Been using this site for nearly a year now and as you can see I do not post too often. However I do read the posts virtually every day and I got some great advice last year prior to passing my Class 2.
Been silently stewing all weekend and thought I would use the forum to have a bit of a rant and hopefully get it off my chest.
Anyways on Friday morning of last week I took my Class 1 test after 5 half days of instruction. Felt pretty good about the driving but I had reservations about the reversing exercise. I had 3 hours on one morning and 2 hours the next practising the reversing but it just wasn’t sinking in.
I was getting the unit in but I was having to shunt every time (sometimes twice) and I was really having to think about which way and how far to turn the wheel. After the second practice session I did say to the instructor that I wasn’t happy and I hoped we would be having another go. No came the reply, you’ll be OK, just take your time.
So come Friday morning and the test begins. I took my time as advised and got it in with 2 shunts. Emergency stop, no problem. Out on the road, no problem. Back to the test centre for the uncoupling/coupling, no problem.
And the result?? Well the examiner said to me, I’m sorry to have to tell you that you have not passed. And the reason?? I took too long reversing it into the bay, therefore I was not in control of the trailer.
Well if i was you id appeal.
There is no time limit in the reversing exercise, perhaps put a letter in the post and see what reply you get, at least you may get a free re-test.
Good luck, hope it works out …
i was under the impression that you could have two shunts when reversing on test… sounds lke you were a bit unlucky tezza. dont get disheartened though you will get there.
i would have insisted to the instructor that you wanted more practice on reversing though m8… at the end of the day he should make sure your confident in every aspect of the test.
good luck for the next one any way…
Id question your instructer as to why you couldnt spend a bit more time on the reverse, you were not happy about it. Did he show you how to do it in the cab? Id be suprised if there is a time limit on the manouvre. I dont think your allowed to stop of any length of time (other than to change gear in a shunt) but there is a time on the length of the test, so if you take too long on one the examiner will not be able to have the other manouvres.
The reversing excersise is: you must reverse the vehicle into the bay in reasonable time!
Now what is reasonable time is anyones guess, but I dont see that you will have any grounds to appeal, maybe at the time you should of asked the examiner how long he would have allowed you do complete the reverse!
what did your teacher say to the fail?
It sounds like to me you may need to think about looking for another teacher after all its your money and you must feel that you can complete the test yourself before trying to convince an examiner!
HARSH very unlucky mate. i have never heard of a time limit on the reverse manouvre. as for it sinking in mate, took me an age for it to sink in and then one day it just clicked and i did it np’s at all. all the best for the next test mate or appeal whatever you decide to do.
You also do recieve a minor fault for making a shunt in the reversing! and if you make 2 shunts then you will get 2 minors, of course if you receive any more than 2 faults on one excersise that will be regarded as a Major fault which would mean a automatic fail!
TC:
You also do recieve a minor fault for making a shunt in the reversing! and if you make 2 shunts then you will get 2 minors, of course if you receive any more than 2 faults on one excersise that will be regarded as a Major fault which would mean a automatic fail!
You really need to brush up if your going to be an instructor.
You recieve a minor for taking a shunt, nothing for taking the second.
It sounds like you had loads of time to practice reversing It’s pointless keep practicing something if you arn’t grasping it, it just builds up in your mind as a bigger problem to overcome than it is. On seeing your problem did your instructor look at different ways to tackle the problem.
I had big problems mastering reversing, but my instructor told me a technique that
worked for me.
That is to striaghten out steer towards the mirror with the most trailer in it and to tighten the turn steer to the other mirror. It seems to work really well and saves trying to think about which way the trailer goes when you turn left or right.
I don’t know about a time limit, but I suppose if they think you are taking to long time then maybe you arn’t really competant at reversing and it gets a lot harder when you doing the job.
If a class 1 is what you want then don’t give up, and don’t let the reverse build up to be a big gremlin in your mind.
TC I’ve already contacted another firm regarding my retest. I’m very unhappy about how things went with the firm I used. Prior to having my second reversing session I spent nearly an hour at a garage waiting for the mechanic to disable the air pressure audible warning sound (there was a small leak).
Apparently this also disabled the indicator sound and the guy who took the test later that day failed because he failed to turn his indicator off (couldn’t hear it).
Anyway as I said in my initial post I’m only letting off a bit of steam. I’m not gonna appeal or complain but I’ll never recomend that particular firm again. (No I’m not gonna name 'em on here either!)
You really need to brush up if your going to be an instructor.
I am not going to be an instructor!
You recieve a minor for taking a shunt, nothing for taking the second.
You will recieve a minor fault for each forward movement durring the reversing excersise!
I think you will find, that if you take a shunt you recieve a minor, as my instructor said to me, if you need another one, take it as you dont need to worry about getting another minor as you only get the one.
You really need to brush up if your going to be an instructor.
I am not going to be an instructor!
You recieve a minor for taking a shunt, nothing for taking the second.
You will recieve a minor fault for each forward movement durring the reversing excersise!
I think you will find, that if you take a shunt you recieve a minor, as my instructor said to me, if you need another one, take it as you dont need to worry about getting another minor as you only get the one.
Unless it varies from region to region, Gurner is right and I speak from experience . I began my artic reverse making a complete hash and needed both shunts to get it in the box but looking at my photocopy of my test sheet I am showing only one minor. I didn’t take all day about it so still passed and the box which was ‘minored’ was the ‘control’ one.
I have the DSA examiners hand book here and I am telling you each forward movement is a minor error unless it is deamed to be a dangerous error!
some examiners use they own judgement and mark accordingly! quite right too! because if you have to drive as the hand book states very few would ever pass the test! I have the DSA examiners test next month just to see if they can get me to the required standard for examiners if I pass then its 4 weeks residential course! before they even think of letting you judge others!
before they even think of letting you judge others!