Hi all, after starting my training on tuesday, today at 14:30 was my cat c test. Got to the yard this morning at 09:00 as my training partner had his test at 13:00. Whilst sitting in the office waiting to go my trainer mentioned to his boss that at a certain T junction (which may be on the test route), the bushes were overgrown and you could not see to pull out, he said it was very dangerous and needed sorting. He has been driving trucks for over 35 years so i assume he knows what hes on about !! The boss said she would contact the local council to that area and ask that the bushes be cut back. To cut a long story short i went out on my test and after about 15 mins found myself at that very junction ! I knew it was a tricky one because of the bushes so waited till my left side (the side you could see) was totally clear, edged forward trying to see past the bushes, nothing coming in the 20 odd metres i could see so i went for it, to my horror as soon as i was half way out 3 cars came along and all had to brake for me 
I knew straight away that it was a major mistake and that i had probably just failed ! I carried on however for the rest of the test just hoping that i would be let off but alas i wasnt and failed the test. How ironic that the bushes we were talking about that very morning had caused me to fail. Got a re-test next friday and i’m determined those bushes wont get me again. Anyone got a chainsaw i can borrow 
rusty919:
To cut a long story short i went out on my test and after about 15 mins found myself at that very junction ! I knew it was a tricky one because of the bushes so waited till my left side (the side you could see) was totally clear, edged forward trying to see past the bushes, nothing coming in the 20 odd metres i could see so i went for it, to my horror as soon as i was half way out 3 cars came along and all had to brake for meI knew straight away that it was a major mistake and that i had probably just failed ! I carried on however for the rest of the test just hoping that i would be let off but alas i wasnt and failed the test.
If you could not see and used peep & creep then went when clear only to find after you went that others appeared then it should not be a fail
If they came into view and then you went it would be a fail
sorry to here rusty you failed, hopefully next week that bush would be cut back, you should of just mentioned the bush to the examiner before test, or suppose you mite not of thought you mite be takeing the route, you mite even got away with it if he was anyway decent, good luck next week mate, nail it! dave
Cheers fella, i know i can pass, did a perfect drive just an hour before the test ! I’ve not given up yet, hopefully pass next time as its getting expensive now ! lol
Did you say anything to the examiner about these bushes 
Yep I know he would have poss seen
Good luck for nxt time pal,get ur strimmer out tomoro and nip round to chop that bush back a bit just incase you do that junc nxt week 
good luck!
no, didnt say anything to the examiner as i thought they must take people to this junction everyday so it must just be my fault, one things for sure though if he takes me that route again i will not make the same mistake !! i’ll just keep edging forward more and more, thing was i didnt want to seem too hesitant but i suppose its better to be hesitant at one junction than to get a straight fail !!!
If he does & the bush is still the same say to examiner that you cant see round it & can he have a look to see if all clear or tell him what you are about to do & why not sure if it will help but no harm never presume anything with the examiner
yeah will do that mate, cant hurt can it, cheers
rusty919:
yeah will do that mate, cant hurt can it, cheers
Nope that may be what they are looking for as you have to prove you are confident at driving that vehicle to a good standard & what will it cost you to ask nowt
rusty919:
i suppose its better to be hesitant at one junction than to get a straight fail !!!
My instructor always said “its better to have a minor for hesitating than to get a serious for pulling out on someone.”
yeah, makes sense
I’m sure you’ll nail it mate.
The whole situation is a bit ■■■■ though tbh. I think I personally would have complained about it. If the road was partially blocked and what you could see was clear then what more could you have done.
My advice would have been to have said something like “My view of the road is obstructed by this overhanging bush” to the examiner before you started edging out, to let him know that you were fully aware of it, and potential problems it might cause. Realistically, he can’t expect you to do anything different to what you did, but it never hurts to tell an examiner that you have spotted a potential problem, and although it’s not a guarantee, he may have marked you down less harshly if you had.
I think that the examiner has been a zb.If you drove competently then you should have passed.I was failed on the C+E years ago for no good reason.As you say its expensive.
alamcculloch:
.I was failed on the C+E years ago for no good reason.As you say its expensive.
Same here, I past c+e on the third attempt. First fail was ■■■■■■■■, second was just a bad drive on my part.
When I failed the second time the examiner said “it’s ok just take another pop at it.”
I spent £900 just on c+e tests. Without the tuition.
had a junction like that on my class2.
it was a oblique junction with a bush obscuring the view to the left.
instead of trying to get the cab square with the road to turn right, the solution was to hook left tight up against the kerb, then look right, pull out when the road to the right is clear (on the wrong side of the road), watching the left mirror, when you can see down the road, indicate left and move back to the correct side.
easy.
not as bad as mine mate… i failed my cat C last Thursday was having a really good drive went onto my independent drive and Ive been over concentrating on the road ahead and missed a Weight Restriction sign telling me to take the next left turn the examiner said i would have passed if it wasn’t for that mistake only had 4 minors as well GUTTED … retest next Saturday just waiting for a phone call to confirm… don’t worry keep ya chin up and go again you ll get there mate…
samstone90:
not as bad as mine mate… i failed my cat C last Thursday was having a really good drive went onto my independent drive and Ive been over concentrating on the road ahead and missed a Weight Restriction sign telling me to take the next left turn
Was it on the way back towards the Weedon test centre?
Sorry to read about your failed class2 test s…t I took my class1 test Thursday
And failed getting really dishearten it was for the second time aswell we got to keep going haven’t got a retest yet so expensive £255 anyway good luck for hope you past