Digit369:
This is right I have no problem with gears it’s just when under the pressure with an examiner and 16 hours behind the wheel. (Not enough) how someone can take an extra 16 hours and pass in an attic without some road trafic situations training im to disbelief
How can someone have such little experience and be able to drive such a thing down the road
You clearly do have a problem with gears or we would’n’t be having this conversation. The problem is in your head though as you’re probably more competent when the examiner isn’t watching. We all are to some degree.
16 hours is all you should need. 20 for sure. I failed my first artic test by doing something really silly. I had another test 6 weeks later (they were on strike at the time) with no extra lessons and passed with 4 minors.
Nerves is one of the major causes of failures on driving tests. I nearly screwed the reverse up on my first artic test down to nerves. Only just about did it. Second one I completely aced it as I knew where I’d gone wrong as was confident I could do it right next time.
Digit369:
This is right I have no problem with gears it’s just when under the pressure with an examiner and 16 hours behind the wheel. (Not enough) how someone can take an extra 16 hours and pass in an attic without some road trafic situations training im to disbelief
How can someone have such little experience and be able to drive such a thing down the road
G
Any way I passed in the auto if I had not it probably would of cost me a bomb in more training so yes I have saved money and I will get to practice more with the gears now I can get employed so I’m training myself and getting paid for it. Surely this is best, no?
Please don’t take this the wrong way mate but do you really think the pressure stops when you are out on your own? A new employer will give you some leeway but it won’t be endless. If anything the pressure is worse. Your on your own with potentially 44 tons. And rush hour traffic. People are patient and courteous to learners. Without L plates your dealing with different style of traffic. Peoe don’t think your a possible new pass. They assume you know what your doing.
I appreciate and agree with you when you say you will figure out gears without the pressure of an examiner. But during rush hour,busy streets,pedestrians with a fully loaded trailer and a timed delivery is still a pressure situation.
You say you had 16 hours behind the wheel. That’s,what? 2,3 days of training? Obviously not enough. You failed the test because you can’t use a manual gearbox. You told us yourself you cut up a van because you were trying to drop a gear. Why do you think it’ll be less stressful and a rosy picnic of lesuirely learning now you have taken the easier option?
Let me be clear again. I have NO problem with anyone choosing to pass in an auto to get their license. It cost me almost £3000 for my class 1 as I failed my first test. It’s a lot of money so getting the license was important. But you have proven to be a danger while trying to figure out what gear to choose. You shouldn’t be allowed to be let loose on your own till you can prove you are no longer a danger. I’m not having a go at you personally. It’s not you I have a problem with. It’s the law that is wrong.
Digit369:
This is right I have no problem with gears it’s just when under the pressure with an examiner and 16 hours behind the wheel. (Not enough) how someone can take an extra 16 hours and pass in an attic without some road trafic situations training im to disbelief
How can someone have such little experience and be able to drive such a thing down the road
G
Any way I passed in the auto if I had not it probably would of cost me a bomb in more training so yes I have saved money and I will get to practice more with the gears now I can get employed so I’m training myself and getting paid for it. Surely this is best, no?
Please don’t take this the wrong way mate but do you really think the pressure stops when you are out on your own? A new employer will give you some leeway but it won’t be endless. If anything the pressure is worse. Your on your own with potentially 44 tons. And rush hour traffic. People are patient and courteous to learners. Without L plates your dealing with different style of traffic. Peoe don’t think your a possible new pass. They assume you know what your doing.
I appreciate and agree with you when you say you will figure out gears without the pressure of an examiner. But during rush hour,busy streets,pedestrians with a fully loaded trailer and a timed delivery is still a pressure situation.
You say you had 16 hours behind the wheel. That’s,what? 2,3 days of training? Obviously not enough. You failed the test because you can’t use a manual gearbox. You told us yourself you cut up a van because you were trying to drop a gear. Why do you think it’ll be less stressful and a rosy picnic of lesuirely learning now you have taken the easier option?
Let me be clear again. I have NO problem with anyone choosing to pass in an auto to get their license. It cost me almost £3000 for my class 1 as I failed my first test. It’s a lot of money so getting the license was important. But you have proven to be a danger while trying to figure out what gear to choose. You shouldn’t be allowed to be let loose on your own till you can prove you are no longer a danger. I’m not having a go at you personally. It’s not you I have a problem with. It’s the law that is wrong.
I understand this and tbh I’m bricking it but I’m going to take a lesson before my assessment with a local trainer before I go so I’m refreshed on gear the instructor I had told me that I am managing the gears fine this was in the two hours lesson before my test he said if you drive like this you will pass got into it aced reverse then on the road nerves clicked in but when I’m on my own I will give myself more time. It’s not fair to blame the fail all on the gears
I will get the practice when I get working yes I’m scared but we all have to overcome our fears and progress and I will get there
In relation to the OP saying about 16 hours not being enough time to learn gears, surely this comes down to your training provider assessing you first of all to see how many hours tuition you actual need to meet your own requirements?
Most 5 day courses I’ve researched seem to offer 16-20 hours with your practical at the end, surely if this wasn’t adiquit then the average number of hours that trainging providers advertise would be higher?
If you require more tuition than what the average is, then does your instructor or training provider not have a duty to let you know? otherwise it seems a complete waste of time and money to put you forward for your test.
Many training providers are happy providing courses that are too short, they know the price for more than 16 hours will be more than some customers can afford. However once they have failed their first test the training company has still made a profit and its not their problem you failed, just pay more money and book a retest, they have gotten you hooked, you need them to sell you a retest because without it, you will have wasted the initial cost of the training course. Why do you think the average pass rate across the country is around 50%? Its because the vast majority take customers to fail on the first attempt and pass on the second test, puts bums on seats, brings in customers, that can’t afford retests but are left with no choice!
However I must add, our manual truck courses lasted 35 hours, and with that we would get 80% or so average pass rate, the more practice you have, the less likely you will fail, its quite simple. But from a business view, the longer the course the more money you need to charge, means you get less customers because competitors are cheaper.
Would just like to mention that our “standard” course is 14 hours 1:1. The success rate (1st time) is IRO 75%. Clean sheets are not uncommon. This is down to the standard of training, vehicles and having our own test centre.
We also make virtually no additional profit from retests. Any additional training is subject to 50% discount and there is no travelling backwards and forwards to another test centre to pay for.
I’m perfect open and honest and willing to say we make a profit from the course. That’s not a dirty word. But to continue making profit once someone has got it wrong on a test is, IMO, immoral and we don’t do it.
It’s nonsense to suggest that an average driver would need substantially more given the advantages above. We’ve worked to this pattern for the last 7 years and it most certainly works.
There are some for whom it doesn’t work straight away. Take any amount of training and the same will apply. Quality rather than quantity.
Paul J:
In relation to the OP saying about 16 hours not being enough time to learn gears, surely this comes down to your training provider assessing you first of all to see how many hours tuition you actual need to meet your own requirements?
Ok
My average course is C 16 hours this is done in a small 12 ton truck with a 8 speed slap over box. 90% of my customers book this course with the odd few who don’t perform well on a assessment drive booking the 20 hour.
For the exceptional drivers a 12 hour course will suffice.
I can only speak for myself and not for other trainers but this works well for me!!
Hi guys, am just so curious to know what is the real difference when it’s coming to training and taking a test for a Class 2 then on to a Class 1.
Other than the “We recomend AUTO over manual as it is easy to drive, no need to work out speed and gears at roundabouts, because when you pass in an auto you still get a manual (if u got CAT B manual) anyway, and because so many businesses are upgrading their fleets to AUTO and you are most likely to be in with an AUTO”, Which vehicle/gearbox would you preffere and why?
I got my training starting on the 25th and have opted for a MANUAL as I had two assessments taken in an 18T MANUAL but have until a week from today to change my mind and go for an AUTO.
The reason I opted for a manual is because I believe if I train and pass in a MANUAL, it will be fairy easy for me if I get thrown into an AUTO on ma own and on the first day of work, (I believe) as opposed to an AUTO I would S**t ma pants if got thrown into a Manual from an auto.
Have you failed in a MANUAL/AUTO then went on to pass in an AUTO/MANUAL?
Please share your experience
Go auto my friend take extra lessons in a manual just before your employment assesment I spent an extra grand on test and lessons as could not get the gears and everything in the allocated lessons in manual went in auto and passed save yourself the stress and money
Since passing my test I have worked for 5 companies, 3 were paye (at one now) and 2 were agency. All but one needed me to drive a manual gearbox and as a new starter I’d say most firms would feel most comfortable putting you in an old-ish motor and that’s probably going to be a manual truck with some dents etc.
IMO you must bite the bullet and crack on until you feel comfortable with gears. Otherwise I suggest passing in auto then having a training session just getting the hang of gears. As daft as it sounds I suggest a mock session in your car where you imagine driving and change gears up and down through the up and down of the switch. 1/5,2/6,3/7,4-/8 etc. I did this and it helped no end.
Just offering real advice as a guy in your situation 18 months back. IMO all new drivers are best served learning in manuals and in artics, it prepares you for the real world far more than an auto wagon and drag does for example.
You said you got rid of your W+D because it was too easy, and didn’t set people up for the “real world” then you claim that it’s easy to pass in the automatic, which it may well be, but, surely that doesn’t set you up for the “real world” either?
Passing in an auto, then going to a manual, will shake your average newbie. I passed in manuals, and I was thrown off by other manuals and automatics. So passing with something as “easy” as an automatic then jumping into an manual is going to be a shock to the system.
Point is, making a test as easy as possible doesn’t mean the candidate is going to be able to make easy work of the outside, uninstructed world. They’re going to struggle, and possibly be a danger to themselves and other road users, due to them not having a clue what to do with a manual gearbox!
. The job of an instructor should be to make the rest as easy as possible to pass. I do not consider his role is to prepare you for real life scenarios . I did all my tests Cat C Cat C +E and Cat D in vehicles which were either 15 or 20 years old. While this may give you great experience of real life vehicles , it is a hindrance when it comes to passing your test . My first bus training course was cancelled because of a breakdown and it took a few weeks to source a replacement part. The Volvo FH in which I trained had a really stiff gear box and during one test the kingpin jammed and would not release . The gearbox had to be rebuilt and the kingpin mechanism replaced . I failed Cat C at first attempt because of a few problems which the range change . At one junction I selected the wrong range and this hardly gave the examiner a good impression. It took me four attempts to pass C +E due to issues with reversing . The instructor had never been taught how to train candidates and the selection of reverse gear was really difficult . He even told me that some candidates used two hands to engage reverse . I am not particularly proud of the fact that it took me four attempts to pass and often think back and wonder why . Providing I had the vehicle set up correctly at the start of the reversing exercise , I did not have any problems getting it into the box providing I did the initial turn correctly. Instead of concentrating on ensuring that I set the vehicle up correctly , the trainer just let me carry on doing the entire reverse instead concentrating on the weak area. After mastering reverse, I did 20 test runs and got 19 into the box without a shunt . On test numbers 2 and 3 I was surprised still to experience difficulty reversing and whilst I had got the trailer into the box on both occasions I had gone outside the marked boundaries before entering the box. I believe one of the key reasons I experienced difficulty when reversing during the test was difficulty in selecting reverse gear . In Northern Ireland the reversing exercise is at the beginning of the test and if you are struggling to engage reverse with the examiner watching you , it can unnerve you very quickly and panic can set in . I knew that this was the only area where I would struggle and it was crucial to get the vehicle set up correctly at the start of the test . Had I been doing the test in a modern automatic vehicle , I would have simply driven up to the post , selected reverse and concentrated on the reversing exercise instead of worrying about selecting reverse gear . On my final test I got everything in the reversing exercise perfect and just watched in my mirrors as the trailer eased gently into the box. My training was cheap and the trainer was flexible with training days as I was regularly visiting my mother in Northern Ireland who was very ill. I see the trainers role to make passing the rest as easy as possible . This is only possible with modern up to date vehicles and with trainers who themselves are prepared to have their training skills assessed . As for gaining real life training you can always ask you trainer for two extra days after you have passed your test . These extra days will let you concentrate on real life scenarios and you can master a range change gear box without the worry that selecting the wrong range will have any impact on your test result.
