Started my Cat C Training Today - CPC Mod 4 Passed 02/07

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
21

The range change witch can be set in advance of a change from low to high or high to low and will not activate until the gearstick goes into neutral - that can help in many cases when you KNOW that the next gear selection is going to be into the other range
BUT do not forget you have done it especially if something causes you to change your mind

You could, for example, start in low 2 - then get low 4 and lift switch to high - when you go to 5 it will change to high quicker because it has already been set

Same can be done for going down into the low range when needing a speed lower than say 20 mph - if you are in say 7 high and know that 4 low will be needed then whilst in 7 high move switch to low position - brake to 4th gear speed then select 4 without the need to touch the switch and it will be easier and quicker -BUT don’t forget its set to low if the situation changes

22

The range change witch

and look out for the switch as well.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

23

Recently got stuck in high range at a roundabout, and was very ready to believe it was a witch then!
Might be all in the mind, but I think mine dislikes changing from high to low when stationary. Or maybe I rushed it too much…

24

IME range change switches always behave best when pre-selected. It seems that as they get more worn, this becomes more important.

The process is often assisted by moderating speed on approach to junctions and hazards and getting down into the low range before stopping.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

25

Hello people

Day 3 was today

A faultless drive pretty much for the first half an hour, first ■■■■ up being went right, last exit on a roundabout and for some reason i didnt get over to the left for the exit, in fact i did this twice :confused:

Gears, much better. Ive learnt not to be scared of second and i think i was ramming it too far left when trying to get it in, a more relaxed grip gets in to go in much better, still had a couple of moments where it would not go in. Instructor said flick the switch up and down and then try , and it worked ! Wtf ? :open_mouth: :unamused: :laughing:

I left the switch up a couple of times, was on a slight downhill coming out of a junction, thought i was in 4th but the switch hadnt worked and i was in 8th and promptly stalled it in the middle of the road :confused: :unamused:

I then practiced moving off around an obstruction (car parked in front) went okay, but need to remember to look ahead as causing any oncoming vehicle to stop or take avoiding action is a test fail so im told. I then did a slight hill start in 2nd went okay, kangarooed it a bit, then did a proper steep hill start in 1st which i did flawlessly, and then did a downhill start in 3rd with the switch flicked already so just had to pull it out bang it into 5th.

Ive basically got 2.5 hours driving in the morning, up to the reverse area to have a few bashes at that (piece of piddle really) then its back to the base, my mod 4 CPC is at 10 30 then thats me done, first thing Thursday 8am is my test :open_mouth: :blush:

Yesterday was awful and I could have quite easily walked away, but thats not me, and today i still feel a little aprehensive about it all but im feeling a lot more positive, got in at 3 cooked some grub, bit of housework, got to keep busy so ill sleep well tonight im up at 5:30 as start at 7am tomorow instead of 11.

Thanks for everything so far people.

26

Well done. I passed both my tests without encountering a 4 over 4, and it took me a bit of getting used to as well. I had problems with getting stuck in high range but I’m guessing (hoping!) my FH12 is older than the truck you have.

What worked for me is making every effort to flick the switch while still in gear before I stopped. So get down to 5th, flick switch, clutch down, neutral, wait for clunk, then you are reliably in low range. This means allowing more time to stop than usual at roundabouts.

Hang in there, you are very close to having this cracked by the sound of it!

Tim

27

Thanks mate :slight_smile:

I think ill be doing my C+E in an Auto to be fair. :laughing:

Some would disagree but ive had experience of manual so i don’t think im doing anything wrong. :laughing:

28

Some would disagree but ive had experience of manual so i don’t think im doing anything wrong.

You don’t have to justify your decision to anyone! Without a doubt it’s easier to learn/pass on auto. And the fact you know how a manual works means you should have no real problems.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

29

Hi all.

Day 4 was today.

Did very well on the drive to the reversing area. Couple of gear errors where for some reason it had not engaged hi/low, flicked the switch or put it neutral and tried again and all was well. I drove pretty much faultless up to the reversing area and when i went to turn left into the reversing place I caught the kerb with my nearside rear wheel :frowning: :confused: :unamused:

Had 2 attempts at the reverse, first time a little too much over to one side, meaning I had to get a serious shuffle on with the reverse once id straightened it up, and I didnt leave much room between the barrier and the tail lift. Second attempt much better. I feel I will be okay on the reverse if I just watch my front offside wheel on that yellow line.

Drove back fine but again going right on a roundabout at the point where I was supposed to follow it round i followed it round so much then went to turn off back onto the dual carriageway we had just come off :unamused: :blush:

Got back around 9:30 and had a quick chat. 2 of us on the CPC mod 4, i was second. Guy before me passed as did I (95% so happy with that) I got asked about fires and types of fire extinguishers which caught me out a bit.

Test is at 8am in the morning. Starting at 7. Warmup drive around local bits then my test is first which finishes at the reversing area. The second guy then goes from reverse area back to base.

Come round quick ! Eeeeek

30

Sounds like it’s coming together nicely. Get decent night’s sleep, and try and relax for test. I made a point of starting a chat with the examiner before we left the test center…“Have you always lived around here” or something similar, it helped me stay calm.

Very best of luck! Tim

31

Hope it went well for you.

32

Failed unfortunately

I did well for the first part of the test I felt, but I didnt know I was being marked down for my lack of speed which came under gears. Apparently i was constantly doing 5 - 15mph under the speed limit, so got a few marks for that which equated to a serious. I then on the last roundabout pretty much, its markings are misleading, turning right your in the middle lane, well both middle and right to go right, and you sort of have to come across into the left lane as you go round, well apparently I did and then I drifted back across again… :unamused:

So basically failed on what im crap at, roundabouts and keeping in lane and keeping speed up through the gears.

Will see about getting re tested. Work are being awkward with people having time off at the moment.Mehhh

33

Commiserations mate. It took me two goes at cat C. The 2nd time is significantly easier as you know exactly what to expect and what you have to do. Bit more training/practise and I’m sure you will get there.

34

Bad luck mate. Keep your head up and don’t be to disheartened. You’ll get it on the next attemp

35

Would you say the training you received was professional and was the course long enough to get you to test standard ■■

36

I had the CPC mod 4 in with my 5 days, so on Monday and Tuesday I only had 2 out of a possible 4 hours as I had to train for CPC but to be fair all i need to do is work on getting my speed up quicker, and I need to work on roundabouts. Ive always been crap with roundabouts, if theres 2 lanes, left for left, and right lane for straight over/right round etc then im fine, its when you come of like the A46 theres a few roundabouts, one minute your on a dual carriageway next thing youve got 5 possible lanes to choose in front of you. Sods law the one ive struggled with all along in my training is the other reason I failed. I dont know where It is exactly as im not from Leicester originally so i dont know the roads (something else I feel hasnt helped) but basically you go right on it, but you stay in the middle lane, it sort of bends round to the right but you have to get over to the left, cars then creep up the nearside if you dont get over quick enough but once your in the lane it then veers sharply to the right again meaning your at risk (and i did) of drifting back into the middle lane. Im not one of those who blames others or the situation for my failures but that is one crap, badly designed and badly marked out roundabout. Right round takes you onto the A50 for coalville as you head upto Markfield, straight over puts you back on the A46…

Now ive sat and chilled for a few hours and thought about it im contemplating on my next steps. I hated the gears in that truck from day one but i sort of mastered it, she was a bit of an old girl and as me and the other guy on test after me swapped seats for the warmup drive this morning, the whole base/cushion come off the drivers seat! :open_mouth: Luckily managed to resecure it. I reckon if id had been in an auto, aside from the roundabout ■■■■ up (which maybe the examiner would have let slip as it was right at the end of the test) then I feel I would have passed.

Just sods law aint it. I don’t deal with stress and anxiety very well and when im in that state despite how much I try stay out of it, you cant help it, I went through a rough break up 4 years ago and was on serious meds for anxiety, anti psychotics and all sorts so being in that nervous anxious frame of mind during the training and test has brought back some bad memories.

Ive passed my CPC and got my tacho card both valid till 2019. Its going to cost me another £300+ for the retest which obviously covers the test cost plus use of the lorry etc. Need to see whats happening with work and go from there.

Im happy with the service I received, they are a great bunch of lads, Chris my instructor was great, you can talk, have a laugh but hes serious and on the ball when needs be, rog was a right character cracked me up no end of times, and Dorian is a lovely man, a really likeable character ever since I met him I thought he was brilliant. :smiley:

37

With the roundabout issues … I can help for free if you want using your car - that is actually harder because being lower down the markings do not come into view as early !

38

Thanks mate, much appreciated, will see how things pan out, just winding down from it all now, and the outcome. Back to work Monday so will see what the holiday situation is like in getting more time off. :slight_smile:

39

Hi all
Yesterday I failed on things which I was ok before, hit a cone a bit on reversing and kept on 7th gear for to long.
Silly but expensive mistakes, I don’t know what happened. Anyway,after 2 weeks I’m having another go.
I will do exam on a bit smaller truck so this might help as well.
It’s to late to quit, 3rd attempt will be mine as I can see a big progress on my driving, just need a practise I assume.
Wish you good luck with another attempt and never give up, do some overtime like I do and try another time
Cheers

40

Trouble is the money side aswell. Shell out a 4 figure sum only to fail, to pay another £300+ for a retest, fail again and it starts getting expensive.