Ok so ive had me class 2 for 6 months now and im booked on to do an assesment drive to do me c+e licence, I want to do it before all the bad habbits creep in. Might sound a stupid question so I apolagize in advance but much difference in driving an artic to a rigid not just in lengh and weight anything people struggled with when they got in one for first time?
To many to put in one post but the biggest difference you will find is getting flashed in by other artics.
Seriously though the massive amount of steering lock compared to a rigid is a nice surprise.
Obviously reversing takes a bit more practice but apart from that you should get on fine, you will get a feel for where the back wheels are quite quickly in the same way as a rigid. Just drive it smoothly a glide along where possible, bit more forward planning is needed as well.
As said above, steering was the first big change. Funnily enough, it steers more like a car than a rigid! I once jumped into a rigid to refuel it as a favour and nearly didn’t make it turning right into a fuel station once as I’d forgotten how much more steering is involved!
After that, the weight takes a bit of getting used to. Once you crack that, along with even more mirror checking, the driving forwards is very similar to what you already know.
Obviously reversing is a different art, but chill out and listen and you will be fine.
I remember being slightly terrified as the training approached; maybe this is what you are feeling right now, but with a good instructor you will be fine. The truck definitely gets smaller as the week goes by! All the best with it.
I would recommend some extra reversing training when you do pass, sadly the way people get taught now is “How to pass” and normally involves “Right hand down 3 1/2 turns until you see the black mark on the headboard then X turns left… etc.”
You start learning once you pass