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 .

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

[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..

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

Any damage means loss of bonus..

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

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...............

[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..

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

Any damage means loss of bonus..

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

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.