Class C training - take 2!

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
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Well, I was here a couple of months back, after passing my theory & hazard perception, I was all hyped up to be taking my practical lessons and get my hands on my class C licence! BUT, it didn’t go to plan - at all.

I failed my first test, purely my own fault - I hit a cone on my reverse - also scuffed a curb. Incurred 2 serious faults and I think 5 minors. Nobody to blame but myself. Seconds test I also failed, due to “positioning” which I was really, REALLY annoyed about. I’ll explain why below.

I took my tests at Atherton (Wigan) and anybody familiar with the area will know about the Westhoughton roundabouts. I was in the wrong position at the roundabout, and halfway round the roundabout I realised this. I checked my mirrors and noticed only 1 car in the lane I needed to be in. I threw an indicator on, thinking the 1 car would have sailed passed me, allowing me to get into the lane I needed to be in, but this didn’t happen. Instead, the driver basically stopped his car and started flashing me to pull in. I hesitated, I didn’t want him to let me through, I just wanted him to continue past me, so I could pull in behind him. I noticed cars starting to come down behind both me in my lane and the lane I wanted to go into. So, I pulled out in front of him (this situation of him flashing me and me hesitating must have gone on for at least 10 seconds) If this guy had just gone past me, I wouldn’t have caused an obstruction, and I would have only ended up with a minor. Because he stopped, I incurred a serious fault. Aside from that, I only had 3 minors. I was so gutted, especially given that I didn’t know if the examiner had marked me down for a serious, I thought he may have realised that the car driver didn’t have to stop and basically cause me to fail.

Anyway, after the fail, I didn’t have time for more lessons. I had a holiday booked and various other commitments to deal with, so I had to leave it for a month. I decided to go with a different training school this time round. Although I have much respect for my previous trainer, I did feel on edge with him ALOT of the time. He would often lose his temper, sit there sighing and grunting to himself. I was nervous throughout the whole experience, and I felt that he just didn’t have the patience for me. So, this time round, I’ve booked a whole new 16 hours of training with Chevron training in Flintshire. I went for a 1 hour assessment, and I felt more comfortable in that 1 hour than I did the whole course I took with my old instructor.

In hindsight, I should have taken the advice given to me regarding Chevron, but because they’re 26 miles away from where I live (plus a toll charge of £1.70 each way on the Birkenhead tunnel) I decided to go with somewhere closer to home.

My training starts on Friday, then spans into next week. I’ll try to keep people posted on my progress. As I said before, I already feel much more comfortable with these guys and I’ve only had the 1 hour assessment. I decided to book a 16 hour course so I can be confident with all potential test routes.

Wish me luck people!

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I have never come across one negative about Chevron so you have chosen well :smiley:

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Yeah, I’ve only heard good things.

It’s just a shame I didn’t go with them in the first place. Could have saved myself a £1000 or so.

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I did what you did. I failed with a school in Leicester after hitting a cone on the reverse test. Got a grilling from my instructor about how I didn’t listen. Sod that, I paid out of my own pocket and went with Peter Smythe in Mansfield and passed on my first try with them.

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Radar19:
I did what you did. I failed with a school in Leicester after hitting a cone on the reverse test. Got a grilling from my instructor about how I didn’t listen. Sod that, I paid out of my own pocket and went with Peter Smythe in Mansfield and passed on my first try with them.

I got lots of grillings!

Like I said, as a person, my old instructor was a nice bloke, but when it came to training, he just constantly seemed stressed out, which then made me stressed out. I took longer than he expected to grasp the reverse, which in turn meant we spent longer doing that and lost out on time on the road (his explanation) and he just seemed like he lost faith in me. After the 2nd day of training, I was kind of dreading it. The 1 day I got his son (also an instructor) I felt a lot calmer.

I considered Peter Smythe back when I was first doing my training, but he’s just too far away from Liverpool. Chevron, in hindsight, should have been who I went with in the first place, given how smoothly the assessment drive went. No point in dwelling on the past though - hindsight really in a wonderful thing!

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Radar19:
I did what you did. I failed with a school in Leicester after hitting a cone on the reverse test. Got a grilling from my instructor about how I didn’t listen. Sod that, I paid out of my own pocket and went with Peter Smythe in Mansfield and passed on my first try with them.

Would be interested to know what school that was near me

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You’ll do well at Chevon. IMO, the finest trainers in that area. All the best, Pete :laughing: :laughing:

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Well, training up to now is going great, especially compared to how I was with my previous trainer. Stuff I’m being told is actually resonating with me, I guess that has something to do with NOT being shouted at and criticised when I make an error.

I think my only downfalls are checking mirrors when slowing down and forward planning. Everything else I’m fine with. Just need to iron out the creases!

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PASSED!

Not sure if this post will bump itself when I comment, but figured I’d comment here instead of making a new post!

Just goes to show it’s quality you need in this kind of business. I passed first time with Chevron, as opposed to my previous failures with companies closer to home. I can’t explain how pleased I am with my training and result. Once I have my licence back, it’s on with the mod 2 & 4, then onwards with my C+E training.

Again, I recommend Chevron to anyone a 100 miles any direction of Flintshire. I’ve never been so happy to pass a test in my entire life.

That’s me done for the day - I’m off for a swim.

Thanks for all the advice, people - it’s been muchos appreciated!

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A huge well done Alex, from everyone here at Chevron, you worked very hard and deserved the great result.
Thank you for your recommendation and looking forward to seeing you soon.

John

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Thanks, John, I’m still hyped up! Trying to wind down.

Will be seeing you for the CPC and C+E

Thanks again, buddy!

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Congratulations. I was sure you’d do well with Chevron.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

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Congratulations Endgame, it sounds like you’ve had a struggle to get here but, now you have, they can’t take it away from you.

I agree from my own experience that the quality of the trainer makes all the difference, and if you have found a good one then shout it from the rooftops. Anyone searching in your area should know the good from the bad.

Being criticised constantly is soul destroying, any decent instructor ought to understand that. A bit of positive feedback is necessary, and I’m not talking about simply blowing smoke up one’s bottom. A trainee needs to build confidence, to understand what is going well in addition to the things they need to work on. The trainers here on the forum seem to understand this and deserve to be recognised for it.

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It was only a struggle because of choosing the wrong training school in the first place. I went for convenience over quality, but, at the time, I didn’t know that!

Feeling rough this morning, decided to have a drink to celebrate (not had a drink in nearly over a year)

Again, I’m eternally grateful for my training, my instructor, Phil, is a top man, I hope to have him in my C+E training. Hope I get the same examiner again, too!

Well, I’m off to nurse my hangover and do some mod 2 revision!

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:smiley: :smiley:

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ROG:

:smiley: :smiley:

Thanks ROG! And thanks for suggesting kalms - I’d been taking them all week!