£326 for the retest, mine was £197 nearly 6 years ago and I got paid more hour then than I do now. Sums up transport! 
It’s DSA ■■■■■■■■.
If they say it has to be done in 3, they mean effectively this…
A driver that does it on the 3rd attempt is a safe driver.
A driver that does it on the 4th attempt is an unsafe driver and must be failed.
Words fail me.
Unless you did something wrong (it sounds like you did nothing wrong), or failed to do something you should have, this should never have resulted in a fail.
The DSA are barking mad.
OllieNotts:
It sounds even more ridiculous to me after a bit of thought. I genuinely don’t know a driver that hasn’t missed the pin on coupling up to an artic and I can only assume that this would also class as a fail?
With an artic they want you to stop and check levels before backing under and definitely before trailer touches run up ramps. But it’s highly unlikely you would miss the pin on a test because you have just uncoupled the thing and you generally don’t use the air suspension method on tests, you just stop short, get out and check levels, then back under exactly where you were a minute ago with the levels being the same.
Whatever you do don’t get disheartened. A mate of mine who has problems with self confidence, had his bus test abandoned in the middle of the drive because he got rammed while he was actually going round a roundabout, by a crash for cash foreigner who did not stop at his give way line and hit the coach just in front of the nearside rear axle. Two fire engines, paramedic car , two ambulances and three police cars turned out. Absolutely nothing wrong with the car driver, he faking it said the paramedic, but the scumbag was intent on making the most of it … ouch, ouch, ouch, roof cut off the car, spinal board etc.
The examiner is acting as my mate’s witness when it comes to court because he, like one of the police reckon it’s a scam. The car driver’s insurance company are refusing to admit liability which is why it is going to court.
th2013:
OllieNotts:
It sounds even more ridiculous to me after a bit of thought. I genuinely don’t know a driver that hasn’t missed the pin on coupling up to an artic and I can only assume that this would also class as a fail?With an artic they want you to stop and check levels before backing under and definitely before trailer touches run up ramps. But it’s highly unlikely you would miss the pin on a test because you have just uncoupled the thing and you generally don’t use the air suspension method on tests, you just stop short, get out and check levels, then back under exactly where you were a minute ago with the levels being the same.
I agree BUT it’s happened to us all, doesn’t matter what he drives if his driving is safe it’s safe the coupling up in any vehicle goes wrong from time to time.
He should of passed.
OllieNotts:
He should of passed.
We are in complete agreement there!
I’ve only got your description to go off and it sounds painfully honest. This examiner sounds like a bit of a ■■■■. These tests are a pedants paradise for examiner types. A stubborn pin that wont drop results in a fail? Should be a pass with stars as you persisted in making sure it was seated correctly. Don’t let it get to you. Go in next time head held high as you clearly know what you’re doing with only 5 minors.
al3murphy:
That was it, the pin wouldn’t drop in the ‘doughnut’ after a few tugs forward an backwards, it’s finally went it, my instructor explained I didn’t back up hard enough, an I thought I’d get benefit of doubt, which proved wrong. I came back with 5 minors an 1 serious on coupling up.
Not sure which Coupling you use.We hat Rockinger and it didnt matter if you reversed hard back or not. Its a small Bar,and when you touch it by backing up it releases the Pin which gets pressed down by a Spring. Then,there is a small Pin sidewards and when the Coupling is closed the Pin is gone. Otherwise a few hard Tug.
They swear blind this is not the case but I do thing they look for easy excuses to fail on if the overall drive didn’t feel confident. I would not get hung on whether the coupling needs oiling and get stuck into the test with confidence if you’re getting the reversing exercise nailed in the test you’ve got what it takes so just get on with it and get that licence.
Go for it
It does seem wrong but if that is what they say then that is what you must do at least you know now what they expect of you
I’ve been driving drawbars for over 15 years. Most of the time they couple easily, but every so often no matter what you do it doesn’t wan’t to engage. Sadly yours chose to do it on your test, but I wouldn’t consider the fact that you took several attempts to be a safety issue. At least you didn’t try to drive off without it. Don’t give up, next time it will engage as sweet as a nut.
Thanks chaps means a lot to see your views on the shambles of me trying to couple up taking 4 times… Like I would of left that yard without the trailer ha! Nvm though what’s done is done, I’ll get back up an go again an hopefully pass next time, just going to have save up a little bit more to afford retest, as having a house an a daughter to look after too. But you will all be the first to know when I do pass, only been involved here a couple of days an already enjoy the posts from you all, very welcoming!
Take care all!
Al
trucken:
I’ve been driving drawbars for over 15 years. Most of the time they couple easily, but every so often no matter what you do it doesn’t wan’t to engage. Sadly yours chose to do it on your test, but I wouldn’t consider the fact that you took several attempts to be a safety issue. At least you didn’t try to drive off without it. Don’t give up, next time it will engage as sweet as a nut.
Thanks pal for the heads up, I’m new to the game so was confused as to why it was happening! Hopefully next time I’ll nail it first go! Just hope something else doesn’t crop up an do me haha, as every day is different, but with 5 minors I can’t be so bad surely. Do you have any advice on the wag an drag I could think about?
I’ve always thought they’re easier to reverse than an artic because it take a lot less movement of the steering to make any corrections. Just take it steady. The only advice I’d give is to make sure its perfectly lined up when you try to couple up, any slight deviation and the pin wont drop, whereas an artic half an inch one way or the other doesn’t seem to matter.
trucken:
I’ve always thought they’re easier to reverse than an artic because it take a lot less movement of the steering to make any corrections. Just take it steady. The only advice I’d give is to make sure its perfectly lined up when you try to couple up, any slight deviation and the pin wont drop, whereas an artic half an inch one way or the other doesn’t seem to matter.
Half an inch on an artic?
There’s artic drivers that never get that near their whole driving career
Morning again chaps, I’m thinking of going to a different driving school to do it in an artic an not wagon an drag, which means paying again, or do you think they’ll just allow me a days training to get use to the different coupling an uncoupling an no doubt a different turning circle?
al3murphy:
Morning again chaps, I’m thinking of going to a different driving school to do it in an artic an not wagon an drag, which means paying again, or do you think they’ll just allow me a days training to get use to the different coupling an uncoupling an no doubt a different turning circle?
best plan would to be book an assessment drive then you will know more
Stick to what you know, the artic is the more difficult of the two all round, so why make life harder for yourself? By all means book yourself a couple of hours tuition in an artic after you have passed your test, but not before then.
I would stick with where you’re at, the artic is a very different beast, which is the exact reason I went for my C1 in an artic and not W&D.
Ask your school if they will give you additional practice on the couple/uncouple before the new test and maybe even the morning before, you’ve got everything else under control you should get through easy peasy on the next one. I’m not too familiar with W&D coupling apart from observing other drivers taking their tests. There was a Polish girl who had a similar prob on her test but it did drop on the third, but she did have to ram it. That’s what drew my attention as to me with an artic it’s quite a relaxed shove rather than the aggressive bang of a W&D.
You’ll get there, the retest fee is painful but its a lot less than the £800 I paid for my C+E artic retest.
Good luck!
al3murphy:
Morning again chaps, I’m thinking of going to a different driving school to do it in an artic an not wagon an drag, which means paying again, or do you think they’ll just allow me a days training to get use to the different coupling an uncoupling an no doubt a different turning circle?
I too have been though the emotions of a fail (was rigid test for me) and maybe try a different school. In the end I didn’t do it and I’m glad I didn’t now.
It will cost more time and hence money to re-learn road positioning, reversing, and drop and catch for artic, and as said above it is IMHO more difficult to drive 16.5m artic with it bending at the front than 18.5m of w&d with a bend in the middle. I can’t stress enough how different they feel to drive!
So my advice is stick with what you know, pass your test in what you have learned (easier option) then spend an hour or two at any driving school messing around with an artic without the pressure of a test if you want to.
Best of luck.