Passing my test

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi all :frowning:

Ive been trying to pass my class two and have failed twice. First time hit somthing in the test centre due to nerves, and second time, because a driver let me go as he was on the phone.

My point is that I have passed many things over the past five year, plumbing, carpentry, bike licence, and in each case the person testing me appeared to want me to pass, yes I made small mistakes, but they could see I was ok.

Driving however, I feel the instructors looks at me as some form of low life, and I have even been taught strange little things to appease the instructor, like tapping the gas pedal when changing gear.

Its no wonder their is a shortage of drivers, as its so dear, takles so long, and so hard, even when I have been driving for the past 20 years.

Finally, before anyone says, its hard because I could kill people, the same could be said if I plumbed your house incorrectly?

So with a great feeling of losing my faith in the whole lot, can or does anyone know if I can take my test in another european country, or is their a way of just taking a test in the USA/Canada and becoming an owner driver

Many thanks for reading this
Steve :frowning:
Please help as I want is to become a truck driver

2

Have you considered taking your test at a different test centre??

Yes I know they are all supposed to have the same standards, but in reality they don’t.

there has been discussions on doing your licence in a different country, but the bottom line is that you would have to take a test here eventually.

all the best with it and welcome to trucknet
Stuart

3

I suppose you could try a different test centre although personally I’m not sure it would help. I think the main problem is the fine line between pass and fail, it only takes one small mistake to ruin a good drive and receive a fail, then it’s a retest which can happen anywhere to anyone.
I don’t know what taking your test abroad entails, although it would probably involve a lot of red tape and expense so it’s not really practicle, although licences issued within the EU are AFAIK exchangable.

Good luck.

4

I would probably stick with the same test centre, sometimes it does seem like they don’t want to pass you - in reality it is just that it is much easier to fail than pass !!!

5

I completely agree with you Steve, I passed my Class 2 in July on the third attempt and it was an absoluetly horrible time for me, it really is like living a nightmare when you put all your savings into something and it just feels like you’re peeing into the wind when it comes to the test, where the slightest little thing can fail you on a bad day, yet doing worse on another day wouldn’t get you failed. I passed on my third go and it was an atrocious test, I did atleast five failable things but the examiner, the same guy who failed me on test No.2 just spent more time looking out of the side window and twidling his fingers and come the end just told be I’d passed. All I can say is stick with it, you’ve come this far so you can’t give up or it’ll all be a waste.

I’ll have my Class 1 coming up soon, I’m not looking forward to it at all, I like the learning experience but I don’t like the desperate situation you have to face on the test which I don’t feel is a fair judgment of driving ability its just spot test of how few mistakes you just happen to make during that one hour, hardly a good means in my opinion of deciding wether you can drive the thing or not.

6

On one of my tests I was convinced I had passed and when the examiner asked if I would like my instructor present for the debrief I knew I had failed, I was racking my brains trying to think what it could be.The examiner then announced I had failed for taking up too much road on a left hand turns.
So after completing the rest of the test perfectly ok it boiled down to something as ridiculous as that, I thought he was having a laugh but unfortunately for me he wasn’t. Apparently that particular examiner has a reputation down at the test centre for failing people.
On my next test I was more than relieved when I got a different examiner drove exactly the same and passed with no problem.

7

Dooby:
On my next test I was more than relieved when I got a different examiner drove exactly the same and passed with no problem.

Thats just it, from failing one test, to waiting for your next, its not as if you’ve suddenly improved your driving ability, you’re exactly the same as before and you either don’t happen to make random mistakes or the pass rate needs bumping up a bit. I still find it suspicious that my first two tests were on Fridays at the end of the month, both went well and i failed both and my third and final test was on a Monday in the first week of the month, everything went wrong, and I passed. Ocourse I can’t prove anything but my Class 1 training will now be at the begining of the month!

8

Some examiners just seem to be looking for any excuse to fail you and you feel you would have to drive like a god to pass, on the other hand other ones seem to have made up their mind that they are going to pass you unless you write off the vehicle of course.
My instructor said he knew a quota system was in operation but was uable to prove it.
They were even starting to suggest that everytime one of their trainees was alocated that particular examiner the instuctor sits in on the test, of course this is no guarantee of a pass but it may deter any funny business.

9

My instructor said he knew a quota system was in operation but was uable to prove it.

Complete urban myth… You drive well enough to make the grade you pass … … …

10

Gazzareth:
Complete urban myth… You drive well enough to make the grade you pass … … …

I beg to differ.

Try THIS link, and you might just start to believe otherwise.

Having been involved in training, there have been days when I’ve seen potential ‘clean sheeters’ fail, and other days when ‘no hopers’ pass. In my experience, Examiners choose the route according to the result that best fits their percentile profile. Brushing or clipping (but not mounting) a kerb might go down as a Driving Fault on one day, whereas, on another day, it could be marked as a Serious.

I don’t think anybody is going to say it is hard because you could kill people. THAT could be said of any trade, including catering. :laughing: Although, in my experience, many have appeared to try.

Practice, preparation, and forward planning, are the main ingredients. It is a common criticism on here that most drivers do not look beyond the front of their bonnets. The ‘professional’ driver needs to look way beyond their stopping distance and ‘plan’ accordingly.

To quote a couple of examples, on one occasion, returning to the yard, we turned right at a junction and, 200, perhaps three hundred yards ahead, was a car parked half on the footpath. Straight away I am pointing it out and saying ‘plan for the hazard’.

When we got back to the yard he stated that what I had been saying all of the previous days had suddenly fallen into place. He acknowledged that he could ‘see’ that the car was there, but had previously not been ‘reacting’ to its presence. The following day he passed his Class 1.

On another occasion, intending to turn right at the next roundabout, we are in Lane 1, with a car in Lane 2, but holding back. I can see trainee looking at car driver through mirror. I can also see car driver looking at at trainee through his mirror. “put indicator on” says I. “But I’ve got a car on my right”, complains trainee.

At the next stop, he gets an almighty rollicking on the basis that signals are a means of communicating intentions. BLOODY COMMUNICATE was the essence of my tirade. A couple of hours later he also went on to pass his Class 1.

11

Welcome to tnet hgvsteve :wink:
The training and qualification period is notoriously difficult with some fairing better than others, I for one found it one of the most stressfull times of my life :blush: . You put yourself under so much pressure trying to learn everything, do everything perfectly then your future depends on impressing someone but please try to understand the effect this pressure has on you. I personally feel that someone will not fail you if you have driven well just because of statistics but I felt as you do when I was training, I look back now and I would have failed myself too. Stick with it, what is more frightening the stress of continuing or living with the thought that it beat you? People here do understand what you are going through and will offer you support and advice, you just need to ask. :wink:
Good Luck!

12

:slight_smile: Hi Steve,Welcome to TruckNet.

Sorry to hear about your previous test results. Stick with it , you’ll nail it next time, - I have a cunning plan for you! :sunglasses:

Try Kalms, they’ve been recommended on here quite a few times.

kalmsstress.com/kalms.htm

Start taking them as directed a few days before your next test, they will help control the nerves and stress leading up to and on your big day.

Good Luck !

**Lucy - now there’s an Idea - Kalms have been positively recommended on here several times now, …a possible sponsor for this forum, perhaps ? :wink: :laughing:

13

Hi steve welcome to TruckNet UK :smiley: .
As already said stick with it and all
the best for next time :smiley:

14

HI Steve

Stick with it you will get there…

I failed the first time due to gears…i then passed on the second time…but with 3 minors on the gears still (4 over 4 box).

As regards to the test centre…if you known the roads then stick with the same centre.I downloaded the routes off the net for garretts green which alot of them turned out to be routes i known like the back of the hand then i route bashed them with different combinations of where i might go on the day.

I felt just like you steve when i failed but came on forums for the support,got it and did it second time…!