kevchalluk:
You seem in good spirits about it, and pretty relaxed/confident and that’s half the battle. If you were stressed and panicking you’d be in trouble!
100% agree Kev.
ROG:
It is more important to leave the same instructor with the trainee on training than taking another trainee for test or retest
Usually the test or retest is a 1 hour-ish warm up prior to the test so does not require anything more than a ‘supervising driver’ in most cases
If the company are doing otherwise then their priorities are wrong
You have way more experience of this than me, so I’m certainly not going to argue with you.
It seems to be working for me now that I’ve been out with 2 instructors that are singing from the same hymn sheet, so to speak. Neither method has been right or wrong. The last 2 days have been much better for me, as it’s more in line with how I was taught to drive a car. Each instructor has been extolling the same things, respect the size/weight/speed of the vehicle as you can’t drive it like a car/van, observation is paramount etc. As Pete mentioned earlier there’s more than one way to skin a rabbit.
What’s right and wrong isn’t for me to say, I don’t have the experience to cast judgement. Your input is greatly appreciated, and I fully understand your position on this.
Peter Smythe:
I’m very good at that - but only by using proper training methods.
You do seem very resiliant and, sincerely, I hope you pass.
But I repeat that this set up seems a bit of a shambles.
Pete
Pete, I spent just over 10 years at City Link, multi dropping in a van.
This isn’t quite a utopia compared to them, but, it’s close.
Went out on the road for most of the time, and underwent a mock test. Went better than I thought it would, I passed it.
I had some minor’s, which is only to be expected. I need to watch my approach speed to roundabout’s, instead of charging up to them, I’m now braking too early. I must remember to apply the handbrake whilst waiting on an incline, and get my foot off the sodding clutch pedal whilst driving. I got a minor for forward planning, I didn’t know there was a junction about 6 foot before the entry to a roundabout, but, that’s a bit of a “meh” one.
Practised the reversing manoeuvre, I’m good to go on that. Did a few trial’s, and there was only one that I took a little shunt forward to straighten up a little. I thought I was a bit close, but, as “Giles” said, I “didn’t -expletive- hit the cone”. Better to be safe than sorry though.
Few beers tonight, quiet weekend and nail the test on Monday. Well that’s the plan anyway.
Just purely curious as to why you think 2:1 training on CE is a nono Dean? I done 2:1 on both categories, and despite failing Class 2 first time, I had a change of vehicle second time round (both the same truck, or identical, make model, engine etc) I passed with it.
Again on CE I done 2:1 like aforementioned and we both got to know each other really well and thrived by watching each other and we remain good friends to this day, just curious purely for your reasons that all though - we both passed first time.
To the OP, think your instructor means that mirrors at a speed limit sign to show the examiner you’ve noticed the change of speed and now it’s time to check your mirrors before any adjustments are made, and not to that you simply have to check your mirrors at a speed limit sign but I think Pete already covered that.
Seems to have been a bit topsy turvey for you but your good spirits are probably keeping you in check and I wish you the very best.
I know the question was addressed to Dean but I’ll stick my oar in if I may!
I don’t like 2:1 training at all. But especially on CE. My reason is that some people grasp the reversing quickly. In fact, most do. But not everyone. So imagine you’re training 2:1 and you’ve got the reverse sussed. Brill. But your partner is struggling. Struggling like hell! You are now wandering about kicking your heels wishing you were out on the road practicing whatever (maybe you have probs keeping the trailer off the kerb for instance). But you cant do this, because you’re stuck on the reversing area.
Now imagine that you’re the guy who’s not finding the reverse easy. You’re under pressure because your partner needs to get out on the road and sort out his kerbs. But yours are fine. All you need to do is sort out this reversing but the trainer’s looking at his watch and your mate’s pacing up and down. Consequently, the chances of this reversing being sorted are diminishing by the minute.[
More imagination. You are training 1:1. You struggle with the reverse. No prob. Take your time and there’s no pressure to get it done at any great speed. Or maybe the reversing’s fine but kerbs are not your best friend. Get out and practice, practice, practice those kerbs.
The most common reason for 2:1 is to minimise travelling to reversing areas which are often a fair drive away and similarly, travelling to the test centre. As we have both on site, we dont have these problems and we’ll stick to what we know works - - 1:1.
Sorry, Dean, to have nicked your answer but hope I’ve done it justice.
Totally opposite experience to Peter when doing C+E 2 to 1
The one who struggled more than the other learnt from watching the better one from the near sidelines to get an overall view of what happened when the other did this or that
Apart from one trainee, all on 2 to 1 got artic reverse sussed in about a couple of hours
Totally opposite experience to Peter when doing C+E 2 to 1
The one who struggled more than the other learnt from watching the better one from the near sidelines to get an overall view of what happened when the other did this or that
Apart from one trainee, all on 2 to 1 got artic reverse sussed in about a couple of hours
With respect Rog, if you had been doing the job as long as me, you would have had hundreds more candidates on which to draw experience.
And if a trainee needs an “overall view”, I’ll demonstrate that so that they see exactly what it should be rather than another trainee’s version of it.
So I respect you view but I’m holding firmly to my 1:1.
Totally opposite experience to Peter when doing C+E 2 to 1
The one who struggled more than the other learnt from watching the better one from the near sidelines to get an overall view of what happened when the other did this or that
Apart from one trainee, all on 2 to 1 got artic reverse sussed in about a couple of hours
With respect Rog, if you had been doing the job as long as me, you would have had hundreds more candidates on which to draw experience.
And if a trainee needs an “overall view”, I’ll demonstrate that so that they see exactly what it should be rather than another trainee’s version of it.
So I respect you view but I’m holding firmly to my 1:1.
So Pete in the eventuality that faced me and my fellow trainee during our CE instruction was that on our reverse we never struggled with getting it over and into the box but we struggled on when to stop as the trick with the mudguard never worked for us (did for me on C but not CE) and the same goes for him too.
We actually were still questioning this minutes before our test and we eventually gave each other pointers which saw us through the test by using a different marker. Without him and I’d like to the think the same, I don’t think our tests would have gone as smoothly.
PS it worked for our instructor so to be fair to him he couldn’t really do much for us except telling us when we were in and to find another marker while we were in to gauge it better next time.
There was also no point during C or CE training where I felt that I’d rather be out while my fellow trainee was practicing on something else. With this in mind again I’m rather thankful that I went down the 2:1 route.
So Pete in the eventuality that faced me and my fellow trainee during our CE instruction was that on our reverse we never struggled with getting it over and into the box but we struggled on when to stop as the trick with the mudguard never worked for us (did for me on C but not CE) and the same goes for him too.
We actually were still questioning this minutes before our test and we eventually gave each other pointers which saw us through the test by using a different marker. Without him and I’d like to the think the same, I don’t think our tests would have gone as smoothly.
PS it worked for our instructor so to be fair to him he couldn’t really do much for us except telling us when we were in and to find another marker while we were in to gauge it better next time.
There was also no point during C or CE training where I felt that I’d rather be out while my fellow trainee was practicing on something else. With this in mind again I’m rather thankful that I went down the 2:1 route.
I’m glad it worked for you = as it can for many people. You were both average trainees and had no exceptional factors in your training.
I will tell you that if an instructor of mine couldn’t sort out the stopping point for a trainee, he’d be down the road pretty damned quick!
So Pete in the eventuality that faced me and my fellow trainee during our CE instruction was that on our reverse we never struggled with getting it over and into the box but we struggled on when to stop as the trick with the mudguard never worked for us (did for me on C but not CE) and the same goes for him too.
We actually were still questioning this minutes before our test and we eventually gave each other pointers which saw us through the test by using a different marker. Without him and I’d like to the think the same, I don’t think our tests would have gone as smoothly.
PS it worked for our instructor so to be fair to him he couldn’t really do much for us except telling us when we were in and to find another marker while we were in to gauge it better next time.
There was also no point during C or CE training where I felt that I’d rather be out while my fellow trainee was practicing on something else. With this in mind again I’m rather thankful that I went down the 2:1 route.
I’m glad it worked for you = as it can for many people. You were both average trainees and had no exceptional factors in your training.
I will tell you that if an instructor of mine couldn’t sort out the stopping point for a trainee, he’d be down the road pretty damned quick!
But I repeat, pleased it worked for you.
Pete
What would you suggest in that case then, that if you got a trainee on Monday that didn’t know where to stop, or the usual point that worked for them before no longer works… what advice would you give, if the advice you then gave never worked and you tried a few different steps and it never worked what would you suggest? He did all he could, and even I myself couldn’t understand why the point wasn’t working for me any longer like it did in C…
It’s fair to say that what you said about the instructor is pretty harsh considering you weren’t there to understand. My training was first class thanks
It’s fair to say that what you said about the instructor is pretty harsh considering you weren’t there to understand. My training was first class thanks
Sam, I said nothing about your instructor; I was referring to mine. Sorry for any misunderstanding. I was merely pointing out that, IMO, trainers should be better at sorting out problems than a fellow trainee.
In my 40 years of training, I’ve never had any difficulty with this. Sometimes more interesting - but never a difficulty.
Went better than I thought it would, I passed it. 
I must remember to apply the handbrake whilst waiting on an incline, and get my foot off the sodding clutch pedal whilst driving. I got a minor for forward planning, I didn’t know there was a junction about 6 foot before the entry to a roundabout, but, that’s a bit of a “meh” one.
