First day of training!

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

OK, so today was my first 4 hour session of a 20 hour course and it was great!

It’s a DAF, 06 plate 4/4 gear box, which took me all of half an hour to get used to! Only problem I have with it is changing gear on demand. I’m OK driving down the East Lancs or the M53, I’m able to navigate the gears and switch between high/low when needed, but when I’m suddenly told "check left mirror, signal, reduce speed and drop to 5th, I sometimes panic and end up fumbling on something!

Also, the other thing I struggled with was on roundabouts, my approaches to the roundabouts were OK, but when coming off on an exit, I found myself over-steering to the right, whilst my instructor was telling me to “drive toward the curb, follow the left curb” then I would end up clipping the back of the lorry on the curb!

Anyway, I just thought I’d let people who’re going through the training like me know how I went on, my instructor thinks I did well overall, especially in the last hour, I apparently “redeemed” myself, due to the nervous and bumpy starts.

Just to add, I’m always open to tips and hints on driving, also if anyone has a good way of calming nerves, let me know, because my nerves always get the better of me!

2

Hi. well done! you have my sympathy regarding nerves as I had problems in that area. All I can say is that as you gain confidence it gets easier, and taking your time is the key to a lot of it.
Gears, yes, I can almost hear your brain going ‘where the bleep is 5th’ and again it comes with time. Funnily enough, when you get to the point of deciding gear changes for yourself it gets easier. Try and break gear changes into stages…neutral, range change (if required), left/right, forwards/backwards allowing time for each. it actually makes you look calm and collected for the examiner and also helps give you time to think what you are doing. But trust me it becomes 2nd nature very soon!
Roundabouts, again yes! I started off like that. There is a good reason NOT to over steer to right, essentially by getting over to the left in good time (with decent mirror checks so you don’t hit the kerb) you are closing the door and preventing some lunatic car driver (and there are plenty!) from undertaking you. I found this a difficult change to a long established driving habit, but you do need to do it.
In general there are couple of things that it took me time to realise:
1 - I was sub conciously thinking I should be able to do this already and ignoring my instructor, trying to do it my way. Don’t fall into that trap! It costs time and money! If you relax and listen you will learn and do fine.
2 - It isn’t a car! it takes longer to get up to speed, don’t rush. It takes longer to stop, so get foot off gas as soon as you see a hazard, (mirrors), on the brakes early (gently) in plenty of time. Better to come off brakes to get there than be desperately trying to look as if you are stopping smoothly!
Best of luck for your next session. Tim

3

Recently finished my class two training…the trick is give yourself lots of time and if you are not sure about something for example a roundabout coming up then just slow it all down, take your time…oh, and don’t get intimidated by those behind you :wink:

If you got the hang of the gears that quickly then by the end of tomorrow it will become a second nature just like your car :smiley:

Thank God we don’t have to learn in some of the trucks the oldies had to deal with; double de clutching, matching road speed to gear speed and all that…I think we would be paying a lot more for lessons to cope with that, and probably another CPC test to go with it…haha

I’ve got C+E coming up and with that some extra gear changing :smiley:

Best of luck buddy.

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@th2013 - I do break in good time coming up to roundabouts, always check the flow of traffic to see if I’m able to go straight on, or stop, in which case I select the appropriate gear. I had that drilled into me today!

@Jonesy - Yeah, I got on with the gears quite well, once I’d got the numbers in my head that change with the high/low splitter switch, I got used to them pretty quickly.

I have had a couple of people undertake me today, one woman nearly went straight into the side of me! (her fault, I was going straight, in my lane, and she came to overtake me on the East Lancs, swerved, then dropped back) instructor told me to be prepared to deal with “morons” constantly.

Really enjoyed the training today, back in on Tuesday for another 4 hours, got the reversing exercise coming up, whehey!

5

Just out of curiosity, how many lessons/hours did you guys have for your class 2 training?

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Endgame:
Just out of curiosity, how many lessons/hours did you guys have for your class 2 training?

Difficult to say as some of training was 2-1 and some was 1-1. I would reckon for class 2 I had about 14 hours before first test, which I failed. Then I did about 5 hours before 2nd test which I passed. If I had relaxed and listened more I’m sure I could have avoided the retest!
(class 1 I had about 10 hours then test which I passed)

7

My class 2 was also 14 hours…although I was a good boy and listened :smiley: so passed first time, one minor which was a fast approach to a roundabout… :laughing:

Have you watched some of the videos on here and youtube to help with the reverse…it is very easy, but the videos are a useful heads up.

My class 1 will also be 14 hours.

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I agree the class 2 reverse is actually very easy, by test day it will be a formality. If you are at all worried about that then don’t be - there is no way on earth you can hit the marker cone - it might as well not be there.

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The vast majority of our candidates have 14 hours for C and same again for CE. Sometimes, folk need a little more and others could have a bit less.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

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jonesy1985:
My class 2 was also 14 hours…although I was a good boy and listened :smiley: so passed first time, one minor which was a fast approach to a roundabout… :laughing:

Have you watched some of the videos on here and youtube to help with the reverse…it is very easy, but the videos are a useful heads up.

My class 1 will also be 14 hours.

I’ve got 20 hours of training, 2 of the hours are on the test day, then 2 hours have been set aside for the test. I have about 14 hours left, I hope I can get to test standard within that time, a re-test is pretty pricey! I have been watching video’s of it on Youtube, probably a case of it looks harder than it actually is!

@th2013 - weirdly enough, one of the things I’m most concerned about it hitting the tall standing marker cones! Am I right in thinking you’re allowed to get out during your reverse exercise, and check your position?

11

Hi - Maybe I can reassure you a bit…
You start off as far left in the start area as you can. Open window. Don’t use throttle, just clutch, get rolling backwards and get full left lock on as quick as you can. Then get your head out of the window and watch where the wheel is in relation to the yellow line on your right. ‘Follow the line’ with your wheel. Look behind you (out of window) you will see marker cone then garage come into view. Straighten up when you are pointing about 2/3 of the way across garage entrance. Then just do a gentle curve, aiming to end up with the back axle (the pivot point) next to the garage entrance on your side. Then straighten up, and straight back checking mirrors and out of the window. There will be a ‘trick’ your trainer can show you regarding where to stop, often involving a mud flap lining up with a line.

You say you are worried about hitting the marker cones. The ones on your side of the truck are within your field of sight by the time you are anywhere near them.

The other one, the left hand side of the garage should be visible in your mirror if you are approaching the garage straight-ish.

You can get out of the vehicle once, and only once the vehicle is in the garage and you are checking your final position, and it is your chance to go back another foot if required. Doing this is not a minor fault. Don’t get out any earlier.

You are also allowed two forward shunts (you would get a minor fault here)

It is much harder to describe all this in words than actually do it - and I still say that after 2 or 3 goes you won’t be worrying about this part of the test. It is honestly quite easy.

(Now doing it in an artic for class 1 - different story - and worry is more valid then!). Best of luck, and let us know how it goes!

12

Well, I have the reversing exercise coming up tomorrow, will let you know how it goes.

Out of the 4 hours training I have tomorrow, how many of them hours do you think it would take to get the hang of the reverse exercise? How long it take you to do it, master it, then move onto the next part?

Also, one last thing, the “show me, tell me” part at the start of the test - if for whatever reason you got one of these wrong, is that classed as a minor fault?

Cheers!

13

15 minutes should do it. Then practice once or twice a day running up for test.

Each incorrect “show me, tell me” question will generate a minor mark.

Out of interest, have you asked your trainer these questions?

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

14

Endgame:
Well, I have the reversing exercise coming up tomorrow, will let you know how it goes.

Out of the 4 hours training I have tomorrow, how many of them hours do you think it would take to get the hang of the reverse exercise? How long it take you to do it, master it, then move onto the next part?

There were two trainees, and I think the first day we spent about 30 minutes on the reverse.

Also, one last thing, the “show me, tell me” part at the start of the test - if for whatever reason you got one of these wrong, is that classed as a minor fault?

Cheers!

Yes. If you get them all wrong (you won’t!) it becomes a major. Don’t count down the hours and worry!

15

Peter Smythe:
15 minutes should do it. Then practice once or twice a day running up for test.

Each incorrect “show me, tell me” question will generate a minor mark.

Out of interest, have you asked your trainer these questions?

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

Yeah, he went over them on Saturday, when we did the walk around vehicle check. He lifted up the front, explained what was what - briefly. Tomorrow I intend on going over them again and writing them down - I do much better with visual study material. I took a picture of the gear stick, so I could memorise the gear shifts. Got it sussed now (I hope!)

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Endgame:

Peter Smythe:
15 minutes should do it. Then practice once or twice a day running up for test.

Each incorrect “show me, tell me” question will generate a minor mark.

Out of interest, have you asked your trainer these questions?

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

Yeah, he went over them on Saturday, when we did the walk around vehicle check. He lifted up the front, explained what was what - briefly. Tomorrow I intend on going over them again and writing them down - I do much better with visual study material. I took a picture of the gear stick, so I could memorise the gear shifts. Got it sussed now (I hope!)

Most trainers I know give you a print out with all the questions but if you want to see all = viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44667#p503952

17

I give the candidate a print out of the questions at the start of the course so they can take them home and read. After all it isn’t rocket science.I would rather spend training time on the driving aspect.

However day of the test I do go through the questions with the candidate to make sure they have done their homework.

Paul :smiley:

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Never had anyone fail on the questions.

19

Thanks for the link ROG, just looked over it all, picked up some interesting stuff.

Day 2 of my training today, and although I my instructor had me drive to Wigan (Atherton) test centre and back, I still ended up getting myself frustrated on a few things.

Firstly - Mirrors. I’m one of these people who should use mirrors in the car more often than I actually do, and unfortunately, this is a problem I have brought with me to the LGV world. I am now, after multiple warnings from my instructor, starting to check them as I should.

Secondly - Clutch. Now when I’m approaching roundabouts, I keep breaking whilst pushing the clutch in. It’s a bad habit I picked up from driving cars. I push the clutch in, then fumble about with the gears, or just end up coasting it, to which my instructor then verbally goes to town on me, because once again, it’s one of the SAME things I keep doing wrong. It’s slowly sinking in now, that on the approach to roundabouts, I break gently, clutch in to change to the appropriate gear, then clutch straight back out.

To summarise :

I have about 10 hours left before my test. I can navigate the gears, I’m fine on long stretches of road and motorways at getting to the speed I need to be at, but I don’t check my mirrors every (9 seconds, was it?) and I for some reason have a tendency to hold my clutch in whilst I’m approaching roundabouts/junctions to check the traffic. Also, I find it difficult to go from being in 3rd gear whilst stood still, check both mirrors and blind spot, release handbrake and set off in good time! It always seems to take me what seems FOREVER to start moving!

Goes without saying, I am absolutely, 100% convinced I am going to fall to pieces during my test. I just hope the next few days of training sink in properly. Hit 3 kerbs today - hit about 9 on my first lesson, so, things must be SLOWLY improving!

Will keep everyone posted on how I do. And thanks for the help/tips and support guys. I love this site!

20

Endgame:
Goes without saying, I am absolutely, 100% convinced I am going to fall to pieces during my test. I just hope the next few days of training sink in properly. Hit 3 kerbs today - hit about 9 on my first lesson, so, things must be SLOWLY improving!

Will keep everyone posted on how I do. And thanks for the help/tips and support guys. I love this site!

Thinking like that you will fall to bits.

On test day say to yourself you’ve got a job to do.

You’ve come this far so don’t be negative be positive.

Good Luck

Paul :smiley: