Was totally new to trucking in September. Decided to go for it. Sailed thru the theory/hazard perception/case study stuff, got Cat C first time with two minors, got thru Mod4 with 100%, went straight into Cat C+E with no real world experience. What I didn’t bargain for was how much time would be spend in the yard learning reversing, coupling/uncoupling exercises, which by necessity takes time if you’ve never done it before or had a chance to get your head around the weirdly different reversing dynamics. This only left about 7 or max 8 hours total driving time which felt quite frenetic trying to get used to having a trailer on the back (went wagon and drag) and my coping mechanism was to slow everything right down as I learnt to negotiate junctions, roundabouts, etc. with the additional unit. I did so well at slowing it down I failed today on 7 minors for progress! (I am naturally quite a zippy driver in my car) Got three other minors with a max of one in each of those categories. So basically if I’d’ve sped the whole thing up while being as accurate etc. I would have passed. Now the long wait for retest and worrying that I’ll forget what I have learnt between now and then. I’ve previously posted here on going straight into C+E with no commercial driving, and also on courses with more hours vs courses with less as I was trying to make my mind up what to do about those things. Obviously I’m pondering those things again today…
This is tough! Really feeling it today. I don’t know if there’s any advice to be had on any of this but if anyone has any words of wisdom I could really use them right now. Thanks.
rebook straight away i passed last friday 4th attempt -_-
1st test left in gear when i got out to check reverse
2nd test was at a different test centre and the reverse box has a slight slope…hit the barrier
3rd 40 in a 30 …no excuse
4th passed 7 minors … just try keep head up and go again aye its painful but when you pass youll be buzzing all week
especially when you accept that new job and drop your notice in at your old one 
Thanks mate - that put a smile on my face and put things in perspective. I needed a reminder we are all human! Congrats on being persistent and getting it 
Chin up dude…You wont be the first to fail and wont be the last … Brush yourself down for tomorrow is another day…
End of the day its not the end of the world…
Thank you mate - I was thinking that as I got back in my car to drive away - worse things do happen in life. Still hit me pretty hard. But as they say - never surrender!
I am going for an assessment drive next week so hopefully I can make a more informed decision about where I am in my development and what the best way is to put things right.
Commiseration mate, and why wait a single second before booking a retest?
You know EXACTLY what you did wrong, just pick up the pace a little and your there.
It’s a no brainer…
Now get on with it pal!
Hey Evil, Nice to have your post on this The problem was I did not have the same chemistry with the instructor I had for C+E as I did with the one I had for C and I lost my rhythm. And crucially the quantity of training was simply not enough for me and coping with it all happening too quickly is what caused me to become an unnaturally slow driver in the truck and trailer. As I’ve diagnosed the programme and delivery as the cause this is what’s making me look into getting some help elsewhere. I’m not sure I can put this new tentativeness into reverse without some reparative sessions under more relaxed circumstances and with someone I click better with in the cab. I think I will go for the assessment drive and make a decision after that. You may well be right mate to just get straight back on it and go for it, but I’m feeling edgy after what’s been a very unsettling week 
I also didn’t seem to have the same flow with my C+E as I did with my C test. As on my C it just seemed to go like a breeze with everything falling into place without me being at all stressed. But my C+E was a complete contrast and it felt like things were going against me right from the start. As a result, I was stressed during it, and this probably just made it worse… But I scraped it, where you didn’t! 
You sound like you passed the reverse, so why are you still stressing about it? 
Your sheet says you only failed on hesitation, so confidence sounds like your only issue! I’d have thought that a couple more lessons/refresher should sort that out. And there is also the chance that now you’ve done it once, you’ll be more relaxed anyway, as you know exactly what to expected…
Stress and anxiety are your enemy, put them out of your mind and get it booked!!!
What’s the worst that can happen■■?
It’s not life and death pal…
All very good points evil! Interesting to hear you also found the jump to CE challenging. Well done on getting thru first time on both!! I swapped some emails with my trainer this morning and it looks like we can find a way forward so I will take your advice and put my head down and go at it again. This has been a week of very painful steep learning curves but I think I can see a way ahead 
wanderingstar:
All very good points evil! Interesting to hear you also found the jump to CE challenging. Well done on getting thru first time on both!! I swapped some emails with my trainer this morning and it looks like we can find a way forward so I will take your advice and put my head down and go at it again. This has been a week of very painful steep learning curves but I think I can see a way ahead
I don’t think the C+E test was any harder, it just didn’t seem to flow…
The point being that I think that either of the tests could have gone this way, it’s just that some days driving a truck seem to be a real pig, and other days just seem to be a breeze. That’s how I’ve found it out on the road, and I’ve had days where I’m going “FFS what is going to happen next” and other days where its all “La la la la la…” Yes some of it may be down to luck, but I do believe a lot of it’s down to you, your perception of how things are going, and how you then react to them! For example, isn’t work (any job) easier and more enjoyable when you’re not feeling tired? So try and get plenty of rest before your training and test. Do not (or try not) to stress about it, as what will stressing about it do other than make it harder? Just tell yourself: What will be, will be! Stress will not aid the outcome, only hinder the outcome…
Best of luck!
Evil8Beezle:
Yes some of it may be down to luck, but I do believe a lot of it’s down to you, your perception of how things are going, and how you then react to them! For example, isn’t work (any job) easier and more enjoyable when you’re not feeling tired? So try and get plenty of rest before your training and test. Do not (or try not) to stress about it, as what will stressing about it do other than make it harder? Just tell yourself: What will be, will be! Stress will not aid the outcome, only hinder the outcome…
Best of luck!
Thanks man! And you are dead right. Everything is an interaction between what’s going on ‘out there’ and ‘in here’ and very often the two bounce off each other.
Cheers!
Keep at it buddy. I took my c+e last Friday. Failed 1st time with 3 minors (all from not changing from 7th to 8th quick enough) but my major was he took me around a sharp corner and I didn’t quite leave myself enough room for the trailer and I clipped the kerb. Rebook is planned in for first thing Monday morning. Won’t be making that mistake again…lol
LOOK you men and woman/ i do not want to criticise at all ,but reading posts you all seem to put a lot of “pressure” on yourself s,
ok you may not be working within a transport firm at the moment, so yes it will be difficult, however surly there must be firms near or around that you could just go to and ask, to maybe wash the trucks or sweep the yard because that was what most drivers had to do, and it will get you involved into transport. ,sit in a cab as a observer, ask, you may be surprised.
peggydeckboy:
LOOK you men and woman/ i do not want to criticise at all ,but reading posts you all seem to put a lot of “pressure” on yourself s,
ok you may not be working within a transport firm at the moment, so yes it will be difficult, however surly there must be firms near or around that you could just go to and ask, to maybe wash the trucks or sweep the yard because that was what most drivers had to do, and it will get you involved into transport. ,sit in a cab as a observer, ask, you may be surprised.
You seriously think that having spent a decent amount of money passing the test I should then go and wash trucks and sweep up [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]
LOOK you men and woman/ i do not want to criticise at all ,but reading posts you all seem to put a lot of “pressure” on yourself s,
ok you may not be working within a transport firm at the moment, so yes it will be difficult, however surly there must be firms near or around that you could just go to and ask, to maybe wash the trucks or sweep the yard because that was what most drivers had to do, and it will get you involved into transport. ,sit in a cab as a observer, ask, you may be surprised.
This is real blast from the past! Not saying that it cant still happen. But now we are knee deep in health and safety it’s a lot more difficult to enter the industry via this route.
It is, out of interest, how I started my coach driving career at the age of 18. Started washing coaches, sweeping the yard, making tea etc (all for no pay) for a year to get a start.
Things have moved on now, for better or worse. But, as I said, it may be possible at some places and could be worth a try for anyone who hasn’t started their training and spent their money.
Pete 
Peter Smythe:
Started washing coaches, sweeping the yard, making tea etc (all for no pay) for a year to get a start.
Things have moved on now, for better or worse. But, as I said, it may be possible at some places and could be worth a try for anyone who hasn’t started their training and spent their money.
I know a few places that would love that.
Just don’t tell Mr.Cameron about it or we will get the ’ FREE WORK EXPERIENCE ENQUIRE INSIDE’ Plastered outside every RDC.
I’m not saying work experience is a bad thing but not with this job. It’s like getting work experience stacking shelves or sorting parcels. The only reason we are ‘sometimes’ paid more than shelf stackers is because of burden of risk we carry when we go out on the road with the truck. I wouldn’t class it as a skilled job.
WRIGHTY 1 YOU DESERVE SWEET F—K ALL YOU KNO- with a attitude like yours, you will be a great advantage to a employer, run before you can walk, have a nice big truck YOU HAVE TO EARN IT…
Craigy77 thanks for the encouragement! I will try and watch out for kerbs too!
Peggydeckboy thanks also for the encouragement. I don’t know if it still works like that or not but I read a very interesting story a few months ago told by a train driver. He said when he was a lad he went into work with his dad who was a train driver. His dad had put in a word for his son with the boss. The manager asked the young man if he could start next week and that was it. When you compare that to getting to be a train driver now with a selection stage that has around a dozen stages and probably far less than one percent of applicants getting in with vacancies open for only a day or two it really does bring home how much, as Pete says, for better or for worse times have changed. On the face of it the new ways seem more democratic but in reality I don’t think that they actually are. You could go from driver to traffic manager but if you wanted to get into contracts/logistics/supply chain/strategy those jobs seem to be going to young graduates who straight away are managing the people who manage the drivers and hence the two tier system of management detachment begins.
Adam277 I would tend to agree with you. I think the best way to assess many things about countries and industries is to see what policies point-based immigration systems have about whatever it is you’re looking into. Canada, Oz, NZ all class truck driving as non/semi-skilled. Once you take the jump to skilled trade you’ve crossed the boundary and if you’re an engineer (designing machines rather than just operating or maintaining them) then you’re laughing.
peggydeckboy:
WRIGHTY 1 YOU DESERVE SWEET F—K ALL YOU KNO- with a attitude like yours, you will be a great advantage to a employer, run before you can walk, have a nice big truck YOU HAVE TO EARN IT…
Big man with the swearing but at 48 years old and having worked for the same employer for the last 16 years I consider myself a reasonably safe bet with a good attitude towards work, if you really think that as a career change I should first of all go and wash trucks and sweep up you are massively deluded. Been there and done that pal but then I was 15/16 at the time, why don’t you come and get all shouty typing in capitals again as that’s just so grown up! For most of us this is not something that’s jumped into without a great deal of planning with finances and possible job opportunities top of the list. Do I expect it handed to me on a plate, no I expect to work hard for what I want as I always have done so you should really stop making assumptions resorting to name calling and think before you type. I deal with drivers every day in my current job and the vast majority of them are absolutely sound blokes but there’s always one isn’t there