LGV driving QUIZ by ROG

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

ROG:
Editted the question to
What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence?

thank you

…

22

mrpj:
I presume Q7 refers to an LGV driver actually driving an LGV, not a smaller vehicle :slight_smile:

That’s obvious or there would be loads of van drivers being done for pulling around 3 tonnes in trailer weights.

23

All you need to know - TOWING TRAILERS

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LGV DRIVING QUIZ

  1. Can a category ‘C’ driver legally drive an artic unit that has not been modified in any way?
    Yes

  2. You arrive at work to find a flat tyre on the lift axle. The boss says that it cannot be fixed until tomorrow morning but you’ll be ok as you have no loads heavy enough today to warrant using that axle so keep it lifted. Is it legal to do the work for today?
    No!

  3. You are driving a fully laden 44 tonne artic (MANUAL GEARBOX) on a dual carriageway at 50mph in top gear. The very bad camber on the roundabout ahead dictates that you will need a low range gear to negotiate it.
    What is the safest and most fuel-efficient way to slow down?
    Slow Down in advance, changing down through the gears, using the engine brake as you shift down.

  4. Which increases the performance of an exhaust brake. Higher or lower revs?
    Higher revs

  5. A car driver passed their DSA car test in 1996 and is intending to do their category ‘C’ training and test. Do they need to do the INITIAL driver CPC to drive a C commercially?
    Yes, as they didnt pass a Commercial vehicle test

  6. For those LGV drivers with acquired (grandfather) rights for the driver CPC, what will be the expiry date on the DQC (Driver qualification card) when they receive it after completing their first 35 hours of training? Day, Month & year please.
    Dunno, as it doesnt apply to Canada :smiley:

  7. What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence?
    750kgs

  8. What is the maximum legal speed limit for LGV’s on dual carriageway?
    50 mph

  9. Can a LGV over 7.5 tonnes legally use the outer lane of a dual carriageway which has more than 2 lanes?
    No, and neither can a 7.5 tonner if fitted with a limiter

  10. A dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction is contra flowed so that there is now 1 lane each way on one side of the barrier with plastic cones separating the opposing traffic flows. The posted max speed limit is now 50mph. What is the legal maximum speed for LGV’s over 7.5 tonnes?
    [/quote]
    50mph as the cones themselves are a barrier between the 2 lanes of traffic

25

ROG:
Not sure if this is the right forum to post this in but I’m sure an admin/mod will move it to an appropriate forum if necessary :smiley:

LGV DRIVING QUIZ

  1. Can a category ‘C’ driver legally drive an artic unit that has not been modified in any way? - YES

  2. You arrive at work to find a flat tyre on the lift axle. The boss says that it cannot be fixed until tomorrow morning but you’ll be ok as you have no loads heavy enough today to warrant using that axle so keep it lifted. Is it legal to do the work for today? - NO

  3. You are driving a fully laden 44 tonne artic (MANUAL GEARBOX) on a dual carriageway at 50mph in top gear. The very bad camber on the roundabout ahead dictates that you will need a low range gear to negotiate it.
    What is the safest and most fuel-efficient way to slow down? - Engine Break / Retarder, slowing with gears and selecting a low range to drive through it

  4. Which increases the performance of an exhaust brake. Higher or lower revs? - High

  5. A car driver passed their DSA car test in 1996 and is intending to do their category ‘C’ training and test. Do they need to do the INITIAL driver CPC to drive a C commercially? - Yes

  6. For those LGV drivers with acquired (grandfather) rights for the driver CPC, what will be the expiry date on the DQC (Driver qualification card) when they receive it after completing their first 35 hours of training? Day, Month & year please. - 09/09/2019

  7. What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence? - 7500g

  8. What is the maximum legal speed limit for LGV’s on dual carriageway? - 80km

  9. Can a LGV over 7.5 tonnes legally use the outer lane of a dual carriageway which has more than 2 lanes? - Yes, all day long!

  10. A dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction is contra flowed so that there is now 1 lane each way on one side of the barrier with plastic cones separating the opposing traffic flows. The posted max speed limit is now 50mph. What is the legal maximum speed for LGV’s over 7.5 tonnes?

  • 62km
26

1-yes
2-yes
3-yes
4-yes
5-yes
6-yes
7-yes
8-yes
9-yes
10-yes.

:laughing:

27

  1. Can a category ‘C’ driver legally drive an artic unit that has not been modified in any way?
    Yes

  2. You arrive at work to find a flat tyre on the lift axle. The boss says that it cannot be fixed until tomorrow morning but you’ll be ok as you have no loads heavy enough today to warrant using that axle so keep it lifted. Is it legal to do the work for today?
    No

  3. You are driving a fully laden 44 tonne artic (MANUAL GEARBOX) on a dual carriageway at 50mph in top gear. The very bad camber on the roundabout ahead dictates that you will need a low range gear to negotiate it.
    What is the safest and most fuel-efficient way to slow down?
    Exhaust brake

  4. Which increases the performance of an exhaust brake. Higher or lower revs?
    High revs

  5. A car driver passed their DSA car test in 1996 and is intending to do their category ‘C’ training and test. Do they need to do the INITIAL driver CPC to drive a C commercially?
    No

  6. For those LGV drivers with acquired (grandfather) rights for the driver CPC, what will be the expiry date on the DQC (Driver qualification card) when they receive it after completing their first 35 hours of training? Day, Month & year please.
    September 10 2015 on Monday

  7. What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence?
    4.5t

  8. What is the maximum legal speed limit for LGV’s on dual carriageway?
    50mph

  9. Can a LGV over 7.5 tonnes legally use the outer lane of a dual carriageway which has more than 2 lanes?
    Yes

  10. A dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction is contra flowed so that there is now 1 lane each way on one side of the barrier with plastic cones separating the opposing traffic flows. The posted max speed limit is now 50mph. What is the legal maximum speed for LGV’s over 7.5 tonnes?
    40mph

28

DAF95XF:

  1. Can a category ‘C’ driver legally drive an artic unit that has not been modified in any way?
    Yes

  2. You arrive at work to find a flat tyre on the lift axle. The boss says that it cannot be fixed until tomorrow morning but you’ll be ok as you have no loads heavy enough today to warrant using that axle so keep it lifted. Is it legal to do the work for today?
    No

  3. You are driving a fully laden 44 tonne artic (MANUAL GEARBOX) on a dual carriageway at 50mph in top gear. The very bad camber on the roundabout ahead dictates that you will need a low range gear to negotiate it.
    What is the safest and most fuel-efficient way to slow down?
    Exhaust brake

  4. Which increases the performance of an exhaust brake. Higher or lower revs?
    High revs

  5. A car driver passed their DSA car test in 1996 and is intending to do their category ‘C’ training and test. Do they need to do the INITIAL driver CPC to drive a C commercially?
    No

  6. For those LGV drivers with acquired (grandfather) rights for the driver CPC, what will be the expiry date on the DQC (Driver qualification card) when they receive it after completing their first 35 hours of training? Day, Month & year please.
    September 10 2015 on Monday

  7. What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence?
    4.5t

  8. What is the maximum legal speed limit for LGV’s on dual carriageway?
    50mph

  9. Can a LGV over 7.5 tonnes legally use the outer lane of a dual carriageway which has more than 2 lanes?
    Yes

  10. A dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction is contra flowed so that there is now 1 lane each way on one side of the barrier with plastic cones separating the opposing traffic flows. The posted max speed limit is now 50mph. What is the legal maximum speed for LGV’s over 7.5 tonnes?
    40mph

(3) When I was under instruction the method taught was slow down using the brakes until the speed had reached the point where you can block shift down straight into the exact gear that you need.That was in the days when we had mostly 9 or 13 speed constant mesh fuller boxes.I just did it to keep the instructors happy knowing that in the real world it would probably wreck the whole transmission in no time.On test I used a mixture of brakes,exhaust brake and gears dropping down through them sequentially on the approach to junctions and roundabouts etc…Passed first time unlike a lot of the others on the same course.

29

Carryfast:
When I was under instruction the method taught was slow down using the brakes until the speed had reached the point where you can block shift down straight into the exact gear that you need.That was in the days when we had mostly 9 or 13 speed constant mesh fuller boxes.I just did it to keep the instructors happy knowing that in the real world it would probably wreck the whole transmission in no time.

It will not in a modern gearbox though - just dip clutch as necessary to stop the engine stalling - saves wear on the clutch as well because all the intermediate gear changes are bypassed.

30

ROG:

Carryfast:
When I was under instruction the method taught was slow down using the brakes until the speed had reached the point where you can block shift down straight into the exact gear that you need.That was in the days when we had mostly 9 or 13 speed constant mesh fuller boxes.I just did it to keep the instructors happy knowing that in the real world it would probably wreck the whole transmission in no time.

It will not in a modern gearbox though - just dip clutch as necessary to stop the engine stalling - saves wear on the clutch as well because all the intermediate gear changes are bypassed.

The clutch was fine Rog they were usually twin plate and get the revs right it should be in or out with no slip.Anyway 44 tonner from the M1 going into Dewsbury?.Use just the brakes to slow down on the dual carriage way down to the roundabout and then they’ll be nice and warm just as you reach the top of that big hill down into the one way system and you’re lined up perfectly with the town hall when you reach the bottom.Dip the clutch you’re coasting that’s a big no no in my book empty or loaded too and those old fuller boxes were about the best there’s ever been like a knife through butter to use with just a few fingers on the shift.

31

LGV DRIVING QUIZ ANSWERS

  1. Can a category ‘C’ driver legally drive an artic unit that has not been modified in any way?
    YES
  2. You arrive at work to find a flat tyre on the lift axle. The boss says that it cannot be fixed until tomorrow morning but you’ll be ok as you have no loads heavy enough today to warrant using that axle so keep it lifted. Is it legal to do the work for today?
    NO
  3. You are driving a fully laden 44 tonne artic (MANUAL GEARBOX) on a dual carriageway at 50mph in top gear. The very bad camber on the roundabout ahead dictates that you will need a low range gear to negotiate it.
    What is the safest and most fuel-efficient way to slow down?
    For general UK roads - ENGINE BRAKING AND IF NECESSARY EXHAUST AND/OR MAIN BRAKES - NO GEARING DOWN WITH CLUTCH DIPPED AS NECESSARY TO PREVENT STALLING — each situation to be judged by the actual circumstances at the time.
  4. Which increases the performance of an exhaust brake. Higher or lower revs?
    HIGHER
  5. A car driver passed their DSA car test in 1996 and is intending to do their category ‘C’ training and test. Do they need to do the INITIAL driver CPC to drive a C commercially?
    NO
  6. For those LGV drivers with acquired (grandfather) rights for the driver CPC, what will be the expiry date on the DQC (Driver qualification card) when they receive it after completing their first 35 hours of training? Day, Month & year please.
    09/09/2019
  7. What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence?
    750 KGS
  8. What is the maximum legal speed limit for LGV’s on dual carriageway?
    50
  9. Can a LGV over 7.5 tonnes legally use the outer lane of a dual carriageway which has more than 2 lanes?
    YES
  10. A dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction is contra flowed so that there is now 1 lane each way on one side of the barrier with plastic cones separating the opposing traffic flows. The posted max speed limit is now 50mph. What is the legal maximum speed for LGV’s over 7.5 tonnes?
    40
32

Carryfast:
Anyway 44 tonner from the M1 going into Dewsbury?.Use just the brakes to slow down on the dual carriage way down to the roundabout and then they’ll be nice and warm just as you reach the top of that big hill down into the one way system and you’re lined up perfectly with the town hall when you reach the bottom.

The method(s) used in any situation would depend on the cirumstances at the time.
The method I describe in the answers above would not be appropriate for such a situation.

33

ROG:
LGV DRIVING QUIZ ANSWERS

  1. Can a category ‘C’ driver legally drive an artic unit that has not been modified in any way?
    YES
  2. You arrive at work to find a flat tyre on the lift axle. The boss says that it cannot be fixed until tomorrow morning but you’ll be ok as you have no loads heavy enough today to warrant using that axle so keep it lifted. Is it legal to do the work for today?
    NO
  3. You are driving a fully laden 44 tonne artic (MANUAL GEARBOX) on a dual carriageway at 50mph in top gear. The very bad camber on the roundabout ahead dictates that you will need a low range gear to negotiate it.
    What is the safest and most fuel-efficient way to slow down?
    For general UK roads - ENGINE BRAKING AND IF NECESSARY EXHAUST AND/OR MAIN BRAKES - NO GEARING DOWN WITH CLUTCH DIPPED AS NECESSARY TO PREVENT STALLING — each situation to be judged by the actual circumstances at the time.
  4. Which increases the performance of an exhaust brake. Higher or lower revs?
    HIGHER
  5. A car driver passed their DSA car test in 1996 and is intending to do their category ‘C’ training and test. Do they need to do the INITIAL driver CPC to drive a C commercially?
    NO
  6. For those LGV drivers with acquired (grandfather) rights for the driver CPC, what will be the expiry date on the DQC (Driver qualification card) when they receive it after completing their first 35 hours of training? Day, Month & year please.
    09/09/2019
  7. What is the maximum size (weight) of trailer than can be towed by a LGV where the driver does not have a +E on their LGV licence?
    750 KGS
  8. What is the maximum legal speed limit for LGV’s on dual carriageway?
    50
  9. Can a LGV over 7.5 tonnes legally use the outer lane of a dual carriageway which has more than 2 lanes?
    YES
  10. A dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction is contra flowed so that there is now 1 lane each way on one side of the barrier with plastic cones separating the opposing traffic flows. The posted max speed limit is now 50mph. What is the legal maximum speed for LGV’s over 7.5 tonnes?
    40

That’s what I’ve been trying to say using engine braking is just as important as the brakes.But you won’t get much,if any, engine braking by leaving it in the higher gears and using the brakes down to a lower speed and then block changing at the end? and the exhaust brake won’t be doing anything either unless you keep it in a gear where the revs are up?.But you can’t stick it straight into 4th from 13th or 16th so what do you do in between?.Do they mean no sequential changes by ‘no gearing down’.And what do they mean by brakes to slow gears for go if they’ve already admitted that engine braking is a requirement? because you ain’t going to get any engine braking in top or even much until you’ve got down a few more than that.

34

Engine braking as you say is really only effective for the first part of slowing down and assists the initial reduction of forward momentum - the exhaust brake also follows that as the lower the revs get, the less effective it becomes - that is usually where the main brakes take over and in most circumstances this is all that is needed to attain the reduction in speed required to engage the selected gear - that gear being the one to proceed.

Definitely NOT a recommended way of doing things for most downhill situations

35

The Volvo Engine Brake works best at 1500 rpm or below, it doesn’t need the high revs to be effective. It has 5 positions and when it is working at 100%, position 3 or B, it is very effective even as the revs drop off.

36

ROG:
Engine braking as you say is really only effective for the first part of slowing down and assists the initial reduction of forward momentum - the exhaust brake also follows that as the lower the revs get, the less effective it becomes - that is usually where the main brakes take over and in most circumstances this is all that is needed to attain the reduction in speed required to engage the selected gear - that gear being the one to proceed.

Definitely NOT a recommended way of doing things for most downhill situations

The idea of using engine braking to save the brakes and keep brake temperatures down is as important on the flat as it is in the mountains because you never know when the next big hill might be coming up or when you might need to make an emergency stop and unlike racing cars cold truck brakes always work better than hot ones.With sequential downshift changes those revs are kept up right through the slowing down operation to the speed required at the point where we reach the lowest gear required and start accelerating under power again is reached.You’ve got it all the wrong way round.Engine braking is as effective or moreso as the truck slows down because you can then get lower gears giving higher revs.But the idea is to keep those revs high all the way down from top speed by dropping down through the gears sequentially.The revs are in fact higher at the lower speeds than the higher speeds and engine braking becomes more and more effective and the exhaust brake holds it’s effectiveness too all the way to a standstill if required in first/crawler.Watch the film convoy and listen to how many downshifts they make just pulling into the cafe from the main road.That’s how you drive a real truck with a real box.

37

Old way of thinking and acting which WAS correct for the trucks of say 20 years ago but the brakes on modern trucks are DESIGNED to slow a fully freighted truck down on the flat by their use alone wtithout the need to downshift through the gears.

Just to prove this point, I did some training with 2 DHL drivers who had 60 years LGV driving experience between them (old school types - they really had been there and done that - much more than I am ever likely to do)
I introduced them to this method and they were amazed at how it can be used in most circumstances in a fully laden artic as well as their cars.

Most resistance to this method comes from those who have done it the ‘old way’ for so long that they find it difficult to change - I say this from years of experience in teaching this method.
Once the driver has ‘opened their mind’ to new ideas and is prepared to try them when ‘they feel it is safe to do so’, then I have never known anyone go back to the ‘old style’

38

ROG:
Old way of thinking and acting which WAS correct for the trucks of say 20 years ago but the brakes on modern trucks are DESIGNED to slow a fully freighted truck down on the flat by their use alone wtithout the need to downshift through the gears.

Just to prove this point, I did some training with 2 DHL drivers who had 60 years LGV driving experience between them (old school types - they really had been there and done that - much more than I am ever likely to do)
I introduced them to this method and they were amazed at how it can be used in most circumstances in a fully laden artic as well as their cars.

Most resistance to this method comes from those who have done it the ‘old way’ for so long that they find it difficult to change - I say this from years of experience in teaching this method.
Once the driver has ‘opened their mind’ to new ideas and is prepared to try them when ‘they feel it is safe to do so’, then I have never known anyone go back to the ‘old style’

They’ll go back to the ‘old style’ ‘only style’ just as soon as they scare themselves silly one day with a set of overheated brakes in the wrong place.Don’t forget that just as I said that ‘new style’ of yours is just as I was taught when I did my class 2 in 1980 and my 1 a few years after.I did’nt like it then and I don’t like it now.We’ve have always been able to slow a fully freighted truck down on it’s brakes alone on the flat and even on hills during the years that I’ve driven ones manufactured from the 1970’s to the 1990’s.But I soon learnt not to make a habit of it even before I had my licences by watching trucks being driven here and on the continent by drivers who knew better.They were the old school types not me I just learnt from them instead of my instructors.The brakes on modern trucks are’nt that much different when you think about the loads imposed on them and the limitations which the designers have always had to work to in the sizes and swept area of contact between disc/pad or drum/shoes.They’ve got their limits and when their temperature exceeds that limit they just disappear like they were never there.

39

I cannot expand on what I’ve already stated and had proven.

There is no such thing as a right or wrong way if they are safe - just different ways of achieving the same safe objective - one way may have advantages that another does not have though.

40

me thinks we need a braking thread