First thanks for all your comments and support,re.Stobart International.
All went well until my reversing. Not making any excuses at all but I have not driven an artic for eight years did two reverse parking, first one ok second one I had to reverse between 2 parked trailers, nothing odd there I can here you all saying but I got a bit to close to the trl on my n/s just before I Stopped to do a shunt forword the trainer who was ok to be fair shouted STOP. The trainer/ assessor Failed me on that as to them that was a major fault. As you can tell I am very disappointed in myself,you only need one major apparently and that’s it. I suppose to be fair I cant prove that I was going to stop before they told me to stop. On a good point I can re apply in 3 months.
Sounds like it went well seeing as you havnt driven for 8 years. Are you going to try again?
Saaamon:
Sounds like it went well seeing as you havnt driven for 8 years. Are you going to try again?
Yes it did go well,but ■■■■ happens I will apply again but I have to wait 3 months.
Sounds like a load of bollox to me mate. If the drive went well I don’t see the problem the reversing will soon come back to you the more you do it. Some of these driver trainers need to get there head out there own arse 
gunner1983:
Sounds like a load of bollox to me mate. If the drive went well I don’t see the problem the reversing will soon come back to you the more you do it. Some of these driver trainers need to get there head out there own arse
I’m inclined to agree, if the drive went well but an otherwise good driver buggered the reverse i would have taken him somewhere away from managements prying eyes and let him have a bit of practice to get the feel of it again, then back to the yard for the real reverse test.
I didn’t have a break from driving like the OP but after driving wag and drag car transporters for years when i got back in a normal artic (though smaller overall) i was hopeless for a day or two till i got the jist of it again.
Bad luck StevieP, there’s other operators out there beside Stobbie, companies worth working for keep looking mate go and knock on some doors like we used to in the better days.
Never quite got my head around this, you actually get failed because you didn’t hit anything and yet took action to correct yourself?
They’ll have you reversing around a slalom next, and if Stobbies don’t no doubt it’ll be the next thing brought into a C+E test!
gunner1983:
Sounds like a load of bollox to me mate. If the drive went well I don’t see the problem the reversing will soon come back to you the more you do it. Some of these driver trainers need to get there head out there own arse
This.
tashlad666:
Never quite got my head around this, you actually get failed because you didn’t hit anything and yet took action to correct yourself?They’ll have you reversing around a slalom next, and if Stobbies don’t no doubt it’ll be the next thing brought into a C+E test!
It would appear the failure was because “Assessor Took Action” to prevent the collision - i.e. He shouted “STOP!” This is viewed as a serious fault.
tashlad666:
Never quite got my head around this, you actually get failed because you didn’t hit anything and yet took action to correct yourself?They’ll have you reversing around a slalom next, and if Stobbies don’t no doubt it’ll be the next thing brought into a C+E test!
the assessor shouted stop before he did anything, he took action after the after the assessor intervened, it doesn’t matter if he was going to press the brake an inch further along anyway, or was going to hit the parked trailer, the assessor thought it was too close and could you imagine the slagging the assessor would get on here if he let someone back into a trailer 
no one should ever mark you down for taking one shunt, so unless it’s going back spot on you might as well take a shunt to take away the risk of what one person calls too close over another’s
good luck next time op
must not get distracted when typing a post!
James Bateman2:
gunner1983:
Sounds like a load of bollox to me mate. If the drive went well I don’t see the problem the reversing will soon come back to you the more you do it. Some of these driver trainers need to get there head out there own arseThis.
And again.
Sorry to hear of the failure mate, but reversing is 1 of those things at the best of times, 99 times out of a hundred you can reverse any axle someone chooses over a penny, another time you’d miss the broad side of a container ship sized target.
Sorry to hear about your assesment stevie,
I had to shunt three times to reverse into a regular customers premises this morning. If I follow your assessors criteria I’ll endeavour to hand my notice in tomorrow morning…
It all sounds a bit harsh to me fella, anyone reasonable would of given you a fair chance to sort yourself out. Reads like someone at ESL enjoys their job a little too much.
W
AlexWignall:
Sorry to hear about your assesment stevie,I had to shunt three times to reverse into a regular customers premises this morning. If I follow your assessors criteria I’ll endeavour to hand my notice in tomorrow morning…
It all sounds a bit harsh to me fella, anyone reasonable would of given you a fair chance to sort yourself out. Reads like someone at ESL enjoys their job a little too much.
W
But where do you draw the line on letting someone sort it out? Once they’ve made contact? We don’t know how close it was, but the op isn’t coming across that he thinks it was unfair
Sorry to hear that but,
Look at it another way. So you buggered up a reverse after a few years off artics. If the trainer had owt about him he have taken you somewhere and said right I’m off for a coffe and if you looked ok and don’t hit owt left yer a minute out of sight then gone for a coffee and let you crack on.
But then I guess your assessor can’t assess the situation cos he’s bound by company policy, and he’s only the assessor cos he took the lazy way owt of driving
Would you want to work for a company like that? Sure my method won’t work for a HR Dept. , and that’s why they let a driver slip through their hands
Sod em and move on
stevie p:
First thanks for all your comments and support,re.Stobart International.
All went well until my reversing. Not making any excuses at all but I have not driven an artic for eight years did two reverse parking, first one ok second one I had to reverse between 2 parked trailers, nothing odd there I can here you all saying but I got a bit to close to the trl on my n/s just before I Stopped to do a shunt forword the trainer who was ok to be fair shouted STOP. The trainer/ assessor Failed me on that as to them that was a major fault. As you can tell I am very disappointed in myself,you only need one major apparently and that’s it. I suppose to be fair I cant prove that I was going to stop before they told me to stop. On a good point I can re apply in 3 months.
You’ve got a PM mate
I’ve had a 25 year break and back at it. Some days I can reverse like a God, some days I reverse like a plank. Surely shunting is better than hitting. Spare me from all this crap.
I know he was acting as an assessor in this instance. But surely he could have acted as a banksman too. Yes it was his duty to shout stop as he thought you were going to hit something. But isn’t that what you do when you are watching someone back? You act as another pair of eyes for them.
Another example of jobsworth Britain. Better luck next time. Maybe try a company who want human drivers and not corporate robotic clones?
stevieboy308:
But where do you draw the line on letting someone sort it out? Once they’ve made contact? We don’t know how close it was, but the op isn’t coming across that he thinks it was unfair
If the driver under assessment doing a reverse in a yard can stop and say
'I’ve made a mistake can I sort this out and do it again? ’
That shows maturity, awareness and confidence.
I agree, if the assessor has had to stop the driver from causing damage. That’s probably not the best way to pass an assessment.
The OP read to me that he had a good road test but his reversing was rusty. I personally approve of driving assessments but I’m uncomfortable on how arbitrary the assessors might be…
If you ask me, I think the OP had a lucky escape…
W
24 year break here too. I went on the buses, then back to artics. As said before, rusty at first and if Stevie P’s assessor knew that, I thought he’d have cut him a bit of slack. Don’t take too much practise when you’ve done it all before.
AlexWignall:
stevieboy308:
But where do you draw the line on letting someone sort it out? Once they’ve made contact? We don’t know how close it was, but the op isn’t coming across that he thinks it was unfairIf the driver under assessment doing a reverse in a yard can stop and say
'I’ve made a mistake can I sort this out and do it again? ’
That shows maturity, awareness and confidence.
I agree, if the assessor has had to stop the driver from causing damage. That’s probably not the best way to pass an assessment.
The OP read to me that he had a good road test but his reversing was rusty. I personally approve of driving assessments but I’m uncomfortable on how arbitrary the assessors might be…
If you ask me, I think the OP had a lucky escape…
W
Do you mean ask to sort it out if it’s not going back in one, or ask for another go after the assessor shouted stop?