Rudey
Well-Known Member
As title, last Friday I passed my B+E first time with only 2 minors! 
WOOHOOOO!
As ever, it wasn't straight forward, had some drama thrown in, together with a costly lesson learnt.....
A truly 'testing' experience, in more ways than one!!
Firstly, I have a 'manual' Shogun Pinin, and recently purchased a 'semi-automatic' big version of the Shogun with the intention of selling my manual. I decided to do my lessons and test in the automatic as that was the truck I had just purchased, and would be towing with. Late on Monday, my instructor texted to say if I did the test in my automatic, my towing licence would be restricted to automatics only!
After much contemplation, I decided to use my manual, as what was the point spending all that money and going through a test, to be restricted right...
My manual had been stood for a few weeks, so that night I moved it out the back yard when I got home from work with the intention of driving it to work the next day. Got in it, and my brakes were seized and grinding, and my window wipers didn't clear the water off my screen properly leaving my screen blurry.
Tuesday came, and whilst at work I frantically rang the garage to get my truck booked in for that day to have the necesary work done. Luckily I got it in and sorted, phew! The brakes just needed cleaning up, and the wipers were replaced.
Wednesday I had a few hours lesson with my instructor as a re-fresher, and to gauge how to do the reversing maneuver in my smaller manual (not only were my mirror points and turning circle different, but also had clutch control/speed to think about). At night, I made sure I had both parts of my licence in my handbag, as the next day was D day... my test.
Thursday came, I did a couple more reverses in the car park, and were just on my merry way to the test centre (30 miles away), when my instructor spotted a side light had gone on my truck! He said that they wouldn't take me on test if it was out. WHAT!! 
Fortunately, (or so you would think), I had a spare bulb in my glove box. We tried to change it ourselves to no avail. We could not gain access to the light cluster as it was embeded within the bumper, and you couldn't even access it from underneath/behind the bumper.
Cue a further frantic call to my mechanic friend, who told me to call in en route. We arrived at the garage, and 10 minutes of horrendous fiddling, and wallah, the bulb was replaced, and we were on our way.
We arrived at the test centre, and my instructor asked me for both parts of my licence. I went in my bag, and my paper part was missing! NOOOOOO! *HEAD-SMASH-OFF-STEERING-WHEEL*... That morning, I had taken out of my bag my unhitching/hitching instructions as a quick last minute check, and my licence must have come out at the same time without me realising.
Desperately I rang my OH, and he confirmed it was on the kitchen work top. As I was on the phone the examiner approached us. My instructor explained what the problem was, and I confirmed my OH would bring it over straight away - would be there in 20 minutes tops. His response.... without both parts of licence, he would NOT take me out. No amount of pleading helped - he sent me home not allowing me to do my test. Yes, you guessed it, I lost my test fee.
As I was driving home, my instructor had said he had spoken to the examiners whilst I had used the ladies. The examiner that was due to take me out had said if I had used my automatic, I would have been fine - didn't make a difference, and would not have restricted my licence. Another examiner joined the discussion and disagreed. Cue them calling Nottingham (dvla?) and they said that it would not restrict my licence if I were to use an automatic. The right hand didn't know what the left hand was saying!!
My instructor was in the process of re-booking my test, so asked me which truck I'd be using - I said manual - I was not going to risk it if they 'changed' their minds again. Amazingly, they had a test slot for the next morning, and so I booked it, and had to pay again!
Friday morning came, and I drove to the test centre determined more than ever not to stuff it up - my stress levels were maxed out and there was no way I would have coped with another knock back.
Anyway, test time - I remember both parts of my licence and off I went. I did my show me tell me questions, then had an audiance whilst doing my reversing maneuver, (and thank goodness I did it in one, perfectly straight, even and in the box), then went out to do the driving test part, finishing with my unhitch and hitching excerise.
THANK GOD I PASSED WITH FLYING COLOURS! ....and breathe.... xx
WOOHOOOO! As ever, it wasn't straight forward, had some drama thrown in, together with a costly lesson learnt.....
A truly 'testing' experience, in more ways than one!!Firstly, I have a 'manual' Shogun Pinin, and recently purchased a 'semi-automatic' big version of the Shogun with the intention of selling my manual. I decided to do my lessons and test in the automatic as that was the truck I had just purchased, and would be towing with. Late on Monday, my instructor texted to say if I did the test in my automatic, my towing licence would be restricted to automatics only!
After much contemplation, I decided to use my manual, as what was the point spending all that money and going through a test, to be restricted right...
My manual had been stood for a few weeks, so that night I moved it out the back yard when I got home from work with the intention of driving it to work the next day. Got in it, and my brakes were seized and grinding, and my window wipers didn't clear the water off my screen properly leaving my screen blurry.
Tuesday came, and whilst at work I frantically rang the garage to get my truck booked in for that day to have the necesary work done. Luckily I got it in and sorted, phew! The brakes just needed cleaning up, and the wipers were replaced.
Wednesday I had a few hours lesson with my instructor as a re-fresher, and to gauge how to do the reversing maneuver in my smaller manual (not only were my mirror points and turning circle different, but also had clutch control/speed to think about). At night, I made sure I had both parts of my licence in my handbag, as the next day was D day... my test.
Thursday came, I did a couple more reverses in the car park, and were just on my merry way to the test centre (30 miles away), when my instructor spotted a side light had gone on my truck! He said that they wouldn't take me on test if it was out. WHAT!!
Fortunately, (or so you would think), I had a spare bulb in my glove box. We tried to change it ourselves to no avail. We could not gain access to the light cluster as it was embeded within the bumper, and you couldn't even access it from underneath/behind the bumper.
Cue a further frantic call to my mechanic friend, who told me to call in en route. We arrived at the garage, and 10 minutes of horrendous fiddling, and wallah, the bulb was replaced, and we were on our way.
We arrived at the test centre, and my instructor asked me for both parts of my licence. I went in my bag, and my paper part was missing! NOOOOOO!
*HEAD-SMASH-OFF-STEERING-WHEEL*... That morning, I had taken out of my bag my unhitching/hitching instructions as a quick last minute check, and my licence must have come out at the same time without me realising. Desperately I rang my OH, and he confirmed it was on the kitchen work top. As I was on the phone the examiner approached us. My instructor explained what the problem was, and I confirmed my OH would bring it over straight away - would be there in 20 minutes tops. His response.... without both parts of licence, he would NOT take me out. No amount of pleading helped - he sent me home not allowing me to do my test. Yes, you guessed it, I lost my test fee.
As I was driving home, my instructor had said he had spoken to the examiners whilst I had used the ladies. The examiner that was due to take me out had said if I had used my automatic, I would have been fine - didn't make a difference, and would not have restricted my licence. Another examiner joined the discussion and disagreed. Cue them calling Nottingham (dvla?) and they said that it would not restrict my licence if I were to use an automatic. The right hand didn't know what the left hand was saying!!
My instructor was in the process of re-booking my test, so asked me which truck I'd be using - I said manual - I was not going to risk it if they 'changed' their minds again. Amazingly, they had a test slot for the next morning, and so I booked it, and had to pay again!
Friday morning came, and I drove to the test centre determined more than ever not to stuff it up - my stress levels were maxed out and there was no way I would have coped with another knock back.
Anyway, test time - I remember both parts of my licence
and off I went. I did my show me tell me questions, then had an audiance whilst doing my reversing maneuver, (and thank goodness I did it in one, perfectly straight, even and in the box), then went out to do the driving test part, finishing with my unhitch and hitching excerise.THANK GOD I PASSED WITH FLYING COLOURS! ....and breathe.... xx
I love you too! xx 
