Hi all, I’m a wannabe driver, just wanted to introduce myself. I live in Peterborough and am hoping to pass my class C. I’ve had 2 attempts already, the first was a spectacular failure (I pulled out on a car on the first roundabout after the test centre, due to my nerves getting the better of me!) The second attempt I thought I’d passed, but although I only had a handful of minors I also had one serious (for lane discipline at a roundabout). Hopefully, third time lucky! I’m currently waiting until the New Year to try again, as my instructor is getting an automatic (this is the last re-test I can afford, so anything that makes it easier is good).
I’m hoping when I get my license I can go down to 4 days a week at my current job, and do a day a week on the agencies (with a view to getting enough experience and saving up enough money to get C+E and move into driving full time). I’ve been doing my current job since I left school (I’m now 33) and not so long ago there was a round of redundancies that meant I either had to relocate to Peterborough or lose my job (I used to live and work in Stevenage). I’ve got a wife and young son who are now settled in Peterborough and we really don’t want to move again, plus I’m hating my employer more and more as the people at the top are a bunch of incompetent nobbers who seem intent on running the place into the ground (although from comments on here, it seems this situation isn’t just limited to the public sector).
I love driving, need a challenge, and want to do a useful and worthwhile job, so it sounds like LGV driving is the way to go. Anyway, thanks to everyone for contributing to this great forum, which is really helpful for a wannabe driver. I look forward to all your help and advice in future.
If you only do 4 days in your current job then as long as you take 2 days off together one week and 1 day off the next week, you can drive on 1 or 2 days a week
I’m training with 1st Approach Transport in Peterborough. My instructor Garry is a great bloke, very patient and will take time to explain things properly. Both my fails have been down to a combination of my nerves and some bad luck, nothing to do with the tuition, which has been excellent.
Thanks for the advice re: the drivers hours, it’s a subject I still need to get my head around properly. Sounds like if I’m able to drop Fridays at my current job, I’ll be able to do Friday or Sunday on the agency (I’m guessing Sundays might be better due to a combination of less busy roads and a better hourly rate?) I was planning on getting a drivers hours smartphone app at some point, to keep track of everything (hopefully I can find one which I can enter both jobs into, to make sure I stay legal).
On the subject of driver’s hours and two jobs, am I right in thinking that, although my ‘other’ job won’t be a driving job I’ll still need to manually fill in a blank tacho disc for every day I work and carry them with me when I’m out driving? (page 77 DSA theory test book says you MUST complete a new chart every day and MUST carry with you the chart for the current day and the previous 28 days).
I know it’s probably too early to be thinking about this (I could do with the license first!) but I thought I’d ask the question while there are some experienced guys around to answer it.
I’m training with 1st Approach Transport in Peterborough. My instructor Garry is a great bloke, very patient and will take time to explain things properly. Both my fails have been down to a combination of my nerves and some bad luck, nothing to do with the tuition, which has been excellent.
Thanks for the advice re: the drivers hours, it’s a subject I still need to get my head around properly. Sounds like if I’m able to drop Fridays at my current job, I’ll be able to do Friday or Sunday on the agency (I’m guessing Sundays might be better due to a combination of less busy roads and a better hourly rate?) I was planning on getting a drivers hours smartphone app at some point, to keep track of everything (hopefully I can find one which I can enter both jobs into, to make sure I stay legal).
On the subject of driver’s hours and two jobs, am I right in thinking that, although my ‘other’ job won’t be a driving job I’ll still need to manually fill in a blank tacho disc for every day I work and carry them with me when I’m out driving? (page 77 DSA theory test book says you MUST complete a new chart every day and MUST carry with you the chart for the current day and the previous 28 days).
I know it’s probably too early to be thinking about this (I could do with the license first!) but I thought I’d ask the question while there are some experienced guys around to answer it.
You could do sat + sun - sun - sat + sun - sun …
A separate daily record would be needed for the other work and those records could be binned after each reaches 29 calendar days
@Paul - Thanks for the recommendation, but I will be sticking with 1st Approach at the moment as I’ve found their tuition to be great, I’ve just had a bit of bad luck and nerves when it comes to the test, which isn’t their fault. However, I might consider going with Peter for C+E, as at the moment 1st Approach operate a wagon and drag, and I really want to learn C+E in an artic.
@Rog - thank you for the clarification on that, I will probably keep a notebook with my other job’s hours in as opposed to tacho discs then, as it’ll work out a bit cheaper
