Its taken me 3 years but Ive finally managed to get a company to give me a chance. The interview went well now I just gotta get through the driving assessment tomorrow morning. Ive been given a list of all the check’s I should do although the list is very detailed and im not sure I should do them all, even had a little go in a lorry saturday (although I was shaking so much I have no idea how i’ll cope tomorrow ) .
Is there anything anyone can tell me of definate ‘dos and donts’ ?!
Hey, many congratulations on getting an driving assessment. To be honest the hard work is done and the rest is easy…I know it might not feel like it right now.
I had an assessment last Thursday (which was my first and only) so I will share the little wealth of experience I have.
It is only an assessment to make sure you aint gonna be driving it into a ditch. You have passed the hardest part which is getting the licence in the first place, and whatever happens during the interview/assessment then they cant take it away from you.
I personally would run through your checks no matter what…at the end of the day its going to be you driving the vehicle.
I was given 10mins to drive around the yard which allowed me to get used to the gearbox and just the sensitivity of the pedals and so forth. But seeing as you have been out recently then you will find you pick it up quickly again. If in doubt about anything on the truck…ask!! and make the point that you would rather sort it out in the yard rather than out in public.
Whilst we was out driving, I was asking about what the job entailed, what the assessor thought of the company (as he was also a driver for them) and just had a general bit of banter. It made my nerves better and made for a relaxed environment. Plus at the end of the day you get another view on what the company are like to work for.
The major thing is like I say, its a chance for them to see your not going to be stooooooooopid and just remember they cant take your licence away from you.
During the assessment periodically start talking/arguing to yourself. Then flinch when you see the assessor and ask “WTF are you doing in my cab?”
Drop into the conversation how you were next in line to board the zeebrugge ferry but it was full. You were late because e.g.you rescued a truck driver who had crashed into some diesel pumps; you pulled them out just before it exploded.
Tell them you’ve heard rumours for years about the introduction of the analogue tachograph and ask them if it’s true.
When at max speed ask the assessor casually if they would mind ever so much pulling out the fuse for the limiter.
Tell the assessor you suffer from Claustrophobia but your trusty hip flask helps calm your nerves.
Ask if guide dogs are excluded from the companies not dogs allowed in cab rule. As the dog gets lonely if you leave him at home.
At traffic lights or in traffic wolf whistle and blow your horn at any attractive females that pass.
Offer the assessor some of your lunch while driving — bad manners not to.
Ask the assessor to watch out for pot holes while you pour your coffee out.
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head for the do’s.
Don’ts
If they tell you to take a certain turning, don’t turn to them and say “no trust me mate this ways quicker” and proceed in another direction.
Don’t proceed to roll your tobacco up on your lap while driving.
Say to them that the dates wrong on that red box (point to the height indicator)
Say to the assessor the last time you were assessed the assessor wanted Euros, pounds and dollars which was fine but the tell them if they want Vietnamese dong’s like another assessor did it will take a couple of days
During the assessment periodically start talking/arguing to yourself. Then flinch when you see the assessor and ask “WTF are you doing in my cab?”
Drop into the conversation how you were next in line to board the zeebrugge ferry but it was full. You were late because e.g.you rescued a truck driver who had crashed into some diesel pumps; you pulled them out just before it exploded.
Tell them you’ve heard rumours for years about the introduction of the analogue tachograph and ask them if it’s true.
When at max speed ask the assessor casually if they would mind ever so much pulling out the fuse for the limiter.
Tell the assessor you suffer from Claustrophobia but your trusty hip flask helps calm your nerves.
Ask if guide dogs are excluded from the companies not dogs allowed in cab rule. As the dog gets lonely if you leave him at home.
At traffic lights or in traffic wolf whistle and blow your horn at any attractive females that pass.
Offer the assessor some of your lunch while driving — bad manners not to.
Ask the assessor to watch out for pot holes while you pour your coffee out.
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head for the do’s.
Don’ts
If they tell you to take a certain turning, don’t turn to them and say “no trust me mate this ways quicker” and proceed in another direction.
Don’t proceed to roll your tobacco up on your lap while driving.
Say to them that the dates wrong on that red box (point to the height indicator)
Say to the assessor the last time you were assessed the assessor wanted Euros, pounds and dollars which was fine but the tell them if they want Vietnamese dong’s like another assessor did it will take a couple of days
During the assessment periodically start talking/arguing to yourself. Then flinch when you see the assessor and ask “WTF are you doing in my cab?”
Drop into the conversation how you were next in line to board the zeebrugge ferry but it was full. You were late because e.g.you rescued a truck driver who had crashed into some diesel pumps; you pulled them out just before it exploded.
Tell them you’ve heard rumours for years about the introduction of the analogue tachograph and ask them if it’s true.
When at max speed ask the assessor casually if they would mind ever so much pulling out the fuse for the limiter.
Tell the assessor you suffer from Claustrophobia but your trusty hip flask helps calm your nerves.
Ask if guide dogs are excluded from the companies not dogs allowed in cab rule. As the dog gets lonely if you leave him at home.
At traffic lights or in traffic wolf whistle and blow your horn at any attractive females that pass.
Offer the assessor some of your lunch while driving — bad manners not to.
Ask the assessor to watch out for pot holes while you pour your coffee out.
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head for the do’s.
Don’ts
If they tell you to take a certain turning, don’t turn to them and say “no trust me mate this ways quicker” and proceed in another direction.
Don’t proceed to roll your tobacco up on your lap while driving.
Say to them that the dates wrong on that red box (point to the height indicator)
Say to the assessor the last time you were assessed the assessor wanted Euros, pounds and dollars which was fine but the tell them if they want Vietnamese dong’s like another assessor did it will take a couple of days
Not this one I hasten to add
Im sure you got your quote wrong there chap!! Old age setting in eh??
Im soooo nervous. Dont know what state I’ll be in in the morning
I keep telling myself the worst than can happen is if I hit something so just take my time and I wont hit anything. I actually think this is worst than doing my test cos at least I could take my test again!
Only medium risk I got was to do with the gears and they were split and I’d never used one before but apart from that it was all good - and came flooding back to me…
Only medium risk I got was to do with the gears and they were split and I’d never used one before but apart from that it was all good - and came flooding back to me…
As many do assessments and have large gaps in their driving, would you be so kind as to do a report on the assessment and any issues you had before and during it please
Hey Rog, not really sure what you mean but I’ll have a bash…!
Before the assessment the guy who made the appointment made the mistake of saying on the phone ‘book you in for your TEST’ and at the end of the conversation ‘good luck’ - that scared the crap out of me despite everyone telling me it wasnt a test and it was just to make sure I wasnt an idiot. I was mainly worried about manuvering, not only around the yard but also my driving position going around round abouts. I also got my hands on a list of vehicle checks I should do to refresh my memory!
On the day the man was brilliant, luckly we couldnt find a motor for me to do the assessment in so after 10 mins walking around the yard I’d calmed down a bit! I shown him what checks I would do (please state if you would like me to list these for others that may want to know). I made a point of making sure I was happy with the gears, seat position, mirrors and where the wipers etc were… I also asked what gear I should pull away in as I was taught to do this in 3rd but many people told me 2nd before the test… he said 1st!! He also said many people wouldnt ask and pull away in 3rd… so I think that got me some brownie points. My position on the road came back naturally to me as did what line to take around round abouts. The split gears wasnt a problem as such it was more the fact of getting them in I found a challenge, 1st and 5th especially. But as he said before I pulled away, not to worry about the gears so much he mainly wanted to see how I reacted to different situations, my positioning on the road and how I treated and reacted to other road users.
It wasnt a test, it was an assessment and they wasnt out to fail me. If I was unsure of something I asked, which Im sure he was more appricaitive of rather than me just guessing or hesitating.
My advice to anyone having an assessment after a long period of not driving would be just to drive safely and ask if your not sure about something.
Hope this says what you wanted it to Rog and Ive helps someone else out in the futre.
Not all assessments go as you expect - especially when you get a [ZB] assessor !!!
waynedl FROM HERE:
Did the Iceland assessment in Warrington.
Guy was a complete ■■■■■■.
Right, I did 1 of those drives, you know when everything goes your way.
Then, back in the yard, I’d like you to blind-side in between these 2 trailers (2 empty spaces, so not too bad).
Straight in I goes, never done such a perfect reverse correct side never mind blind side.
He tells me he has a few problems with my driving…
Not doing blind spot checks - I ride a motorbike, I do them all the time, I explained that I didn’t make them obvious as I’m not on a driving test.
I stopped ‘over a white line’ at a red light. - when queried, I didn’t go past it, I stopped over it■■? Not sure his problem there
When doing the blind side, I never got out and checked if anything was behind me■■?
Ok, now, I don’t know about u lot, but, before I reverse in anywhere, I’ve drove past it, had a good look, judged it etc.
Also, whilst I’m walking up and down the side of my truck, what’s stopping someone walking up and down the other side, nicking phone / sat nav or just being behind the truck when I’m back in it?? There was a fence to 3 sides, only me and him about and whilst in the cab, I’ve got mirrors which mean I will see if someone goes behind my truck…
Anyway, got a phone call next day asking if I’d go in there at 5am the day after, no was my answer.
) .
on the PDF
