LGV Training. Made me cry.

[Mouse19]

I’ve just had my first lesson to do my Cat C License.

Instructor showed me the basics off road around a disused air field for 1.5 hours before going out on the road. The instructor said I was driving very well. Completed the reverse and a slight incline pull away , gear changes and safe stopping.

He said he was happy for me to go on the road. We drove out of the airfield to turn right at the end of the road. Approach in Fifth gear, traffic approaching. Needed to go fifth to third, obviously needed to go into the lower box. Unfortunately I failed to get into third and it slipped to neutral. And I panicked and put my foot on the clutch which caused the lorry to lurch forward.
This was well before the junction and I didn’t carry on to the road. Now I know that this is a serious business, I’m on the road in a big vehicle and it is very dangerous, if I coasted into the road I could have caused an accident and the instructor needs to be firm and quick.

However he went absolutely mental at me. I’ve never ever been spoken to the way this man did. He whacked me hard over the wrist and was yelled blue murder at me.

Needless to say this freaked me out and I didn’t have a good drive for the remaining 1.5 hours on the road. The more we drove the worse I got, to the point where he said if I continue like this they won’t let me even take the test.

I don’t consider myself a sensitive soul. I’ve worked with rehabilitating prisoners before and been used to being yelled at and even been threatened. I understand that this is serious and the instructor is thinking of safety and they have a short time restraint to get me to a standard.
But that action has completely destroyed my confidence and it’s only day one.

The way I’m feeling I don’t want to even go tomorrow. I don’t know whether to mention to him that yelling at me isn’t a good way to get me to respond.
I held it together, I’ll be d*mned if I’ll let him see me cry. But I drove home and burst into tears.

 

[MrsMozart]

Blinking heck!

I understand that the instructor was probably slightly shaken, but that's no reason for such a reaction. Did he talk to you afterwards? Any sort of debrief?

As for tomorrow - is it worth it for the experience at least?

 

[Butterbear]

That's awful! What a dreadful way to be treated. I would think it classes as assault! I cannot honestly believe he hit you?! I would contact the manager/head office and have a very serious conversation. They should refund your money at the very least so you can get a course somewhere else. It's your choice about reporting him through more official avenues. Sending hugs, be strong whatever you decide to do. X

 

[holeymoley]

I think the instructors reaction was maybe out of a fear however no way to speak or react to anyone. I would try someone else, clearly his methods aren’t working. Not sure who they would work on! In fact definitely try someone else. Good luck x

 

[Mouse19]

He’s the owner of the company. There’s nobody to complain to.

Debrief was mixed. Said I manoeuvre the lorry well. He reminded me that the paperwork I signed at the beginning means if they don’t consider me a good standard I won’t be entered and there are no refunds under any circumstances.

I was shocked when he whacked me. It wasn’t a punch but it was hard.
I am now utterly convinced that I can’t drive

Also feeling stuck as I can’t afford to pay for another course seeing as this cost me over 1k

 

[Annagain]

Cancel tomorrow and tell them you want your money back. He assaulted you. Whatever mistake you made (and instructors should be mentally equipped for people to make them) does not give him the right to scream at you and hit you, especially when you are a woman (I assume?) alone with him in a confined space.

There are plenty of other instructors out there, I'd find one who won't destroy your confidence or resort to physical violence.

 

[MrsMozart]

You can drive. You know you can. Your confidence has taken a knock that's all.

 

[Annagain]

He’s the owner of the company. There’s nobody to complain to.

Debrief was mixed. Said I manoeuvre the lorry well. He reminded me that the paperwork I signed at the beginning means if they don’t consider me a good standard I won’t be entered and there are no refunds under any circumstances.

I was shocked when he whacked me. It wasn’t a punch but it was hard.
I am now utterly convinced that I can’t drive

Also feeling stuck as I can’t afford to pay for another course seeing as this cost me over 1k

Tell him you want your money back or you'll go to the police. What he did was against the law.

 

[meleeka]

Cancel tomorrow and tell them you want your money back. He assaulted you. Whatever mistake you made (and instructors should be mentally equipped for people to make them) does not give him the right to scream at you and hit you, especially when you are a woman (I assume?) alone with him in a confined space.

There are plenty of other instructors out there, I'd find one who won't destroy your confidence or resort to physical violence.

Assaulting you is a a crime so I’d report it to the police too.

 

[Mouse19]

Is it assault? Am I overreacting? It all went so quickly. Did he do it as he thought I wasn’t paying attention l? Believe me I was paying attention with all the yelling.

 

[Fanatical]

I did mine a long time ago now - over 10 years ago, but my instructor used to whack me regularly with a rolled up magazine over the wrist. I was never quite sure when it crossed over the line between serious and just messing.

I would be inclined to try one more session and see how things go. If you come away feeling anything close to how you do now I'd be having a word at the end and try to explain that his technique isn't the best way for you to learn.

 

[waggit]

Is it assault? Am I overreacting? It all went so quickly. Did he do it as he thought I wasn’t paying attention l? Believe me I was paying attention with all the yelling.

Yes it is assault. He hit you and intimidated you. After a mistake I would expect a good instructor to get you to pull over, calm you down and talk it through not blaze away and raise a hand. Is he any part of a training association because your complaint could be made to them. I would also consider the police as well. If he did this to you he may well of done it to someone else as well.

 

[FubsyMog]

It certainly sounds like assault to me. Annagain hit the nail on the head - instructors need to be capable of dealing with mistakes trainees make, without overreacting. Unless somebody had to physically grab the steering wheel or something to avoid an accident (unlikely, i would have thought, if an adequate assessment of skill was done), I cannot see how making physical contact with you it 'reasonable'.

The first (car) driving instructor I had was a nasty piece of work, sounds quite similar tbh (he also did lorries). On one occassion he was hanging out the window yelling, at both me and passing traffic - because I got stuck behind cars parked in the left hand lane and couldn't get out round them as it was so busy. He was shrieking at me to perform a manouevre that even now, after 15 years of driving, I would still not carry out. I cancelled all future lessons and gave the driving school an earful, but I was quite shaken by the aggression. I'm sure I wasn't the first he'd done that to, but by reporting him, I was hopefully the last.

 

[Annagain]

Is it assault? Am I overreacting? It all went so quickly. Did he do it as he thought I wasn’t paying attention l? Believe me I was paying attention with all the yelling.

Yes it's assault. He has no right to lay a finger on you, regardless of the circumstances - and certainly not when accompanied by aggressive shouting that intimidates you.

I doubt I'd actually go to the police but I'd certainly ask for my money back and use it if he refused.

 

[PapaverFollis]

A man in a position of power and authority hit you, yelled at you when you can't walk away and intimidated you. Yes that's assault! You'd have been well within your rights to simply stop the truck and get out... but of course you didn't because of the aforementioned power and authority including the involvement of a large sum of money.

Ugh. I can't even.

I'm sorry this has happened to you. Please try to not be nice and compliant at this point and for the sake of those who will come after you go and male him accountable for his appalling behaviour. I also know how hard that will be though so understand if you can't.

 

[HeyMich]

Do not go back for the rest of the course, and tell him exactly why. Say that you will be expecting a full refund.

He will be a member of a professional regulating body (RTITB??), so have a look on his website/card/business registration and find out who it is. Then call them for a friendly chat. Tell them time, place and detail the circumstances. He will need the registration to continue practicing his profession, so will really not want to lose his registration. This needs to be done asap.

Do not let this slide! Not acceptable, in any way, shape or form!

 

[Sprat]

Christ he sounds awful, I think you have every right to get your money back, and yes absolutely go the police.

 

[cobgoblin]

Contact the LGV instructors register and make a complaint.
01952 520210

 

[Red-1]

It was not a reasonable training response and yes, I think you should have any unused hours refunded as your professional relationship has broken down.

However, I had a similar instructor when I did my Class 2, and I used it to make me angry and pass the less 1 as well, as a sort of prove it to him reaction.

 

[ROG]

As an EX LGV instructor I say this - either keep with the same school and change instructor with a complaint to the owner OR change school completely and get a refund for the unused portion of the training

Want a decent school ? = search for - trucknetuk newbies forum

NOW NAME THE SCHOOL because you legally can and morally should

 

[Mouse19]

All. Thank you for your replies. I have calmed down now. I was crying quite a lot when I wrote my first post.

ROG. Thanks for responding too I wondered whether you would. The guy that took me today is the owner. So I would have to complain to him about his behaviour.

I’m annoyed the school came highly recommended in the area.

Still thinking what to do. Need to calm down and think carefully.

 

[HeyMich]

The guy that took me today is the owner. So I would have to complain to him about his behaviour.

Every company should have a complaints procedure, I know ours does, and we are legally obliged to tell everyone that we do business with that they can get a copy of our complaints procedure on request. That includes making complaints about the owner by the way!

It matters not one iota that the owner of the company is the one you are complaining about! In fact, I think it is even more important that you follow the incident up through the correct channels!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It was an assault, he is not fit to teach any-one anything, if he loses his temper in that way.
Report his behaviour to his professional body, the police and Trading Standards and tell him that you will not be returning, you want your money back. If you don't get your money back tell him that you will take him to the small claims court.

Don't let him get away with behaving like this. The fact that others have had similar experiences doesn't make it right.

 

[DD]

Agree its assault. go to the Police.

 

[Starzaan]

I am not an LGV instructor, but I am a riding instructor, and have often had to deal with situations where I could see a rider putting either themselves, horses or other riders in danger. I would NEVER raise a hand to any of them, and wouldn't DREAM of raising my voice and belittling them. I might shout to be heard across the arena and be very firm with my instruction to diffuse the situation, but then would always pull all riders into the centre and discuss with them why I had to bark at them and what could be done differently next time.

Part of being an instructor in any area is knowing you can calmly deal with situations that scare or frustrate you.

He assaulted you. Report to the police, get your money back, name and shame. No question.

 

[Asha]

He assaulted you. Report to the police, get your money back, name and shame. No question.

this ^^^. he is most definitely in the wrong. Do not let this put you off going for the training with someone else. A girl I know has just undergone the same training. She was very nervous, gripping the wheel, and couldn't speak. The chap teaching her, told her to relax, and said it was really ok to smile. he tried his best to make her feel comfortable. That's what an instructor should do.

 

[waggit]

this ^^^. he is most definitely in the wrong. Do not let this put you off going for the training with someone else. A girl I know has just undergone the same training. She was very nervous, gripping the wheel, and couldn't speak. The chap teaching her, told her to relax, and said it was really ok to smile. he tried his best to make her feel comfortable. That's what an instructor should do.

I did forklift truck training years ago and was sorely testing my instructors patience by my inability to reverse with a load through the z shaped track they had built. It was made worse by the fact that I don't drive but ride a motorbike and so had no need of backing up. For some reason I couldn't get it and his explanations weren't getting through. He smiled gave me a light jokey punch on the shoulder and got another instructor to come over and talk to me. Five minutes later I was zipping through the maze backwards, forwards and standing on my head! A good teacher works out what is needed, doesn't panic or get frustrated and realises when a different approach is required. Your instructor did none of that. You are not at fault here, he is. Trainees make mistakes and muck up. If not we would be the ones giving lessons. Chin up honey.

 

[MyBoyChe]

I think you need to report this man to his professional body, if he is an instructor he must have some sort of professional qualification and checks would have been made on him at some point. A good instructor would have dealt with this in a much calmer fashion, he should have been able to calm you down, reassure you and get you to repeat the manouvre properly, not yell at you and wallop you into a state of panic. Would you teach a horse a new move like that...NO. If he touched you at all, and was not invited to do so, it is overstepping the mark, in this case an assault. He may or may not be old school but it doesnt matter, he was wrong. I would be insisting on a refund with the promise of reporting him to his accredited body and the police. He needs to know this is not acceptable behaviour and you need to realise he was in the wrong, nothing you did deserved his reaction!!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Cancel tomorrow and tell them you want your money back. He assaulted you. Whatever mistake you made (and instructors should be mentally equipped for people to make them) does not give him the right to scream at you and hit you, especially when you are a woman (I assume?) alone with him in a confined space.

There are plenty of other instructors out there, I'd find one who won't destroy your confidence or resort to physical violence.

I agree totally with this. Yes you made a mistake, your a learner and his job is to remain calm and teach you how not to make mistakes. If you were perfect you’d be the one instructing.
His behaviour was completely out of order and was assault.
Absolutely shocking, well done for holding it together. I know I wouldn’t have done so well!
Hugs, what a horrible experience

 

[Tronk]

What a horrible experience for you. Definitely do not complete the course, and make a formal complaint. Disgusting behaviour. As ROG says, please name and shame- I work in the lorry industry and would never want to send a learner driver to an instructor like that! We have enough trouble encouraging drivers into the industry without terrible instructors putting them off!! Good luck with the rest of your training.