Today is the first day of my Professional Driving career (hopefully). I am just leaving for my first day of category C training.
Pics and Diary to follow.
Good luck to anyone who is training or having a test this week.
Dean
Good Luck
All the best Rick
Good luck dar1976
keep us updated
Jen x
Good luck listen to your instructor & enjoy
Day one over. I am in one piece. The other student is in one piece. The instructor still has all his hair. A steep learning curve.
Was ready to throw in the towel at lunchtime. Could not get the hang of the 4 over 4 gearbox at all. And bounced rear wheels off a roundabout.
Fortunately, Max, the instructor was patient and I made it through the day
Afternoon drive went a lot smoother and it was all fitting into place as we were heading back to the yard.
Here’s hoping for a better day tomorrow
Thanks to all of you for your words of encouragement 
Dean
Haha, you’ll get used to it mate. It’s a whole new way of driving, by thursday you’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about.
I learnt in a straight 6 with a splitter, first 4 over 4 I drove was a 27 ton ERF and it took me a good hour of stop start driving to sort myself out with it. I was fine going up the gears, problems arise however when you come to a roundabout and have to select a suitable gear to continue 
I was missing gears and getting it stuck in neutral, getting high range instead of low and nearly stalling, and the other way round! 
Just got home and I feel shattered.
Checking mirrors in pairs and getting used to the 4 over 4 gearbox have both been weaknesses today but hoping that it will be less stressful tomorrow and I can improve on the experiences of today.
8.30am test on Friday in Marsh Barton, Exeter. Not looking forward to the early test but at least I won’t have a chance to panic 
Dean
Good luck dar1976, I see you enjoyed your first day then just listen to your instructor & you’ll be fine, you’ll get better each day, just keep a cool head & you’ll be ok 
good luck! i start my training on wednesday, first thing im doing is the cpc module 4 training, followed by the test for that in the afternoon, then its out in the truck and that test is next wednesday. im bricking it
Good luck charliebear with your module 3 and 4. I am doing my module 4 once I know I have module 3 under my belt.
Yesterday was tough going. Mentally I was exhausted. By the time I got home all I wanted to do was curl up in a bundle and sleep.
When I closed my eyes, all I could see was a gear stick and big steering wheel.
Hoping for a good day today
Dean
I would be doing my mod 4 after the driving test, but they had a cancellation at the training centre so I’m doing it a month earlier than what was originally booked for. I’ve spent the last month or so just revising, so I’m reasonably confident about tomorrow.
This is the bugger that has given me so many headaches since yesterday.
Don’t know what’s the matter with me. I consider myself a reasonably good car driver and therefore it should just be the difference in gears and vehicle dimensions. It’s coming along slowly but still needs lots of work.
Reversing tomorrow morning.
It seems to be that I am relaxing after lunch and doing a better PM drive. Not much good with an early AM test. but hopefully it will all come together by Friday AM.
Dean
Nice picture dar1976, you sound a bit more confident today but try to relax & enjoy your training in the mornings as well 
so you are calmer for taking your test on friday morning, dont forget to listen to your instructor Hi charliebear, Good Luck to you too with your mod4 & driving test, keep a cool head - you’ll be fine
Don’t worry mate, it’ll come together. Just take your time sizing up junctions and the like before turning so as you don’t hit/mount the kerb. Keep a close eye on your drivers side mirror at roundabouts so you don’t hit it with your back wheel and likewise with the other mirror for your positioning, the width is going to take some getting used to. Same with the gearbox, it’s just practice. Once you’ve been driving them a bit you’ll be flying mate 
Also, don’t take too much notice of other peoples diaries on learning. Some people pick things up very quickly - others don’t, you’re only human and everyones different. It doesn’t mean you’re no good at it just because it’s taking a bit to sink in, I bet your instructor will tell you there’s been people a lot worse than you!
Anyway, just relax and enjoy it - you’ve paid for it after all!
Day 3 and it’s a morning of reversing. Also looking like my first wet day too.
Rain also forecast for test day 
. I guess one positive is everything should be slower and therefore I should have more time to think about gears and road position.
Hoping for a good day.
Good luck charliebear. Hope it all goes well for you today too.
Thanks Chris and bonnie_lass for advice. It doesn’t help having to be up 3 1/2 hours before I start. Starting to feel it at midweek point. My colleague who is learning with me this week is 8 years younger than me and it’s easy to see who is the stronger of the two of us even though we both started the week having driven nothing bigger than 3 1/2 tonnes. Beginning to wonder if age is a factor and whether I am going to need more training. Let’s hope not as I am self funding and cannot afford another go at it till well after Christmas. Keeping everything crossed for a good day
Dean
Know how you feel on the age thing as when I done mine I was a lot older than the guy I was training with he had also worked on building sites driving JCB, FLT etc ( but was all in house ) he didnt have a bad day at all ( even though I had a bed morning ) it was him who failed his test so it dont really mean anything
Why are you getting up 3.5 hrs before you start 
is there not another training provider closer and remember one size dont fit all
I have a 2 hour journey by public transport to get to my training provider as I live in a semi rural location.
Today has been fantastic. The reversing went without a hitch and controlled stopping practises were spot on. The driving has fallen into place with just the odd minor fault (usually due to not checking blindspots or weak on mirrors).
Mock tests tomorrow and ironing out any last minute issues. Then Friday morning is the test
I feel a lot more confident about passing now. Just gotta remember the mirrors and blindspots BEFORE the manoeuvre.
Hope charliebear got on ok today with his mod 4
Dean
Nice one mate, glad it’s all coming together for you at last Good luck for friday!
Glad it’s going well but don’t be surprised if you hate tomorrow as mock tests usually bring out all your mistakes, but obviously that’s the whole point of them so just take on board everything you get wrong and work on it and I’m sure you’ll be fine for your test. Good luck.
When I did my mock test I got 20 minors but on test I got 2 I think or was it 4 carnt quite remember 
so dont worry to much about it as it says only a practice really