So I started my training this morning, 7.30 but wide awake since 4am Weather was brilliant, nice and sunny which was a big help, as was the Rescue Remedy recommended on here
Anyway, Frank showed me the basics of the lorry, lights, gears etc and we set off from Red Rose at Kearsley with Frank driving, ah nice and easy thinks me, then we get to the A6 and Frank says āright, swap seatsā and this is where I find out two things
1.) Whoever designed lorry gearboxes is a very sick puppy
2.) Fourth gear to first gear is NOT a fun gearchange
We continued on to Chorley with me sat there thinking āWhat the ā ā ā ā am I doing sat here?ā and lots of me forgetting which gear Iām in, forgetting to flick the switch to high range and generally making a complete hash of it, oh, and if you were the tipper driver in Adlington, sorry again and thank you for your patience
So, after all that, will I be going back in the morning? Too bloody right I will!
PaulNowak:
Religiously set the switch to high range the second you select fourth.
It will not change from low to high range until going through neutral
Same for changing down range - set to low whilst in high if the next change is to be a low range gear
BUT NEVER FORGET YOU HAVE DONE IT because that can also put you in hot water !!
Thanks Rog, Iāve read the tips in your sig, especially the gearbox tips, for AGES, but the minute it came down to putting it into practice, BOOM, ā ā ā ā -up Anyway, tomorrow is another day and I WILL get this right, Iāve spent too many years and too much money to give up that easily
Day 2 much better, starting to get the hang of the gears now and my speed is better. Just got to slow it down a little approaching hazards and use a bit more planning and awareness. Nailing the reverses every time, well, one shunt was needed today but my instructor says Iām improving so fingers crossed for Friday morning
Well, took my test at 10:30 this morningā¦and bolloxed it On my independent drive, examiner asks me to follow M61 Preston, but I didnāt get good look at the route sign coming up to the roundabout so went for left lane, he says āyou should be turning rightā oh bollox thinks I, and then proceeded to go right round the roundabout on the outside, with my right indicator on, until I find the motorway entrance Two serious. Trouble was, up to that point Iāve had a good drive and he tells me Iād have passed if it wasnāt for that anyway, retest booked for Mon 17th and wallet another Ā£241 lighter Hey ho!
Sorry to hear you failed, the independent drive can get you. One plus point is you know your actual driving was spot on so second time round you will be able to pass. Fingers crossed for you
Rat67:
Well, took my test at 10:30 this morningā¦and bolloxed it On my independent drive, examiner asks me to follow M61 Preston, but I didnāt get good look at the route sign coming up to the roundabout so went for left lane, he says āyou should be turning rightā oh bollox thinks I, and then proceeded to go right round the roundabout on the outside, with my right indicator on, until I find the motorway entrance Two serious. Trouble was, up to that point Iāve had a good drive and he tells me Iād have passed if it wasnāt for that anyway, retest booked for Mon 17th and wallet another Ā£241 lighter Hey ho!
Next time follow the route you have chosen as that is not a fail unless it leads you up a no entry/into a weight limit/dead end etc
Many folks donāt get this. But itās perfectly correct. The same principle applies to normal driving. If youāre asked to turn right but you turn left, if done correctly, shouldnāt be a serious problem. Having said that, itās frustrating for the examiner - especially if heās not that familiar with the area.
As ROG said, going into a weight limit or against a no entry are clearly no - noās.
Carry this through to the ārealā world and the same works. If you get to a junction and miss the sign or whatever, carry on with what you started, keep it safe, then sort yourself out.
Thanks Rog & Peter, Iām so pād off at myself, Iād been nervous since the test started and then when I realised Iād cocked up, that was it I could see the traffic on my offside going on to the RA and it threw me. Really annoys me because I passed my, car, bus and minibus tests first time The examiner said back at the test centre that heād tried to prompt me to correct my mistake and but for that Iād have passed (with 10 minors ) but no point crying about it, got my retest at Atherton a week on Monday and Iām ready for it
Weather was brilliant, nice and sunny which was a big help, as was the Rescue Remedy recommended on here 
and thank you for your patience 
