If you've done your Cat C (Hgv) lorry test...

milliepops

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what did you find useful on the training, or difficult in the test?
i've just had a morning driving the truck round some of the routes used on the test, and I have a full day tomorrow. Instructor asked me if there was anything in particular I wanted to practice. It's a bit weird being asked rather than told what I need :p

I have had a bash at the reversing which went OK but I will def practice that again lots. And I need to be more decisive at roundabouts :p
any pointers from those who have been through it?
 

Roxylola

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Mine was years ago, mainly I found just getting going the biggest challenge. My first few minutes were always at a snails pace. That and driving in town were probably the bits that horrified me the most.
Where are you likely to do most of your driving post test? The test itself will pretty much have fixed routes - which are likely fairly safe as in you'll get a variety of roads and furniture but no real twisty narrow horrid roads.

My biggest mark down has always been use of mirrors I'm honestly not sure if I don't look as much as I should or if I'm just not seen to be looking. However I would recommend making a concerted effort to be seen to look
 

conniegirl

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Practice or at least discuss what to do if things go wrong.
On my test the high/low range switch stopped working at a roundabout. It was only because I had had the same issue on the way to the test center that I knew what to do and managed to get it working again. Because I did the correct things (like put hazards on) whilst trying to get going again I was not penalised for it and was allowed to continue the test (I believe you have 10 mins in which to get going again before they cancel the test).
Also drive the most horrific roads on the test routes again and again. become very very familiar with them. I ended up going through the chester 1 way system at 3.30pm as all the schools were letting out and the traffic was horrific during my test. It was so reassuring to be so familiar with the roads.
 

milliepops

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thanks both :)
Fortunately I'm in an automatic :D so no horrible gears to figure out. When I booked it the chap said it was getting difficult to buy manual trucks now but the licence from an automatic allows you to drive one anyway o_O

Good plan re driving the awful routes and I will ask about what could go wrong and what I should do, thanks. Spent most of the day chugging round town which was mentally knackering but part of the difficulty is being in an unfamiliar place so lots of practice tomorrow should help.
 

AdorableAlice

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thanks both :)
Fortunately I'm in an automatic :D so no horrible gears to figure out. When I booked it the chap said it was getting difficult to buy manual trucks now but the licence from an automatic allows you to drive one anyway o_O

Good plan re driving the awful routes and I will ask about what could go wrong and what I should do, thanks. Spent most of the day chugging round town which was mentally knackering but part of the difficulty is being in an unfamiliar place so lots of practice tomorrow should help.

I am astounded at that. I did my HGV and PSV years ago, so many years ago the coach was double the clutch ! I cannot see how passing in an auto can give you a licence to drive a stick box.
 

milliepops

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makes no sense to me either AA but everyone in the know has confirmed it.
My box is a 5 speed 7.5t and that's all I'm likely to drive but i didn't want to do the C1 test as they are almost always in a van... i can drive a van now! i wanted lessons in a bigger lorry so figured it made sense to do the C test while I was at it.
 

AdorableAlice

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makes no sense to me either AA but everyone in the know has confirmed it.
My box is a 5 speed 7.5t and that's all I'm likely to drive but i didn't want to do the C1 test as they are almost always in a van... i can drive a van now! i wanted lessons in a bigger lorry so figured it made sense to do the C test while I was at it.

Good luck, you can do it. I managed to fail my class one and gave up in the end, but the 2 and the PSV was easy enough. I did have to think about the backing of the coach between cones a bit but managed it. Just stay calm and be in control.
 

milliepops

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i guess in the horsey world we are more likely than most, to come across the older manual vehicles as time goes on. ho hum, cross that bridge if it comes to it ;)
 

AdorableAlice

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i guess in the horsey world we are more likely than most, to come across the older manual vehicles as time goes on. ho hum, cross that bridge if it comes to it ;)

Very true and when you do the best advice I would give based on the 1000's of commercial miles I have driven is -

anyone can drive a big heavy vehicle forwards - stopping it is a different skill.
 

AML

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If you are more comfortable driving in the country as opposed to a town, book the last test on a Friday afternoon. The examiners want to get finished on time and will choose to avoid town centres.
 

sport horse

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Are you actually learning with a specialist HGV driving school? I spent 5 x 1/2 days and they took me around every known route that the test might take, they had their own base with reversing exercises exactly as you would meet in the test and they told me exactly what I would need to know. After my test the driving instructor also wanted a debrief so that he could keep up to date on all the routes used.
 

milliepops

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Are you actually learning with a specialist HGV driving school? I spent 5 x 1/2 days and they took me around every known route that the test might take, they had their own base with reversing exercises exactly as you would meet in the test and they told me exactly what I would need to know. After my test the driving instructor also wanted a debrief so that he could keep up to date on all the routes used.
yep. It's just a long time since I had driving lessons, and they were the standard one hour a week until you were competent, rather than this intensive way of doing it. So it was weird to be asked if there was anything I particularly felt i needed to do. Hence asking what others found most useful ;)
I've got a book of things to read tonight for the spot questions.
 

zaminda

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We didn't practice the reverse enough, and after the person I had done my training with failed, (which as he was already driving commercially was a shock) I messed that up.
Also might isn't right, you can't keep going and make someone else give way, although in reality many lorry drivers do.
As an aside, I've been driving commercially for the last 2 years, and haven't driven a split shift since my test. The majority of the class 2 vehicles are auto, but the 7.5t ones have been a mix.
 

Roxylola

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I'd take a punt that he felt you were doing pretty well and there aren't any major areas of concern from the assessment and that is why he asked for anything in particular concerning you
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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If half way through your next session he hasn't commented much, ask him to really scrutinise you, just like you might with a newish instructor when riding.
Ref mirrors, those who ride motorbikes tend to use their head turns more. Think of turning down the centre line in a test and how your body will make the turn, just try to make the 'look' definite.

Good luck, its a v long time since I did my class 1, 36 years ago!
 

milliepops

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Thanks everyone, appreciate all your comments :)
Good idea about asking to be scrutinised TFF cos that'll also feel like the test!
Def going to do lots of reversing tomorrow, I did an ok job today but would like to feel like I've nailed it, as there will probably be some fluster-factor on test day ?
 

Roxylola

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The test centre emergency stop when I did mine was a smidge stressful. I was confident as the training yard set it up much tighter and I knew I could easily stop in that space, but at the test centre the area ended in either a solid wall or a drop off a cliff type thing. It's years ago so I honestly don't remember I just remember knowing that you had to stop in the space or you would be stuffed
 

milliepops

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I asked about emergency stops and he said it's been taken out of the test! ?
That was more surprising than the automatic/manual thing!
 

Roxylola

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oh well that's that then. Tbh it wasn't ever really an emergency stop, just a case of stopping in a set distance safely but if you know it's coming in a controlled area it's hardly an emergency, and if I recall I think I only had to get up to about 10mph to be going "fast enough"
 

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As an Ex LGV instructor perhaps I can help ?

Regarding learning in auto and given manual - you must have manual car licence for that to happen

No matter what type of gearbox you train on it is only one type out of what is out there so it makes no difference whatsoever the one that you use for training and test

As a manual car driver you know how to use a clutch to change gear = I hope !! LOL
 

Red-1

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I did my class 2/3 and then the class 1 and my advice, from both experiences, is to go to the toilet before getting into the cab. I thought I would be OK, then I decided that, as the examiner was late out, I needed to 'go' so when the examiner came out he found an empty cab and me in the loo!!!

On a more serious note, I would concentrate on reversing. That was the very first thing we did and is where the examiner makes a snap decision on your capability. Studies have shown that, whatever the rules are, examiners do make a snap decision, then spend the rest of the test trying to prove themselves right (in a sub conscious way - not being mean). If their first impression s a good one they will start with that perspective.
 

eggs

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I did mine about 18 years ago. It was four days driving with one other and then the test on the fifth day - we must have had a good trainer as we both passed first time. Where we practised our reverse was set up tighter than at the test centre. From my memory it is mainly constant observation and use of your mirrors - make it very obvious you are using them. The main difference I found was that you do not drive as though you had a horse on board as you had to h
 

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You've plenty of experience driving horses about the place, but the trainers do tend to teach you lorry driving skills rather than horse box driving skills, and you need to display the former in your test and then the latter afterwards :D I was always being told off for driving as though I had six up behind :eek:
 

luckyoldme

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Busy roundabouts!
I got one on test and i got in a right state.
It wouldn't have bothered me normally but i had to sit there for ages. In the end the examiner told me when to go.
I think nerves got s hold of me too. Ive seen people suggest natural remedies for that bit if it was me i would try them out first.
Reversing......i actually got out and checked my losition in the box at the end of the reversing section which you are allowed to do.
Are you planning on driving for a job?
My friend is doing hers soon snd hoping to get tramping work.
Good luck for your test!
 

Nicnac

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Thing I remember my daughter telling me after taking her test, is "always know where your back wheels are". I never took a test so found some of the things she learnt quite useful!

Also reversing, knowing length of your truck. I have a camera but still sometimes misjudge total length.
 

Roxylola

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Busy roundabouts!
I got one on test and i got in a right state.
It wouldn't have bothered me normally but i had to sit there for ages. In the end the examiner told me when to go
I remember on one of my lessons I was being a bit polite - I was technically right but would have been stuck forever. My instructor said basically what I did was the right thing but on test my examiner might suggest I need to press my case or something to that effect and if they did I should crack on basically
 
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