Hi everyone, this is my first post so a little nervous!
I’m currently half way through my cat c training & having trouble with accelerator engagement at junctions & islands on the fully automatic daf truck. My instructor keeps telling me to get going even though I’ve been pushing the accelerator for 2-3 secs, as soon as it does catch a gear the moment has been missed & I’m being accused of delaying another vehicles progress.
Apart from crawling up-to the junction & hoping that nothing is coming, does anyone know of a solution to this?
Thanks, wannabe newbie
Welcome pal, we’ll take it easy on you to start! 
A bit puzzled by what you say about your instructor, as a few Arsetronic auto’s are slow to pick a low gear for pull away after stopping, the MAN is renowned for it, and the DAF is maybe just as bad. So I’m surprised he’s on your case, if he’s not discussing with you how to possibly improve the gearbox issue. 
What can sometimes help is lightly blipping/touching the throttle as you’re slowing down, to force the gearbox to wake up and select a lower gear.
Not easy when you’re also trying to brake at the same time…
Best of luck! 
What he said. Your coming to a stop in a high gear so when you pull away there is a delay as it picks a lower gear.
Sometimes the dash shows you what gear it’s in which will help you see if it needs to change down.
Took my test in the daf and had the same problem.
Your instructor should be telling you this.
Thinking more about it, taking into account you’re a Newbie and trying to see it from your instructors point of view.
Or basically playing devils advocate, as I’d like to think something has got lost in translation between you and him. 
Could he be telling you that when you have to come to a stop, instantly engage handbrake, blip the throttle and get ready (whilst checking the mirrors), as by then a gear should be ready…
And when you’re slowing for a junction/or point of consideration, in a HGV you always scrub speed off early. Basically coasting in from close range to the point of engagement/decision, at exactly the right speed to hit the gas, as again you’ve finished your breaking early and have a chance to get a blip in. Truck driving is all about keeping momentum and flow, not start stop…
I’m trying to paint the positives for your trainer here!
I’ve driven coaches which select neutral when you stop (eco…crap) with handbrake on you can blip throttle and it just gets it to select gear early…
Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
As above, within the last few feet of the approach, touch the throttle and that will then get it into the correct gear. Or use the manual overide to get the gear.
Pete
I’ve heard a lot of stories about the delay especially when pulling onto a roundabout from a standing start causing test failing complications.
Ask your instructor to give you a demo to prove its not the truck?
No such problems using a manual but I would say that for obvious reasons.
So the debate continues!!
Paul
Thanks all of you for your late night responses. I will try this on Monday (blipping the accelerator while taking the approach at a snails pace) and get the instructor to demonstrate. It’s a similar situation at junctions but with a 90 degree bend immediately in front, so that once the gear has engaged, there’s already another vehicle approaching causing me to brake sharp for fear of impeding there progress!
Test on Tuesday, bricks are starting to show!!!
Again ta for the advice
DAF’s are worse than the MAN’S far far worse 
MAN you need to ask it twice
DAF needs 2 weeks written notice
The root of the issue of delay with auto is generally approach speed to the hazard/junction/roundabout. If you come towards the junction at, say, 30 mph and brake as most car drivers do, you’ll end up with the truck probably in 4th or 5th (with a 6 speed box) or around 10th if it’s a 12 speed. The auto is very clever - but it doesn’t have eyes.
So it’s up to the driver to tell the vehicle what to do. It’s still a lot easier than a manual, but you need to slow down at the correct time so the vehicle understands what’s happening.
I spent a long time with our autos (MAN and Iveco) getting them to deliver the symptoms that folks come up with on the forum as I couldn’t get them to misbehave when driven, as I consider, normally. It’s only when the approach speed is too high and the braking too late.
It does us all well to remember that these things are trucks - not cars. And that braking needs to start happening a lot, lot sooner than many folks initially realise.
And, if push comes to shove, simply use the override and it will immediately select the appropriate gear.
Hope this helps a little, Pete
Peter Smythe:
It’s still a lot easier than a manual,
Really What’s hard about setting off in a manual? just the same as setting off in a manual car with clutch control needed and probably more controlled and smoother than auto.
The debate will always continue but with decent instruction and a well maintained truck neither should be feared.
Paul
with decent instruction and a well maintained truck neither should be feared.
Absolutely. I didn’t say there was anything hard about a manual, simply stating the obvious that it is easier with auto.
Operating both, I have no axe to grind.
Pete
elmet training:
Peter Smythe:
It’s still a lot easier than a manual,Really What’s hard about setting off in a manual? just the same as setting off in a manual car with clutch control needed and probably more controlled and smoother than auto.
The debate will always continue but with decent instruction and a well maintained truck neither should be feared.
Paul
By the nature of having to do nothing against having to do something, I do understand your point though, I choose a manual just to gain the experiance, did take a day and a half for me to master though so I guess that is time wasted vs. an auto and I could have been learning other stuff but I would have needed to learn it sooner or later.
The Actros I’m in does it if I’ve rushed up to the line.
I’ve found that so long as I’ve done the approach properly i.e. stopped braking before the line and rolled in the last few feet, tickle the gas, just trickling along, it’s already changed gear and I’m ready to either go or stop when I get to the line.
If it’s downhill so I’ll have to be on the brakes all the way to a stop I’ve learned that my lorry will change gear to whatever starting gear it wants at 1mph, even if you’re on the brakes. So I just plan accordingly and get it down to 1mph before I reach the line and it’ll be in the right gear when I need it to be. Or I use the manual override to make sure it’s in the gear I want.
As others have said, take your time and give the gearbox time to sort itself out and you’ll be fine.
Remember as well that hesitation is “undue hesitation” - if you’ve got a closed junction, there is nothing wrong with stopping, having a look around then going again. The gearbox only catches me out when I change my plan at the last second, like for example, I’ve planned to stop, then I can suddenly see past that bloody bush that was in the way and I can go now if I want to and I’ll try to rush onto the gas, then you get the dreaded gearbox pause.
The biggest problem with those Arsetronic gearboxes is that they are slow to compute what revs the engine is at and how much load is on it. Try to drive one like a manual and it will leave you looking like a plonker. As others have said, ease off and dab the gas pedal. If you’re starting from a complete stop don’t floor it. The box will have a spaz attack and will jump more gears than is necessary. Its best to go about half way through the pedal travel, that way you’ll get a smoother take off and the box will go up gears in a normal civilised manner.
Peter Smythe:
The root of the issue of delay with auto is generally approach speed to the hazard/junction/roundabout. If you come towards the junction at, say, 30 mph and brake as most car drivers do, you’ll end up with the truck probably in 4th or 5th (with a 6 speed box) or around 10th if it’s a 12 speed. The auto is very clever - but it doesn’t have eyes.So it’s up to the driver to tell the vehicle what to do. It’s still a lot easier than a manual, but you need to slow down at the correct time so the vehicle understands what’s happening.
I spent a long time with our autos (MAN and Iveco) getting them to deliver the symptoms that folks come up with on the forum as I couldn’t get them to misbehave when driven, as I consider, normally. It’s only when the approach speed is too high and the braking too late.
It does us all well to remember that these things are trucks - not cars. And that braking needs to start happening a lot, lot sooner than many folks initially realise.
And, if push comes to shove, simply use the override and it will immediately select the appropriate gear.
Hope this helps a little, Pete
Are you driving them at training weight or at 44t?
It’s at training weight.
I’ve got plenty to try tomorrow now, thanks to all of yours advice & knowledge. It is much appreciated.
Ta
Radar19:
Are you driving them at training weight or at 44t?
You won’t let it go will you mate, this is another VAN thread!
Evil8Beezle:
Radar19:
Are you driving them at training weight or at 44t?You won’t let it go will you mate, this is another VAN thread!
Peter has both MAN and Iveco artics for training so that is why I’m asking.