Class C exam on Thursday

I’m starting to get very nervous about the exam. i was out training on Friday with one guy and again today with a different trainer.
After Fridays drive i was feeling very confident, I had great feedback after my first drive - but todays trainer spent the entire time telling me to look in the mirror every 5-7 seconds.
Even if I looked in the mirror before moving off, he said “You need to look in the mirror before moving off”.
A guy cut me up on the road, and he said “You should have seen that coming” - I said “I did see it coming, but i don’t have psychokinetic powers”
Apparently, say’s he, “It’s my job to prevent other drivers having accidents” WTF !
Having driven legally since 1986, and having driven every type of agricultural and normal driving license vehicle in that time, I was taken aback - by the time it was finished today i felt like I couldn’t drive at all and am feeling very put off. I thought there was more to driving than worrying about everyone else’s driving !
If drivers are to be failed so easily, and blamed for everyone else’s driving, why on earth would anyone do it !

Your beef is with your trainer(s), the examiner won’t say anything except things like “take the third exit on the roundabout”. TBH my Class 2 test was easier than the training for it, because the trainer (ex TA driving instructor according to him) was garbage, constantly harassing me even when I was successfully doing the manoeuvre, he made me a nervous wreck with his terrible “technique” then said he didn’t think I’d pass. I did, and the test itself was, by comparison with his “training”, fairly pleasant.

So… don’t lose heart.

Incidentally my class 1 training (with a big name Yorkshire outfit who I obviously won’t name) was like yours: three days training, three different trainers: totally unsatisfactory state of affairs. There are those training schools who commit to the same trainer from start to finish (Peter Smythe the forum sponsor state this is their policy). I would have said this should be standard practice, but… my Class 2 trainer was the same one throughout so it is no guarantee of quality :open_mouth:

Part of being a professional driver is to observe early and anticipate what others MIGHT do then adjust your driving accordingly to make any potential situation as safe as possible for everyone

Or in other words - you have to drive for everyone else

Absolutely agree ROG. But some of us know how to explain it whereas others don’t!

The only occasions where our candidates will get more than one trainer are a) the original trainer has reported sick or has to self isolate OR b) where this has been explained at the time of booking where the candidate is really wanting earlier dates than normally available.

But we have a record keeping system so that, in case of emergency, trainer B will know what progress has been made with trainer A and also where the candidate has driven. But this is NOT normal practice so dont expect it everywhere you go.

Some “schools” regularly swap and change trainers as it is much easier to run the diary that way. And you’ll often find that the same “schools” will adopt the same attitude to keeping the same vehicle for the duration of the training - let alone test.

As always, buyer beware. Not all training is the same.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

Day 2 I found was the worst for all my courses. Its the day you are thrown in the deep end with the idiots (other traffic) and need your head on a swivel. You also normally get a huge list at the end of the day of things you need to work on.

Day 1 you spend time in quieter areas getting used to the size of the vehicle. All happy smiling well done you

Day 2, you get stuck in with busier roads and “test junctions/roundabouts”. This is where the trainer starts impressing you the importance with your observations and size of the vehicle. This is the bad day, every minor thing will be picked up.

Day 3, Test routes, test routes, test routes. Practicing any bad bits. Confidence booster day.

Day 4, Hour out polishing anything you need then test.

I’ve done D1,D,C,C+E. Every one of them (with the exception of CE which was an extra day, so day 3 twice) was roughly this set up.

Dont be disheartened, i would rather have a hard ■■■ training me than the guy on my cat C who just sat there for 4 days saying nothing. Train hard, fight easy.

Think of your trainer as trying to make you the best driver you can be, it’s not easy driving a HGV and there is a certain expectation from you to being a professional driver. The law changes in regards to how you’re dealt with also and believe it or not, the standards expected from the proper use of the vehicle is at the same level as a Police Driver.

Good luck Thursday, if they think you’re ready then you’re ready!

Caerleon:
the standards expected from the proper use of the vehicle is at the same level as a Police Driver.

That is true
The police response course (not traffic advanced course) is, apart from blues & twos and exceeding speed limits, roughly the same as the civilian advanced course and test
The civvy advanced is comparable with the driving of a LGV - I know as I taught both