Hi, i made this thread 'cos I’ve recently been having thoughts about possibly going for my class 1…
Been driving class 2s continuously ever since i passed my test almost 3 years ago, and gotten a fair bit of experience with the agency (been flung about 50-60 different companies altogether by now!). It’s been a bit of a lonely learning curve, but I’d say I’m reasonably confident with rigids now, I’ve settled into my own way of doing things, where safety comes first and I never ever rush around for anyone like I first did when I started out - experience is definitely invaluable. Not the best driver in the world but i wouldn’t be scared to attempt to put a rigid into any space that it is physically possible, Lord knows I’ve found myself in that situation too many times to mention! Eventually went from dreading it to being able to do it calmly with a smile on my face now.
Anyhow, I know you guys are experienced and I’ve always used that wealth of experience and this site for advice, so what I’d like to know is; What are the most significant differences between driving a rigid and moving on to an artic? And what will be the main/biggest hurdles to overcome in class 1 if i decided to go for it[/b] ? I’ve always been put off just by the sheer size of the artics (sometimes the places i’ve been sent to have caused some real problems just with the rigid, and it’s crossed my mind “if i was in an artic i honestly don’t know what i would have done!”), i.e. even just finding somewhere to stop and assess/evaluate a situation, before you decide whether or not to plunge into it, or what way to attempt it - i’d imagine that might be impossible with an artic, or at best VERY difficult in the middle of a street with manic car drivers all over you at every angle. …That and the fact that the reversing is a bit funny (steering the wrong way/ not seeing everything in the mirror, etc). I’m ok at reversing, but i don’t know if i could do it without a mirror! I’ve got quite a bit of respect for the guys & girls that drive the class 1s
I can’t say I can comment on the differences really, as I didn’t stop at Class 2, just went straight from vans to Class 1, although have had to drive a Rigid at work a couple of times, which tbh I find hardly any different at all, just feels wierd when you see the backend of the truck sticking straight out behind you in the mirrors instead of snaking round the bends. And it takes a couple of seconds to reconfigure your brain when you put it in reverse and decide which way to steer.
It looks really daunting at first when you see how good some artic drivers are at manouevering and judging distance, spaces, turning points etc. But when you get going yourself you realise it’s not impossible, and I think if you can manage to drive Class 2 for 3years there’s no reason you cant do just as well in an artic, afterall I was on vans for 3 years beforehand and they’re just big cars really.
This time lastyear I was watching the big trucks going past thinking I wonder if I could do that… The whole planning thing is probably the biggest difference, as the truck bends so you gotta be careful about putting yourself in tight situations, as if you move before thinking you could end up getting stuck, and it’s trickier to get unstuck than in a rigid, but as with rigids, you just take your time and if you don’t think it’ll go somewhere, you don’t move until you’re sure.
The artic trailer ‘PIVOT POINT’ is the front axle of a tandem trailer and the middle axle of a tri-axle trailer.
The o/s/f unit wheel controls the n/s trailer pivot point & the n/s/f unit wheel controls the o/s trailer pivot point.
The more room you take with the unit front wheel will mean the more room the corresponding pivot point will have.
Take some time out and go to a place where artics do regular turns and watch them.
Watch out for where the road ‘kicks’ left just before a roundabout as that is a point where you can get caught out with the n/s trailer wheels. Look at the ground near such a place and look for the ruts in the grass etc where others have got it wrong.
Work out what piece of road you need to avoid going over a kerb and stick to your plan. If some else takes the space you need then BRAKE and wait for the space to become clear for you to use.
If, when looking at a roundabout, you think you will need all the room when on the roundabout, then take all the room on the approach.
Check that left mirror just before entering a roundabout or turning left — the examiners are hot on that one.
If unsure what gear to use for a roundabout or turn, try gear 4 if still moving — the highest gear of the low range — most will go up to 20mph which, in most cases, is quite quick enough on test for a small to average roundabout or a 90 degree turn.
On an angle start, get that last possible look in the left mirror before you lose the view as the unit will angle to the right and the trailer will then block the view.
smile!: What are the most significant differences between driving a rigid and moving on to an artic? And what will be the main/biggest hurdles to overcome in class 1 if i decided to go for it[/b] ? [/quote] That’s a very good question smile!, and it’s one that many people might possibly consider at some point. In the same post, you wrote your own answer > smile!: > Eventually went from dreading it to being able to do it calmly with a smile on my face now. IMHO, all you need to do is to consider C+E as the next logical step in vehicle size/weight. You had a learning curve when you went from car to Cat “C,” so you’ll find the step from Cat “C” to C+E covering some familiar territory in terms of speeds and width, but new territory in that the vehicle bends. Many of us went straight to C+E, because there wasn’t the requirement to do “C” first, so some of us struggled a bit in our early stages. At least I’ll own up Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I’d add that it’s possibly time you made your move to C+E Good luck with it
At least I’ll own up 
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I’d add that it’s possibly time you made your move to C+E