Well, this isn’t going as I’d hoped it would. The instructor is evidently really quite angry about my progress and I’m finding it really difficult to focus on what I’m meant to be doing as I’m constantly anticipating the next shouting at. The whole experience so far has been really stressful and not at all enjoyable, which is a shame as I’d been looking forward to this for so long.
I am still making mistakes, and some of them silly ones like forgetting to check my left mirror just before entering a roundabout, being a biker I have always been in the habit of checking mirrors continuously on the approach to islands. This still feels a little alien to me.
I am now just a few hours of instruction away from my test and the way the instructor has made me feel I don’t think I stand much chance of passing.
The main errors are, as I said the final left mirror check when entering a roundabout, and a few times when the indicator has self cancelled to soon, I haven’t noticed so failed to put it back on again.
He has shown me his assessment sheet at the end of both days so far and it is mainly 5s and 4s which are good and excellent, there are quite a few 3s which = fair,and no 2s or 1s which = poor and dangerous, but I have lost all confidence in this and my driving in general.
Was just a wondering whether it is usual to still be making these kinds of errors at this stage in training or whether I should just give it up and cut my losses.
Also, can anyone tell me whether these errors are minor faults or instant fail faults?
Firstly, don’t give up.
As for what is serious and what isn’t, difficult to say. But, in general terms, a final left mirror check entering a roundabout is not likely to be serious - unless there was something there that you have now missed in which case it would be a serious. The signal not re-applied is more likely to be a serious but it depends on the circumstances.
It sounds that you may have a bit of a personality clash going on which is unfortunate. Even more unfortunate that the trainer hasn’t recognised this and altered his manner and appears “angry”. But there’s little you can do about this except take the training on board with determination to succeed despite the situation.
Try to aim for the pass and ignore the distractions, Pete 
Cheers Pete, I am trying to take it all in and on board, and I am determined to give it my best, but am finding the “teaching” style too aggressive for my learning needs. I appreciate that he has a set amount of time to teach me an awful lot, and that must be frustrating for him if I repeat the same mistakes, but I really am finding the approach really distracting.
The final left check is getting more consistent now, with only a very occasional missed, but I am totally terrified about the test at this stage.
Is this with AVT near Telford ?
Wave me old mate. You have every right to be a little fed up. YOU are the one who is keeping this chap in a job. There is nothing wrong with explaining to him that shouting is not very productive.
As regards the driving errors,think of it this way. Like me you have your motorcycle license. So defensive driving is something that you do automatically; You ARE capable of passing this test,so do not allow negative thoughts to influence you.
Driving large vehicles is a challenge for us all at first. You cant see behind you,you have blind spots etc etc
Just mentally take a step back and see it for what it is- Simply placing the vehicle where it needs to be for the required manoeuvre,and being COMPLETELY aware of your surroundings including other vehicles/road users.(Mirror work).
Once you pass your test its so much easier.
Sorry to hear you’re not enjoying it. It sounds as though your instructor is a bit of a ■■■■. Some people have a way of knocking your confidence if you don’t quite reach their overly high standards.
Wavestarved:
no 2s or 1s which = poor and dangerous,
As you say you haven’t driven dangerously but you’re making silly mistakes. When I did my category C training I had a total brain ■■■■ on my third day and was driving like a muppet. At the end of that day my instructor gave me a right ribbing BUT he was also very positive and encouraging, as both he and I knew I could drive to the required standard. I think you may have had an off day and your man has spat the dummy. Don’t be too hard on yourself and definitely don’t give up. It can be highly stressful and we all deal with that differently but it will come together in the end. Chin up mucker, you can do it.
I had a similar experience. Looked forward to my class 2 and worked up to it for ages and my instructor turned out to be pretty miserable and short tempered and totally dampened my experience. He had a brake on the passenger side and felt the need to slam it at the most inappropriate moments which totally knocked my confidence.
I thought his approach was ■■■■■ but I got the pass. Just try to focus on the positives and persevere. Just think, once you do pass you’ll never have to see them again!
Another similar experience here.
I have tried to put it down to a difference of styles between my learning style and the instructor’s teaching style. I found my Cat C training horrific - four days of stress, sleepless nights and hours in the cab trying to be civilised with someone who was on my case constantly. It was all negative, all telling off, no positive reinforcement, no encouragement. The day before the test he said it was 50:50, could go either way…I might be lucky and get a pass, or I might just fail.
In the end I passed first time with four minors, then went on to do Cat C+E a month later with only two minors.
So try to ignore the instructor’s technique, concentrate on all the things you know you can do right about your driving, then just pull it all together on the day in front of the examiner. Most of the test is about luck, and on a good day you’ll waltz through it. Traffic lights will go your way, cars on the roundabouts will indicate, cyclists will be sensible, the weather will be good, and so on.
Unfortunately if you have a bad day then it may not go so well, but don’t give up. If this is what you want to do then some perseverance may be needed.
Good luck!
Orc, I think we might have the same instructor. Lol.
Thanks all for the encouragement and hope.
What a pity there’s so-called instructors out there who are clearly not capable of adapting to their candidate.
The job can be difficult sometimes, but that’s where we have to draw on skill, experience and training to deal with the candidate’s needs. For me, that’s half the joy of it.
Sadly, many “instructors” are untrained and are little more than drivers with a 3 year old licence.
All our instructors are on the DVSA register and, on top of that, we operate a strict “no shouting” policy. The atmosphere in the cab should be calm and constructive. If it’s not, it’s down to the instructor to sort it out and make it so.
Pete
Yes Pete, I think that if and when I pass my C, a trip further afield is in order for C+E. that new MAN artic of yours looks mega.
Thanks everyone for the encouragement and hope, I need all I can get at the moment.
Go for it - get it passed and the satisfaction will be greater for having overcome this extra hurdle.
Pete
I had this more with my CE he was down on me from the start ( dont think he liked women drivers ) he never helped in any way failed never went back did go somewhere else ( Flair training John was great re build my confidence ) passed few mth later was offered a job never looked back
Good luck try not to worry about it you could alway say something to the owner / manager as you are paying you dont need to be talked to like that
As like me you are also a biker can be very aware of the roads & other vehicles around you just dont give up
He sounds like a right ■■■■■ I feel for you like I’m sure we all do,
Pay all that money and you get an instructor like that 
. Good luck and if u pass you can put it down to experience and move on! Make sure you get a different trainer for the c+e, if your not doing that already.
Your instructor sounds like he has poor people skills and is being overly harsh in his criticism.
You’ve got the experience of your car and motorbike test, the cat c isn’t any different in terms of the routines like mirrors, if you miss it once you’ll be alright, just don’t make a habit of missing it. If you realise you’ve done it wrong, don’t panic, just make a mental note to remember it for next time.
I think you’ll be fine during the test.
I had the same. I stupidly went through a broker (I didn’t find this site till afterwards). Hated the instructor who was criticizing everything, clip a kerb and you got a 15 minute rant from him. I failed my test with them, I had another test pre-booked with the broker, never wait back. Paid out almost a grand of my own cash to go with PSTT and I passed first time with them.
The aim is to make the client feel at home in the cab, calm the nerves not make them worse.
Next time he shouts at you head ■■■■ him.
Just been out for a drive in my T4 with my awesome Missus with her telling me which way to go and looking out for my balls ups (after i told her what to look for) and drove as though i was in the truck and as far as I can tell, on the whole did pretty damned well. I tried to get my positioning right, stealing from lanes at smaller roundabouts when necessary, squaring off on tight turns, using the paintwork on the roads when needed, and yep, doing all of my mirror checks. As it happens, my instructor is telling me that I should be checking my mirrors around every 12 - 15 seconds, I am in fact habitually doing it around 3 times every 12 - 15 seconds (and always have done since I used to dispatch ride in London, needed eyes everywhere if one is going to survive). So at the moment, I’m feeling like there may be a glimmer of hope of passing. I realise that it is way easier to drive my van than the huge beast of a truck I was using last week, but I don’t actually think its the truck or the size that has been bothering me so much as the actual procedures.
Anyway, a massive thanks to all of you who have been so supportive and given me the encouragement I have really needed over the last couple of days. Ill keep you posted on how it goes next week.
I had the worst class 2 instructer in the world. Every question I had the answer was ’ do you want to pass or not’
Any advice I can give is just listen to him and if you do a class one do it In a full size truck and not a wagon and drag
Are you training in an ERF ? Anyway I have pm’ed you .
Cheers Mike