First 4 hour lesson - Cat C

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Had my first 4 hour “one off” lesson with Wallace and not really sure what to do now. I hadn’t driven even a car for about 10 years. I felt I drove okay in the circumstances, different roads, dual, motorway. Went to Wembley and the Yeading test centre. Didn’t write it off.

Had a few issues with driving close to the kerb. Even though auto (which really was surprisingly easy to drive) I think probably nerves prevented me from driving more confidently. I weaved a bit. Hard not to in my opinion when driving a large vehicle. Looking out of mirrors found it difficult to see/judge back of vehicle. In that moment put me right off even considering c+e.

Another problem was not leaving enough room when passing vehicles. I found it difficult to judge the nearside especially with the extra room needed for the mirrors. Maybe a bit of too fast at some roundabouts.

Problem I now have is the doubts are building up making me question whether this really is for me. I don’t want to throw more money at something if i’m not 100% committed. If money was no object maybe I would just go for it. But I suppose my main motivation was not wanting to spend the next 20 years in a ■■■■ job earning minimum wage and maybe (even just) cat c would be enough to try and turn things around for me. Some people on here say it’s something they’ve really wanted to do. I wish I had that. For me it is a case that there isn’t anything else I can do.

The trainer was a nice enough guy. James. Works out of the Watford depot. Says in the circumstances having not driven for so long it wasn’t bad and suggested 5 days with test. I was already pretty depressed before I started due to other things going on in my life but now with the increasing doubts it’s getting me even more down. Not sure what to do now.

Ironically when I finished I logged on to the homeswapper website and someone had sent me a message from property down the very road I had to walk along to get to the place. Just around the corner.

2

It’s tough love time! :smiley:

What the hell did you expect after not driving any vehicle for 10 years? :open_mouth:
A chauffeured cruise around the countryside with you sat in the back eating chocolate and smearing your lipstick! :laughing:

Of course you came out of it a bit intimidated, who wouldn’t be? Only the stupid…
It takes time to get comfortable driving a wider and longer vehicle, especially when someone’s nicked the rear view mirror! :smiley:
I’d say it actually takes a few weeks and possibly months before you’re really settled in and comfortable.

So don’t let today put you off, take some time and get some perspective man!
And if that doesn’t work, i’ll slap you! :smiley:

3

Hi
Reading your story for me I’d go for it, you had a one off lesson you didn’t drop it, kill anyone and if you ain’t driven for so long it sounds like you did a good job…and also without getting to heavy it sounds like it could be the break you need, I’m currently a chef and yes I know this is something I wanna do for sure however it don’t mean to say I’m not gonna have the same issues as you or anyone else…I’m gonna learn in an auto for both and I can’t wait…you’ve had a 4 hr lesson and you’ve done almost the same as everyone else who has a first lesson in a truck…go for it good luck!

4

Stick with it fella,just first day nerves getting to you.

5

Evil8Beezle:
It’s tough love time! :smiley:

What the hell did you expect after not driving any vehicle for 10 years? :open_mouth:
A chauffeured cruise around the countryside with you sat in the back eating chocolate and smearing your lipstick! :laughing:

Of course you came out of it a bit intimidated, who wouldn’t be? Only the stupid…
It takes time to get comfortable driving a wider and longer vehicle, especially when someone’s nicked the rear view mirror! :smiley:
I’d say it actually takes a few weeks and possibly months before you’re really settled in and comfortable.

So don’t let today put you off, take some time and get some perspective man!
And if that doesn’t work, i’ll slap you! :smiley:

Wow it’s like a nightmare version of good cop bad cop lol [emoji846]

6

When I did my first day in class 1 I genuinely thought I wasn’t capable and very nearly backed out,8 years of driving class one’s later without any incidents(accidents) I’m glad I grew a pair and got on with it…do the same fella you’ll only regret it otherwise .

7

You can not drive for 10 years and all of a sudden expect to drive a truck 100% perfect. If you were that bad then the instructor would have said “listen mate this is not for you” the fact he reckons you can pass your test in 5days says you must have it in you. Go for it you only live once.

8

2 words:

LEFT MIRROR

That will cure 85% of your troubles.

Good luck, Pete :laughing: :laughing:

9

Peter Smythe:
LEFT MIRROR

What mirror? :open_mouth:

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I’ll have to come clean soon… :wink:

10

Thanks for the comments guys, gals, Denis. I suppose in time things like will improve. Shouldn’t beat myself up about it. Not sure though if i will continue with Wallace. Instructor was okay. Couple of things didn’t impress me. I was sitting there after the start of my lesson while he was still dealing with previous guy. I got up in the end and walked into view. But I shouldn’t have had to in my opinion. My time after all that cost me £280. Wasn’t particularly impressed with reversing area in Wembley.

Now I think they have a couple of areas in Wembley maybe I was taken to the poor one. I think it might have been behind some kind of superstore. There was an artic just drove in. A minibus moving around. And me doing a reverse straight back rather than exercise.

Other thing and maybe this is normal with most trainers. Guy started at 6am. Four hour lesson. Straight on to me with 4 hours. Then another 4 hour immediately after me. Lucky drivers hours rules don’t apply to trainers. Not surprised he was yawning. Like I said nice bloke but I suppose you have to go by your gut feeling.

What I think I am going to do (if I do carry on) is maybe a 4 or 5 day without test if possible combination of driving/non driving (with vehicle checks, tacho training, mod 4 stuff to build my confidence) with mod 4 test at the end.

Then return at a later date and do 4 or 5 day course with test. Shame there’s little opportunity to do training like you do with car lessons. Think that would suit me a lot more over extended period time.

Jumped a red light as well. Always unsure how much distance you can have when it changes to amber. Like the guy said you should be slowing down anyway to let drivers behind see your break lights just in case they change and you need to stop abruptl.

I was using both mirrors but there were long spells when I was just using offside. Seemed to be using centre line to keep me in lane on single carriageway. Didn’t really understand what he was telling me about sitting on front axle and need to steer sooner to avoid hazards. Kept saying arms too stiff should hold lower quarter to three. Have always done ten to two so hard to change. Maybe I was sitting to close/far to wheel and maybe steering wheel could have been altered. I moved it a bit but no time really spent with correct seating.

Is the ache on the top of the right foot normal? Had to keep taking foot off accelerator when speed okay and resting it on floor. Suppose with experience using the personal speed limiter can do that with foot anyway especially on motorways.

Also seemed to be reluctant to make left turns wary of cut in. Felt I needed to swing out as if driving an artic.

Other than that I suppose it wasn’t that bad. Had an assessment 2:1 with trainer 15 years ago. Manual. Reverse I went outside the line up the curb and up the verge not realising the swing. He told the other guy to go before he talked to me about performance I suppose to avoid embarrassing me and recommended 11 days. So I suppose all my reading about driving, more so than practical experience, must have done some good. Plus I think a lot of it is having the right attitude in the first place. Thinking about other users especially vulnerable ones. I think eco wise I was pretty good at avoiding breaking where possible and using acceleration sense.

I was also quite gentle with accelerator not sure if should have gone a bit harder to make it pull away quicker, especially at roundabouts.