I am planning to go back to the same company to do the C+E but they offer both Wag + Drag or Artic. So I am looking for comments from you C+E types.
Firstly, did you do the C then the C+E more or lass straight away or did you go away, do some C work and return much later. I am thinking of going straight back to build on the knowledge i have built already this week.
Secondy, any trainers got a point of view on going Wag & Drag -v- artic?
Iâd go for wag and drag as you already know the lorry and itâs the same with a trailer on the back, donât make the test harder than you need to by using a different combination, you can learn on a atric when youâve passed i.e. on the road. You could always spend a bit of money having a training day after your test to get used to an artic⌠my thoughts,
p.s. passed 1st time with wag and drag
I got abit of experience first, about 3months, that was just enough to get use to being up in something quite high and wide, but many people do go from C to C+E with no problems, but personally I felt it helped. Never driven wag n drag but end of the day not many uk firms run them.
In your shoes i would do at least a month or so on C work. As already said, you can get used to the heigh, width and handling of a large vehcile as the real learning actually happens once out in the âreal worldâ But thats just my opinion.
I passed about 5 months ago on class 2. Have done class 2 driving for a while and am due to start my class 1 training on Monday. Feeling more confident about it than if i had gone straight into it. Everyone is different though.
As already said by Saaamon, not too many companys seem to run wag and drag. From what i have heard from other drivers, driving a class 1 is a bit more difficult. You might benifit from doing your class 1 as aposed to wag and drag. Plus you may well fine more job opportunities.
A guy call Peter Sythe will be best to ask as i belive he specialises in wag and drag training.
IMO itâs a no brainer. Train and test on W+D then have an hour or so on artic for comfort. There is no question that this is the easier way of getting the licence which is the first step into CE work.
As for whether or not to get C experience; the jury is still out on this one! Experience is clearly handy for confidence with a large vehicle. However, if you allow yourself to slip into bad habits, then youâll end up spending time on your CE course sorting them out. In my view, itâs 6 and 2 3âs.
What is important is that youâre happy with the quality of training on offer. If youâre comfortable with your existing trainer then it makes sense to stay with them. No point in changing for the fun of it!
Peter Smythe:
IMO itâs a no brainer. Train and test on W+D then have an hour or so on artic for comfort. There is no question that this is the easier way of getting the licence which is the first step into CE work.
As for whether or not to get C experience; the jury is still out on this one! Experience is clearly handy for confidence with a large vehicle. However, if you allow yourself to slip into bad habits, then youâll end up spending time on your CE course sorting them out. In my view, itâs 6 and 2 3âs.
What is important is that youâre happy with the quality of training on offer. If youâre comfortable with your existing trainer then it makes sense to stay with them. No point in changing for the fun of it!
Good luck, Pete
Hiya all, sorry for hijacking the post for a minâŚ
So you think its way easier on wag & drag?? its just I did some work on Mostyn docks driving an artic onsite with reversing and tight swing rounds right on the quayside and found it easy, I do realise its not on the road but I was just thinking handling wise,
Iâm only asking for when I do my c and c+e, Iâve only drove 7.5âs on the road.
If by wag and drag you mean a proper one, wheel in each corner, then go for the artic every time. Much easier.
If you mean one of those caravans with axles in the middle, there wonât be much difference. It is really just an artic with a long tractor and short trailer. The shorter trailer makes it a little harder reversing but basically it is the same technique.
Mind you, mastering a âtraditionnelâ, as they call them here, is more satisfying.
I was making the assumption that it was a close coupled trailer for w+d (caravan style). And, without any shadow of doubt, they are easier to drive forwards and no more difficult going backwards. Remember that the reversing exercise is changing to a smaller area and this plays straight into the hands of the w+d in preference to artic.
I have stated before on the forum that I spent 20+ years training folk on artics before going onto w+d about 15 years ago. So Iâm not guessing; this is experience. I also spend a lot of time sorting out reversing for folk who trained on artic and failed. Thereâs nothing big and brave about making life difficult. But I always say that a short session on artic post-test is a really good plan.
Peter Smythe:
âŚThereâs nothing big and brave about making life difficult. But I always say that a short session on artic post-test is a really good plan.
+1
I have done the same and found it very beneficial.
Get your license category the easiest way you can then go and play with the artics without the pressure
I went straight in for my c+e after passing c and went for the artic option didnât find it a problem now at work been sent out in a rigid twice and I hate it cannot wait to jump back into the big boy.
What area are you in as one of us on here may have used the same company as you and offer advice
Thanks to all who replied, its made up my mind to jump straight back in and do it in January on Wag & Drag. And yes Peter it is a close coupled setup, they have a fleet of Cat C which they simply double up on by adding the trailer so chances are I will be in the same vehicle I am used too.
I will then do an hour or 2 in the artics to take away any pressures that still linger.
I did my test in the army in a bedford which weighed 10t had 4 wheels and a car gear box and a 1 and3/4 trailer with 2 wheels piece of cake compared to what i drive now. Pass youâre test in whats easier then learn how to drive what you have to drive.
My experience was i went out for an assesment in both artic and w&d and after a lot of thinking decided to go with artic training as felt a lot more comfortable and seemed to get the space awareness no problem when driving forwards then came to do reverse and is well documented on here what happened and I failed on reverse now f fwd and after approx 1 hr of training with Peter in his w&d was reversing confidently so its up to you , mabe the w&d was easier to reverse or it could of been down to a trainer not confusing me personaly think it was the latter but am taking my c+e again in w&d and I look at this way I have the training on artic already and will now learn w&d so will be in a good position if pass now as have training on both so really its down to you but may a suggest that you ask at assement if you can have a go at reversing so can try in both too
just my two peneth
now f fwd and after approx 1 hr of training with Peter in his w&d was reversing confidently so its up to you , mabe the w&d was easier to reverse or it could of been down to a trainer not confusing me personaly think it was the latter but am taking my c+e again in w&d and I look at this way I have the training on artic already and will now learn w&d so will be in a good position if pass now as have training on both so really its down to you but may a suggest that you ask at assement if you can have a go at reversing so can try in both too