This must be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. After driving a car for 30 years in lots of different countries, I have failed twice at Class 2.
It seems so difficult to pass with 30 hours training beforehand.
There is so much to remember and in the order of doing things, but I will not give up. If it’s the third time to pass or the eighth then so be it.
What strikes me is the amount of foreign drivers that seem to be flooding in to fill the urgent need for drivers. I bet the driving test in Poland is not as strict as ours.
On the second test, the examiner seemed quite angry right from the start and raised his voice twice at minor issues. Is it right for an examiner to be aggressive like this? If he was trying to unsettle me, he did…
The examiner should not be aggressive towards you - not for minor issues anyway. If you done something really serious and nearly given him a heart attack then all well and good.
Try asking the DSA for a copy of their Charter/Code of Practice. If you think you have grounds for a complaint, this will tell you how to do it.
If you do, wait until you actually pass - otherwise they’ll probably start failing you on things you haven’t done wrong!
While I don’t claim to know what I’m talking about it could be not so much your driving and more the fact that you’re being tested, nerves, which prevents you not see the “big picture”
I’m having the same trouble passing my class 1, 2nd failure., often down to a few silly things cause I’m not concentrating on what I should be. Take for instance mirrors. On the test, while I’m always looking in the mirrors I’m not really seeing anything, just going through the motions, yet out on the road I’m aware of everything around me, one eye on the road and the other on my drivers mirror. Roundabouts, on the test it seems like a jumble and can’t see the wood from the tree’s, yet on the road no problem, everything’s clear, It’s that “big picture”
I’m going to take a different attitude, it’s only a test, 70 sobs, no biggy…
As for the examiner, not a lot I can say really I’ve always found them very friendly.
Ohhh Apo… sorry to hear you didnt get it this time round mate, but no, dont give up… keep on going and you’ll get the just rewards in time mate…
But In a word, no… the examiner was wrong for raising his voice at all. I would have thought you had grounds for a complaint, but just remember that this wont change the outcome of your test, it will just give him some grief cause they will be watching him, and might make you feel better…
and another BIG BUT!!!.. your complaint will not jeopodise ANY future tests, at least they bleedin well shouldnt… ifthey do, you could take the DSA to court with one hell on a discrimination Chrage…
Good luck buddy, and keep at it… one day, you’ll get there mate, one day…
Very sorry to hear your news. I realise now how lucky I was. I got an examiner who put me at my ease more than at any time I’ve known,in interviews or tests. He is the senior examiner up here near Glasgow, and I’m sure his attitude helped me pass, I was so un-expectedly relaxed.
But keep on trying, now that I am on the road I am really glad I did the course and test. I am enjoying myself so much even although it is very hard work at times.
I also have an appreciation of what an unsung bunch of heroes truckers are. It seems to be an industry like a lot of others in our country where the worth of the workers is run down by the media and the powers that be. As somebody
said ,when you look around at what you’ve got it nearly all came in a truck!
The bonus for me is all the help I’ve been getting as a newbie agency driver from permanent drivers in the customers yards. What would make it perfect is if their office staff gave some maps and directions of difficult drops. Some have, and it makes all the difference.
Don’t give up. It took me four tests before I passed and I’ve got to say your problems sound similar to mine. One of the examiners in particular I took a dislike to because of his attitude so I changed test centers. Who do you think I got for my next test, yes he was covering for some one who was off sick.
My problem was nerves my instructors all said the closer I got to the time for my test my driving would get worse. I’m not normally a nervous person. On both tests I passed I made mistakes (minors) early on decided I had failed and I wouldn’t take any more I gave up and just drove around the route and on my class one started chatting to the examiner. I passed with six minors despite having a minor accident on test. Good luck
Thanks for all the support and kind words.
It is just so frustrating waiting to pass the test so the work and real driving can start.
Thanks once again,
aposhark
stick with it buddy, you will get there in the end mate trust me . i was lucky on class 2 i passed first time but on class 1 it took me 3 attempts and i can tell ya i was so down bout it, i thought bout sticking with class 2…but this bunch of great guys on here kept me going and hey look at me now driving my lorry and havin blast doing it
just stick with it bud and you will get there trust me mate. as for that moody examiner…well should of given him a slap with a smile on your face mate
Thanks for the support M8.
Yes, I too get comfort from kind ppl’s remarks. I don’t have any mates who are drivers and this forum really does give us support doesn’t it.
I don’t suppose anyone takes failure easily but it is peers who keep us going.
At least you are there now, and smiling - great stuff - well done that man
I will feel better when I pass the bloody thing and can earn a crust
i may be there now apo, but mate i went through exactly what your going through now. i gotta be honest with you too, i am smiling now and havin a blast but i am still learning things everyday mate and some situations make me nervous even though i got the licence. when people say passing the test is easy and the hard work starts when you got the licence…every word is true mate.
the hard work really does start when you get your licence, you come across different situations everyday, different places to get your lorry into, different people…some of which will be really helpful and pleasant and others you will just want to wrap a bat around their head. but it is all part of it mate. you will get there mate and after your first day at work, you will look back on this post and think jesus the hard work really does start after you pass your test.
you will get there and i will be one of the first to congratulate you too, it is blindin when you hear another driver joining the ranks, not if,but when you pass your class 2 get straight in and do your class 1 mate
hi all
just failed my c2 for the 2nd time … (6 days.instruction 4 hrs per day… ) same examiner arrgghhhhh well must keep on although i feel like a donkey and the carrot is so close if you get my drift…just have to book one a.s.a.p
great reading all the stories on here excellent site …no snow here in costa dell hull east yorks as of yet but im sure its on its way
I got my Class 2 on the third go. You’ll get it eventually if you want it enough. I know it’s not too comforting when you keep seeing the pennies rolling out the bank, but if you want it then keep at it .
already got a new test date … thanks for the encouragement .not telling anyone new date… less pressure
third time lucky and all ,that but so close then i suppose once test is over the hard work can really start… would you advise taking c1 as soon as or get experience on c2 for a while
i really want to do long distance work plenty on c2 here from from costa dell hull
thanks
hairy gorilla or should it be bald gorilla now im over 40 and losing it?
Depends on your confidence,Hairygorilla… I passed class 2 first time 2 years ago but stuck with it for a year to gain experience. A year later I felt ready for class 1 and passed that first time too. Now I’ve been driving artics for a year with no problems.
There are others who have done a crash course whereby they do class 2 and then class1 straightaway.
It works both ways with examiners. On my 2nd test way back when, my instructor saw my examiner, didn’t recognise him and said oh shoot this doesn’t look good, could be a supervisor. Anyway turned out he’d been drafted in from another test station. We got half way round when he asked me to pull into a layby and asked if we could do the code questions there. I said yes you’re the boss so we did. Then he asked if I knew my way back to the test centre. Yes I said. OK he said I’m lost. If you don’t hit anything you’ve passed!
You might be as lucky next time. Hope so. Good luck.
. i was lucky on class 2 i passed first time but on class 1 it took me 3 attempts and i can tell ya i was so down bout it, i thought bout sticking with class 2…but this bunch of great guys on here kept me going and hey look at me now driving my lorry and havin blast doing it 
