Just wanted to say hello to the Forum, I am about to start class C Training, looking forward to it, with maybe just the right amount of trepidation as well (!), am 44 now but have always wanted to do this, probably should have done years ago.
I just wanted to mention, I arrived here after a yahoo search pulled up the post a few months ago by Dobyman and others, in which the name Clearstone was mentioned a few times…I had originally planned to go with them, but the way they conducted themselves, particularly as I felt they were backing me into a corner, they just wanted my money asap, totally put me off (as well as the over-inflated cost), so I blew them out and am going with a local training company who don’t want any money up front, just an initial payment for the medical and assessment drive, then pay the course fee when you actually begin the training, no hard sell here. Seems, reading what you guys had to say, that I made the right decision there!
Well, just wanted to introduce myself anyways, realise I got a lot ahead of me, and any advice is always welcome anytime!! Cheers for now, I’ll keep you posted on progress
Thanks for the welcome guys, got my assessment drive on Monday at 12pm, so its then that I will probably be starting to ask myself, “have I made the right decision?”
Well, went for my 1hr assessment today, went pretty well, difficult to keep track of which gear I was in, but I guess that just comes. There wasn’t anything I felt on the drive that I was out of my depth on, Instructor recommends 16hrs training, so I’m starting Thursday 27th July, they are only doing 2 hr lessons until I have passed my theory test (which is this coming Thursday)!
Thing that was most apparent was the size of the thing, I drive a Rover Metro So in comparison, a Transit Van would seem enormous.
O well, I’ll keep ya posted as they say. Must say, I REALLY enjoyed the drive, can’t wait to get behind the wheel again!
Welcome to the forum Dr keys like you had my assesment last friday know what you mean about the size The gearbox was a bit daunting but towards the end of the assesment drive found it ok .I bet you found the car a bit small after the drive did’nt you I know I did
swordtail:
I bet you found the car a bit small after the drive did’nt you I know I did
Yeah, was a bit more daunting than usual heading back up the motorway
One other thing I forgot to mention, thought I might ask you guys for an opinion - I was originally going to take the class C, then find work for a few months or so, get exp, then go back to do the class C+E, which is what I really wanted all along. However, the instructor, when I asked him, reckons it may well be better to do the C+E straight after the C, then it won’t feel like total re-training, and I should get into the swing of it a lot quicker. Plus, as he says, it’s where most of the money is
What do you guys think, IS it perhaps better to consider doing it straight away, if the Class C works out OK?
If it helps thats what I’m doing back to back to get it out of the way there is always the chance of getting stuck in a rut if you have a break and end up doing class 2 for an age.
Hi Dr, I did my C+E straight after my C, and yes I think that was the right way to go. All the driving elements, mirrors , positioning etc carry across to the artic, so this was all fresh on my mind so didnt realy need to think to hard about it and was able to concentrate on the real difference - going backwards ! . This is the only real difference with the tests + the uncouple / re-couple exercise.
If you have both licences, you immediatly double your chance of finding work.
NB I did my training with Clearstone, unfortunatly I couldnt find any bad press or posts about them when I was looking - I am still waiting for a telephone call 5 months after passing my test from their placment people.
Rewmer:
Hi Dr, I did my C+E straight after my C, and yes I think that was the right way to go.
Swordtail:
If it helps thats what I’m doing back to back to get it out of the way
Well thanks for that guys, I think you have helped me decide on that point, and I agree that is probably better to do C+E while everything still fresh in my mind.
Thanks Gazzareth, Convoy and Devon for your welcome!
And Christ on a Bike…1st lesson this coming Thursday @ 11am, should then be able to book the rest of the course as I now have the Theory (which was an unknown quantity when I had my assessment drive), so I will keep you posted, sure.
Cheers for now, I’ll keep you posted on progress
The gearbox was a bit daunting but towards the end of the assesment drive found it ok .I bet you found the car a bit small after the drive did’nt you I know I did 