That’s me just failed my class 2 for the 3rd time … and can’t work out how my instructors have said some of the reasons seem unfair why I’ve failed previously the first time was because I didn’t get into the right lane at a very large Junction and the reason was half the road sign on the gantry was actually missing the 2nd fail was in a country lane I was heading to a corner at 10 mph was in full control there were no vehicles behind in front or even near me and the exzaminer said he had to intervene in the 2nd test I never actually mentioned to him that I’m a bus driver for the last 8 years so have a good prospective of driving a large vehicle and today was apparently not using my mirrors enough and a speeding driver at a Junction and hesitation at junctions and roundabouts am dumb founded any advice please!!! Thanks
Bighubby:
That’s me just failed my class 2 for the 3rd time … and can’t work out how my instructors have said some of the reasons seem unfair why I’ve failed previously the first time was because I didn’t get into the right lane at a very large Junction and the reason was half the road sign on the gantry was actually missing the 2nd fail was in a country lane
I was heading to a corner at 10 mph was in full control there were no vehicles behind in front or even near me and the exzaminer said he had to intervenein the 2nd test I never actually mentioned to him that I’m a bus driver for the last 8 years so have a good prospective of driving a large vehicle and today was apparently not using my mirrors enough and a speeding driver at a Junction and hesitation at junctions and roundabouts am dumb founded any advice please!!! Thanks
You might be better posting this in the newbies forum where other newbies and instructors can help
Maybe take a retest at a different test centre. I was failed way back ,didnt think that it was a fair decision, but you cant really argue with the ref.
Maybe change instructor.
i would of thought that if the examiner had to take control on the second test it would of been fairly obvious unless they have dual control class 2 as about the only thing the examiner can do is grab the wheel or the handbrake.
When I did my test i was told by the instructor that all they are looking for is an overall comfitable and compertant drive it doesnt matter if you make a small mistake provided you dont keep making the same mistake. I can belive this as on my test simular to your second i had a tight left hand bend and had to be right out in the middle of the road to make the apex. a car came the other way and had to reverse to get out of my path and i ended up clipping the inside kerb when we got back to the test centerthe examiner asked how i thought i had done and i listed this with a couple of other things that i cant remember now and the examiner said well yes that was unfortunate but you have passed.
You said you have driven busses for a period of time are you using that experience and maybe going into things hotter than a new pass would. I know it shouldnt make a difference but it might be making the examiner feel uncomfitable if he doesnt know your past experience. I dont know that this is the case as im not am examiner just food for thought.
Bighubby:
That’s me just failed my class 2 for the 3rd time … and can’t work out how my instructors have said some of the reasons seem unfair why I’ve failed previously the first time was because I didn’t get into the right lane at a very large Junction and the reason was half the road sign on the gantry was actually missing the 2nd fail was in a country lane I was heading to a corner at 10 mph was in full control there were no vehicles behind in front or even near me and the exzaminer said he had to intervene in the 2nd test I never actually mentioned to him that I’m a bus driver for the last 8 years so have a good prospective of driving a large vehicle and today was apparently not using my mirrors enough and a speeding driver at a Junction and hesitation at junctions and roundabouts am dumb founded any advice please!!! Thanks
Sorry, if you did not get into the right lane, at a major junction, that is a failing of forward planning, if your trainer was decent he should know most of the routes an examiner uses … thus, should explain and coach you … regardless of road furniture… there are signs on the road.
Give up on class 2 and go straight for the class one.
Wise up mate, you’re dodging a bullet.
Put your dough into plant machines instead.
cooper1203:
You said you have driven busses for a period of time are you using that experience and maybe going into things hotter than a new pass would. I know it shouldnt make a difference but it might be making the examiner feel uncomfitable if he doesnt know your past experience. I dont know that this is the case as im not am examiner just food for thought.
+1 coops…
Is bang on the money.
SWEDISH Blue have had 3 different instructors the last one was actually an ex traffic cop and said my standard of driving was very high and thinks because this exzaminer has tested me twice and failed me twice he has some.issue with me ■■? Idk
eagerbeaver:
Wise up mate, you’re dodging a bullet.Put your dough into plant machines instead.
Already thought about that have mates that have done it some 2 years ago and no one will touch them and the work is scarce in the uk in general
yourhavingalarf:
cooper1203:
You said you have driven busses for a period of time are you using that experience and maybe going into things hotter than a new pass would. I know it shouldnt make a difference but it might be making the examiner feel uncomfitable if he doesnt know your past experience. I dont know that this is the case as im not am examiner just food for thought.+1 coops…
Is bang on the money.
Am actually taking much more care than I would in a bus and am obviously very careful with a bus load of people …
Can you post the junction and corner with a google maps link.
Yep forward planning especially the approach to hazards and positioning is extremely important with the length/width/weight of a 44t truck and he’ll be watching that like a hawk.
Exactly what went wrong at the corner.
Wrong lane at a junction could actually mean that he wanted more than one lane to be straddled and used according to the Highway Code.
Mirrors is generally a case of should be looking at the mirrors as much as looking ahead including before and during every braking input and every and any change of direction.
Don’t get hesitancy at junctions.I usually treat give way as stop as part of the think bike narrative.There’s no way that treating give way literally is compatible with checking all angles and potential blind spots for approaching quick moving bikers.Especially with the braking they had when I did my tests.
My examiners obviously had no problem with that.But some of the instructors did so you might be getting into some unavoidable differences in thinking there.Of an examiner thinking like some of my instructors did in viewing stop and wait at a give way as ‘hesitancy’.That’s probably just a matter of luck on the day but collecting a biker at a junction likely means jail time so stop and check once then twice at give way it has to be whatever anyone else thinks.
Carryfast:
…
My examiners obviously had no problem with that.…
But wasn’t that in the 1970s…? I mean, the poor guy could probably do with some advice from this century, at least! 
Anyone who sits a test starts off with a clean sheet. It’s the way you drive that determines the result.
Examiners always give the benefit of the doubt and if you don’t pass you more than likely don’t deserve to.
If you had a decent instructor he should train you to a higher standard than the examiner needs to see.
A major fault is anything potentially dangerous and a minor fault that is repeated will result in a fail.
Having been out with candidates when on test there is usually a completely different angle to an incident
and it’s the examiner who is always correct. They go through constant rigorous training to make sure they are following the current guidelines.
Having said that luck comes into any test. The other road users you meet can make a big difference and
being an experienced bus driver may not have any benefit. Certainly should make life easier for an instructor
but unless said instructor manages to eradicate any potential faults that can come from an experienced driver
then the outcome might not be so good.
Lucy:
Carryfast:
…
My examiners obviously had no problem with that.…But wasn’t that in the 1970s…? I mean, the poor guy could probably do with some advice from this century, at least!
1980 and 1985 respectively.
Think once think twice think bike was as relevant then as now.Can never be too hesitant at junctions let alone the idea that give way doesn’t mean stop.
jakethesnake:
Anyone who sits a test starts off with a clean sheet. It’s the way you drive that determines the result.
Examiners always give the benefit of the doubt and if you don’t pass you more than likely don’t deserve to.
If you had a decent instructor he should train you to a higher standard than the examiner needs to see.
A major fault is anything potentially dangerous and a minor fault that is repeated will result in a fail.
Having been out with candidates when on test there is usually a completely different angle to an incident
and it’s the examiner who is always correct. They go through constant rigorous training to make sure they are following the current guidelines.Having said that luck comes into any test. The other road users you meet can make a big difference and
being an experienced bus driver may not have any benefit. Certainly should make life easier for an instructor
but unless said instructor manages to eradicate any potential faults that can come from an experienced driver
then the outcome might not be so good.
What would define ‘hesitancy’ at junctions when give way generally means stop to carry out sufficient observation before entering.
What was the emergency intervention all about.He says he approached the bend at 10mph.Obviously wasn’t too fast which only leaves positioning on the approach.
The mirror checks would have confirmed the position v white line and/or kerb/verge.
Hesitancy usually takes place at junctions or roundabouts where a driver had time to go but did not.
It would not have happened just once either as any examiner will always give the benefit of the doubt as I said earlier.
A common problem when a driver goes on test is they become over cautious and drive differently to how they have been taught. Its up to the instructor to try to make sure this does not happen but it all depends on who the instructor is and what standard they have been taught to. Nerves can also play a big part in any test.
When I did my Class 2 a few years ago over near Liverpool, I came to a T junction onto a main road with a blind corner about 100 metres to the right. I waited for traffic to pass and then started to turn left, all of a sudden a car came zooming around the blind corner but I carried on as I was already committed. The examiner failed me for that to which I found myself asking him what else I could have done. He said I should have waited a bit longer.
Fast forward to last year and I was chatting to a driver on one of my deliveries who also failed at Liverpool, turns out at the exact same junction. He said he kept waiting for a gap in the traffic and then when eventually one came he started moving a few inches but a car came around the corner, so he stopped. He was failed for hesitancy. When he asked the examiner what he should have done, he was told that he should have continued and it was up to the car to slow down.
So both options were taken at the same junction and both were failed 
so OP you mention, you drove on a country lane road which might have been national speed limit and when approaching the bend you slowed down to 10mile, you deserve to fail mate obviously we cant see which bend and how sharp it is, was there any advisor speed limits on what speed you should travel? its my pet hate people who cant drive a vehicle suitable to the road i bet 30/40 any half decent driver could get around it safe enough
And for failing to get in the correct lane @ the roundabout why not just do the wrong way and indicator whichever lane your in? You seriously do need to get lesson down you … btw why even bother with class 2 ? goverment are giving any class 1
But i do agree sometimes there is a element of luck like the above poster has mentions and there nout we can do but let the power trip goons who earn 25k a earn
NorthernApe:
When I did my Class 2 a few years ago over near Liverpool, I came to a T junction onto a main road with a blind corner about 100 metres to the right. I waited for traffic to pass and then started to turn left, all of a sudden a car came zooming around the blind corner but I carried on as I was already committed. The examiner failed me for that to which I found myself asking him what else I could have done. He said I should have waited a bit longer.
Fast forward to last year and I was chatting to a driver on one of my deliveries who also failed at Liverpool, turns out at the exact same junction. He said he kept waiting for a gap in the traffic and then when eventually one came he started moving a few inches but a car came around the corner, so he stopped. He was failed for hesitancy. When he asked the examiner what he should have done, he was told that he should have continued and it was up to the car to slow down.
So both options were taken at the same junction and both were failed
As if the test route has been deliberately chosen to create that type of catch 22.
At best it’s just creating a needless hazard on the road at a dodgy junction.
I make the second examiner correct the responsibility is on the approaching vehicle in the case of a blind bend to drive to the vision ahead and anticipate a hazard the other side of it.What other option is there other than change the junction to an all directions stop type.