Well as I'm now driving for a living, I thought it was time to dust off this blog as the experience is building quickly now and lots of stories to relate.
The abrupt end to my reports resulted from failing my third artic test on Monday 2 March 2009. I had not set myself any pre-conditions (that I would pack it in if I didn't pass this time) in fact just had the view that I would keep going until I did pass. But as my instructor drove way from the test centre on that fateful day something had changed inside and I just knew that (for the moment) I couldn't carry on.
I think it was the collapse in confidence and perhaps the feeling that I wasn't really in control of events. This time, there was no sudden serious error that meant an immediate fail, just an accumulation of minor errors for the same problem: steering (as they call it). More really about where those wheels on the last axle on the trailer are on roundabouts and junctions. You are allowed up to four "minor" faults for any one category and the fifth means you get a "serious" and that's a fail.
So near and yet so far - and I must have been marginal because the examiner took me round Stone Business Park and Stone itself several times to the point that we were out for well over the 90 minutes and that he was late for his next candidate. Very rare apparently.
The reverse had gone perfectly (well I've done three of them now on test so it should!). Though my instructor had tried to re-create a potential problem with the uncoupling several times during training he never could, but had warned me and explained what to do if it happened. Well of course on test number three it did.
This is where with some wear in the kingpin (the bit on the trailer that attaches the trailer to the tractor unit), the handle on the fifth wheel jams and you can't pull it to disengage the coupling. After a couple of attempts we managed.
The drive was uneventful other than I kissed the nearside kerb with the trailer wheels up by the school at Ecceshall. Very narrow there. Not a fail, (one minor) but this set the gimlet-eyed examiner (yes, him – the same one as I had on my Rigid test) on to me so from here on he was watching trailer position like a hawk.
I also got possibly the worst junction on the test routes turning left out of Holmcroft Road on to the A34 north but managed to get it round (just). The last trailer wheel was too close to the kerb for my comfort but either he didn't see it or was happy enough as he didn't mention that in the de-brief.
There was the roundabout coming out of the Business Park where the single carriageway splits into three lanes. He gave me a "straight on" so I took the middle lane (correct as marked on the road) but that left the trailer wheels half blocking the inside lane. A second minor.
He didn’t like the way I took a corner in Stone (though I did as I had been trained) and at the tight left by the BP garage, the trailer wheels were tight to the kerb so as I pulled onto the A34 south again, I had to cross right into the outside lane of the dual carriageway to clear the wheels. Third minor.
I can't remember what the other two were as he didn't mention them. Just "I'm afraid you haven't met the required standard".
As G drove us back up the M6 he asked "What now?" and I knew this time it was different.
"I don't know mate" I said "I really don't know. I'll have to think about it".
Back at the depot I talked through some options with him.
He said "Look you can drive that thing with no problems. I would have no hesitation in giving you a loaded trailer and sending you off to the other end of the country with it. I've seen far less capable lads than you come back with artic passes and some first time".
I wondered about getting some experience on Rigids first and then maybe trying again later. But for the moment I shook his hand, thanked him for all he done and we parted.
And that left me in no-man's land: unable to get straight to artics and not wanting to bite the bullet of Rigid work that would mean multi-drop, builder's delivery, skips or even the bins.
So for next two (wasted) years I lived off savings whilst trying futilely to get back into IT sales from whence I came. With the money running out and depression setting in with a vengeance, I picked up the phone to the agencies at the beginning of June and went through the registration process.
For the first month nothing happened (even more depression) but then I got a break and a couple of van and minibus delivery jobs popped up (on the day – to Scotland and back!) and I took them. After that came my first Class 2 job (Cat C – Rigid) and from then on I haven't stopped and am even turning work away now as I can't fit it all into the legal requirements of drivers hours.
More tales to follow soon as the reality of the actual job of being a truck driver leaps out and grabs me (as opposed to learning to pass a test).
N
