When I did my artic, I dreaded the reverse, and could never see how it worked…!!
But, once my instructor explained the simple basics and I had a few goes it just clicked into place. He always referred to its as “slipping the banana”… keep it slightly bent to the drivers side, so you can see the full trailer, minor adjustments on the wheel to control the “angle of the banana”; then straighten it up right at the very end.
To this day, whenever I reverse onto a bay, park the trailer in the yard etc, I always think of “slipping the banana” and it goes in everytime.
if id cracked that reverse before yest could of practiced more and nailed it as had 3 minors on my mock drive yest so that would have been no problem so back home to lick my wounds get my head together and get some practice in on reversing and can have another go , wouldnt of minded but it took peter smythe over 100 miles away from me on the phone wed to explain the reverse in a way that i got it shows what kinda trainer he is if he can explain the principles over the phone and the next day i get it and cant with an instructor beside me for 2 days
anyway gonna curl up on the couch and get myself together dust meself off an start all over again ,two examiners I was talking to after the test who were stood around having a chat did say to me that i shouldnt of been embaressed about the reverse that i just messed up at the end so in a way thats a positive note to end on
Thanks for all the support everyone has given me this week its the kinda boost you need after having a bad day and has been really helpful in keeping me sane this week
Shame you couldnt get a day or 2 with Peter, he will get you through it … I suggest you meet with the company and explain you feel the instructor did not teach you the reverse correctly, all drivers should get the nack of it after a couple of days or so.
Jennie:
Sorry guys failed hit a cone on reverse , gutted
Hi Jennie,
You did exactly what I did on my first test.
Once you’ve passed and then driven C+E for a while, the memory of this fail will recede into history.
It only smarts for a while whilst you’re in the ‘licking the wounds’ stage.’ Please trust me on that.
Jennie:
if id cracked that reverse before yest could of practiced more and nailed it as had 3 minors on my mock drive yest so that would have been no problem so back home to lick my wounds get my head together and get some practice in on reversing and can have another go ,
That’s the spirit Jenny!!
Please don’t take this fail too much to heart, because I’m seeing many encouraging signs here.
Clearly, you’re up to test standard because you’ve demonstrated that can do all of the required elements, so it’s now a just case of getting them all together and having that little bit of luck on your side for next time.
Jennie:
wouldnt of minded but it took peter smythe over 100 miles away from me on the phone wed to explain the reverse in a way that i got it shows what kinda trainer he is if he can explain the principles over the phone and the next day i get it and cant with an instructor beside me for 2 days
Peter is clearly very good at what he does.
Jennie:
anyway gonna curl up on the couch and get myself together dust meself off an start all over again ,two examiners I was talking to after the test who were stood around having a chat did say to me that i shouldnt of been embaressed about the reverse that i just messed up at the end so in a way thats a positive note to end on
I agree with those examiners, so now you’ve been told!!
Shame you couldnt get a day or 2 with Peter, he will get you through it … I suggest you meet with the company and explain you feel the instructor did not teach you the reverse correctly, all drivers should get the nack of it after a couple of days or so.
Don’t give up you will pass next time.
Disco
My husband is fuming and wants to complain as he has seen me every night this week come in with my head down and have told him whats been happening , with this trainer if you didnt get it first time he had a tendonsy to huff and start shaking his head with dissaproval kinda brings you down , luckily the driving I wasnt too bad in fact had that down to a t but the reverse just wasnt going in and if someone is shouting up at the cab TURN THE WHEEL TURN THE WHEEL and you just dont understand you have no chance as you then get all flustered which was what was happening to me on reverse i didnt know my arse from my head after that , the other guy had the reverse a first few goes but his driving lacked concentration so he hit a few curbs or approached wrong at a junc and after a cutting remark from the instructor poor bloke couldnt even turn at a rbt without double checking which turning he was taking as after the huff and head shake your head goes down and you feel like a ■■■ which is why my hubby is angry hes a trainer for citreon not hgv a technical trainer but he said if one of his candidates doesnt understand something its his problem that he doesnt understand he has to find a way to get that trainee to understand what hes saying and even if he has to repeat it a thousand times if the trainee doesnt understand that my hubbys fault not trainee , trouble is if I do complain whats the point they will just think its beacause ive failed , and its not i know its me who failed just didnt have enough practice for reverse might have been able to fine tune then anyhow all water under bridge now gotta pick myself up and get on with it
Jen x
Sorry to read that jennie i had my fingers crossed for you, you can obviously drive the truck no problems, trust me when you fail class 2 6 times in a row , then you get despondent and suicidal !!
Call this a dress rehearsal for next time you will nail it !! Don’t dwell on it like i did years ago, re-book and get the reverse practised ,i had a set routine to adhere to, if i followed it to a tee i could always get near the rearward cones without even looking at the centre pole,then its down to shunts to square it up and push back. Or if feeling brave bend it round and in.
Jennie:
… it took peter smythe over 100 miles away from me on the phone wed to explain the reverse in a way that i got it shows what kinda trainer he is if he can explain the principles over the phone and the next day i get it and cant with an instructor beside me for 2 days
The mark of a good instructor is to be able to explain something in a way that a trainee can understand
I have come across instructors, not just in LGV training, that seem to have ‘their way’ of doing it and that’s it!!
The trainee is paying so it’s uo to the instructor to do their best to accomodate them.
I fully expect Peter and other trainers to back me up on this, they are paid to see the faults of the trainee, if they struggle in one aspect work on it not to the extent it causes others to miss. But if I had of been a trainer I would of made you do it until you were happy it clicked I would of done it walked beside the truck with you.
Alot of trainee’s confidence is given by a trainer, If the trainer was aware of the this he could of done the above ok he cannot be blamed for a trainee failing but to not help them when they need it is wrong.
I personally feel you have been hard done by, speak to Peter again he will give you sound advice on how to go forward
I wish you the best of Luck for the retest you will pass
Shame you couldnt get a day or 2 with Peter, he will get you through it … I suggest you meet with the company and explain you feel the instructor did not teach you the reverse correctly, all drivers should get the nack of it after a couple of days or so.
Don’t give up you will pass next time.
Disco
My husband is fuming and wants to complain as he has seen me every night this week come in with my head down and have told him whats been happening , with this trainer if you didnt get it first time he had a tendonsy to huff and start shaking his head with dissaproval kinda brings you down , luckily the driving I wasnt too bad in fact had that down to a t but the reverse just wasnt going in and if someone is shouting up at the cab TURN THE WHEEL TURN THE WHEEL and you just dont understand you have no chance as you then get all flustered which was what was happening to me on reverse i didnt know my arse from my head after that , the other guy had the reverse a first few goes but his driving lacked concentration so he hit a few curbs or approached wrong at a junc and after a cutting remark from the instructor poor bloke couldnt even turn at a rbt without double checking which turning he was taking as after the huff and head shake your head goes down and you feel like a ■■■ which is why my hubby is angry hes a trainer for citreon not hgv a technical trainer but he said if one of his candidates doesnt understand something its his problem that he doesnt understand he has to find a way to get that trainee to understand what hes saying and even if he has to repeat it a thousand times if the trainee doesnt understand that my hubbys fault not trainee , trouble is if I do complain whats the point they will just think its beacause ive failed , and its not i know its me who failed just didnt have enough practice for reverse might have been able to fine tune then anyhow all water under bridge now gotta pick myself up and get on with it
Jen x
It does sound like you have had a bad time of it with the training. It’s a shame. But as DD has said you have the aptitude to pass this.
Postby discoman » Fri Nov 25, 2011 2:57 pm
Exactly,
I fully expect Peter and other trainers to back me up on this, they are paid to see the faults of the trainee, if they struggle in one aspect work on it not to the extent it causes others to miss. But if I had of been a trainer I would of made you do it until you were happy it clicked I would of done it walked beside the truck with you.
Alot of trainee’s confidence is given by a trainer, If the trainer was aware of the this he could of done the above ok he cannot be blamed for a trainee failing but to not help them when they need it is wrong.
The art of good instruction is to be able to offer sound, clear, concise guidance which will be understood and accepted by the majority of candidates. The skill comes with being able to offer alternatives when the original instruction isn’t making sense.
Sadly, some “trainers” have had little or no training in instructional technique and this is where their weaknesses can become evident.
Peter Smythe:
The art of good instruction is to be able to offer sound, clear, concise guidance which will be understood and accepted by the majority of candidates. The skill comes with being able to offer alternatives when the original instruction isn’t making sense.
This^^
Every day of the week and twice on sundays!!
Peter Smythe:
Sadly, some “trainers” have had little or no training in instructional technique and this is where their weaknesses can become evident.
I’ve always taken the view that, if one of my trainees doesn’t/didn’t understand, then it’s my fault for not having explained the point in a way the can be understood.
IMHO, that is NEVER the candidate’s fault.
Peter Smythe:
I hope Jennie has better luck next time. Pete
My husband agrees can i just point out though im not trying to excuse my fail and blame it on someone else , i was nearly there but had taken two shunts to get there if had been able to have a third shunt would have had the thing in but as it was could not quite get it back and clipped that cone just before hatched box on nearside , just wasnt my day today have to have my fireworks another time
Really sorry things didnt go well today Jen, know exactly how you feel, took me 3 attempts on my CE as my trainer said " its not thats its real hard to pass, but its easy to fail" pick ya self up, dust ya self off and keep on truckin !! Be sorted next time
Sorry to hear you failed Jen. Gutted for you. I agree with other posts that your instructor shouldn’t have made you feel that any faults were your fault and made you feel bad. I am lucky that I experienced 2 good instructors during my cat c training, it really gives confidence a boost to get through it. I’ve got my fingers crossed that you nail it next time.
