It is a recognised phenomenon that when we try to learn new things our brains can easily dump their existing knowledge out of the way while they concentrate on the new incoming information.
My mother, for example, is an intelligent and very well educated lady with a PhD. She is normally more than capable of writing eloquent prose with correct grammar, but when she was learning how to use a computer to send emails it was shameful. There was no punctuation, no capitalisation, very poor sentence construction and so on. Basically her brain went into information overload and expended all its effort on the computer and email issues, losing sight of basic grammar in the process.
The same can surely be true of driver training. Give a new driver too much to do and their brain will temporarily lose important knowledge to make way for the learning of the new skills. By removing one of the complexities - the gears - one can reduce the likelihood of overload, and hope that more of the other important knowledge stays in place.
It is a plausible argument that the extra effort used in concentrating on gear changes contributed to the temporary involuntary loss of focus on other driving essentials, thus indirectly causing the ultimate test failure.
If someone can pass in an auto, then get a job for a while in an auto which allows them sufficient time to build experience and bed in their new skills, hopefully when the time eventually comes to figure out a manual box there won’t be so much else to think about and it will be less of a drain on the brain’s resources.
My punctuation is of the scale you would not understand what I am saying without the predictive text.
My brain was defo overloaded when I was driving the manual
ME THE CUSTOMER WANTS THE BEST I CAN TRAIN IN FOR MY MONEY AS ALL THESE SCHOOLS ARE ROUGHLY THE SAME PRICE
That may be a very short sighted view, would you want to train with a genuinely good trainer or someone who relies on a particular type of vehicle to get his pass rates up.
Not everything is always as it appears on the surface
Interesting idea ORC, day one with new customer learning to drive a truck on our old manuals before selling them on good old ebay (only got £25k for them, 53, 06 & 07 plates, such a shame as they were good trucks), it certainly was brain overload on day one. Customers would lose almost all ability while fighting with the gears to where at times it could become unsafe except for the instructor keeping a careful eye on the situation and offering just in time advice.
Paul, I’m quite sure that once the manual does break, as no truck will go on forever I would be surprised if you don’t buy an auto truck, however the 6 speed splitter box in your truck is very easy to use, just like in a car. One interesting point is that driving schools can go back to using simple straight 6 non splitter gearboxes, which maybe a more reliable option when buying a used truck for driver training. Paul, how do you get customers to wait 3 months to get on a training course, our customers get upset if they have to wait more than 4 weeks!
On another note, I’ve been watching other companies artics uncoupling on driving tests, all with air suspension, ours when coming out from under the trailer the unit suspensions bounces upwards. Other companies it appears the truck is unladen as the unit suspension stays at the same height, the driver is not operating the suspension level control. Obviously it pays to not carry the load, the truck will use less fuel and the driving examiners won’t enter the truck to check the load, only look in from the back doors, so if they fill up just the last two who is to know? Just another case of cowboy operating practice, I very much doubt all the 8 tons is on the trailer axles as we tried that ourselves and the truck would not set off on a hill start without a great deal of wheel slip. Just a shame it’s one rule for us to follow, those doing it right and everyone else may take the risk and ignore it.
elmet training:
Well I’m booked into March with my tried and tested manuals. My motto is why try and fix it if it’s not broke.
Paul
Crack on son go with what you feel is right
Everyone is entitled to a opinion and the forum helps people to express this
But give it a few years and you might need to upgrade and if you do will ye get a auto then
When I went back to the school to do my 8 hrs auto training before my pass I asked a guy my age who was getting out the manual first thing he said flicker switch gears are my issue
But you might be such a good trainer to over come your trainees gear probs
I used to get about one for every ten learner truck drivers that could handle a range change gearbox right from the off, extremely nice to see some competence but it not the norm, most trainees don’t ‘feel the love’ for a manual box on day one, two or maybe three. Old habits die hard, it’s not natural to use for all new drivers due to the location of the gears and strangely women always cope/adapt better to it then men!
By day 2 in the manual that was when the instructor rang his boss to tell him im messing up I found myself going into pinch points and trying to handle the gear box which was a problem going up and down I was fine as soon as I was put into real trafic situations it all went out the window and my nerves kicked in then mistake after mistake instructor had enough I felt so put down at that point. Really low like everything came tumbling down and I just wanted to get out and go home.
That’s why I was so angry at the brok#r when they say they did not know about the new law as I could of started in the auto it goes to show that all they care about is tanking your bank details
Thanks, we have two Volvo Globetrotter both FH13’s they are with out doubt the best truck on the road, but I best not spam you with any pictures!
It’s funny when we park up at test centre next to another driving school truck, which will normally dwarf theirs and make it look very old, we used to have a very cheeky instructor that would pass on our business card to other companies trainees after they had failed! Say next time give us a call, bad I know but what’s worse is the state of this industry and all the dodgy providers out there providing sub standard training.
Apparently you can’t do your practical test on an Auto lorry for C1 7.5T. To get a Manual licence on that category you have to be tested on a Manual one; is that correct?
Apparently you can’t do your practical test on an Auto lorry for C1 7.5T. To get a Manual licence on that category you have to be tested on a Manual one; is that correct?
Cheers
NO - the same rules apply to all LGV & PCV categories
Sorry ROG, you’re wrong on this one, here is the conversation I had with a driving examiner;
David, can we use auto vehicles for c1 and d1 tests, think about upgrading vans?
I think so laurie, I’ve not read anything different, but I’ll go check in my office.
Returns to me - looks like you are right, and shows me a news letter from DVSA, says only auto rules applies to C, CE and D, DE, apparently it was a mistake as EU don’t really do the whole c1 and D1 licences or something.
Jota:
Apparently you can’t do your practical test on an Auto lorry for C1 7.5T. To get a Manual licence on that category you have to be tested on a Manual one; is that correct?
Yes that is correct, the EU directive 2012/36/EU shows that the concession to allow the driving of manual vehicles after passing the test in an automatic relates only to categories C, C+E, D and D+E.
5.1.3. Specific provisions concerning vehicles of category C, CE, D and DE Member States may decide that no restriction to vehicles with automatic transmission shall be recorded on the driving licence for a category C, CE, D or DE vehicle referred to in point 5.1.2, when the applicant already holds a driving licence obtained on a vehicle with manual transmission in at least one of the following categories: B, BE, C, CE, C1, C1E, D, D1 or D1E, and has performed the actions described in point 8.4 during the test of skills and behaviour.
I had considered doing my test in auto so i could focus on all the other things turns out when I arrived for my 5 day course was an 18t manual man. In the end im glad it was, it was good to have the instructer keep you right on the gears and explain it all.
I think if I had done my test in auto then got a job driving a manual id be crappin myself about cockin up driving out the yard!
mattni:
I had considered doing my test in auto so i could focus on all the other things turns out when I arrived for my 5 day course was an 18t manual man. In the end im glad it was, it was good to have the instructer keep you right on the gears and explain it all.
I think if I had done my test in auto then got a job driving a manual id be crappin myself about cockin up driving out the yard!
A view shared by many and yes I will probably purchase an auto eventually but would like to keep a manual, I feel it would be foolish to go completely auto. I think Peter has got it spot on offering both options.
