Passed my C+E yesterday, straight from car license. But it was a tricky 2 weeks… here’s what happened:
Sailed through my 3 theory tests in 90 minutes a couple of months back, 97%.
Got booked on 2 week intensive course far away due to no local availability, then got offered to do mod 4 in same week rather than coming back at later date due to cancellation, then got told lorry off road so would be 9 instead of 10 days with extra hours (to be fair, all well in advance).
So 4 hours on first two days turned into 8 hours - and the trainer still insisted on masks, so I was hot, short on oxygen, and absolutely exhausted!
But then when it came to Mod 4 on Tuesday, day 2, I sailed through it, word perfect on every point, only needing to be subtly coaxed into checking the number plate light (which I did quickly remember). 100%.
Day 3, we moved from class 2 to class 1 and normal 4 hours per day, and again, I didn’t nudge a single kerb or clip a roundabout, but all this time it was playing on my mind that failing Mod 3a (reversing) would be no road test.
Week 2 came, and we started on the reversing, and it wasn’t a total failure, but it was worse than I’d hoped. I didn’t sleep well that night.
But the next day, although tired, something clicked, and I was OK, with a little guidance.
On the day of the Mod 3a, I did 2 absolutely perfect reversed in the yard, straight in, no shunts, no help. I was well pleased!
Then we got to the test centre, and the examiner turned up an hour late due to error in calendar. Of course, by that time, nerves had kicked in, and by way of apology, he offered me a dry run. Like an idiot I didn’t take it, and it only took one tiny lapse of reverse-thinking, and I’d mis-aligned at the last minute near the cones. But I took 1 shunt, and got it back straight, followed by a word-perfect couple and uncouple. To me, that was actually the most nerve-wracking part done, but that took all of Wednesday’s training time.
The next day, Thursday, was the 3b. No time to practice before, other than the long drive to the test centre, but I was reasonably confident until a stand-in examiner, who no-one had ever seen before, failed a 2nd try from the same training company as me, for hesitation, right before my test.
That put the nerves right up me, but I started with a word-perfect show-and-tell (“5 out of 5 - spot on”), but then 3 minutes into the test, I had a judgement call on a left turn, where the other driver was quite clearly hanging back, but not really enough. I’m not allowed to flash or beckon, and with the hesitation-fail on my mind, I squeezed round. There was no danger of my clipping the waiting car, but I saw my back wheel just kiss (but not mount) the kerb, and his little stylus went “click” on his screen.
In my mind, I’d f*cked it, spent the rest of the test thinking I’d failed. But then all was good. 3 spot-on stop-and-go, a good call on stopping completely for a wide load because I observed the road narrowed slightly where I’d have been if I’d proceeded, a fully justified abandoned cycle overtake, and we also went on a couple of areas I’d not trained on.
Got back to depot, and he said “well, it was touch and go on that first corner [he then asked my what I could have done ideally and he was satisfied I knew], but you had an otherwise good drive, and therefore taking the standard of the whole drive into account, I’m pleased to say you passed. You had 5 minors but there’s nothing else I need to bring to your attention”. He then just gave me another minor bollocking on that first turn, and reminded me how close a judgment call it had been on whether I passed, but the fact is, I hadn’t endangered other road users. There but for the grace of a good remaining drive go I!
I was hoping for a clean sheet, but apparently 5 minors is nothing to be ashamed of, so Happy Days! To have gone from car to C+E in 28 hours, with the added stress of wearing a mask, is something I’m happy with.
Now to find a job - and not one of the ones on the “new passes” jobs on the board paying £12.50/hour for 5am starts including Saturdays!
I think what should help is that I’ve not had a single accident or point on my license in the 30 years since I was 21, and I can show them the clean-sheets for the CPC parts.
The journey begins…
