Thats what I mean, it’s frustrating because I know I gave a good drive yet the examiners go off every little check point most of the minors were out of nerves. I think the examiners should look at overall performance instead of check boxes.
Don’t take it to heart. Forget about them and the last result.
I’ve had my class 2 since 1991 when I was 21. Was driving a ten ton tipper which was actually smaller in length than a standard 7.5T rigid at the time. Then within a month or so, was on Wagon & drag. Different truck + trailer.
For the first month or so, I thought Sierra & Vauxhall Cavalier man only had two fingers!!! 
Give your examiner a boring drive.
My mate failed his test on c+e for not putting his handbrake on when at a STOP sign. Minors zero, serious 1. FAIL = not applying handbrake at STOP sign. He passed 10 days later with 3 minors.
Look at it like this. If you got mugged the first time !!!
I think the examiners should look at overall performance instead of check boxes.
Maybe a quick explanation of the marking system would help. Few instructors explain this properly and it leads to all sorts of problems. There are 4 grades of fault. Most think there are 2 - minor and serious. But the first one is actually “not worthy”. This is where a fault has occurred but it’s judged “not worthy” of a mark. So not EVERY fault is marked. Next up is the minor mark. This is where the fault is a little more serious or repeated and so becomes worthy of a mark. “Serious” is where the minor fault is repeated time and time again or where the action of the candidate has had an effect on another road user or a regulation has been broken (eg traffic lights, speed limit). The fourth is “dangerous”. Reasonably self explanatory. The dangerous fault has had a very real effect on another road user. Typically, they’ve been carved up and had to take evasive action. This is often coupled with “ETA” which is “examiner took action”.
So there is a degree of overall assessment rather than ticking boxes. Candidates should also know that the examiner has to write a blow by blow account of the fail points whereas he has very little paperwork to do with a pass. So there is no incentive for a fail to be dished out.
The hard fact is that people make mistakes on test. I have accompanied on tests and wanted to deny all knowledge of the candidate!! The strangest things happen.
The secret is to be well prepared and learn the craft of truck driving as far as possible before taking the test. Don’t ever treat it as a dummy run. It’s there to be passed first time. Clearly, this doesn’t happen all the time. I have little time for candidates who want to play the system like roulette - keep going and going until the bullet fires at the right time! The only real way is to prepare properly. And if the first test goes wrong, take advice from the trainer as to whether or not further training should be taken before the next test.
My mate failed his test on c+e for not putting his handbrake on when at a STOP sign.
That, on it’s own, would not be a fail. The STOP sign means STOP. There is no requirement to automatically apply the park brake. This was taught to novices on cars in times gone by but is not even required on them now. The hard fact is that people NEARLY stop and simply roll through the junction at 2 mph. That would be, quite correctly, a fail. Regulations have been broken. Another reason could be that he was facing uphill and so rolled back moving away. Finally, standing any length of time at the STOP line would need the park brake - especially if there were pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicle.
I have the greatest sympathy with the OP. But I hope I may have shed a little bit of light on the myths surrounding driving tests.
All the best, Pete 
Thanks pete, it’s just frustrating that’s all. All I want now is a retest so I can jump back in and get a pass.
Pete.
The fail was for NOT APPLYING the handbrake at a STOP SIGN.
macci:
Pete.The fail was for NOT APPLYING the handbrake at a STOP SIGN.
As Peter righly said - that is not a fail - its not even a minor
If the wheels stop moving completely and there is no other issue then not applying the HB has no bearing on it
I was told to always apply the handbrake at stop signs when I did my training this year too.
Was told I’d fail if I didn’t
Was told I’d fail if I didn’t
Was told wrong then.
The requirement for a STOP sign is to STOP. Nowhere on the sign does it instruct you to apply the park brake. On cars it used to be common practice to teach the use of the hand brake at a STOP sign to make sure the car had actually stopped. It’s not taught like that on cars now and never has been on large vehicle.
Your quote above is a demonstration that there are untrained, unqualified “trainers” out there guessing at the requirements.
Pete
Sorry to hear u failed , sounds like nerves kicked in and you lost concentration, my second fail on class 1 was because I took a turn too wide and went into the path of oncoming traffic caused someone to slow down so failed , its a bummer but whilst your on test everything has to be right so you can show the examiner that you can handle the veh , so when stopping if your gonna be there for a more than 30 secs put parking break on stops you rolling back of forwards when foot comes off foot break and gives you time to do your mirror checks before pulling away ,
Im sure you know all this just need to keep that concentration for the hr on your test and you will crack it on the retest, hope you get one soon and you will have the best christmas prezzie for this year 
macci:
Pete.The fail was for NOT APPLYING the handbrake at a STOP SIGN.
maybe you have picked your mate up wrong or he picked the examiner up wrong, theres a good chance he has rolled (backwards or forwards) and this has caused him to fail?? and when explaining this at the end of the test he has said you should have stuck the hand break on this would have stop the roll and you mate thinks that the hand break was the fail then??