well got a call from a company based near me saying they where desperate for a driver and could i come and help them out , it was to take a class 2 up to bradford and back so anyway once i got there they apologised and said that they had to send the load out with another driver as it was late already, but could i take a c1 up to haysham instead but with someone as passenger to see how i am. anyway i was a bit nervos bearing in mind i have not driven since my test 1 1/2 yrs ago, i got into the cab a daf with a 4 over 4 gearbox which was good as i did my lessons in that, got setup then went to pick my flatbed trailer up. after just lighning up and about to go under my passenger got a call saying it had changed and could we take a fridge instead . so off i go to the other side of the yard to pick up a fridge trailer gladfully i remembered alot from my training on what to do but i was still learning alot of my passenger of things that where never shown to me while on my lessons which was great as i was learning the job more. anyway once everything was hooked up off we went the first thing i noticed was that i was a bit rusty on the gears. not awfull just kept on slipping in 7th instead of 5th every so often (i even did this while learning) and the other thing i discovered that i had forgot was the brakes are very strong when you dont have a full load (quickest ~25 - 15mph slowdow ever and wont be doing it again) apart from that the trip up to the docks and back was pretty uneventfull and went well. once i got back with another trailer to the yard i had to reverse into a space … here we go well it was pitch black and there was about 1-2ft either side of the trailer to get it in the space and about a whole lorry length of space from one side to the next i asked my passenger for help on this as it was my first time ever of reversing into a space , after about 8 shunts and some tuition i got it in and the job was done.
i learned alot that day probably more than i did on my test to be fair and i came away wanting more which i suppose is the best thing . but i really need to get some practise on reversing i feel quite bad about it tbh but i suppose i will learn over time
Remember they only teach you to pass your test not the job
From what you have posted it seems like you enjoyed it & learnt some things which is all good
An agency I was registered with called me up not long back asked if I could do a job Cat C this was a fri afternoon as they had been let down not a prob gets my things & off I go while working for them received a call would I start work on then mon on a "on-going " contract for DHL on the Nissan contract
So you never know what this can lead to as from what I have heard within ( as most started on agency ) after 13 weeks if they like you you are offered a full time contract by them
not on agency bud it was actually through a friend of mine who said i would do the run for them. your right about how much you learn that is not shown to you on the test tho.
al_P:
… but i really need to get some practise on reversing i feel quite bad about it tbh but i suppose i will learn over time
Hi al_P,
From what you wrote, it looks like you did a reasonable job and even managed to enjoy yourself, so that’s no bad thing eh?
You’re spot-on about the reversing too!!
It will come with practice, but my tip is that you shouldn’t expect to properly master C+E reversing for a while yet.
I’m too hoping that the reversing comes with practice. Passed my test three weeks back and just done my first full week in an artic. Had to reverse onto the bay at dover customs which should be simple enough but the bay is about 60ft inside and it just looks like a black hole beyond the doors. Confessed to the friendly loader that I’d just passed my test and he helped me back. Then watched another artic having the same trouble and the loader says, “look you didn’t do so bad, he’s experienced and he works here!” It made me feel a whole lot less embarrassed.
Biscuits:
I’m too hoping that the reversing comes with practice. Passed my test three weeks back and just done my first full week in an artic. Had to reverse onto the bay at dover customs which should be simple enough but the bay is about 60ft inside and it just looks like a black hole beyond the doors. Confessed to the friendly loader that I’d just passed my test and he helped me back. Then watched another artic having the same trouble and the loader says, “look you didn’t do so bad, he’s experienced and he works here!” It made me feel a whole lot less embarrassed.
Hi Biscuits,
You did exactly the right thing mate, and I’d like to say that IMHO your cautious approach to that situation was a good idea.
With hindsight though, I think you suffered from a ‘human eye’ problem, rather than an ‘inexperience’ problem, because in certain conditions of lighting any human would have had some difficulty seeing into a black hole if the light was strong outside.
It’s even worse in Winter when it’s raining and your mirrors are being hammered by wind-driven rain.
