I have the original e-mail reply and if anyone wants me to forward a copy (inludes a WORD attachment) then PM me your e-mail address and I will do so 
Rog - i would like a copy of the e-mail if poss - many thanx
Big D:
Rog - i would like a copy of the e-mail if poss - many thanx
PM me your e-mail address and I will
Thought I’d bump this up to see if we can add anything to the debate on a bank holiday 
As far as I can see, most instructors seem to get on fairly well with each other and that being the case, would it be useful for 2 instuctors from nearby different training companies, to get together, say, once a year for a day or half a day and learn from each other, maybe assess each other and discuss various issues 
- OK, its pie-in-the-sky thinking but, what the ZB, it’s somewhere to start 
Well Rog.
In Peterborough all instructors congregate at favourtite tea bars and discuss things with each other (or is that moan about things to each other). So a proper type of meeting might be good. However as a lot of instructors have to travel to the test centre areas, they may not be keen to do it for such a meeting.
I thought it would be nice to have say a Christmas Party or other social type events as well. Often training schools only have a couple of instructors and therefore don’t have their own Christmas Parties.
Maybe meets with examiners on a casual type basis might be of benefit as well. I have not had the opportunity to attend an event organised by the local examiners yet. However I understand that there has been one in the past, but it was an us and them type meeting, and as we all make our living in the same industry, wouldn’t it be nice to all get on.
- What constitutes “pulling out” on a vehicle at a roundabout? I have heard different examiners say that they dont mind if the extreme rear of a vehicle slows an oncoming vehicle down, whereas some do.
The way I have always understood this is that you should only pull out on a roundabout if the whole of the vehicle can pass onto the roundabout without making another vehicle, slow down, change direction or stop.
Once again there are certain times - for example when the roundabout is extremely busy - when an examiner will allow for a little leeway but the ideal is that thw WHOLE of the vehicle should slot in without effecting any other vehicle.
One way I see entering roundabouts is - there is no difference between the approach and entering of a roundabout and the approach and entering a motorway.
Motorways and roundabouts are both ‘one way systems’ with traffic only approaching from the right.
Both roundabouts and motorways have run in roads - slip roads to m/ways and the appproach road to the roundabout.
Use this approach time to judge the speed and amount of traffic approaching the roundabout and adjust your own speed to suit, then slip in and join the flow - just as you would when joining a motorway.
I was always told that a good driver never needs to stop at a roundabout because he has judged it on approach.
This is a little ambigious with todays volume of traffic but the principal still holds I believe.
and with banked up, planted up r-a-b’s where you can’t see what’s coming.
As for delivery trucks that require PTO work whilst standing on the road, most now the engine is started, revs controlled, & can be stopped by controls mounted within the box housing the valves etc.
I agree its still running unattended on the road though.
Technically i suppose a drivers mate is needed.
As for being DUI in Dover:
lots of drivers weekended used to roll out of the wheelhouse and/or intown clubs at closing time & back to the truck to sleep it off.
Unless the law has changed an LGV examiner is not required to hold an LGV driving licence (although he would have needed to at the time of his examiner training).
Seems there’s quite a few of us now on TN either involved in Driver Training and/or have further driving related qualifications.
I propose we approach TN to start a separate section specifically for those of us fitting these categories where training matters etc. could be discussed. Although it should be open to all readers, especially newbies who may wish to introduce a specific question.
Indeed as soon as i’ve a moment, i’ll start a new thread specifically for this purpose with the hope that TN admin would consider creating a section for it.
Watch this space…
Driveroneuk wrote:-
Unless the law has changed an LGV examiner is not required to hold an LGV driving licence (although he would have needed to at the time of his examiner training).
I can’t believe that. The examiner when on test is technically the licence holder responsible for the vehicle and as such must therefore hold the licence.
As I understand it an examiner at our local test centre has temporarily had his vocational entitlement suspended for medical reasons and is not allowed to conduct tests at present.
I can’t believe that. The examiner when on test is technically the licence holder responsible for the vehicle and as such must therefore hold the licence.
Oh no he isn’t it.
The L driver does not need to be supervised by a licence holder when on test.
My late Father, who was a DTp Driving Test Examiner had this arguement with many people. He knew he was right ofcourse!
The DSA ruling NOW is that the examiner MUST hold the licence for the catagory of vehicle they are testing in - it changed within the last few years.
ROG:
The DSA ruling NOW is that the examiner MUST hold the licence for the catagory of vehicle they are testing in - it changed within the last few years.
So why didn’t they need one before? Why would the supervised learner rule not need to be enforced on a test?
mrpj:
ROG:
The DSA ruling NOW is that the examiner MUST hold the licence for the catagory of vehicle they are testing in - it changed within the last few years.So why didn’t they need one before? Why would the supervised learner rule not need to be enforced on a test?
Dunno matey - probably some penpusher thought it was not necessary for some reason
Driveroneuk:
I can’t believe that. The examiner when on test is technically the licence holder responsible for the vehicle and as such must therefore hold the licence.
Oh no he isn’t it.
The L driver does not need to be supervised by a licence holder when on test.
My late Father, who was a DTp Driving Test Examiner had this arguement with many people. He knew he was right of course!
True they did not need to hold the licence i believe like most things it changed in 1997. ( but they basically completed a course on what to look for it was a joke )
If a test was terminated on route back then they used to drive the truck back to the test centre. ( Hilarious )
Now they are like everyone else the need to hold the licence for 3 years now before they can examine if they pass the dsa lgv examiner course.
One examiner back in 1997 was also driving for an agency at weekends whilst he was examining thro the week …
I take my hat off to him as he knew what he was really looking for unlike some examiners,
Now they are like everyone else the need to hold the licence for 3 years now before they can examine if they pass the dsa lgv examiner course.
I thought they only needed to hold it for 1 year to be an examiner but I stand to be corrected
ROG:
Now they are like everyone else the need to hold the licence for 3 years now before they can examine if they pass the dsa lgv examiner course.
I thought they only needed to hold it for 1 year to be an examiner but I stand to be corrected
Drop a dime ROG and ask them.
Thank you for backing me up 26. I did say the law may have changed.
My Father finished in 1982.
Though i do find it difficult to believe an examiner would ever drive ANY vehicle back to a test centre as they are not, and AFAIK, never have been, insured to do so.
When a pupil is/was on test, it is the only time they can drive on a provisional licence unsupervised. (agricultural tractor excepted). The examiner has no responsibility for the vehicle.
Driveroneuk:
I did say the law may have changed.
I don’t think the Legislation has changed, merely a ‘policy’ decision by the DSA for Health & Safety reasons and a bit of ‘arse covering’.
For those that find it remarkable that an examiner is not required to hold a full licence for the category being tested, I think the principal goes back to the pre 70’s (prior to vocational licences) and stems from the method of motor cycle testing where examiners were strategically located at junctions to ‘observe’ candidates.
Hence, there was never a need for the examiner to be able to ride such a machine.
Indeed.
My Dad conducted many such tests. They used to know certain short cuts that they could nip through on foot & unknowingly observe the candidate. 
Sometimes the route brief was a figure of 8, not exactly complicated, but he “lost” a few riders whilst on test, never to be seen again!
However he had completed a motor cycle training course & proficiency exam at Cardington. (and had a garage business which also sold bikes before that).
Split from HERE
ROG:
Smart Mart:
Chippy wrote:-
So again I ask what experience has a dsa lgv examiner got in driving laden trucks in the real world ?Didn’t realise you had asked before. I know that there are examiners who have worked ‘in the real world’ before becoming examiners, likewise there are those who appear not to have.
Sadly I do not think there is any other way to assess new drivers than the method we have at present. Any other way would be open to corruption of one for or another - believe me I have thought long and hard about alternatives.
As instructors what we have to do is fully prepare trainees for the test - they can learn to drive afterwards! Unless of course Trainees are prepared to pay far more money for post test training.
One way MIGHT be to include, and take into account, a statement or ‘signing off’ by the instructor - but that would mean no set test dates until the instructor has said that the trainee is test ready.
Smart Mart:
Rog wrote:-
One way MIGHT be to include, and take into account, a statement or ‘signing off’ by the instructor - but that would mean no set test dates until the instructor has said that the trainee is test ready.
Yes Rog, but as with all ideas that would be open to corruption - if someone was offered £50 to sign them off, they would be tempted. Certain training schools would sign anyone off i’m sure - they could advertise 100% sign off rate then!. Anyway in all but a very rare few, my trainees are ready for their test by the end of their course, and I assume that the examiners think that is the case also.
ROG:
Smart Mart:
Rog wrote:-
One way MIGHT be to include, and take into account, a statement or ‘signing off’ by the instructor - but that would mean no set test dates until the instructor has said that the trainee is test ready.
Yes Rog, but as with all ideas that would be open to corruption - if someone was offered £50 to sign them off, they would be tempted. Certain training schools would sign anyone off i’m sure - they could advertise 100% sign off rate then!. Anyway in all but a very rare few, my trainees are ready for their test by the end of their course, and I assume that the examiners think that is the case also.
Only mentioned this because this is exactly what the DSA are proposing for ADIs to do with car learners
Smart Mart:
Don’t ADI’s get checked out regularly though - unlike LGV Instructors, who really are totally unregulated at present,
It is to be designed as a ‘commitment’ by the instructor which is seperate from the ongoing checks.
ROG:
Now they are like everyone else the need to hold the licence for 3 years now before they can examine if they pass the dsa lgv examiner course.
I thought they only needed to hold it for 1 year to be an examiner but I stand to be corrected
I’m in the recruitment process for DSA Examiners just now. As you might know I hold C+E and used to be an instructor. If I am appointed as an examiner I would only carry out Cat B (car) tests for the first year. I would not be trained/examined for LGV tests until the end of this period. The 3 years applies for a standard licence as far as I am aware. Unless you’ve held a licence for 3 years, you will not be considered for an examiner post.
The recruitment process so far has been:
- Online application 19 Oct '07
- Theory and HPT Mar '08
- Test of Driving ability Jun '08
- Interview Aug '08
- Informed of pass of 3), late Aug - No vacancies at present in my area, will be held on a list (position dependant on my interview score which was not disclosed) for up to 12 months
- Still waiting…
Next would be 4 weeks at Cardington (with no guarantee of a pass) if a vacancy comes up in my selected areas.
Oh, I forgot to say the pay is crap…