After 33 years in retail, decided a career change is needed. Wanted to do LGV for ages, and mum (bless her) said she would fund it. Passed hazard perception (86%) and theory (96%), and booked training through Dynamic LGV Bristol. On monday 24th March, started practical training having previously driven nothing bigger than a van once or twice! Training went well, with the biggest problem being rushed gear changes, resulting in wrong gear/no gear/ crunched changes. Fell apart a bit on tuesdays session, but got it back, good day weds, test yesterday. In the pre test drive, I managed to forget how to do a hill start!! Never had a problem before, but nerves got the better of me. So there I am 8.45, in the test centre, waiting to be called, feeling far from confident. Nailed reverse exercise as I always did, but when asked to drive off, went for first (■■?) got reverse and went backwards! Not once, but TWICE!! After that , it all seemed to go wrong, getting told to ‘Make more progress’ and ‘push on…’ Then if that wasn’t bad enough I noticed the speedo wasn’t working, due to me not putting the tacho card in properly in the ‘show me tell me’. 2 attempts to rectify this and we’re on our way. More criticism of my progress, telling me I was the slowest vehicle on the road, and not looking far enough ahead to spot people giving way. By 20 mins in I had given up, saying out loud ‘oh well, its good practice’. That probably helped, as I then started to relax. During the 10 minute free drive, my examiner asked if I was going for C+E after, to which I replied 'I’ll probably try class 2 again first. Back to the test centre, we park up and as he is writing up his notes I wait for the inevitable. He turns to tell me that it is the end of the test, "and I’m sure you will be surprised to hear you have passed!! I couldn’t believe it 
He said that although I had made mistakes (6 minors in 3 categories) I had done nothing dangerous. All credit to Karl Embery (www.training4lgv.co.uk). Top bloke to take me from nothing to qualified in 18 hours. So, all you newbies learning out there, take it from me, never give up, no matter how bad it seems, as you are probably more harsh on your own performance than the examiner.
Congrats Gary,
I was bit like you but my test was going well till I thought I made a ■■■■ up then I started making mistakes. I passed through with 4 minors.
Quite right, just keep on trying, you have no way of knowing what the examiner is thinking/writing. Just because you THINK you’ve messed it up doesn’t mean you have!
Congrats on the pass
GaryMorgan:
After 33 years in retail, decided a career change is needed.Wanted to do LGV for ages, and mum (bless her) said she would fund it. Passed hazard perception (86%) and theory (96%), and booked training through Dynamic LGV Bristol.
On monday 24th March, started practical training having previously driven nothing bigger than a van once or twice! Training went well, with the biggest problem being rushed gear changes, resulting in wrong gear/no gear/ crunched changes. Fell apart a bit on tuesdays session, but got it back, good day weds, test yesterday.
In the pre test drive, I managed to forget how to do a hill start!! Never had a problem before, but nerves got the better of me. So there I am 8.45, in the test centre, waiting to be called, feeling far from confident.
Nailed reverse exercise as I always did, but when asked to drive off, went for first (■■?) got reverse and went backwards! Not once, but TWICE!! After that , it all seemed to go wrong, getting told to ‘Make more progress’ and ‘push on…’ Then if that wasn’t bad enough I noticed the speedo wasn’t working, due to me not putting the tacho card in properly in the ‘show me tell me’. 2 attempts to rectify this and we’re on our way.
More criticism of my progress, telling me I was the slowest vehicle on the road, and not looking far enough ahead to spot people giving way. By 20 mins in I had given up, saying out loud ‘oh well, its good practice’. That probably helped, as I then started to relax.
During the 10 minute free drive, my examiner asked if I was going for C+E after, to which I replied 'I’ll probably try class 2 again first. Back to the test centre, we park up and as he is writing up his notes I wait for the inevitable. He turns to tell me that it is the end of the test, "and I’m sure you will be surprised to hear you have passed!! I couldn’t believe it
He said that although I had made mistakes (6 minors in 3 categories) I had done nothing dangerous.
All credit to Karl Embery (training4lgv.co.uk). Top bloke to take me from nothing to qualified in 18 hours.
So, all you newbies learning out there, take it from me, never give up, no matter how bad it seems, as you are probably more harsh on your own performance than the examiner.
