Darrenb:
Well I am sorry to say I today failed my C+E.
I am going to keep this short and will try and give a full update when calmed down.
I failed on a left turn got a serious. I have enclosed a link to the google street view of the junction. I basically put to much left on. Other than that would have walked it with seven minors.
Equally irritating is that the highway code defines stripes or chevrons with broken line very clearly, and chevrons with solid line very clearly, but only stripes and solid line by omission. Not something I would like to encounter on driving test.
130
Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
Maybe they should add:
If the area is marked with diagonal stripes and a solid white line, do whatever the bleep you like
A large vehicle which cannot get around that corner without either going over the kerb or into the chevron area with solid white lines has 3 choices -
Go over kerb
Go over solid line
Do not go that way
Crossing solid white lines is permitted in circumstances where there is no other way to negotiate a hazard
Had time to calm down now and will update you with my journey today.
Started off with a practice at the reverse and had to use a shunt. Then onto the couple and uncouple no problem. Out onto the road and shown me a left turn that might happen. No problem with that. A couple of roundabouts and back to the depot. Nerves started up.
Exam times.
Got asked two question one regarding body and one regarding spray suppression. Onto the reverse and wow in it went first time. Did stop short got out had a look and reversed a little bit more bang on. Confidence through the roof. Uncouple and couple no problem. Got to say my examiner was a really nice guy.
Onto the road and couple of minors in the first few minutes then settles down into a nice drive I believe, couple of roundabouts no problem and a couple of left turns. Into a twenty zone which was lovelly as had loads of time to judge things and control of the trailer lovelly. Then the left turn. I was informed that the examiner would say if it was a tight turn (not and excuse) Went into the turn nice and wide and did cross the hatched area as no other option then taking the curb. At this point a vehicle came towards me and I put on more left than needed and I could see it happening in my mirror and even said this is going to be close out loud. I put a bit more right on but to late and while looking in the mirror seen it mount the curb. I knew at this point then I had failed. I was three quarters of the way round my test route. After that as expected I partly give in then and picked up a couple of stupid minors but was not bothered. Drove back to the centre and right turn into the centre which is a tight one as when you have to turn in you make sure the offside of the trailer gets in the gate from the swing then have to go hard over to the left for the nearside to come in then back right to straighten up. Parked up and asked me to give him a second while completed his paperwork and said well Darren thats the end of the test and am afraid to say you have failed to which I replied “I know that bloody curb”. I am adamant I would have only come out with three minor max, however it was seven and a serious.
Waiting time now for a new test. If takes more than two weeks will book two hours before test if before will just take the hour and ask to do the reverse once and a few roundabouts and a tight left and right turn.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’ve done so well so far and it is so different to driving a car or van. You know how and why you went wrong, you’ll get this and there is no shame in not passing first time. Class one is an achievement no matter what. When’s the retest?
TheMissus:
Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’ve done so well so far and it is so different to driving a car or van. You know how and why you went wrong, you’ll get this and there is no shame in not passing first time. Class one is an achievement no matter what. When’s the retest?
Unsure when retest is yet waiting to here. As everyone was on strike yesterday he has a bit of a backlog.
Went into the turn nice and wide and did cross the hatched area as no other option then taking the curb
Did you fully use the hatched area or just part of it?
ROG to be honest it is all a blur now I think I used most of it as it was the only option I could see but did not come into it to much over to the right so had to go over at last minute also. Should have approached it by taking more of the right hand lane. It just keeps going through my head of if only!!!
Went into the turn nice and wide and did cross the hatched area as no other option then taking the curb
Did you fully use the hatched area or just part of it?
ROG to be honest it is all a blur now I think I used most of it as it was the only option I could see but did not come into it to much over to the right so had to go over at last minute also. Should have approached it by taking more of the right hand lane. It just keeps going through my head of if only!!!
Hindsight is always perfect
Nobody got hurt, nothing was damaged so just a lesson learned for the future - take more room on approach and be prepared to stop if the room you need is taken by another - probably something you would have done had your own brain not been reduced by your own nerves etc?
Went into the turn nice and wide and did cross the hatched area as no other option then taking the curb
Did you fully use the hatched area or just part of it?
ROG to be honest it is all a blur now I think I used most of it as it was the only option I could see but did not come into it to much over to the right so had to go over at last minute also. Should have approached it by taking more of the right hand lane. It just keeps going through my head of if only!!!
Hindsight is always perfect
Nobody got hurt, nothing was damaged so just a lesson learned for the future - take more room on approach and be prepared to stop if the room you need is taken by another - probably something you would have done had your own brain not been reduced by your own nerves etc?
Very true ROG, appreciate all the advice you have given me. Will be back next time celebrating and getting all them shiny stars off you.
There’s no such thing as a bad experience, I failed mine first time and its hard to take but you have to find a way of using that dissapointment to spur you on to become more determined to achieve.
If it was only the one thing you failed on then you have done very well, remember its bloody not easy!
Although I appreciate its easy for me to say…
Keep going, you will get there in the end, where there’s a will, there’s a way
I have always believed that 50% of the driving test is down to luck. Of the rest, half is mirrors and then the fiddly stuff with positioning, speed etc etc makes up the remainder.
On a good day you’ll get a clear run through the tight junctions, the gaps in traffic will work in your favour, you’ll cruise on through the roundabouts, the lights will be friendly and you’ll sail through them also. Maybe you’ll catch some traffic jams to slow you down, forcing the examiner to curtail part of the test route and instead have you barrelling up and down a straight major road near the test centre to fill in the time.
On a bad day you’ll meet another HGV round a tight bend, the lights will catch you out and make you block a keep clear area or yellow box, you’ll get caught with bad traffic timing at a crucial junction or roundabout so you’ll end up balking another road user, someone will forget their indicators and you’ll be caught out and so on.
I was lucky to get a good day when I took my test, you’ve been less fortunate. I bet there isn’t much to choose between us in driving capabilities, though, we’re both rookies just starting out.
Keep going and you’ll catch a break sooner or later.
Just a very quick one. I have today passed my C+E. this was a resit due to my previous mess up. I will give a full report in due course, however want to say thankyou to everyone in advance who has supported me during this time. Your help and advice has been superb. I am going to stop typing now as am going to get very drunk. Will give a full report tomorrow.
Hi Darrenb
Congratulation on passing i have thoroughly enjoyed reading about your journey which has filled me full of confidence, to the point of wanting to start my own.
I had an hour lesson before hand which started with the reverse. Nailed it first time. Second go all went wrong, and third not much better but got there in the end. Out on the road and was very rusty, missing gears, clipping kerbs not the start I needed.
Test time and by luck I had the same examiner as failed me and put me at ease straight away. However onto the reverse pad, right hand down, back to the left and the cone came into view, for some reason then the next time I looked it had gone. Carrie don reversing a bit more to see if it would come into view and it didn’t so stropped took a shunt forward and got myself right again. Back I went and for some reason due to rushing definitely I lost the whole lot and it was going all over the place at one point I thought I had failed as believed I may have gone over the yellow line. Stopped and on pulling forward again for second shunt my instructor told me to slow down so at the point I thought I had failed even before starting. Reversed back into the bay no problems and into the line spot on.
Moved onto the uncouple and couple and on uncoupling was adamant I had forgot to do something so double checked everything again and was still sure forgot something but thought soon find out. Pulled forward no problems and the recouple went fine.
At this point due to feeling I had failed already felt I had to say something, so said to instructor not a good start that and if ok. To which he replied “You are allowed two shunts”. So thought fine off we go still got a chance take it easy and steady. No problems.
On the road to start messed the gears up a couple of times however was relaxed. We happened to go near as dam it the same route. At one point we came to a tight left follow the road round with a level crossing on the bend, (I have tried to find the junction on google but no joy.) however there was two vans parked up right near the junction and struggled to get round. Took it nice and slow and kept my eyes in my mirrors and round it came nice, slowly and easy. Confidence through the roof. On carrying on realised that we was coming to the junction I failed at last time. Took more than I needed on the right and went into the junction to start the turn however cars coming so stopped in the hatch area (see earlier fail photo). traffic was heavy so just parked up put the handbrake on and waited for it to clear. Eventually a car stopped for me and I set off, round the trailer came nicely and had a good few inches clearance. At that point I felt I had not done a thing wrong and knew with the independent drive to go and knew the way back I really felt good and comfortable.
Headed back to the centre nothing to worry about until came off the slip road and upto the roundabout. I needed a bit of the left lane to go right as the curb kicks out at the top. I got what I needed but was fully aware that the trailer had to come out also but nobody was holding back for me and squeezing up the inside, so again just waited and the gap came and roundabout conquered back to the centre which is a tight right turn and pulled up on the left. Instructor “So how do you think that went” Me “■■■■ start felt I had failed on the reverse, but after that I felt it went ok.” Instructor “Why did you stop during the uncouple?” Me “I felt I had forgot something so just went through it all again.” Instructor “well if unsure double check, but you didn’t. anyway I am pleased to say you have passed.” Me large smile and everything then was a bit of a blur I remember him saying started off nervous and silly mistakes."
Anyway got my certificate kept hold of my licence as got my final cpc lesson on Sunday.
Thank you once again for all the help and advice given I am sure I will be back soon with lots of stupid newbie questions. time to start applying for them jobs.
Quick question, regarding CPC. I read on here that people are getting more than one cpc card. I have my final seven hours to complete on Sunday. All the ones so far have been uploaded. I take it once sundays have been uploaded my card will then be sent out. Anyone any idea how long it takes to arrive?
I got D1 on my licence when I passed my test back in April 1993.
