Hi All, failed class C Wed 6 th In Liverpool

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
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Hi All, on a bit of a downer, 15 minors, 4 for same thing which was listed as a serious, moving off failed 4 times to check blind spot.
Missed a gear or rather struggled a little because the manual box is a bit tricky. DAF split box 4-4.
Taught to use only 3 and 4 low, then switch up and into 5.Nerves made me forget to flick the switch up so looking for 5th got 1st momentarily before I realised and got the switch up.

The reverse, nailed every one in training, test ? Reversed fine, got out to check, was touching the barrier, so took a shunt and got it away, earnt me a minor.1 for failing to make progress on 1 occasion.Moving off 2 minors listed in control box, not quite sure what that was about.

Use off mirrors- signalling 2 minors,change of direction 2.Progress ? 1 minor for appropriate speed.

The drive felt good, I felt I was gonna get it if it stays like this I told myself.I was obviously wrong and didn’t see my omissions in failing to check the blind spot because that’s what got me the fail.

So , dusted myself down went in the office to see the staff and get re/booked for attempt number 2, only to find next available date is 27th Nov to which I replied ok lets do it, but ide like an hour or two in between to maintain my driving skill, only to be told sorry cant do that because if we give you 1 hour it means taking 1 hour from somebody else because we’re booked up.
Well to say I was disappointed at that reply , would be an understatement.

They have rebooked me and given me a 1 hr drive b4 my test sameday.

So seeing that my mistakes seem to be mainly mirror rountines, I’m practicing like mad on every drive in my car to nail these routines, roll on the 27th. Near side mirror, offside mirror, Blindspot.I live in hope

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It’ll just be nerves mate, don’t let it get you down. Your instructor wouldn’t have put you forward for your test if he felt you weren’t ready. [emoji106]

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Which training school was it?

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stuwozere1:
It’ll just be nerves mate, don’t let it get you down. Your instructor wouldn’t have put you forward for your test if he felt you weren’t ready. [emoji106]

Not true - the test is pre booked for the candidate

It is not like doing the car test where the instructor has time to decide when in the future your test should be booked because you are likely to be ready

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ROG:

stuwozere1:
It’ll just be nerves mate, don’t let it get you down. Your instructor wouldn’t have put you forward for your test if he felt you weren’t ready. [emoji106]

Not true - the test is pre booked for the candidate

It is not like doing the car test where the instructor has time to decide when in the future your test should be booked because you are likely to be ready

Trying to make the chap feel better ROG [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

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ROG:

stuwozere1:
It’ll just be nerves mate, don’t let it get you down. Your instructor wouldn’t have put you forward for your test if he felt you weren’t ready. [emoji106]

Not true - the test is pre booked for the candidate

It is not like doing the car test where the instructor has time to decide when in the future your test should be booked because you are likely to be ready

Partly true. An instructor could still pull the test at the last minute if the candidate isn’t up to standard. They should feel the candidate is safe to take the test before allowing them to attempt it. But, being safe to attempt a test and being ready to pass it are not always the same thing.

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Training school is Abacus Huyton.Hopefully get through next attempt , feeling confident I can pull it off second time. One learns from ones mistakes hopefully , and everyday I’m driving going through the mirror routines which i was a little slack on last attempt

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I was starting to doubt the training school from the first paragraph you wrote. You should have been picked up on failing to check your blindspot as it’s obviously habitual for you to fail to do it that often. Unless you were told by your instructor something along the lines of “You will fail unless you do X” before the test and you failed to do X, then I’m going to say with some confidence your training school and instructor ■■■■■. To then even let you go for another test without the offer of any lessons to fix what is obviously wrong and failing to even offer you a warm up drive without your insistence means they definitely ■■■■, big time.

I would get yourself to a proper driving school to get your issues ironed out. It might cost more but better then just failing another test even harder because you’ve been taught ■■■■.

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Also if you check the Google reviews for that school you will see that 11 months ago this one-star review was left:

Tom Archer
1 review
11 months ago
Trainer failed to spot me not checking my blind spot during the 18 hours training which cost me the test

Sound familiar? :open_mouth:

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We’re back to the old, old situation where candidates dont realise that the majority of “instructors” are no more than ex-drivers who have changed their job role. It is an indisputable fact that many of these “instructors” have had zero training in the art of instruction and have never undergone any form of quality control to see if they are capable.

Some of us choose to go through a rigorous assessment process every 5 years conducted either by NVDIR or NRI. Using someone who has passed that process is an assurance that you have an instructor who has been properly trained (no way of passing the tests without serious training). Of course, this does not mean that someone not on the register is automatically poor. It’s just that, for whatever reason, they haven’t seen fit to put themselves up for examination.

The problem the candidate is left with is clear from the above. Use a registered instructor OR hope the unregistered instructor is actually up to the mark. To be clear, I know a few unregistered instructors who would qualify without difficulty. So they’re fine and, presumably, have their own reasons for not qualifying. But how is the candidate meant to know the difference between one and the other?

Whilst I’m at it, I’ll point out that ALL our instructors are fully trained, tested, qualified and registered. They are monitored and updated continually to ensure standards are maintained. We have our own inhouse trainer trainer who also conducts instructor training on our behalf for the biggest names in UK haulage.

We are also a NVDIR Approved Training Centre. What does that mean? We have to pass a tough annual inspection. This takes into account our training records, vehicle maintenance, reversing areas, instructor qualifications and cpd. There’s plenty more but that’s enough for now.

There really is a huge spectrum of training and facilities out there. It’s up to the candidate to do their research thoroughly and come up with the answer.

I repeat, an unregistered instructor is not automatically bad. Just a shame they haven’t put themselves up for assessment imo.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

11

Thanks for the reply’s people.

Well i did read that review from Tom Archer saying the instructor failed to notice him not checking the blind spot.
I made a short list of schools which consisted on 3.Incidently, Peter Smyths school was there. I was impressed and it was 50/50 with Abacus.
I am disappointed that they said they are unable to fit me in for a couple of hours b4 my retest,in fact highly disappointed.

I am fully taking onboard the info and views of ex drivers and fully trained and checked and certified instructors.
I may have made a bad decision in my chioce, but I’m going to take a gamble and work hard on my mirror routines in my car, have the hour pre- test drive and give it my best.

Its a bitter pill to swallow because I want to have a few hours in between but they can’t offer them.
If I don’t get through, then I will definitely move on , it’s just I felt I was in control of the drive, it really couldn’t have gone any smoother, I’m now fearing I will have the mirror checks under control and have a bad drive. Just hope things pan out on the day.

Incidentally I have an Aviation background and I’m currently a fully licenced and trained and certified U.K. flying instructor.
My training to be an instructor was very very intense,and cost thousands of pounds and many hours of study written exams and flight tests with a flight examiner.
I think that it is very unreasonable to be taught by someone who has had absolutely no training in giving instruction and not have any training and skills. It should be stamped out without a shadow of a doubt.

I would not dream of trying to teach someone to fly without having gone through the training to do so. That said I guess I should have done more homework on my chioce.

Thanks for listening people