Failed my truck license twice, because I'm "a real biker"

[Steam]

I failed, TWICE, because I kept braking before corners far too late and too hard, taking the corners in a delayed-apex line, and treating the clutch like it did something naughty. Oh, and on the first test I was revving it almost to the redline, because the diesel sounded much more sluggish than my bike.

The tester failed me twice, and on the second fail he said I was still riding my bike while I was driving the truck, and that I was obviously a real biker because of all my bad habits.

Aww, man!

But the fails were fair enough I guess. I fucking fanged the bike on the way home, I was angry anyway.
I get a third try in a couple of weeks, I must practise not riding a truck, instead driving it.

[Motu]

I failed my HT license twice too - but passed on the second failure.We were allowed to study during firm's time,and you can imagine what we did in ''study'' time....and so we all failed the first written,they were really pissed off with that! Passed the second written ok.

I was doing my trailer license as well,and learned on A Trains - a short tractor unit pulling a semi with a trailer plugged in behind.A very short tractor unit with a 20ft semi is easy to handle,I didn't think I would have any problem.But for my practical I was told to use the Commer - this was a full length chassis with a 30ft semi that extended to right behind the cab....I had never driven it before!

I had to reverse it downhill,and then move 3 metres to the right and parallel park to the curb in our truck parking yard.Because of the slower response of the longer tractor unit and semi I ended up too far out....then tried to correct my mistake.And he failed me on that.

But he was so impressed with the way I handled a truck I had never driven,rowing it through the gears splitting each change with the Eaton diff,and just my general confidence in driving,that he relented and gave me a pass....so long as I did more practice.

And you should be red lining the engine....that's where a diesel works best.Also over shooting a corner is the best way to get a long truck around without putting the rear wheels up a curb.

[Headbanger]

Failed my truck license twice, because I'm "a real shit truck driver"

And anyone over-revving a truck, and then claiming its where "trucks work best" needs to move back to nub land.

[smokeyging]

And you should be red lining the engine....that's where a diesel works best.Also over shooting a corner is the best way to get a long truck around without putting the rear wheels up a curb.


Motu, a bloody comer, shit thats a long time ago, those bloody things were peaces of shit when they were new. the last one i ever drove my relief driver hated the bloody thing too and one day our dream come true, the truck got a short in the electrics under the dash, he jumped out of the cab, lit up a smoke, and watched the bloody thing burn. these new trucks today you don’t rev the guts out of them anymore for they are turboed and they are usually putting out there highest tauque at 1500rpm. [Steam] i don’t blame the tester for failing you, the last thing we need on the road is overconfident hotheads, we have enough of them now. a truck will go strait through a house and out the other side again. i think you would be wiser to take your time but think quick. no different to someone getting on your bike and flogging it, so a boss won’t want the same done to his truck. cornering you have to get right for if the truck is fully loaded and at maximum height and you botch up the corner they will tip over with ease. the worsted thing you need on your conscience is another vehicle coming the other way.

[RT527]

I failed my HT license twice too - but passed on the second failure.We were allowed to study during firm's time,and you can imagine what we did in ''study'' time....and so we all failed the first written,they were really pissed off with that! Passed the second written ok.

I was doing my trailer license as well,and learned on A Trains - a short tractor unit pulling a semi with a trailer plugged in behind.A very short tractor unit with a 20ft semi is easy to handle,I didn't think I would have any problem.But for my practical I was told to use the Commer - this was a full length chassis with a 30ft semi that extended to right behind the cab....I had never driven it before!

I had to reverse it downhill,and then move 3 metres to the right and parallel park to the curb in our truck parking yard.Because of the slower response of the longer tractor unit and semi I ended up too far out....then tried to correct my mistake.And he failed me on that.

But he was so impressed with the way I handled a truck I had never driven,rowing it through the gears splitting each change with the Eaton diff,and just my general confidence in driving,that he relented and gave me a pass....so long as I did more practice.

And you should be red lining the engine....that's where a diesel works best.Also over shooting a corner is the best way to get a long truck around without putting the rear wheels up a curb.

...depending on the motor taking it to red line all the time, youll kill it.

Cummings 1900rpm max, 2100rpm on jakes(depending on motor, im talking about the best cummings motor built, which is an old hat triple four motor)...2 stroke detroit definatly rev it hard/4 stroke detroit series 60 should be driven mid way between a cat and a cummings and Macks latest 470 horse trucks like to rev to around 1800-1850 rpm...Cat motors are entirely different...my brand spanking new office is a C15 500 hp cat in an 8x4 tractor unit with a 90 inch sleeper cab Freightliner argossy automatic 18 speed, most of its torque comes in at around 1400-1600 rpm and sits on around 1485 rpm at 90 kmph, the computer will sometimes let it lug to around 1100 rpm before it changes.

But my respects to motu for being even able to drive a commer...did it have the petrol or diesel in it, was it perkins or detroit or commers ts3 motor made by Rootes-Lister which was a 2 stroke?.

[Crazy Steve]

I still rev the shit out of the trucks I drive...

Must be something motorcyclists do when they are driving trucks..

Both recent driver trainer days ive had they have mentioned about corners and braking to late and over reving...Like whats the Ebs for anyway ? ?

Who cares....Like i paid $380k for the Kenworth...

Cane it....Like you stole it..

Crazy Steve...

[RT527]

I still rev the shit out of the trucks I drive...

Must be something motorcyclists do when they are driving trucks..

Both recent driver trainer days ive had they have mentioned about corners and braking to late and over reving...Like whats the Ebs for anyway ? ?

Who cares....Like i paid $380k for the Kenworth...

Cane it....Like you stole it..

Crazy Steve...

Anyone who rely`s on electronics to get them out of trouble is mad....abs/ebs only activate if you get yourself in the pooh....too many other people on the roads to drive like an idiot...after all most of the other drivers ar driving like idiots for you...

I am also a What we call buddy driver...in short this means that I get to train new guys up.We do assess the new driver for the company, but we only offer corrections to bad habits, the Proper driver Trainer is a big man and gets to beat it out of them later.....he gets all the fun :laugh::eek::rolleyes::oi-grr:.

Look Im no saint and I bet i have loads of bad habits, but many drivers come unstuck by driving at 100 % capability which leaves no room or margin for error, I like to think I drive at 70-80 % of my capabillities giving me 20-30 % up my sleeve for Sphincter clenching momments:doh::no::Police::doctor:

[Ixion]

Drive it like you're riding an M20 BSA .

(Don't take my word for anything about HT Semis. last time I drove one I'd have taken out a petrol pump if it hadn't jumped clear at the last minute. The gearboxes are fun though, I always wanted a bike with multiple gearboxes)

[smokeyging]

I still rev the shit out of the trucks I drive...

Must be something motorcyclists do when they are driving trucks..

Both recent driver trainer days ive had they have mentioned about corners and braking to late and over reving...Like whats the Ebs for anyway ? ?

Who cares....Like i paid $380k for the Kenworth...

Cane it....Like you stole it..

Crazy Steve...

EBS is probably the one thing that will save YOUR life on a corner.....

[Headbanger]

It won't do squat when you can't slow down 30t of wagon before running over a station wagon full of kids because you braked to late.

[Nade]

We installed computerised Navman units on several trucks for a company and after only 2 weeks the drivers hated them becasue the computer reported back to HQ everything about the truck..the rev's..the speed..their location...time taken and route....any faults...and most impostant of all to the company...fuel comsumption. After a while the company began disiplining drivers and 'retraining' them on the correct way to drive to get the maximum life and best fuel economy out of the individual engine/ gearbox combo's. This far out weighed the cost of having the units installed and prolonged the life of the trucks. As for EBS.....in my experience it provides CONTROL in a situation that would otherwise have the rear most axle locking up and throwing the trailer or rear end out...as was discovered by Fonterra when they installed it on their units. This is all just my own personal experience adn each to their own.

[Ixion]

Hm. correct me if I am wrong, Mr Steam. but, were you not training as a *bus* driver? And now you ahve failed your HT licence because you drive a lorry as if it were a bike ?

So, are the good burghers of Dunedin now to experience a Dunedin 'bus lanesplitting ?

I SO want to see that! From a safe distance!

[Crazy Steve]

We installed computerised Navman units on several trucks for a company and after only 2 weeks the drivers hated them becasue the computer reported back to HQ everything about the truck..the rev's..the speed..their location...time taken and route....any faults...and most impostant of all to the company...fuel comsumption. After a while the company began disiplining drivers and 'retraining' them on the correct way to drive to get the maximum life and best fuel economy out of the individual engine/ gearbox combo's. This far out weighed the cost of having the units installed and prolonged the life of the trucks. As for EBS.....in my experience it provides CONTROL in a situation that would otherwise have the rear most axle locking up and throwing the trailer or rear end out...as was discovered by Fonterra when they installed it on their units. This is all just my own personal experience adn each to their own.

We have Navman Gps and On board Camera`s facing driver and the road in front..

No Cell phones...and even no using the Rt or Cb anymore...Means loss of bonus..:nono:

Any over speed reports..Means loss of Bonus..:nono:

Any damage means loss of bonus..:nono:

Un clean trucks...Means loss of bonus...:nono:

Fonterra dont have shit....I drove 638 last season at Te Rapa....And half the time the fckin thing wouldnt start!!!!!

I mean who the fck would want to be a truck driver....Ok Fonterra starts there temps on $26.38ph.....But they are wankers..

Crazy Steve...

[Laava]

The tester failed me twice, .
I had this problem when I sat my gun license. Keep trying, you'll get there. Like me. Now I have guns. Oh yes, I have guns...............:ar15::2guns:

[Timber020]

We have Navman Gps and On board Camera`s facing driver and the road in front..

No Cell phones...and even no using the Rt or Cb anymore...Means loss of bonus..:nono:

Any over speed reports..Means loss of Bonus..:nono:

Any damage means loss of bonus..:nono:

Un clean trucks...Means loss of bonus...:nono:

Fonterra dont have shit....I drove 638 last season at Te Rapa....And half the time the fckin thing wouldnt start!!!!!

I mean who the fck would want to be a truck driver....Ok Fonterra starts there temps on $26.38ph.....But they are wankers..

Crazy Steve...


26 an hour is a good wack. I wouldnt want to be a tanker driver but there are worse jobs for less money in older trucks.

[Motu]

...depending on the motor taking it to red line all the time, youll kill it.

But my respects to motu for being even able to drive a commer...did it have the petrol or diesel in it, was it perkins or detroit or commers ts3 motor made by Rootes-Lister which was a 2 stroke?.

I don't drive big trucks these days,just little ones sometimes.Guess I was too literal with the ''red line''....most of the trucks I drove didn't have rev counters,you just took them up to the govenor.I notice modern trucks (the ones I have driven) have tachos with colours,you keep them in the green ''sweet spot''.

That particular Commer had a 6 cyl Perkins,but I've driven them with the TS3 and the petrol with the nasty updraught carb.The Detroit Commers were done here in Huntly by Gills,they put them in Fuso's too.When I drove Fuso's they had a gutless V8 in them,that was at RFL,and they had some of the first Fuso's in the country.I wasn't a truck driver,but a truck mechanic....a far better job I think.

[RT527]

We installed computerised Navman units on several trucks for a company and after only 2 weeks the drivers hated them becasue the computer reported back to HQ everything about the truck..the rev's..the speed..their location...time taken and route....any faults...and most impostant of all to the company...fuel comsumption. After a while the company began disiplining drivers and 'retraining' them on the correct way to drive to get the maximum life and best fuel economy out of the individual engine/ gearbox combo's. This far out weighed the cost of having the units installed and prolonged the life of the trucks. As for EBS.....in my experience it provides CONTROL in a situation that would otherwise have the rear most axle locking up and throwing the trailer or rear end out...as was discovered by Fonterra when they installed it on their units. This is all just my own personal experience adn each to their own.

Im not disputing the fact that they aren't good...just that we as truck drivers shouldnt be getting ourselves into situations that require the use of the abs/ebs unit....its all about driving to the conditions.
As for the navman units, they are good. the help identify bad driving habits....and if you owned a business would you want a driver to get the best fuel efficiency from your vehicle...after all keep the revenue flowing and maybe just maybe you might get that wage rise you have been asking for. I did a stint of driving for fonterra out of waitoa...hated it...money was good, but I got sick of doing circles and nearly getting hit each time I turned into a gate.

[RT527]

We have Navman Gps and On board Camera`s facing driver and the road in front..

No Cell phones...and even no using the Rt or Cb anymore...Means loss of bonus..:nono:

Any over speed reports..Means loss of Bonus..:nono:

Any damage means loss of bonus..:nono:

Un clean trucks...Means loss of bonus...:nono:

Fonterra dont have shit....I drove 638 last season at Te Rapa....And half the time the fckin thing wouldnt start!!!!!

I mean who the fck would want to be a truck driver....Ok Fonterra starts there temps on $26.38ph.....But they are wankers..

Crazy Steve...

Geez now thats taking it to the extreme, who do you drive for...we might be going the way of the cameras soon.

Cant even pick ya nose any more with out the boss watching.

[smokeyging]

We have Navman Gps and On board Camera`s facing driver and the road in front..

No Cell phones...and even no using the Rt or Cb anymore...Means loss of bonus..:nono:

Any over speed reports..Means loss of Bonus..:nono:

Any damage means loss of bonus..:nono:

Un clean trucks...Means loss of bonus...:nono:

Fonterra dont have shit....I drove 638 last season at Te Rapa....And half the time the fckin thing wouldnt start!!!!!

I mean who the fck would want to be a truck driver....Ok Fonterra starts there temps on $26.38ph.....But they are wankers..

Crazy Steve...


I can’t understand why company's would want to ban C.Bs. they really are a safety issue in my mind. i don’t know how many times they have saved my bacon plus i’ve probably saved others, stock on the road, were black ice is, best part of course, the cops, and great to help with fatigue.

[Gibbo13p]

Fonterra dont have shit....I drove 638 last season at Te Rapa....And half the time the fckin thing wouldnt start!!!!!

I mean who the fck would want to be a truck driver....Ok Fonterra starts there temps on $26.38ph.....But they are wankers..

Crazy Steve...

Tried engineering? Dirty, Noisy, somewhat stressful at times ...have enjoyed it since I haven't been driving or Driver training but I'm going tanker driving for a while if I can....can't make the same money any where else so maybe a bit of tempering up is needed.

what boxes are fonterra running now? And are they doing 13 hour days? during the 4 on 4 off?

[lb99]

shitty old trucks

I had a 1980 mitzi dump truck stuck on a SH1 roundabout in blenheim today :o ..... heres a gap, chuck it in gear let the clutch out...... nothing, clunk, stall, gap gone, try again.....heres a gap, chuck it in gear let the clutch out...... nothing, clunk, stall, gap gone, try again.....heres a gap, chuck it in gear let the clutch out...... nothing, clunk, stall, gap gone, try again.....

you get the picture

the clutch mechinisim got bound up somehow and wouldn't release. we had the lane blocked for ages:2thumbsup

I had the yard boy on board, he was freaking right out at all the traffic behind us (a tail back half way through blenheim), but we had 4m3 of chip on board so it wasn't like we could get out and push.

finally a semi coming the other way spotted that we were in trouble and blocked most of the roundabout for long enough for us to just start the fucker in gear and finally get rolling, I was laughing my arse off. some times shit happens. :2thumbsup

truck is in the workshop now getting fixed (again) but she got us through the day with clutchless changes (just dont stop, no matter what), after all its not my name painted on the side

[MIXONE]

Try driving a Aveling Barfid.A real man's truck.:sick:

[Quasievil]

The secret to driving big rigs is slow n smooth, revving it is pointless as peak power isnt in the high revs, its all about torque. The last trucks I drove (macks n kenworths) would be rarely lifted above 2400rpms with me at the wheel, if you over rev you arent driving it properly, in a mack or kenworth unless youre smooth at the right revs etc you WONT be changing gear period its like a sycronised dance in that everything must be perfect to change gear and be effective.

[vifferman]

I sorta failed my HT licence test the first time: turned up for the test, the cop (yes, back in those days) said, "Ah.. we'll just check the truck over before the test....hmmmm..." and sent me back to work. The RUC was about 5000km over. So, rather than issue me a ticket to give to my employer (a Gubmint department), he sent me back with a warning.
When I went to sit the test, I booked the truck, and was told it was U/S - the brakes were 'ted. So... I had to help the mechanic bleeed them before I could go. The test itself was a piece of piss - just had to back around a corner, and drive around the block.