ahh ok so maybe ill pospone the tacho training until i need it lool
jimmypk:
ahh ok so maybe ill pospone the tacho training until i need it lool
Leave any tacho training until after passing initial Dcpc mod 4 - that way you can get a periodic Dcpc tacho course that will count for 7 hours 
hi guys,
as promisedi said ill keep you up to date with my driving…today i had my assesment drive. i got up early and hour before i had to i was nervous and excited at the the same time. so before i set off had the all important 1st tea of the day by this time is was about 9am my assement drive was booked for 10 am so left giving myself an hour to get there on driving through i get caught in traffic, which was fine because i allowd time for that but after 20mins of being in the same traffic jam i began to worry that i wouldnt make it in time. couple of minutes later the traffic started to move so i made my way as quickly (and safely 
) as possible to poole…when i got there i was 5 mins late and told the receptionist who happend to be my age and wouldnt stop giving me the eye that i was here for my assesment she said did you not get my message…my heart dropped i just thought dont u dare tell me u cancelled it after i just screamed 35 miles to get here…she said i posponed it until 12 pm i was like ok myfault i didnt collect the message so off i went into bournemouth for a cooked breakfast tea and a copy of the sun…hr and half passed so made my way back. i got there and my assessor met me and went through paper work he said follow me…i was excited he asked me to read the number plate and we set off to the parked renault premium. i looked at it and died…IT WAS SOOO [zb] HUGE!!! he said jump in the passenger side and ill explain everyting to u. i jumped in he told me about him self and told me about the truck and company blah blah and then he got on to the driving he said watch me as i want u to copy me when you drive…he show me how the gear box worked…utterly confused 1234 N tap Right 1234 and the opposite to go down… as he was driving i loved it then he dropped the bombshell now your turn…at this point i was scared, i jumped in started her up and into first pulled away gears confusing me as i was driving but carried on , felt i was doing well on the straight road until he asked me to turn…panicked slightly with the gears and ended up going up the curb…so knocked me a bit!! as i was driving down the road i felt i was flying then to my dissmay speedometer read 20mph i feard to go over 25 as i felt scared lol…and when i was turning i underestimated the amount of turning needed and also how good the breaks were a few time me and the instructor had to peel our lips from the windscreen then he asked me to pull up on the left…i froze after 3 years worth of driving i didnt no what to do i messed up the gears didnt look in the mirror and completely forgot to check the height of the tree luckily it was fine and i managed to pull up perfect…so after that he told me i did well considering i have never driven anything bigger than a car and said i would need 5 days training possibly 6…so i was sent away with a time for monday morning…this was definatly one of the most scariest things ive done PERIOD!!!
ill keep u up to date with what happens monday with i few pictures of the training wagon!
If you need to put stars to get a word past the auto censor, that’s your clue that the word isn’t allowed.[dd]
loved that last post about ur assesment drive dont worry you will be fine i was nervous first time out and yes it does feel huge but honest by the end of your training it will not feel as big as it felt today 
good luck for Mon look forward to reading ur training blog jx
I too was full of nerves on my assessment drive. And like you after years of driving everything seemed to just go out the window 
. But when you book lessons (with a good training company, not some middle man types) that are several hour blocs you will quickly become comfortable with it and will settle down. Best thing to do i found is just relax (can be easier said than done ), ''i kept telling myself…nice & easy" even through my class 2 test where the nerves popped back at the start. Good luck mate 
.
WOAH!!! what a hectic few weeks…its been a while since i lasted posted but just havent had the time…but i will nourish you with my learning thus far.
well to start off i was paired up with a guy to do my training with when i turned up i was ■■■■■■ off as i was told it was 1 on 1 by the look on the guys face he did too! but none the less i parted with my cash and set off. we were taking it in turns driving for a total of 4 hours each. we did this for 2 days until at the end of the second day the guy i was training with couldnt continue he hadnt got the right classification on his license…so he couldnt continue so i was pretty ■■■■■■ i learnt so much with another guy tht the thort of doing it on my own was unbearable but when i got in to the office they said dispite the fact the guy hadnt got the right licence u cna just carry on with the 8 hours your self for the next 2 days i was like win…but how the opposite it was i was so tired and i found myself towards the end of each day making silly mistakes which made my instructor feel i wasnt ready for my test. but still carried on showing him i was ready the day of the test i was so nervous!!! but 3 hours b4 it i got a fone call saying lorry has broken ur test has been cancelled a rescheduled for friday but dont worry we will look after u and give u 4 hours free on wednesday (today). today was such a better day a seemless day apart from i cant seem to manage gauging the lenght of gap needed at a roundabout!!! so this is a point i need to remember on friday when i go for my test!!! but now i feel i can swing the lorry anywhere and as for my reversing excersise i tore it up done it first time everytime so im pretty happy and confident tht ill get a pass !!! lets hope i can get it right on those roundabouts otherwise it will be a fail!!! sorry for the breif summary of the past two weeks but alot has happend just making sure u get the jist of it…and here is the wagon im using nice truck bit basic inside but i like 
jimmypk:
at the end of the second day the guy i was training with couldnt continue he hadnt got the right classification on his license…
BIG OOPS by the instructor who should have checked !!
I’m guessing that the trainee ticked C1 and not C when the provisional was applied for…
jimmypk:
well to start off i was paired up with a guy to do my training with when i turned up i was ■■■■■■ off as i was told it was 1 on 1 by the look on the guys face he did too!
jimmypk:
i was pretty ■■■■■■ i learnt so much with another guy t
Which would you recommend now - 2 to 1 or 1 to 1 ■■
jimmypk:
carry on with the 8 hours your self for the next 2 days i was like win…but how the opposite it was i was so tired and i found myself towards the end of each day making silly mistakes
Would you say that 4 hours max of behind the wheel time each day is plenty ?
jimmypk:
i got a fone call saying lorry has broken ur test has been cancelled a rescheduled for friday but dont worry we will look after u and give u 4 hours free on wednesday (today).
These things happen… but it looks like they are taking care of you OK
aa
SimonB:
Hmmm…‘TLC’ have got a very poor reputation…they’re pulling the old Sterling/Qualitas ‘free artic’ con…read the small print below:
thelicencecentre.com/80100/info.php?p=2
The ‘free’ artic course is 2x days long!
Si
LGV / HGV TRAINING ONLY
£999 +vat
Book your Rigid course with us and get your Artic course FREE!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
Definition of course duration
This offer is restricted to a four day course on a Rigid and a two day course on an Artic.The other does not include DSA test fees. I assume they mean OFFER
Any additional training if needed will be charged at the current daily rate.
Does not say how many hours behind the wheel each day
Does not include VAT or DSA test fees
Only 4 days on C and 2 on CE
Good offer… Hmmmm… ■■?
they’re pulling the old Sterling/Qualitas ‘free artic’ con
I would say not as that was conning trainees with the Operator CPC
well rog yes he ticked c1 and not c bad times for him!!1 i recommend 2 on 1 is better as you get to learn from the others mistakes and its get competitve coz you dont want to look like a t**t messing the same things up time n time again. and four hours is ok 8 is too much so anywhere btween the 2 is great. as for tlc having a bad reputation i have had no problems they are great i got 8 hours free coz the lorry was free and an extra 4 hours beacuse the lorry broke down…as for the artic i signed up for that and the reason y its only 2days is that it would have been straight after your class 2 so all you would have to do is get used to the size of the vehicle and would just be a case of extra planning n moving out a little more…i WOULd reccomend these they are great and got more than expected customer service from them unfortunatly i failed today i never even left the yard i messed up the reversing i new i was too far right but it didnt register and i was so close to the kerb i wasnt making any progress on the turn therefore hitting the middle cone preetty annoyed as i saw it but failed to react to it when i gto out of the centre with the instructor i felt like crying as i put so much effort in but it didnt happen…so im hoping they will allow me to use the money i put towards the class1 as payment for extra fees for my next test!
jimmypk:
im doing it with a poole based company called tlc- the licensing company
jimmypk:
i WOULd reccomend these they are great and got more than expected customer service from them
Thank you - TLC are soon to be added to the list of schools recommended by members
jimmypk:
unfortunatly i failed today i never even left the yard i messed up the reversing i new i was too far right but it didnt register and i was so close to the kerb i wasnt making any progress on the turn therefore hitting the middle cone preetty annoyed as i saw it but failed to react to it when i gto out of the centre with the instructor i felt like crying as i put so much effort in but it didnt happen…so im hoping they will allow me to use the money i put towards the class1 as payment for extra fees for my next test!
Did you have the option to continue with your test? If it should happen again, i would recommend that you take that oppurtunity as it would of been invaluable experience for the next test.All the best and keep us posted.
yes instructor one i did but chose not to pointless doing it if i had failed i wouldnt have given it 100% but hopefully next ill pass lol ineed to pass as i have no more funds available lol!!
if you had the opportunity to go out you should have taken it as has been said as it is invaluable experience
as you will get to go out on a test route in test conditions so next time you wont be so nervous & will know what to expect btw this comes from my own experience
although where i take my test ( at Gosforth ) if you fail the reverse you cant go out on the road as you do the controlled stop straight from there so you will be out of position as when i failed my C+E this is what happened and i ended up out f position to do controlled stop & go out on the road
good luck for next time
have another lesson or 2 before your test then go for it
this is the best advice i can give from personal experience
JimmyPK. Go for it again, I am british living and working in Malta, and i too went for my HGV here. The Maltese have no road sense what so ever. They drive here the way they want and how they want? (dangerous). That maybe a understatement .
As Malta is with in the EU now they follow the British HGV training . I started for my class 2 a month or so ago. As the lessons here are 1 hour a week? Then they apply for your test. But due to back handers there was a police enquiry so none of us had a test date. Until last week. I also got stuck in a traffic jam and was late but saying that so was my instructor, 20 mins later this guy walked up to the truck asked me to read the reg? I was stood next to it lol. Then the limit of the tyre tread that was it we where off in very heavy traffic my instructor sat in the cab and chatting about the weather or something, i was just told to turn left turn right and through the busiest traffic in Malta cars pulling out of side roads people just step out into the street in front of you, no one here stops and waits at crossings they just go for it regardless if a 20ton truck is coming??
I know its shocking for any Foreign driver but thats Malta.
I wish you the best of luck for the next time .
well its been ages since i last posted on here…but i can now say i have passed my cat c! it took me 4 attempts n nearly 2 n bit grand but im there! i passed with 11 minors not great but after 3 previous attempt i was just happy i passed may i say wayside transport with whom i trained with after tlc mugged me off is great the best in dorset by far! so i have my cpc training tomorrow and my cpc test on tues then hopefully the open road!i have a question on tacho graphs the digi cards? when can i apply for one do i have to send my license off first then apply for 1 when i get it back or can i do it straight away?
many thanks
james
in response to the agencies qeustion i would reccomend driver hire there pretty good i woked for them before moving they have plenty of work all the time and are a decent agency to work for unlike some give sandy a cal she sort you out etc you may struggle till 21/25 for work this is not down to the agency but the companys due to there insurance i met this hurdle driving vans hope this helps
You can apply any time for your digi card no need to send licence just a mug shot oops sorry a pic 
of self call DVLA up & ask for a form
When I applied for mine it took them approx 4 days to get it back
As for agency if I was you I would go register with them all as it wont hurt
Well done on the pass btw & it wont say on your licence how may times you failed or how many minors you got
congratulations mate,hope all goes well job hunting,cheers,carl.
thanks for the congratulations guys! i have my cpc mod 4 test on tuesday how hard is it to pass and are the examiners looking for exact answers or if you give them a similar answer they would b happy with it?
cheers