Start Cat C training tomorrow :0)

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi fellow newbies :wink:
Just to let you know i start the practical training tomorrow 14 th feb , really excited and cant wait to get started seems like ages ago i put the wheeels in motion so to speak :unamused: ,i think it was nov i had my medical anyway my previous thread was here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=65450

Will try to do a little diary ,as ive really enjoyed reading about other folks experiences :slight_smile:

cheers mike

2

good luck mate :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: cheers,carl

3

Good luck remember to relax enjoy if in doubt ask your instructor & listen

4

All the best with your training and good luck with your test look forward to your diary

Jen x

5

Good luck with the training

Yes I agree with all the waiting, I booked my medical in September, had my training assessment in Oct, had first lesson at the end of November but the rest inc test canceled because of snow. Then had Christmas etc to wait through but then passed C in Jan and now its only mid Feb and I have just passed C+E! :grimacing:
So don’t worry its worth the wait :wink:

Rob

6

good luck mate. keep calm and enjoy it

7

Thanks for the comments/advice so far guys :slight_smile:

Well today was day one of five .
9AM start , that was until jim my instructor said he was going to late as his normal route was blocked with a crash :angry: .
So on his advice walked up to cafe and and a brew ,had another call 30 mins later to say he had arrived .
Walked over the road to meet jim and do the paperwork and explain the controls /gears .
I knew the truck was an ERF beforehand , but not what kind of gearbox , turns out it was a four over four ,with the range change switch on the gearlever .
Anyway off we go with jim driving to a local ind est and the fairly quiet roads , ok now it was my turn to drive :confused:
After my short drive i wasnt too happy with my 'performance ’ :angry: :angry: I did struggle with the gears ,got a bit mixed up and clipped a curb on a roundabout :blush: Got slightly shouted at cos i stopped half way over taking a stationary driving instructors car (blocking the road :blush: ) didnt help as white van man blew his horn :unamused: (twonk !)

Back at the cafe it was brew time .Brew consumed … next jim explained the block changing of gears and road positioning around two tight corners that are straight after the test centre . He then demonstrated what was required .
Next up was my 2nd driving session round the two tight bends over afew rounabouts and up to 40 mph :grimacing: and Back to the cafe
Well i had got my head around the gears and only got the wrong gear once :wink: was well chuffed with myself ,oh and no curbs clipped , only other fault was pulling out on roundabout and causing a car to slow down .

well that was it for day one only 2.5 hours but tomorrow its 8 am till 12 pm .

Cheers mike

8

Meant to say after my first driving session i was sooo tense , was much more calm and relaxed 2nd go and it showed in my driving amazing what a break/brew does :grimacing:

cheers mike

9

Day 2 , did the reversing today 3 times all good :wink: the cable tie marker thru the mudguard really works :grimacing:

All is improving only one or do balls up with the gears ! Its funny how it suddenly clicks and the range change swiching almost becomes automatic :slight_smile:

cheers mike

10

You will find that The 8 -12 day really takes it out of you with the concentration needed.

I was shattered after my first 8 - 12.

11

yea i know exactly what you mean! , It really is full on . cant let your concentration drop at all , When you do ,is when you mess up :imp: ,

cheers mike

12

Hi mate, good luck with your test, I passed my cat c last week in shrewsbury and know exactly what mean about the tight bend by the test center, just slow right down and keep looking round for other trucks and you’ll be fine, also i had a notch cut out of the mudflap and it really does work everytime, take it easy round shrewsbury as some parts are quite tight. If you make a mistake on your test like miss a gear or clip a kerb just forget about it and carry on as sometimes they won’t mark you down.

anyway best of luck with your test and if you want any advise let me know :wink:

dan

13

Mikey D:
yea i know exactly what you mean! , It really is full on . cant let your concentration drop at all , When you do ,is when you mess up :imp: ,

cheers mike

How are you getting on with the 4 over 4 'box? I found it pretty easy from the off which i was surprised at, a few incidents of forgetting the switch on day one but it soon becomes routine.

Had any cars cut you up yet on roundabouts?

14

Hi, yea the 4 over 4 box , well its starting to get lodged in my brain where to move the stick and when to flick the switch :unamused: im sure by test day it will be almost automatic . but yea loads better with the gears today , still got 2 days and an hour or two before the test which is on friday . No car cutting up incidents on roundabouts yet as yet !

cheers mike

15

Yeh it does become autonomous, although i forgot it once on my test pulled away in 7th but quickly corrected.

I had a 4 car pile up behind me at a roundabout inside the first hour of my first day. Nothing to do with me I might add, woman wasn’t paying attention coming tota roundabout and slammed on the brakes to avoid the back of my lorry as i was pulling up to the line at the roundabout.

The subsequent 3 cars all collected her and each other. After giving a statement i was on my way with my instructor. Luckily I am a confident driver and it didn’t effect me, someone else may have been put off by it though.

Those couple hours before the test are just a warm up really nothing to demanding so your fresh for the test.