The first few weeks or months on Class C

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

As a somewhat prolific idiot on the forum, it’s about time I do another serious post & not act a bellend all the time…
Yes, I’ve done some serious posts! :smiley:

So what’s it like the first time in a truck on your own? :open_mouth:

Well for me it was ■■■■ scared, as I didn’t have any safety net…
And if anything went wrong, it was 100% down to me to sort it out…
I suspect this is probably exactly how everyone feels on their first few days, and don’t necessarily assume that you’re going to get a weeks induction to build your confidence. You have the licence, and you’re expected to drive to earn money!!!

It’s a little weird for the first few hours/days not having a passenger next to you, but that soon passes or rather changes to being completely petrified every time you meet another HGV coming the other way, exactly at a pinch point! :open_mouth: The thoughts of “How wide is my truck?” and “Am I about to lose my mirror?” race through your mind.
Plus the driver coming the other way is thinking “Oh bugger, this guy hasn’t a clue!” :laughing:

But again, give it a few weeks, plus a few stops in a layby to push your N/S mirror back out, this passes…

Next is the nightmare drop or delivery that’s an absolute dog and requires you to block a busy road and reverse down a side street. To start with, you will panic about stopping people and inconveniencing other traffic. You’ll probably feel like the world has stopped turning and all eyes are trained on you, as you now fluff this up! :laughing: And to start with, you probably will fluff it up! You may not drive far enough forward to get your arse end past the entrance way to make it easy, or you may not swing across the road enough to help the angle… Plus you’ll be panicking about whether the traffic behind has stopped far enough back for you to make the turn! :cry: You may also be worrying that you didn’t bring spare undies, etc… :laughing: But give it a month, and your won’t give a ■■■■ about that nightmare drop appearing on your run sheet, because by now, you don’t give a ■■■■ about stopping and holding up traffic, as you know now can ■■■■ the reverse, and therefore no longer feel stressed about the drop.

Yes you will make mistakes during your infancy, but don’t let that put you off, as anyone who says they didn’t screw up to start is a liar! :smiley:

Give it a few months and you won’t fear anything, even if it at the start it scares the crap out of you…

P.S. This post come to you from my feminine side, and all copyright is reserved! :smiley:

P.P.S. I’ve been driving my 26t VAN with rear steer for 3 months now, and it’s now second nature. So I no longer care what appears on my runsheet, or what road my sat nav tells me to take. But that doesn’t mean I follow it blindly, as I will quite often drive past a turning while telling my sat-nav to go away ■■■■■■■■! :laughing: Then consider other options after I’ve found a safe place to pull over…

So my advice for any newbie; is not to panic and take your time, as confidence WILL come with experience…

Best of luck people! :grimacing:

2

Well said mate and very true. The main fear indeed is getting yourself into a situation you wont be able to handle. And there is no real cure for this one.

3

I remember having to reverse into a Co-op store from a busy road. Went round the block 3 times before I managed to get the break in the traffic. Made a right pigs ear of it, had 3 members of the public try and help me! Finally got it in, only to be sent back there the next day where I did it in one!

4

For me it’s the same principle as nervousness on a test. You’ve learned the basics of being able to drive the “van” but until you get put into the real world you don’t fully know what to expect or how to deal with every situation.

In some ways I think I will be more relaxed with making small mistakes not having an instructor or examiner sat next to me, at least I’m only making myself look a ■■■■ then!

It’s just like when you pass your car test and you go out on your own the first time, except this time instead of being brimming with confidence you are more hesitant as you know that size matters and makes a hell of a difference.

5

WOW! This is way to much of a sensible post from you what the ■■■■ has happened? Has someone hacked your account and posted on your behalf or something :stuck_out_tongue: