Good point gazzereth I didnt think of it like that, hows the class 1 work looking with you at the minute,does there seem to be plenty around and whats it like when you first pass,is it as hard as people make out to get that first foot on the ladder, maybe Kingsbury Transport might let me loose in there low-loader with a 30 tonne machine on the back 
just so I can get used to bendys though I doubt it very much 
Well thats it,im on the road to becoming a proper driver now.
You mean you’ve stopped tipper driving then? 
Good luck with the test, which reminds me got to hassle the boss some about when he’s sorting mine out.
You mean you’ve stopped tipper driving then?
Eh now now, I wanted that keeping secret else id have no words of encouragment of anyone and you all be wishing I failed
Well boys and girls,today is the start of a very stressfull week for me,as today was my first lesson in a bendy.
Started the day off by meeting up at British HGV Training in Hednesford at 11.00, there was a lad coming out with me for the first couple of hours then had to take his re-test at 14.30, first stop was the training pad to do abit of reversing and gear excersizes,in all fairness the other lad who was with us seemed abit nervous, but the instructor doubted his ability to pass because he seemed too nervous, he done a couple of reverse manouvers then it was my turn,but unknown to the instructor and the other lad id had abit of practise from my old fella shunting trailers onto bays,say ill be honest,for a learner i did show off just once and was fairly proud of my atempt.
After messing around on the pad for an hour the other lad set off to the test centre,so while we sat in the cafe at Swynnerton he went off and done his test,unfortunatly he failed on a couple of things.
So now it was my turn, no harm intended but the lad was sat behind me on the bunk and was moaning abit as you can expect i surpose,but it was doing me no favours what-so-ever, and rightly got pulled up on a couple of silly mistakes that really if i was in my normal wagon there would be no risk of me ■■■■■■■ up like i did, but anyway,within half an hour we were bak at their yard to drop the other lad off,so now i felt abit more at ease i then had about 45 mins on my own, the instructor pulled me over after 20 minutes or so and put his hand out to shake mine and said “for ■■■■ sake why couldnt you drive like this for the last 2 hours” he was suitably impressed i think and i felt like i had drove 10 times better once i was on my own with the instructor.
So now tomorrow’s one day closer to me being a proper trucker and ill just be taking it one island at a time and hope for the best
Well done Gav, good luck with the rest of it
Well done and good luck 
cheers you 2 
Sounds like you are doing well there, never going to help with a distraction like that in the cab … … Best of luck with the rest of the week - let us know how you get on with it !!
G
PS - Sorry, missed the earlier questions - most are answered in the other thread but - 6 months on I am really enjoying class one work, and the initial “stress” has dropped right away - especially after realising that drivers with a lot more experience have exactly the same issues (or in some cases more !!). Best advice would be if possible as soon as you pass your test try and get in a shunter - it works wonders !!!
Well done Gav and good luck with the rest of it
Well ive just done my third days training and if im honest with you, i drove like a big bag of ■■■■ today, made a few stupid mistakes and a fw more big mistakes that would of failed me the test had i been on it,bit dissapointed in myself really after todays efforts, but as the saying goes tomorrows another day
gav:
Well ive just done my third days training and if im honest with you, i drove like a big bag of [zb] today, made a few stupid mistakes and a fw more big mistakes that would of failed me the test had i been on it,bit dissapointed in myself really after todays efforts, but as the saying goes tomorrows another day
I had a similar experience during my training, just an off day, when’s your test?
Test’s on saturday at 10.30, hope it was just an off day and i can get it right tomorrow, just be glad when this weeks over one way or another,obviously i hope its gonna end in a good way but after todays performance its got me thinking perhaps i should just stick to my tippers 
It happens like that some times - all drivers can have bad days, keep at it and you will get there … … … …
Well thats it ive just got back off my bendy test.
Now first thing is it any wonder theres a ■■■■■■■ driver shortage!!!
As you can proberly guess by that i failed, and why did i fail,cus of 2 stupid ■■■■■■■ car drivers that i should of ■■■■■■■ rammed off the ■■■■■■■ road.
First one, i was following a car down a hill,theres a pedestrian crossing half way down and 20 yards after that an entry to a petrol station,the car in front decides at the last minute to turn into the petrol station,at which point the unit had just crossed the p/crossing and i had to stop because numpty car driver couldnt turn in due a car trying to get out,so theres me parked halfway over a crossing,nothing i could of done about it.
Second one was turning left at an island,it was really tight,and as you come round the bend you need to take up both lanes to avoid hitting the kerb,well as im just coming round the bend and taking up both lanes ready to start straightening up a cnother numpty pulled out of a side street forcing me to pull back into my own lane,thus bringing the trailer in to early and causing it to just clip the kerb, so its safe to say I ■■■■■■■ HATE CAR DRIVERS!!! Oh well got the retest on march 7th
Also isnt about time these examiners started using abit of discreation,he told me that my drive was lovely and smooth and really handled the lorry well, and neither incidents were really my fault but couldnt pass me cus thats the way the book says, ■■■■■■■ big tart
Sorry to hear that 
. These type of car drivers 
Bad luck gav… 
The reason they can’t give discretion in incidents like these is because they will also happen when you are out driving day-to-day, so you need to be able to cope with them
First example, in theory you should have left a big enough gap as you followed the car to allow for stopping without blocking the crossing. Yes, in real-life we’ve all done it, but on test you’re supposed to get it right, whereas in real life if no-one sees then no harm done. 
Second example, you should have just stopped rather than allowing yourself to be forced into a position which did not allow you room to move. In real life, again, we’ve all done it…but what if there’d been a pedestrian stood there…?
Welcome to trucking, I’m afraid…and to why the British Class 1 test is one of the hardest to pass in the world. 
Sorry to hear that - those blasted car drivers are always a pain - muppets… …
Best of luck with the retest, at least it is not too long to wait !!!
G
Lucy:
First example, in theory you should have left a big enough gap as you followed the car to allow for stopping without blocking the crossing. Yes, in real-life we’ve all done it, but on test you’re supposed to get it right, whereas in real life if no-one sees then no harm done.
Of the two incidents, this is the one I can’t understand. If the car is showing no signs / indication of an imminent left turn and then is prevented from carrying out the turn, they are in effect just suddenly stopping in the middle of the road. How can you make allowances for this?
It’s called “defensive driving” and is far more important when your driving something that weighs 44t. It works on the principle that you should always drive assuming that everyone around you is a muppet and could do something stupid at any second. Which given the average standard of car driving in this country they quite possibly could!
Simple solution. Back off.
In this case you’re supposed to think “Hmmm…crossing…if I assume that car is going to stop with no warning them I need to back off so that when I have to anchor up I can do so without winding up blocking the thing.”
I know that in real life it doesn’t always work quite like that, but on test you have to be super-spotless. It’s a [zb], but that’s the way it is…if you can show that you are driving professionally and defensively then they’ll let you go out on your own and cut the idiots up when no-one’s looking. 
It’s a learning curve. That’s why experience matters. I wouldn’t worry…all the best people pass second time… 
Sorry to hear your news gav .
Good luck with the retest