LGV\PCV test centre

pop_gun

a couple of years ago i did training for my class 2 license. i did 2 tests in purfleet and 4 at enfield test centres. i failed every single test.
there was an examiner at purfleet who was itching to fail me. i encountered him and another similar examiner at enfield.
i want to do my lgv but looking at the pass rates for individual test centres in england makes for grim reading. except when you look at the shetlands or elgin test centres in scotland.
my car license is for a london address. would i have to change my address in order to take the test at either of those test centres?

Hammyman

The pass rates are grim because the driving test is many times harder and far longer than car ones so the fail rate is higher. The reason the pass rates are higher in the Shetlands and Elgin is because they're in the middle of nowhere with little or no traffic and you're probably not going to come anywhere near a dual carriageway either. Its easy to pass the test on empty roads because, for example, you can get onto roundabouts easier than you could in heavily populated areas without cutting someone up which is a fail.

You can take your driving test anywhere in the UK.

dickydonkin

Hammyman wrote: »

The pass rates are grim because the driving test is many times harder and far longer than car ones so the fail rate is higher. The reason the pass rates are higher in the Shetlands and Elgin is because they're in the middle of nowhere with little or no traffic and you're probably not going to come anywhere near a dual carriageway either. Its easy to pass the test on empty roads because, for example, you can get onto roundabouts easier than you could in heavily populated areas without cutting someone up which is a fail.

You can take your driving test anywhere in the UK.

Most of the difficult manoeuvres are undertaken within the confines of the test centre and anyone who has been into these places will realise that they are nearly all identical, therefore the location one takes a test I would suggest is irrelevant.

Furthermore, if a driver is having difficulty negotiating a roundabout, has concerns with a dual carriageway or has worrys driving in a town or city with a relatively small training vehicle, then he/she will rightly fail the test and obviously needs additional training.

I passed my class 1 test many years ago in Newcastle and in my opinion, it would have made no difference if it was taken anywhere else.

Quite smply, if you are competent and able to handle such a vehicle, you will satisfy the examiner and pass. The only reason you will fail is if you don't attain the required standards of the test.

The route will also have been designed to ensure the candidate will be able to show the examiner is competent in various situations.

I have never driven a lgv for many years now although I still retain my license and attend the required medical however, I have no intention of ever driving a truck again - and I certainly would not advise anyone to do it as a career - but one man's meat and all that.........

pop_gun

dpassmore wrote: »

Most of the difficult manoeuvres are undertaken within the confines of the test centre and anyone who has been into these places will realise that they are nearly all identical, therefore the location one takes a test I would suggest is irrelevant.

Furthermore, if a driver is having difficulty negotiating a roundabout, has concerns with a dual carriageway or has worrys driving in a town or city with a relatively small training vehicle, then he/she will rightly fail the test and obviously needs additional training.

I passed my class 1 test many years ago in Newcastle and in my opinion, it would have made no difference if it was taken anywhere else.

Quite smply, if you are competent and able to handle such a vehicle, you will satisfy the examiner and pass. The only reason you will fail is if you don't attain the required standards of the test.

The route will also have been designed to ensure the candidate will be able to show the examiner is competent in various situations.

this is rot. why make excuses for the examiner? does it make you feel better about passing your C 1 license? purfleet test centre has a LGV pass rate of 33.09% and a PCV pass rate of 20.22%. that's everyone, first timers\ retakers per annum. if these results were replicated in the education system there would be a national outcry and an overhaul of the system.

to give you some perspective, you've got a 48% chance of passing your first 3 ACCA exams. ACCA = certified accountant.

elgin in scotland has a 70.17% LGV and 76.19 PCV pass rate respectively.

dickydonkin

pop_gun wrote: »

this is rot. why make excuses for the examiner? does it make you feel better about passing your C 1 license? purfleet test centre has a LGV pass rate of 33.09% and a PCV pass rate of 20.22%. that's everyone, first timers\ retakers per annum. if these results were replicated in the education system there would be a national outcry and an overhaul of the system.

to give you some perspective, you've got a 48% chance of passing your first 3 ACCA exams. ACCA = certified accountant.

elgin in scotland has a 70.17% LGV and 76.19 PCV pass rate respectively.

Your getting paranoid.

As I have stated earlier - if you meet the required standards of the driving test you will pass and why suggest I am feeling 'smug' about passing a driving test?? Please enlighten me and tell me where I have made excuses for the examiner.

Rather than blaming your location or the examiner(s), I would suggest you look a little closer to home.

You must have been given written documentation as to why you failed your test(s) - do you also dispute the reasons as to why he failed you or do you still believe he was 'itching to fail your' irrespective of how good/bad your driving was?

A truck driving test and an accountants qualification is certainly a strange comparison to use.

elgin in scotland has a 70.17% LGV and 76.19 PCV pass rate respectively.

Perhaps the standard of training is better in Elgin - ever think of that?

pop_gun

dpassmore;34884965Your getting paranoid.

about what? a large part of examiners fees come from retests. you could say they're 'encourage' to arrive at a particular outcome.

As I have stated earlier - if you meet the required standards of the driving test you will pass and why suggest I am feeling 'smug' about passing a driving test?? Please enlighten me and tell me where I have made excuses for the examiner.

a friend of mine passed his test having hit the street kerb. 2 days after passing he came to a roundabout and didn't realise he had to give way to traffic coming from his right. car ploughed into him.

everyone has a story like this to tell. are you suggesting all examiners use the same standards?

Rather than blaming your location or the examiner(s), I would suggest you look a little closer to home.

cheap dig.

A truck driving test and an accountants qualification is certainly a strange comparison to use.

the point you missed, is the driving test shouldn't have a fail ratio greater than the ACCA exams. it takes 10 years to complete the ACCA exams. that's as long as it takes interns to become doctors. are we really trying to compare the relative difficulty of driving a HGV to studying to be a doctor or an accountant?

Perhaps the standard of training is better in Elgin - ever think of that?

hammyman's post suggests a more logical reason for, why it's easier to pass in elgin than the rest of england. theres trucker websites that back up his claim.
even if we were to believe your assertion, it doesn't take into account the DSA approved companies north of the border are better trained than their DSA approved counterparts south of the border if we acknowledge the 55% ratio in favour of driving pupils (purfleet - elgin).

dickydonkin

You obviously have an axe to grind so whatever I state you are going to counter argue but I did notice that having disected the majority of my previous post, you failed to mention if you disagreed with the documented reasons for failing your tests.

You must have been informed as to why you failed so did you agree with the reasons or did you believe that the examiner (who was 'itching to fail you'), fabricated the reasons he cited for failing your tests?

pop_gun

dpassmore wrote: »

You obviously have an axe to grind so whatever I state you are going to counter argue but I did notice that having disected the majority of my previous post, you failed to mention if you disagreed with the documented reasons for failing your tests.

You must have been informed as to why you failed so did you disagree with the reasons or did you believe that the examiner (who was 'itching to fail you'), fabricated the reasons he cited for failing your tests?

you presented me with a supposition and i responded with facts.
judging from the absence of a critique of my last post, you either accept what was written or you're unable to formulate a response.

i wonder which it is.

Glass_Half_Empty??

I have my class one HGV and can sympathise with the OP. I passed my class 2 first time, 3 years later I did my class one and the examiner had a belt buckle of the grim reaper and had great pleasure telling us waiting his nick name....I got him. He screamed at me because of a car on the outside of me at an island despite A. I had seen him and B. was no where near him, he loved to find any excuse and as we were on way back to the test centre without much of a concern he had to have something to moan about. I did challenge him but it was no good he had the authority. It didnt put me off though, I passed with a different examiner who was very friendly and put me right at ease at the start of the drive. No matter what anyone says it is a lot of pressure when you've just laid out your own cash to gain your license especially if you cant afford a re-test straight away. I did mine in Nottingham and I dont know the pass rate but I do know it will be easier in Nottingham then London and surrounding areas or Birmingham because on the whole the roads arent as busy so there are less idiots to ruin it for you.

And ignore the bloke who passed many years ago its a completely different now we have to be professional these days unlike then where you had a few hours driving and straight in for test. Some folk are just out of touch with modern trucking

I would advise "if you can afford it" to go somewhere quieter to do your test, roads are roads but it is known around the country for being difficult to pass down your way. Warrington is a decent place from drivers I used to know down Harmondsworth who went there to avoid the same situation you are in now.

Also have you got work lined up? It is difficult at the minute, I am out of work(on agency) and its pants at the minute, I have got a few apps in for permanent work one which could lead to euro work and hoping one can come off but I have a bit of experience now so it is a bit easier for me. Hope you dont mind long hours........
Good luck let us know how you get on.

pop_gun

Glass_Half_Empty?? wrote: »

I have my class one HGV and can sympathise with the OP. I passed my class 2 first time, 3 years later I did my class one and the examiner had a belt buckle of the grim reaper and had great pleasure telling us waiting his nick name....I got him. He screamed at me because of a car on the outside of me at an island despite A. I had seen him and B. was no where near him, he loved to find any excuse and as we were on way back to the test centre without much of a concern he had to have something to moan about. I did challenge him but it was no good he had the authority. It didnt put me off though, I passed with a different examiner who was very friendly and put me right at ease at the start of the drive. No matter what anyone says it is a lot of pressure when you've just laid out your own cash to gain your license especially if you cant afford a re-test straight away. I did mine in Nottingham and I dont know the pass rate but I do know it will be easier in Nottingham then London and surrounding areas or Birmingham because on the whole the roads arent as busy so there are less idiots to ruin it for you.

And ignore the bloke who passed many years ago its a completely different now we have to be professional these days unlike then where you had a few hours driving and straight in for test. Some folk are just out of touch with modern trucking

I would advise "if you can afford it" to go somewhere quieter to do your test, roads are roads but it is known around the country for being difficult to pass down your way. Warrington is a decent place from drivers I used to know down Harmondsworth who went there to avoid the same situation you are in now.

Also have you got work lined up? It is difficult at the minute, I am out of work(on agency) and its pants at the minute, I have got a few apps in for permanent work one which could lead to euro work and hoping one can come off but I have a bit of experience now so it is a bit easier for me. Hope you dont mind long hours........
Good luck let us know how you get on.

thank you ever so much for this post. i really needed to hear this. :A

i know work is pretty tight at the minute, but i also know you don't have to work in the freight sector. theres clamping companies working on behalf of the council who pay very satisfactory rates for class 2 and class 1 licenses. (if you're in london i could give you a name).
i recently quit my security job and have paid for a slinger course (duration 3 days) which starts next monday. this has cost me an arm and a leg (£1165). it was recommended by a very good friend of mine.
the thing is i don't know whether i will get a job on the back of this (no experience). i wanted to go for my LGV or PCV license as a back up plan. but the cost involved on top of what i've already forked out is keeping me quiet for the time being.

dickydonkin

pop_gun wrote: »

you presented me with a supposition and i responded with facts.
judging from the absence of a critique of my last post, you either accept what was written or you're unable to formulate a response.

i wonder which it is.

The absence of a 'critique' is fully explained by:

You obviously have an axe to grind so whatever I state you are going to counter argue

Therefore I have not responded as I have conveyed my thoughts on your posting quite clearly.

You still have not responded to my comment:

You must have been informed as to why you failed so did you disagree with the reasons or did you believe that the examiner (who was 'itching to fail you'), fabricated the reasons he cited for failing your tests?

I think by not responding states more that if you actually did!

I am not becoming embroiled in an online tit for tat.

You seem intent on blaming everyone and everything for not passing your test and it is blatanly obvious that nothing will change your views.

You should redirect your frustrations in ensuring you pass your test the next time as becoming bitter will only hinder your training.

I wish you well and hope you are successful at your next attempt.

And ignore the bloke who passed many years ago its a completely different now we have to be professional these days unlike then where you had a few hours driving and straight in for test. Some folk are just out of touch with modern trucking

I have probably driven an artic further in reverse than you have drove in top gear.

As for 'modern trucking' - it is people with attitudes like this and an opportunity to better myself with a complete change of career that made me get out of 'modern trucking'.

I had enough of the clowns on the road, ever stringent legislation, stupid hours and missing my family growing up, RDC's wanting their stuff delivered 24/7. If that is your modern trucking - you are quite welcome to it.

As for being 'straight in for the test' what the hell does that mean?

The test still has to be passed.

As for being professional 'these days' - so I wasn't then? A strange quote indeed. I would love to see some of the 'new age' truckers of today attempt to rope and sheet a load for example.

Enjoy your 'modern truckin' mate - while you are working all the hours God sends, I will be thinking of you!