This wil be the first in a series of posts about how to get the little things just perfect for a LGV test.
As the title suggests, changing up gears.
Most candidates rush the upwards gear change. Instead, try waiting for about 1 second in neutral between changes and then engaging the next gear. This gives the engine time to slow down to match the next gear smoothly. The feeling will be so much better and the overall slowing down of the gear change will seem to give you more time for whatever comes next. The skill is waiting for the revs to die then coming off the clutch slowly.
If you feel the need to change up faster it is most likely because you pulled into a gap not really big enough and you think a quick gear change will help. IT WONT.
Upwards gear changing smoothly will make you appear more experienced to the examiner. This technique will help reduce the faults in section 12 of the DL25 test report form. The vehicle control section.
As normal, good advice. My description is to make two actions out of every gear change. First action is to change into neutral, pause, then engage the next gear.
It’s the ONLY way that older trucks will respond comfortably - and that’s where some folk start.
This comes back to drivers (even qualified experienced drivers) fighting the gear box. It’s a habit I got into years ago and luckily had a day with an old hand who with some coaching gorme out of it very swiftly. 6 years on and I don’t find myself doing it at all any more.
It’s good to see trainers giving this invaluable free advice.
Maybe something to be taught on day 1 of training, that would give the person time to adjust well before the test and so not have to think about it so much as it becomes a habit. When I did mine in the Jurassic age I was told to double clutch - once into neutral and again into gear, saying that there was no air clutches on those.
brados:
Maybe something to be taught on day 1 of training, that would give the person time to adjust well before the test and so not have to think about it so much as it becomes a habit.
That would require the learner to be able to observe and plan ahead very well on day 1 - how many can do that?
brados:
Maybe something to be taught on day 1 of training, that would give the person time to adjust well before the test and so not have to think about it so much as it becomes a habit.
That would require the learner to be able to observe and plan ahead very well on day 1 - how many can do that?
Correct ROG but we are then in the territory of “there are drivers and then there are drivers.” Some are born to it, others can do it but think its difficult. Alas we all know the day of the auto is upon us.
Maybe something to be taught on day 1 of training, that would give the person time to adjust well before the test and so not have to think about it so much as it becomes a habit.
I wouldn’t consider teaching any other way. But I’m an old ■■■■ who was trained on crash boxes and was trained to train others on them. So, to me, it’s the natural and obvious thing to do. Yes, it requires a degree of forward planning. So I teach that immediately as well.
We can put these things off - but why? These are amongst the basic essentials of a professional driver.
LGVTrainer:
This wil be the first in a series of posts about how to get the little things just perfect for a LGV test.
As the title suggests, changing up gears.
Most candidates rush the upwards gear change. Instead, try waiting for about 1 second in neutral between changes and then engaging the next gear. This gives the engine time to slow down to match the next gear smoothly. The feeling will be so much better and the overall slowing down of the gear change will seem to give you more time for whatever comes next. The skill is waiting for the revs to die then coming off the clutch slowly.
If you feel the need to change up faster it is most likely because you pulled into a gap not really big enough and you think a quick gear change will help. IT WONT.
Upwards gear changing smoothly will make you appear more experienced to the
examiner. This technique will help reduce the faults in section 12 of the DL25 test report form. The vehicle control section.
Been trying to teach this today on a car ADI instructor in my atego, I had to eventually give a demo drive.
What ever the age of the truck gears shouldn’t be rushed.
Before we went all politically correct, the expression I used all the time was “treat it like a lady - nice and steady - caress it - don’t ■■■■ it - it’s altogether more satisfying”
Hope this doesn’t offend anyone - just a demonstration of how things have changed and a bit of old fashioned tuition that’s helped hundreds through a test.
Peter Smythe:
Before we went all politically correct, the expression I used all the time was “treat it like a lady - nice and steady - caress it - don’t ■■■■ it - it’s altogether more satisfying”
Pete,
Please, Please tell us what expression you used when training a lady
Peter Smythe:
Before we went all politically correct, the expression I used all the time was “treat it like a lady - nice and steady - caress it - don’t ■■■■ it - it’s altogether more satisfying”
Hope this doesn’t offend anyone - just a demonstration of how things have changed and a bit of old fashioned tuition that’s helped hundreds through a test.
Pete
Have heard similar before & not long ago
But what would you say to a lady learning to drive 1 hope not that
When training ladies, I never used the expression. I’m up for a laugh, but I know where the lines are.
I know of one instructor who had a very obscene description for the ladies. ASAIK he’s no longer in the industry.
IME ladies don’t start a battle with the gear stick! It’s silly to generalise - but I will. Ladies tend to have a more considered approach to the use of the controls.
My old girl is in for a service this weekend (thats both of them the Mrs is on a spa weekend ) and I was chatting to the Scania manager tonight and he said he loves the drive on my old (refurbished) truck and not to be surprised if it had a couple more clicks on the clock on Monday , we chatted about the 6th gear and he laughed at how many fitters had issues and that they just need to slow the change down, I cheat and double the clutch a lot on that to the same effect
) and I was chatting to the Scania manager tonight and he said he loves the drive on my old (refurbished) truck and not to be surprised if it had a couple more clicks on the clock on Monday 