train many drivers from eastern european countries, they do pass, some easily and some take a number of tests but practice time is key. Like I’ve said I wouldn’t find it easy taking my test anywhere other than the UK and I take my hat off to you for giving it a go.

How much time have you spent driving the truck before tests?
An hour before a retest is never likely to produce a pass result is mainly just a waste of time, it sounds cheap to just jump into another test but often its a wasted opportunity unless you simply made a very silly mistake on the last test. We would have booked your test for 2pm and started at 8:30am, 1:1 training with just you and the instructor, at £600 its not cheap but as you have found neither is £2500 especially if its all a wasted opportunity.

I have no doubt that if you throw some more money at PSTT you will pass, but I can’t say if it will be on the 4th or 10th test and the final bill could be eye watering. I’m not sure what the normal training course duration is with PSTT but I would suggest you book a full course which will be around £1000-£1500, forget a quick retest, start over with plenty of practice. I know that many claim quality not quantity but sometimes you just need the wheel time for it sink in and adapt to the test, it will come but at a price. So I hope you reconsider if its appropriate for you and your future.

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If it was a small mistake id carry on but it looks like im going backwards. Regarding driving standards in the uk i cant agree with it. Ive lived here long enough and i drive eveyday covering well in excess of 20k miles annualy. I came here when i had my license only like a year or so with little experience whatsover. Basically i learnt how to drive in britain. There was enough chances and money spent to get license whichin reality isnt going to make me earn more. It was a project because i enjoy driving i believe i have what it takes to be driving for a living. Reality check i have recently had made me think i am not necessarily the right person for the job. At this point ive had enough and its time to spend money wisely and stop banging my head against the wall. Whats the point spending 4-5grand getting eventualy class 2 license to get job which pays similar if not lower money than i get now. On condition im lucky enough and get taken on as a newbie. Plan was to get class 1 but class 2 proved to be hurdle way too high for me. I possibly could pass it all but bill would be so big that i could buy a decent car or put a deposit on a house. Of course driving schools would prefer to grab the money but this time they not getting mine.

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sorry to hear you failed don’t give up if you want it bad enough you will get it that is the lesson I learnt with theorys and even on my mod2 motorbike test don’t let a fail the test put you off often the people who don’t pass first time turn out to be better drivers once they’ve got their license I understand I a lot of money to keep paying out but it will be worth it in the end and you will be surprised how quickly you can earn it all back

good luck and hope you decide to do it again as they say 3rd time lucky

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Blacov89, I may be wrong (and often am) but I believe there are quite a few drivers on here who didn’t pass their Class C first, second or third time, yet persevere and get there in the end. I can appreciate your disappointment, anger and annoyance over the money you have spent, but to give up now really is the only way that money has been truly wasted. There was a chap on here a few days back who said he failed his Class C twice and his C+E three times, yet now he is now a driver/mentor on ADR tankers. I also believe (from snippets) that the Beaver failed his Class C three times before passing. So just because you’re feeling down and feel like kicking the cat, don’t! Just take a few days to get over this latest disappointment, and only then consider if it’s right or wrong for you to carry on.

Best wishes for whatever you choose. But don’t be thinking in 5 years time “I wish I’d given it just one more shot…”

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Well you’re kind of right saying not everyone passes 1st time, I failed 3 times. 1st time I failed purely because of nerves, wanted it too much and it was all gone before it even started. Second time okay I wasn’t ready as I’ve had a break too long apparently, made some mistakes resulting in 2 serious faults but I understand where I made them, and arguably accepted. This time with more preparation and time, I knew what failed me before and now I got done for hesitation and not checking mirrors properly and basically the sheet looked terrible. Everything was messed up, things I haven’t had problem before. Mirror checks are always my priority and never had a problem with during the course, later training for a retest and also in everyday driving I check them a lot. Pretty much like I was driving a truck, it is a habit. I don’t understand where I need to improve and at the moment I feel like I am making regress. All say give it another go, at the moment I am quite sure I am not going to pass, definitely not with the man I had 2 latest tests. I might try it at some point but I really doubt it and it will be somewhere else rather than the same place. I will book some time to get used to a new truck and maybe have a spin around the area to learn some routes. Maybe it will work for me, if not then well at least I tried.

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It would be wrong and unprofessional for me to comment on a public forum about a particular candidate.

Having said that, in general terms, what has been said already is not far wrong.

I don’t agree with Tockwith on this occasion; we train many Eastern European drivers and get first time passes on our normal course. So there’s no need to penalise them because of their origin.

I would also point out that we make no profit from any retests/retraining. We charge only 50% of the normal fee for any retraining in order to encourage folks to have that little bit extra.

It’s a hard fact but every trainer has to accept that not everyone will pass first, or even second time. That is, sadly, the nature of the job. But, regardless of that, we always strive for the first time pass.

In defence of Cliff Briggs (not that he needs defending), every other candidate he tested on the same day, passed. The next day, 3 out of 4 passed. One with a clean sheet and another with one minor mark. So it’s no good blaming the examiner.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

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I can only assume that anyone paying for HGV training out of their own pocket, have a false impression as to what they are going to be earning, once they qualify.

Would you pay thousands of pounds to work in Tesco as a shelf stacker?

That’s all you’re going to be earning, Blacov89. You’d have been better off spending your money on a nice holiday in the Caribbean. At least then; you’d have something to show for your money!

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Quick comments:
1 - talk to your trainer, ask him how many more hours he thinks you need to get you BACK to test standard. He will have the experience to answer this question. It sounds like you were very close once, and for whatever reason have slipped back a bit. Make your decision based on that. It is unlikely to be thousands more, maybe 3-400 (at a complete guess)

2 - As you already found out a lot of the test comes down to managing your nerves, and coming over that you are a safe driver that knows what he’s doing. Therefore it is essential that IF you do the test again, you go in relaxed and believing you will pass, not terrified and expecting the worst. There is a definate point in training where you think “click, I’ve got it” and you shouldn’t retake the test until you get that feeling.

3 - Regarding Class 1 - it’s a very small jump from Class 2. Learn to reverse it. Learn to take it apart. The rest is driving forwards in the same vehicle you drive now with a trailer following you like an obedient puppy (if you do wag and drag). It’s actually a shorter test (driving forwards).

Having spent the money already and coming so close to passing would make me all the more determined, so before you give up take some time, talk to your trainer and weigh it all up.

All the best. Tim

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V40LLY:
I can only assume that anyone paying for HGV training out of their own pocket, have a false impression as to what they are going to be earning, once they qualify.

This is hardly a helpful comment when someone has already spent a lot of money! It is possible to pull at least 2k a month on class one and training costs will be recouped.

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Tockwith Training:
…I would suggest you book a full course which will be around £1000-£1500, forget a quick retest, start over with plenty of practice.

I suspect the truth is that the OP needs more than an hour warm up prior to a test but nowhere near a whole week. I won’t speculate further, his trainer is the best qualified to offer him advice if he wants to continue.

16

Hi
I can see how disappointed u must feel even a little hard done by BUT if u really want to be a truck driver then try and try again.
I recently passed my cat c and have had 4 interviews and offered 4 jobs. Start my chosen 1 of them on Monday and at 30k is more then what I was on before by quite a few 1000. Have a days training before your test and try again.
on my test I just drove as I normality would just kept lookin at mirrors every time I did anything 10 faults and still passed. …just

17

Ah it is a horrible feeling to be failed and then failed again. I agree with the other posters, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in there with determination. The money is only lost if you give up, if it takes £5000 it is not a waste when you have passed as it will be earned back.

Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and get a few more lessons and retest. This time don’t rush, take your time check everything twice. If you are unsure of the instructions ask him to repeat it, you don’t get marked off for that. :wink:

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If its what you really want to do keep at mate. Your only on this world once. Money is a bugger but you will feel all the better once you have passed

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The truth is getting a license was an option to have up my sleeve once things go wrong. As far as I enjoy being on the road I am not desperate to pass because we have to be realistic about money spent. I believe some people shouldn’t be on the road at all and I was wondering how come they all passed. I realized now that I kind of fall into that group, driving a big lorry is not for me and it is time to give it up before the bill will reach ridiculous level.

@Pete

At the moment I believe I will not be able to pass in Mansfield, Especially with Mr Briggs. This is the reason why I booked extra 4hours training to get back to standard once I failed 2nd time with only an hour refresher drive and having to worry about the CPC on the same day. My mistake. This time I arrived very positive about the result and spent the time training very focused and I was pleased with the driving after initial problems I had. Then onto test, very positive and once again I was asked some rare if not to say unnecessary questions and then we left, I wasn’t nervous this time as I had a feeling I am doing it well and this is it. If you want to go into details I am happy to talk privately. I knew I failed as I saw on the sheet 3 minors on the same section but even though I kept it professional and tried to drive up to standard for the remaining time of 10-15mins.

Lets be honest I am not the best person to become a driver and I don’t want to fool myself and keep trying like an idiot spending more and more £££ on license that I shouldn’t have.

What’s the point of booking a retest and extra training spending lets say another £500-600 get praised on the training and then the same scenario on the test Mr Briggs arrives and slapping me in the face with a string of serious faults I don’t even understand (hesitation) like anything changed in 30mins after I finished my training where I didn’t make any of the above faults.

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Blacov89:
The truth is getting a license was an option to have up my sleeve once things go wrong. As far as I enjoy being on the road I am not desperate to pass.

IMHO, this is your most telling comment so far.

The way I read it is that your whole approach revolved around not being too bothered if you were unlucky enough to fail. :open_mouth:

I hope I read it wrongly.