just a quick post i thought others might take intrest in after a talk with one of our drivers today just wondered how many prefer atric to rigid for general use for the test etc. the driver i spoke to hates rigids as “they wont bend” and find artics easier to drive even though there much longer what does everyone else think to this?
In regard to the DSA test - trainees usually find the artic easier because they progressed to it from a rigid (small truck to bigger truck) whereas when the did the rigid they came from a car (car to truck) - big difference 
good point rog i aint dtarted training for my c+e yet so never drove one but id think the ridgid would have been easier goes to show how wrong and easily mislead you can be.
There are plenty of artic drivers who won’t drive rigids for whatever reason. Some are snobs and think it’s beneath them but a lot don’t like them because they don’t bend.
Personally I’m happy to stick on the rigid side but I can see what they mean, when I returned to a rigid it took a little while to readjust.
ROG:
In regard to the DSA test - trainees usually find the artic easier because they progressed to it from a rigid (small truck to bigger truck) whereas when the did the rigid they came from a car (car to truck) - big difference
bigcheese:
good point rog i aint dtarted training for my c+e yet so never drove one but id think the ridgid would have been easier goes to show how wrong and easily mislead you can be.
This is why I recommend that C pass drivers get some experience before going for C+E - it makes the transition easier IMO
i think you are right about getting some experience on a rigid first although aint it better to take the artic while your still in " test mode " and develop any bad habits, then just work your way from rigid to artic then?
whats everyones thoughts on this?
bigcheese:
i think you are right about getting some experience on a rigid first although aint it better to take the artic while your still in " test mode " and develop any bad habits, then just work your way from rigid to artic then?whats everyones thoughts on this?
That is the other opinion. 
My suggestion is to get 2 to 3 months experience on rigids but drive for a couple of hours once a week like you did on test before doing C+E
At least that way, you get to know what the numpties out there can throw at you before attempting to drive something that could be 16.5 metres long and bendy
I passed C at the end of June, first week i’d ever been in a truck and it was a bit hairy for the first couple of days. Passed first go though 
Considered going straight in for the c+e but then decided to have a few weeks driving so I could feel perfectly comfortable in the cab.
Going for my assesment drive tomorrow and hopefully will feel much more at ease than if i’d done it last month.
Thats just me though, I suppose everyones different.
You always get one, and I’m ‘that one’. 
I passed my C about 18 Months ago, could get work as a ‘Rigid’ Driver so saved up and went on a C&E Course. I found that Driving the Artic, I wouldn’t say easy, but it was not as hard as I thought it would be. It is pretty manouverable (?sp) and does what you ‘tell’ it. The problem I did have was with the reversing. That was a complete nightmare from the start, that I put down to having no experience driving a long vehicle.
If I could ‘go back’ I’d try harder to get a job driving a rigid before going for my C&E.