initially i just want to say hello, i am new to this forum - and thank you for all of the great information on view it is and has already been really useful for me.
just to introduce myself - I have been driving cars, vans, motorcycles, and small lorries since the mid eighties - i was made redundant during the summer from my job working for the local authority - with my redundancy pay i am attempting to get my class c licence and begin a new career, i begin my driver training this Monday morning coming - with my test on Friday the 16th.
I have almost finished reading the DVSA guide (382 pages) which has been really helpful, however i could use some advise on:
whats the best truckers road atlas to buy and is it worth investing in my own truckers sat nav, and if so could anyone advise of whats good and bad on the market ?
also i am confused about what i need to do regarding the CPC and getting my DQC assuming i pass my test next week, although i have the DVSA book - it is not clear to me what i need to do.
HI mate. I have the Philips navigator truckers atlas which I find useful but it is a bit bigger and bulkier than most but it does have bridge heights etc. in it. I also have a cheap chinese sat nav due to a low budget at the moment… if I had the money, I’d probably get a snooper satnav.
As for CPC, I did the full 35 hours and it’s just sitting in a room and listening the a guy going through various legislation etc. there is no test at the end so it’s just a case of turning up and listening.
Being a new driver, I don’t know if you are taking the other route for cpc as some do which is a bit different so can’t comment on that.
Priest:
Phillips atlas has more bridges than aa, just a note.
I have the Philips atlas too, it adds a bit if weight to my bag but it’s invaluable. I also have a tomtom 6000. I’ve had Garmin dezlcam and one of the cheaper ones you get online. I think a lot of it is down to personal choice though for satnav
scratchinonmyscreen:
I have been driving cars, vans, motorcycles, and small lorries since the mid eighties… i begin my driver training this Monday morning coming - with my test on Friday the 16th.
also i am confused about what i need to do regarding the CPC and getting my DQC assuming i pass my test next week,
You have a choice with a pre 1997 licence
Do initial tests 2 theory and 4 practical
or
do the 35 hours of attendance training
If you had asked before booking your training we would have suggested booking with a school that had practical training hours approved for driver cpc so you could have got some of those 35 hours whilst training for the practical C test
andy_s:
HI mate. I have the Philips navigator truckers atlas which I find useful but it is a bit bigger and bulkier than most but it does have bridge heights etc. in it. I also have a cheap chinese sat nav due to a low budget at the moment… if I had the money, I’d probably get a snooper satnav.
As for CPC, I did the full 35 hours and it’s just sitting in a room and listening the a guy going through various legislation etc. there is no test at the end so it’s just a case of turning up and listening.
Being a new driver, I don’t know if you are taking the other route for cpc as some do which is a bit different so can’t comment on that.
Priest:
Phillips atlas has more bridges than aa, just a note.
I have the Philips atlas too, it adds a bit if weight to my bag but it’s invaluable. I also have a tomtom 6000. I’ve had Garmin dezlcam and one of the cheaper ones you get online. I think a lot of it is down to personal choice though for satnav
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
Thanks Eddie - how would you rate the Snooper sat nav ? AL
scratchinonmyscreen:
I have been driving cars, vans, motorcycles, and small lorries since the mid eighties… i begin my driver training this Monday morning coming - with my test on Friday the 16th.
also i am confused about what i need to do regarding the CPC and getting my DQC assuming i pass my test next week,
You have a choice with a pre 1997 licence
Do initial tests 2 theory and 4 practical
or
do the 35 hours of attendance training
If you had asked before booking your training we would have suggested booking with a school that had practical training hours approved for driver cpc so you could have got some of those 35 hours whilst training for the practical C test
Thanks ROG - yes i wish i had of asked now … cheers for the information, yes it makes sense to me now
Priest:
Phillips atlas has more bridges than aa, just a note.
I have the Philips atlas too, it adds a bit if weight to my bag but it’s invaluable. I also have a tomtom 6000. I’ve had Garmin dezlcam and one of the cheaper ones you get online. I think a lot of it is down to personal choice though for satnav
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
Thanks Eddie - how would you rate the Snooper sat nav ? AL
I’ve never used a snooper but have looked at them recently…but in saying that nit sure I’d get one just now as it’s unnecessary spending. A lot if guys like them but I don’t know. My tomtom has probably the best traffic updates around but my Garmin was quicker at calculating routes and diversions …
Priest:
Phillips atlas has more bridges than aa, just a note.
I have the Philips atlas too, it adds a bit if weight to my bag but it’s invaluable. I also have a tomtom 6000. I’ve had Garmin dezlcam and one of the cheaper ones you get online. I think a lot of it is down to personal choice though for satnav
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
Thanks Eddie - how would you rate the Snooper sat nav ? AL
I’ve never used a snooper but have looked at them recently…but in saying that nit sure I’d get one just now as it’s unnecessary spending. A lot if guys like them but I don’t know. My tomtom has probably the best traffic updates around but my Garmin was quicker at calculating routes and diversions …
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
okay cheers anyway - do you find the sat nav is a worth while tool to have ? … i had my first lesson today in a 14T and i found that just dealing with drivers who will not use indicaters, mirror checks, road positioning etc etc enough to deal with, i suppose it must get easier the more you drive - i tended to miss a few road signs as my concentration was on road position, braking and speed.
For a cheap sat nav go on eBay search truck sat nav and you’ll find one for around £35. Don’t be put off by the price. I’ve had one for about 9months now and it’s never set me wrong. You can set your height, weight, number of axles, etc etc. Picture is great and you can choose which maps you use (tom tom is one of the choices). All in all probably the best £35 I’ve spent.
you can go for a cheap sat nav indeet, basically there are two or three map providers, running on a third party software. Cant see why a satnav should cost £100+
however if you get a cheap one - test it first for low bridges. i have had one that had a file missing that was accountable for the low bridges, you can find this thread on here
Thanks for all the advise chaps, all duly noted - just out of interest do all the sat navs give a warning for weight restricted areas, like, bridges and residential streets etc - say if i took a wrong turn or got lost ? cheers AL
scratchinonmyscreen:
Thanks for all the advise chaps, all duly noted - just out of interest do all the sat navs give a warning for weight restricted areas, like, bridges and residential streets etc - say if i took a wrong turn or got lost ? cheers AL
it probably will tell you you have entered a 7.5 restricted area, and my bet is that it tries to get you out of it and it will tell you you are heading towards a low bridge. But honestly, if you get these notifications (except if you are dropping in a 7.5 zone) it is your fail. My advise is to know your route before you set off. but route planning is a separate topic, unfortunately not really delivered as a part of the training.
Priest:
Phillips atlas has more bridges than aa, just a note.
I have the Philips atlas too, it adds a bit if weight to my bag but it’s invaluable. I also have a tomtom 6000. I’ve had Garmin dezlcam and one of the cheaper ones you get online. I think a lot of it is down to personal choice though for satnav
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
Thanks Eddie - how would you rate the Snooper sat nav ? AL
I’ve never used a snooper but have looked at them recently…but in saying that nit sure I’d get one just now as it’s unnecessary spending. A lot if guys like them but I don’t know. My tomtom has probably the best traffic updates around but my Garmin was quicker at calculating routes and diversions …
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
okay cheers anyway - do you find the sat nav is a worth while tool to have ? … i had my first lesson today in a 14T and i found that just dealing with drivers who will not use indicaters, mirror checks, road positioning etc etc enough to deal with, i suppose it must get easier the more you drive - i tended to miss a few road signs as my concentration was on road position, braking and speed.
Definitely but it us just that…a tool. It won’t ever replace the fact you need to read signs or watch where you’re going. Gotta make that clear, they’re great but just a guide. Don’t ever take it for granted that it’s the absolute. Still gotta keep your wits about you. Can’t emphasise that enough.
scratchinonmyscreen:
Thanks for all the advise chaps, all duly noted - just out of interest do all the sat navs give a warning for weight restricted areas, like, bridges and residential streets etc - say if i took a wrong turn or got lost ? cheers AL
it probably will tell you you have entered a 7.5 restricted area, and my bet is that it tries to get you out of it and it will tell you you are heading towards a low bridge. But honestly, if you get these notifications (except if you are dropping in a 7.5 zone) it is your fail. My advise is to know your route before you set off. but route planning is a separate topic, unfortunately not really delivered as a part of the training.
Thanks for the advise - yes see what mean, i will keep my concentration on the driving training right now - i will need to get myself clued up with the route planning asap once i have the c licence.
