Good morning ladies and gents. I have been (registered) on this forum for just over a month now and have found it to be a great source of information and insights. So thanks to all who contribute here for a start. Right! I started my training on Monday in the big green iveco Eurostar at COT Solutions in Swansea. There are three training company’s in Swansea but this one had the best reviews and its possibly the newest too! This was 2 to 1 tuition which I totally recommend over one on one. Not only do you have one more person to chat to during the day and compare driving style to, but you can both see each others mistakes and point them out and help each other overcome them. My poor trainer Joe had me and Andy for the week, we were like a pair of naughty school kids, both of us the wrong side of 30, but lads will always be lads. Anyway, slap over gearbox was mastered on day one, just make sure your turtle is on when pulling off. I did manage to pull off in 5th once or thrice which I’m sure everyone does during training! The week was very enjoyable and we learnt so much on the course, I now even check my mirrors a lot more in the car. Thursday came too quickly too! We both felt OK and not really nervous but deep inside, we were a bit. To me, the test was just going to be another drive but without Joe and Andy. So test day was here! The examiner, Viv introduced himself and continued with the touch me squeeze me (show me tell me) questions then it was time for the reverse which we had mastered by now. I’d even got it in the space when the cones were moved in much tighter than they are meant to be (see photo). Aced the reverse then off out into the roads… I must have been nervous now as I was checking mirrors a bit too much and then didn’t check them as quickly or as well timed as I should have at a roundabout. (Minor 1) I knew I’d muched that up, but no harm done, I then was told to enter an industrial estate and forgot to indicate until I’d got to 100 yards of the junction (minor 2). Hill start was fine, gear, mirrors, signal, mirrors, over shoulder check and pull out checking mirrors again for good measure. No problem. The downhill start I thoight went OK, I did the usual, popped it into 4th, foot off brake and off I went, changing over to 5th quite quickly. However, Viv said I should have pulled off in 3rd (so that’s my 3rd minor, correct use of gears). Otherwise it was a great test experience, we chatted on the route and I was relieved to hear him tell me I’d passed. Chuffed! I have my CPC mod4 booked for tomorrow and once that, and my licence come back, I can get work!
Thanks all, Rog your posts have been absolute gold and I will recommend anyone having their training to swing by here and register.
This is the reason why I want to be a driver. My dads business sadly went up the swanny in the 90’s when truck drivers were not needed so much, but this PIC of the transcon in morriston carnival just shows how good things were.
> jonesk99: > Good morning ladies and gents. I have been (registered) on this forum for just over a month now and have found it to be a great source of information and insights. So thanks to all who contribute here for a start. > > Right! I started my training on Monday in the big green iveco Eurostar at COT Solutions in Swansea. There are three training company’s in Swansea but this one had the best reviews and its possibly the newest too! This was 2 to 1 tuition which I totally recommend over one on one. > Not only do you have one more person to chat to during the day and compare driving style to, but you can both see each others mistakes and point them out and help each other overcome them. > > My poor trainer Joe had me and Andy for the week, we were like a pair of naughty school kids, both of us the wrong side of 30, but lads will always be lads. > Anyway, slap over gearbox was mastered on day one, just make sure your turtle is on when pulling off. I did manage to pull off in 5th once or thrice which I’m sure everyone does during training! The week was very enjoyable and we learnt so much on the course, I now even check my mirrors a lot more in the car. > > Thursday came too quickly too! We both felt OK and not really nervous but deep inside, we were a bit. To me, the test was just going to be another drive but without Joe and Andy. > > So test day was here! The examiner, Viv introduced himself and continued with the touch me squeeze me (show me tell me) questions then it was time for the reverse which we had mastered by now. I’d even got it in the space when the cones were moved in much tighter than they are meant to be (see photo). > > Aced the reverse then off out into the roads… I must have been nervous now as I was checking mirrors a bit too much and then didn’t check them as quickly or as well timed as I should have at a roundabout. (Minor 1) I knew I’d muched that up, but no harm done, I then was told to enter an industrial estate and forgot to indicate until I’d got to 100 yards of the junction (minor 2). > > Hill start was fine, gear, mirrors, signal, mirrors, over shoulder check and pull out checking mirrors again for good measure. No problem. The downhill start I thoight went OK, I did the usual, popped it into 4th, foot off brake and off I went, changing over to 5th quite quickly. However, Viv said I should have pulled off in 3rd (so that’s my 3rd minor, correct use of gears). > > Otherwise it was a great test experience, we chatted on the route and I was relieved to hear him tell me I’d passed. Chuffed! I have my CPC mod4 booked for tomorrow and once that, and my licence come back, I can get work! > > Thanks all, Rog your posts have been absolute gold and I will recommend anyone having their training to swing by here and register. > > This is the reason why I want to be a driver. My dads business sadly went up the swanny in the 90’s when truck drivers were not needed so much, but this PIC of the transcon in morriston carnival just shows how good things were.
