dieseldave: Once it’s coupled to a tractor unit, every trailer has a pivot point that the driver has to learn, so I’m not convinced that a shorter trailer is any more or less difficult to drive/reverse.
Shorter trailers tend to run away easier once out of line. Try reversing a small trailer behind your car. Easily jackknifed if not kept under control. It all comes down to the distance from the pivot to the trailer wheels. Oh and number of axles on trailer makes a difference too. Single axle trailers will run away easier than twin or tri axle.
8:45 re-test… is not a bad time. i had a rush hour test. there’s a lot on the road at that time and it was all stop start, stop start. everything’s running a bit slower so you have a little more time… best of luck
dieseldave: Once it’s coupled to a tractor unit, every trailer has a pivot point that the driver has to learn, so I’m not convinced that a shorter trailer is any more or less difficult to drive/reverse.
Shorter trailers tend to run away easier once out of line. Try reversing a small trailer behind your car. Easily jackknifed if not kept under control.
Hi dar1976,
That’s all agreed, and perfectly true mate.
I have all of those “T” shirts.
dar1976:
It all comes down to the distance from the pivot to the trailer wheels.
Yes, but that’s not the same thing as the pivot point that I’m mentioning.
dar1976:
Oh and number of axles on trailer makes a difference too. Single axle trailers will run away easier than twin or tri axle.
Ahh!!
IMHO that’s a completely separate point.
The number of axles will alter the pivot point when trailers of the same length are compared.
Then you’d also have factor in a load, which alters the pivot point even more.
When I took my C+E test, I had an 8m single axle trailer that had the axle right at the very rearmost point.
My instructor told me that if I could reverse that, I’d be able to reverse any other trailer.
Thanks everyone. My instructor stayed behind tonight to give me a couple of hours training. No probs on the road, couple/uncouple seems to be all straightforward, the only thing im still struggling with is reverse. I can get a great angle but its when I put the bend on I mess it up. Still can’t get it through my head how much bend to put on. Hope it all works out tomorrow. I really don’t want to be doing any more driving tests.
Very best wishes for your test today KittyKat. Hope its not to wet. Forcast not very good.
Probably to late now but try eating a Bananna before your test.
Mike
Hey guys. Bearer of bad news I’m afraid, failed. Bus lane got me, the marking were so faint on the road, I couldn’t see it till I was on it. There were not advance warning signs either. Anyway, I realised when I was on the bus lane, didn’t know what time it was and if I could use it so panicked, put a signal on, pulled out and cause a car to slow down. My own stupid fault. Nerves really got to me on this one. The uncouple too wasn’t very good. I was putting the unit back under the trailer and thought, wait I’m not straight so took a shunt to fix it. He marked me down for that too. Oh well more days to take off work for retest. Can’t get time off till 5th and 6th of June so hopefully my trainer will be able to get those dates. Off to sulk over a cup of tea now.
Right now stop being silly here you have made the mistake you know what you have done wrong pick self up dust off & get back out there speak to your trainer & get him /her to sort out those day for you now
You now know what to expect so will be easier next time
animal:
Right now stop being silly here you have made the mistake you know what you have done wrong pick self up dust off & get back out there speak to your trainer & get him /her to sort out those day for you now
You now know what to expect so will be easier next time
Sorry to hear that you failed today. Get that next teat booked asap. You will be much better prepared next time.
And if you get a chance go back out and have a look at that bus lane, and study why you missed the signs and road markings.
Or have a look at that bit of road on google streetview.
Good luck next time.
Mike
Sorry to hear you failed, better luck next time.
As mike says, try and get round the test routes in your car and study each bit, even try driving the routes as if you were on a test. Every little bit helps!
Once it’s coupled to a tractor unit, every trailer has a pivot point that the driver has to learn, so I’m not convinced that a shorter trailer is any more or less difficult to drive/reverse.
Hope it all works out tomorrow. I really don’t want to be doing any more driving tests.
