BRDM Driver Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 Any pointers for doing the H test? 1: Handbrake on when stopping at a stop sign. 2: Remember to cancel indicators. One question regarding reversing. I will be doing the test in an Abbot that has no visibility directly behind. Guidance book says it is ok to stand up to look before reversing, but in my case I would have to climb up on the turret! Should I ask for a 'banksman' or rely on a reversing camera or actually get up out of the drivers compartment to look? Under normal circumstances I would rely on a commander to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryb Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 not practical or safe to leave the driver's position to check-if you've got access to a cvrt use that instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Herbert Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 People do H licence courses for two reasons: The course should hopefully teach you to be tolerably safe driving on the public road and get you through the test too. If your primary interest is just to get the licence because you regard yourself as a competent, sensible and safe driver and you would like the official stamp of approval (a perfectly reasonable position IF you are the above) my advise would be to do it in a minidigger ! There is much less scope for things to go wrong, the tester will be familiar with the type of machine and the resulting licence is identical. I am the first to agree that it is a totally different skill set but if the object is just to get the licence I believe that is the simplest way. David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1944 Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 When I did my H test on a mini digger I had to: Check over vehicle and put seat belt on. Pull out from a side road. Pull up behind a parked car and start of again (remember to leave sufficient space to pull straight out). Do an emergency stop. Turn left at a road junction. Turn the vehicle through 180 degrees. Turn right at a road junction. Reverse the vehicle into the roadway that I had started off from. All the while the examiner walks along side you observing and giving you your next instruction. He will be observing your use of signals mirrors and general road awareness. After you dismount the examiner asks several questions about the highway code and asks meaning of several road signs. I hope this helps. John 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 You have a Scorpion with good visibility, do the test in that... not being as wide will be a great help too. If you know how to drive it then you shouldn’t need to worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 I was under the impression that doing the H test on a mini digger was no longer an option. I've never seen a road legal mini digger either? (no indicators/lights/number plate/not registered etc) I do actually have a small mini digger... Scorpion is off the road for the rest of this year, so Abbot it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1944 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Well I did mine March 2017 and I now have an H on my license. Regards John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Just now, MB1944 said: Well I did mine March 2017 and I now have an H on my license. Regards John Interesting! Was it on road? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1944 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 As I understand it DVLA examiners only test on the public roads. So to answer your question yes it was conducted on the roadways of an industrial estate, as arranged with the examiner, in all six or eight of us took the test that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Well I had a chat with the examiner and he didn't 'think' a small mini digger was suitable. So I will be using the Abbot. Regarding rear visibility, he just wants to see me use mirrors and common sense combined with a slow and careful manoeuvering. I did explain that I would normally always have a commander in the turret to check behind and for traffic that's too close when out on the road. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 1 hour ago, BRDM Driver said: Well I had a chat with the examiner and he didn't 'think' a small mini digger was suitable. So I will be using the Abbot. Regarding rear visibility, he just wants to see me use mirrors and common sense combined with a slow and careful manoeuvering. I did explain that I would normally always have a commander in the turret to check behind and for traffic that's too close when out on the road. Would it be possible to bring someone extra as a commander (safety perseon) for the test?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 You have to remember that as the driver you’re the one in control of the vehicle and you are liable in the event of an accident. By all means have a commander there for confidence but you can’t rely on them, or use them as a defence if it all goes wrong. I Drive CVRTs on the road on my own all the time and do not feel the need for a commander. I wouldn’t want to drive an Abbot on the road if I could help it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 2 hours ago, Enigma said: Would it be possible to bring someone extra as a commander (safety perseon) for the test?? Well my H qualified commander will be there as I am driving the Abbot to the test site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 20 minutes ago, sirhc said: You have to remember that as the driver you’re the one in control of the vehicle and you are liable in the event of an accident. By all means have a commander there for confidence but you can’t rely on them, or use them as a defence if it all goes wrong. I Drive CVRTs on the road on my own all the time and do not feel the need for a commander. I wouldn’t want to drive an Abbot on the road if I could help it. Abbot is fine on the road! Yes I know that as Driver I take all responsibility but the commander has a much better all round view - except when pulling out at junctions and definitely a better view of whats going on behind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryb Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Good luck, and well done for persevering. You have asked all the right questions, and are doing it absolutely right. I'm a firm believer in taking your test in the type of vehicle you intend to drive on the road. Virtually every squaddie takes his 'H' in a 432, and yes abbots are slightly narrower, but with limited rear vision, but take your time, practice, constantly check mirrors for road positioning, and always anticipate. Remember the examiner isn't there to catch you out-he just wants to see you are competent and confident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Did mine in a Cat D6 dozer, easiest test ever. Track forward, 90 right, 90 left, track forward then reverse the way you came. Roller test was similar but slightly trickier as you had to stop between 2 cones. Later had a refresh of the Track test in a Sultan on the A1, doing a circuit via Northallerton out of RAF Leeming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onthecorner Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 5 minutes ago, ploughman said: Did mine in a Cat D6 dozer, easiest test ever. Track forward, 90 right, 90 left, track forward then reverse the way you came. Roller test was similar but slightly trickier as you had to stop between 2 cones. Later had a refresh of the Track test in a Sultan on the A1, doing a circuit via Northallerton out of RAF Leeming. Ours was under the old Severn Bridge. We used a Fiat Allis FL5B and a Hamm DV8. Luckily we all passed before NAAFI break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarland Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 On 7/31/2018 at 5:41 PM, BRDM Driver said: Abbot is fine on the road! Yes I know that as Driver I take all responsibility but the commander has a much better all round view - except when pulling out at junctions and definitely a better view of whats going on behind! So did you pass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share Posted September 4, 2018 Passed today. First go was at Babcocks (Abro) carpark and test track and the Abbot (god bless it's little steel tracks) decided to lose reverse half way into the test while nose in against a set of bollards... So thank you, who ever put the gear selector linkage back together without locking tab washers, it was very helpful... NOT! 2 hours of burnt hands eventually managed to get a bit of wire through the selector linkage fork and back off from thebollards, but we had to abandon the test. Got home and found the bolt in the bottom of the hull with a magnet on a stick. Today we did the test out on the open roads and sailed through, no problem. All done within a mile of home. Regarding reversing, the examiner is only looking to make sure you are slow, steady and above all safe. We did explain that under normal circumstances my commander would be checking behind but for the test, I would be using mirrors and checking over my shoulder. He seemed happy with that. The examiner could see that I can do a 3 point turn on the drive without hitting anything and I did another during the test on the road. We also did parking at the side of the road, emergency stop, 2 tee junctions, 2 left hand junctions. Interesting that my usual commander (ex gunnery instructor) is always telling me to 'watch me' not the mirrors when directing me when we are maneuvering where as for the H test you have to drive solo and use mirrors etc which is a no no in the Army. So if you have your own vehicle, the test costs £62 and as long as you don't have a mechanical malfunction, that's it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Hurrah - welcome to the club! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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