The month has come around and it’s time again to get back up in the cab and do another cat C test! Let’s hope this one goes better than the last…
Test is tomorrow afternoon, about 2-ish. You fellas got any last minute advice for a newbie? Failed last time on meeting traffic coming the other way on a busy road, no space to pass so he ended up reversing, what a sodding way to fail!
Still, another go, another chance at it!
Best of luck. Let us know how it goes. We’re here right behind you.
Relax and enjoy(easier said than done i know 
).
Just think the examiner is your trainer
Mirrors,mirrors, mirrors.
Best of luck 
Jackg
Best of luck fella, failed my cat c on Friday so i know how u feel 
Got a re-test on Friday
Well… it didn’t go so well. Bloody kicking myself this time.
I was feeling pretty good about it. Had a good think about the last test, where I went wrong and a day’s training to catch me up again after a month… would have been fine, except for test nerves.
It all boiled down to nerves. Most of the drive I was fine, but I’ve been hammered for hesitancy at roundabouts before… so I went WAY too soon on a roundabout as an artic was coming round the inside lane. You know the test is over when the examiner tells you to brake. Two kicks to the teeth here. The first, is that it’s the only serious fault in the whole test, with only one minor in any of the categories I got done for last time. Second? It was the very last roundabout that did me in. I could SEE the test center from where I was. I should really have remembered what my instructor told me. Hesitance, unless you’re a complete clown, is a minor at worst. Cutting someone up? Well, you’re humped there.
Bloody annoying that.
Bad Luck Megawhat, did sound a bit like nerves kicking in, and also with the test centre in sight. Like you say, hesitate until you know you can get out, well worth a minor ! You know it and you,ll get the pass next time. 
sorry to hear you failed again fella, i made i similar mistake on mine on friday, just need to remember it takes a lot longer to pull out than in a car so need two or three times the space. Hope you nail it next time as i hope i nail mine on friday !!
Don’t give up now. You are so close.
Just the thought of the centre round the corner must have relaxed you and you slipped concentration.
Get that retest in ASAP and get it in the bag 
dar1976:
Don’t give up now. You are so close.Just the thought of the centre round the corner must have relaxed you and you slipped concentration.
Get that retest in ASAP and get it in the bag
X1
Gutted for ya.
It is important that you don’t become paranoid about roundabouts, They will be there next time. They are beyond doubt the biggest single reason people fail.
It really has nothing to do with nerves it is all about decision making. Do I stop or do I go. Often the real problem is a too fast approach speed. This cuts down your decision making time. Try slowing down the final 20-30 yards to virtually walking pace no matter how busy or clear it looks. Be in a lowish gear 5th or 6th and focus.
Would there be enough space to walk from the kerb over to the roundabout safely? If not then don’t go.
Just a few ideas. Hope they help
LGVTrainer:
Often the real problem is a too fast approach speed. This cuts down your decision making time. Try slowing down the final 20-30 yards to virtually walking pace no matter how busy or clear it looks. Be in a lowish gear 5th or 6th and focus.Would there be enough space to walk from the kerb over to the roundabout safely? If not then don’t go.
Just a few ideas. Hope they help
I always hated roundabouts mainly because one mistake here and you know its a fail, but that few mph slower and not just looking to your right but using the extra time you’ve got by going in slower to look at the whole roundabout and what’s approaching if possible made a it a lot easier.
Gutted for you 
Test nerves are a menace 
Put it behind you & get yourself another test date booked, & just a suggestion, have an extra days training before, it may help you to settle 
LGVTrainer:
It is important that you don’t become paranoid about roundabouts, They will be there next time. They are beyond doubt the biggest single reason people fail.It really has nothing to do with nerves it is all about decision making. Do I stop or do I go. Often the real problem is a too fast approach speed. This cuts down your decision making time. Try slowing down the final 20-30 yards to virtually walking pace no matter how busy or clear it looks. Be in a lowish gear 5th or 6th and focus.
Would there be enough space to walk from the kerb over to the roundabout safely? If not then don’t go.
Just a few ideas. Hope they help
Yeah, the issue wasn’t approach speed, it was joining traffic already going around that got me, sadly. The nerves came from thinking I’d been waiting too long, and just taking one chance too many.
But, nothin’ else to do but wait now. Next test isn’t for another four weeks… again. Plenty of waiting to do! I’ll keep your tip in mind for next time.
Gutted for you mate, just keep ringing up dsa someone will cancel usually so you will 9/10 get a test sooner than you think!!
I failed my class 2 first time and I rang up dsa the next available one was a month away, I kept ringing up and got a test a week later.
Luckily I passed class 1 first time.
CPC mod 4 I failed first time and rang up the next available test was late November, I kept ringing up and got one again a week later!! And passed
Don’t give up be consistent beat the system, you know you can drive you need to show the examiner good luck anyway
great93:
… just keep ringing up dsa someone will cancel usually so you will 9/10 get a test sooner than you think!!
That also requires that the LGV school have a truck and instructor available at any earlier test slot which is why it is always best to let the school deal with it
I completely agree with Rog here. Most schools use a totally different system than what an individual has access to. They basically book blank slots then name the candidate a couple of days before the test. If a candidate calls the DSA and is given a short notice appointment and chooses there and then to take it, the test fee would be lost if the school was unable to provide a vehicle because of other candidates existing bookings.
Test buying is not a precise science as tests become available then vanish as schools buy and sell back slots through the trainer booking system often at short notice. As Rog said it is usually best to let the school deal with it.
Megawhat?:
Yeah, the issue wasn’t approach speed, it was joining traffic already going around that got me, sadly. The nerves came from thinking I’d been waiting too long, and just taking one chance too many.
I often ask a student that has waited for a gap how long they think they have waited for. A reply of “about a minute” usually was a wait of about 20 seconds in reality. The mind plays tricks. The examiners are not in a hurry to get back. The test will last for an hour either way so enjoy the red traffic lights and hold ups at roundabouts. They are wearing away those 60 minutes. Very few people fail tests while they are stationary !
I was a little cheeky by ringing
0300 200 1122 then choose 26 extension gets you right through to the booking and when he/she asks for business ID I’d say I’m calling whilst my instructor is busy.
Then I’d call my instructor and he’d always rearrange someone’s lesson if no1 is on test the people who are like a retest are priority
great93:
I was a little cheeky by ringing
0300 200 1122 then choose 26 extension gets you right through to the booking and when he/she asks for business ID I’d say I’m calling whilst my instructor is busy.Then I’d call my instructor and he’d always rearrange someone’s lesson if no1 is on test the people who are like a retest are priority
I’m going to leave it to the driving school to get on with the booking themselves. I could dig myself a real hole booking the test and then finding the instructor/vehicle is completely unavailable when it comes to the closer test days. Which according to System it is for quite some time ahead. I’ve waited this long, a few weeks more isn’t going to do me harm. I actually found the 3 weeks between the first and second test gave me a lot of time to calm down and consider where I’d gone wrong. Looking at the sheet from my second test I can remember exactly where I recieved 5 out of the 6 minors I recieved. No idea where I signalled incorrectly but hey, I’m learning.
I often ask a student that has waited for a gap how long they think they have waited for. A reply of “about a minute” usually was a wait of about 20 seconds in reality. The mind plays tricks. The examiners are not in a hurry to get back. The test will last for an hour either way so enjoy the red traffic lights and hold ups at roundabouts. They are wearing away those 60 minutes. Very few people fail tests while they are stationary !
That’s pretty much how it went. Felt I’d been waiting too long, and tried to rush to the finish line, which was quite literally in sight. I’ll know better next time.
Alright then! Here we go… again. Test tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed!
Go for it !! Wishing you all the best for tommoz, nice n slow, no rush, you,ll be fine