I Failed my C+E yesterday on the recouple, practiced the exercise many times on an airfield with no markers on the ground or walls etc no issues 1st time everytime, at the test centre thought wow should be far easier here markings on the walls and a big thick yellow line on the floor, oh I’ll just park parallel with this line and uncouple then pull up alongside the trailer and then perform the recouple, so I pull forward align myself on the yellow line and reverse how easy, stop about 4 foot away from the trailer jump out make sure the pin is up and reverse, hear the bang thought great, stick it in gear and pull forward truck pulls away trailer stays, thought that should not have happened, so any ways I repeat the exercise again using the yellow line as my marker same result, 3rd time I pull forward and realign but still only casually using my mirrors with my head out the window observing the yellow line instead… same result jump out the wagon and the examiner mutters them fatal words about terminating the test, my heart sank the drive and reversing exercise was perfect, I feel so annoyed with myself for failing at the last hurdle and something which in practicing I did not have any issues with nor think it would be an issue.
So my advice to anyone don’t be too over confident on anything you do, I put my failure down to myself, just need to get a rested booked ASAP.
That’s an exact re-run of my HGV 1 (C+E these days) test fail at Simonswood, Liverpool in 1979.
I passed at the next (second) attempt a month later at Swynnerton.
Your test fail will soon fade into history, and it’ll help keep you sharp, so it’s not such a bad thing after all.
Good luck for next time.
Thanks Dave I hope so, I have just watched a couple of videos of the procedure and I am really kicking myself, i will not be taking anything for granted again.
It was a drawbar I took the test in, I just never ensured that the trailer eye was aligned with the hitch, I did not correctly use my mirrors to ensure that I could see both sides of the trailer.
Got my test rebooked for the 20th June, I’ll definitely not be making the same mistake again.
wigan_lad:
Thanks for all the advice the good news is I passed…
Words cannot describe how I feel, 4 days ago I was a complete novice barely drove my car from one day to the next, 3 days later the truck was mastered confidence driving it at an all time high and then today the test which I passed.
Got to thank my Instructor John from Flair Training an absolute legend.
Sorry to hear that wiganlad, it is a bit daunting reversing onto the trailer, as I had the drawbar too. You have a lot less to aim at unlike the artic with the v shape 5th wheel to guide you on! It needs to be dead straight, I.e see the same amount of trailer in both mirrors. also the pin might not drop properly, and the pin lever will be at an angle and you have to mention that to the examiner if it happens to you. I’m sure you knew that mate I’m just saying what I remembered
A nice update, please to report that I have finally passed my C+E,
It was my third attempt at the test, the 1st and 2nd attempts were silly mistakes but nonetheless marked as a serious.
I would like to thank John, Val and Jaki at Flair training, exceptional people in my opinion cannot do enough to instruct and prepare you for the test.
The only problem with doing your test in a draw bar is the you have absolutely no experience of coupling or uncoupling an artic, let alone driving one, once you do pass.
I assume that the training school will offer you the chance to give them some more cash to “convert you” to artics?
Before for you apply for jobs and attend an assessment, with one of the few firms that will give new passess a chance, make sure that you know what you are doing!
It would be a shame for you to waste the opportunity having worked hard and got the licence.
If you are looking for a job try Fagan & Whalley in Padiham they ofen give new drivers a chance.
Good luck.
Christopher Bohane:
The only problem with doing your test in a draw bar is the you have absolutely no experience of coupling or uncoupling an artic, let alone driving one, once you do pass.
I assume that the training school will offer you the chance to give them some more cash to “convert you” to artics?
Before for you apply for jobs and attend an assessment, with one of the few firms that will give new passess a chance, make sure that you know what you are doing!
It would be a shame for you to waste the opportunity having worked hard and got the licence.
If you are looking for a job try Fagan & Whalley in Padiham they ofen give new drivers a chance.
Good luck.
Very good advice Christopher, i will definitely be looking at taking a drawbar to artic conversion course.
