Do empty cages not stack, like shopping trolleys?
stu675:
Do empty cages not stack, like shopping trolleys?
Yea, they do stack but there are too many to make one long row on one side of the lorry. So far, I have always stacked them in 2 rows, blocking up all the loaded cages behind.
driveress:
Thanks for the advice and encouragement Goff118. I’m sure you’re right. Re-test is booked for 30th March with a 2h positioning and turning lesson beforehand.Are you driving this weekend or is it your weekend off?
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GO SLOW!
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Watch the right-hand mirror and bury the nose deeper into the outside of the roundabout than you would with a car (it feels at first like you’re just driving to the other side in a straight line)
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Figure out your reference points! Get out of the truck, walk to the rear wheel, look at the crash bar, then get back in and try and find the wheel in the mirror. Remember it is beyond the crash bar. You need to put the apex right back there at that point when turning
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Mirrors are critical!
TruckerGuy:
driveress:
Thanks for the advice and encouragement Goff118. I’m sure you’re right. Re-test is booked for 30th March with a 2h positioning and turning lesson beforehand.Are you driving this weekend or is it your weekend off?
GO SLOW!
Watch the right-hand mirror and bury the nose deeper into the outside of the roundabout than you would with a car (it feels at first like you’re just driving to the other side in a straight line)
Figure out your reference points! Get out of the truck, walk to the rear wheel, look at the crash bar, then get back in and try and find the wheel in the mirror. Remember it is beyond the crash bar. You need to put the apex right back there at that point when turning
Mirrors are critical!
Yep, thanks
Trying to do 2) at a particular roundabout but not doing enough of 4) first, meant I clipped the left curb 
which then put me off continuing with 2)
Glad you had another good shift Goff118.
Something that didn’t click for me until Class 1 - Watch your back wheels in the mirror and be mindful of clearing the kerb with those before you start making the turn. With practice it’ll become second nature.
With practice it’ll become second nature.
That’s encouraging! I just need to improve my consistency in this area and I’m hoping another couple of hours will do it.
jimmea:
First post as I’ve been lurking a long time, I start my class 2 training next week with Ritchies in Glasgow. I arranged, sat and passed the theory, hazard and module 2 tests myself so managed to get in at short notice for the actual driver training, bit nervous but it’s now or never.I’ve been in an NHS stores job for 20 years but would like to try and get a daytime driving job with £400-£500 weekly. Might be asking for too much but I’ve got a few leads to follow up if I pass hopefully. Quite a few companies are looking for drivers but the lack of experience will be a problem for me so I might also try some agency work at the weekends to gain some.
I just passed my Cat C on Saturday, I done my training with Ritchies. They were great. I had a guy called Jim for one morning. And he was brilliant. Everyone else is Called Dave. My first day was me (Dave) instructor Dave and another trainee called Dave
and congratulations on your pass 
Thought I’d pop back in for an update.
I had my full week of training and I absolutely loved it. Passed the CPC part 4 and the reverse manoeuvre and totally happy with it. Went out on my test really confident and I thought I’d had a good drive but didn’t pass. Just a couple of silly things got me, wrong lane positioning trying to avoid a weight limit road and turning right. Got a retest booked in straight away and I’m back on the 21st to try again so fingers crossed for me.
Good luck for Monday NikkiO. 
Hopefully you’ll be getting ROG’s fireworks!
driveress:
Good luck for Monday NikkiO.
Thank you, I passed 
Getting cracking on applications now.
x
NikkiO:
driveress:
Good luck for Monday NikkiO.Thank you, I passed
Getting cracking on applications now.
x
Congratulations, well done! What sort of work are you looking for?
Great news NikkiO, you must be so chuffed
Keep us updated
Goff118:
NikkiO:
driveress:
Good luck for Monday NikkiO.Thank you, I passed
Getting cracking on applications now.
x
Congratulations, well done! What sort of work are you looking for?
I’d really like night shifts on trunking routes but there’s a local transport company where I live so I’m applying to them first and see what they have. I know they don’t run their rigids overnight but they have lots of regular routes so fingers crossed. I just need to get some experience.
NikkiO:
Thank you, I passed
driveress:
What an intense few days. I’ve just completed my Category C training which ended in a fail. I cannot seem to get my head around road positioning at and steering around tight city centre roundabouts. I know it sounds stupid because size is what it’s all about but I’ve really struggled with re-mapping my brain for the length and width of the vehicle.My first serious fault was mounting the kerb at an island on a roundabout, followed by 3 more poor positioning on roundabouts. The rest of the drive was fine, despite the absolutely ■■■■■■■ rain. Although I’ve definitely improved during my training (day 1 was an absolute write off and a give up moment), I’ve been fairly inconsistent in this particular area, sometimes nailing it and sometimes not, so if I had passed it probably would have been a fluke.
I’m happy with my trainer. He has really tried to help me despite me, on day 1, driving him bonkers by doing the opposite of what he was telling me. On yesterday’s drive he assessed me as having 3 minors, all mirrors. On this morning’s drive pre-test the first thing I did was kiss the left kerb coming out of the training centre. Has anyone else been this rubbish at steering and positioning at the beginning and finally got their licence? My next hurdle is believing I will actually learn it. On the plus side I’m enjoying it and the re-test is booked.
Thanks Driveress, for the honesty of your post.
Currently learning myself and turning on corners and roundabouts has been a challenge. You are not the only one. Was planning on doing C+E, but the trainer and I agree that C will be quite enough for the moment thank you. I blame coming from a small car and having little or no larger vehicle experience for my slow progress. Far easier than admitting I am just slow on the uptake!
When I get out of the lorry and drive home, the car mirrors are just so small. And the car is so nippy. Good luck with the next test.
Thanks BumpyRoads. Good luck for your first test!
I’m hoping the penny will drop next time I get in the Class 2. I’ve been trying to actively look in my mirrors at every roundabout and turn in the car in an attempt to re-map my brain.
driveress:
Thanks BumpyRoads. Good luck for your first test!
I’m hoping the penny will drop next time I get in the Class 2. I’ve been trying to actively look in my mirrors at every roundabout and turn in the car in an attempt to re-map my brain.
If you haven’t done it already, turn the rear view mirror in your car up so you can’t see it also, that’ll get you focussing on the mirrors that you’ll need to be looking in when it comes to a lorry. That is one of the best tips I read on the tips section of this forum, and I still keep my rear view mirror turned up all the time in the car now.
A good tip which I started doing ages ago, I just didn’t increase the frequency of my mirror checks enough or realise quite how much I’d use the left mirror!
Another long time lurker here. I have been self employed and run my own graphic design businesses for 20 years. Had enough of dealing with unprofessional clients/chasing invoices/quoting for jobs at unreasonable rates etc etc so at the ripe old age off 55 decided to go for my Cat C, maybe C+E.
During COVID I did a few months 3.5t multidrop work, as well as deliveries and collections for the RM. Love driving vans/cars and riding motorbikes so thought why not change career?
Has my medical before Christmas and applied for my provisional. Did my 35 hour CPC in Feb and booked a 4 hour 7.5t ‘refresher’ (actually never driven anything larger than 3.5t but have grandfather’s rights). Went well and have been doing deliveries via agency for well known high street store - ‘Never knowingly undersold’ [emoji16] 4 weeks in, hard graft but great driving experience.
I have my course booked for early April, 8 hours in a rigid and 16 hours in an artic. My instructor reckons I’ll be fine for C+E but we’ll see.
I’d be happy to do weekend trunking for experience (or nights, don’t mind). Ideally working 3 maybe 4 days a week without killing myself. It’s not so much about the money as work/life balance.
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