Driving course info, whinges and questions!!!

[Noggin]

Just to keep it from clogging up other places!!

The course I'm doing is called -

Titre Professionnel Conducteur en Commun sur Route

It's 434 hours long including 35h of distance learning and 35h of exams

The qualification -

• Professional qualification for drivers of public road transport

• Drivers Qualification Card (think this is the Tacho card!!)

• Sauveteur Secouriste du Travail certificate (First aid at work certificate - hoping to avoid this as only did a first aid course last year, but probably won't be able to )

• Certificate of training in handling fire-fighting equipment

I'm not sure what the equivalent is in the UK (or if there is one, there certainly doesn't seem to be a course that take twelve weeks and 3 days )


Downside is -

It's very technical and all in French!! I mean, I knew it would be in French, just didn't realise how much my ability needs to improve to actually 'get' all the words In my native language I would have no issues, just didn't appreciate just how hard it would be and am terrified I might not pass

And there is SOOO MUCH to learn! (Bonus is that by 8th November my French will have improved massively and hopefully I'll be able to drive a coach!!)


I did manage to get one question off the pass mark for the highway code this morning so currently treating that as a major win (pass is 35/40 - until this morning I hadn't got more than 29/40).

It's not that I don't know it, it's that I've never taken the highway code as a test and I don't know a lot of the words in French; along with the fact that I've never owned a French car or passed a French licence so I don't know all the rules, regs and fines that go with that!! So my mark will depend completely on which questions I get on the day and how they are phrased! I took my car licence in 1988 and my bike licence in 1997, as far as I remember, taking a test for theory/highway code wasn't a thing then So this is all a bit new!


I did almost quit on the first day. Way too much information, way too fast, way too French!! But, this course, well, passing this course, is the means to security so I bloody well have to MTFU and get over the fear. But I am shitting myself about it.


Yesterday we had the first go in the simulator. Not too bad I think, except it is seriously nausea-inducing That was interesting!! Out of the simulated hot seat and straight onto the bike for the ride home!! Oops!


Yesterday the instructor gaily said - oh you need to learn the first four sets of questions & answers for a test on Monday (that's 80 questions!)

So I'm sitting doing that (ok, I'm having a break now, but I have been learning a lot today!). Not sure I am always sure of why I'm learning a particular answer because I have little confidence in the translation, so if I can't work it out myself, I have to use a translating app, and they aren't good!

One example is -

"Comment appelle-t-on un véhicule de transport en commun ne comportant que des places assises?"

Me with my lack of reading ability translated that as - What do you call a public transport vehicle that doesn't have seats? (well, some seats but mostly standing room) - which is an AutoBus

But the important word is que and changes the sentence to - What do you call a public transport vehicle with seating only? - this is an AutoCar

FFS!


The funniest thing (to some of my friends!) is that I am the oldest student, not that I've admitted that to the group! LOL They all gave their ages in the introduction on the first day, after hearing 8 people say how young they are, I avoided sharing that bit of info! I took my car test before half of them (or more!) were even born. TBF, I took my bike test before some of them were born! The instructor is about my age and there are 3 or 4 people in their 40's. The rest are sooo young!! LOL LOL



So hugest of crossing fingers needed. If anyone has any useful learning tips, I'd appreciate it (for a dyspraxic dyslexic that can't do word association memory tricks ). I generally learn by writing - am using a lot of paper! LOL



Cross your fingers for me! LOL

[Noggin]

Just incase anyone is interest in the types of questions, these are the ones I have to learn for Monday

[Noggin]

Question 6 is beating me at the mo, so will learn the answer and then get someone to explain why on Monday -

Circulant en région difficile ou accidentée, au-dessus de quel PTAC un véhicule de transport en commun doit-il être équipé d'un ralentisseur?

But actually, now I've actually typed it into DeepL, the 4 tonnes more sense -

When driving in difficult or hilly terrain, above what gross vehicle weight must a public transport vehicle be fitted with a retarder?

[Pirahna]

Drivers qualification card that I know of is a requirement for HGV drivers. Initially it's 5 days days of training and has to be renewed every 5 years. Training could be 1 day a year, 5 days on the last year or anything in between. It shows you know how to secure loads, handle chemicals, stuff like that.

A tacho card is just something you apply for, no qualifications needed.

A proper HGV driver will be along shortly to correct me.

[Sadlonelygit]

CPC
Certificate of professional competance in the UK
35 hrs of egg sucking and condescension!
Luckily there is no pass/fail, just attendance.

[Noggin]

Drivers qualification card that I know of is a requirement for HGV drivers. Initially it's 5 days days of training and has to be renewed every 5 years. Training could be 1 day a year, 5 days on the last year or anything in between. It shows you know how to secure loads, handle chemicals, stuff like that.

A tacho card is just something you apply for, no qualifications needed.

A proper HGV driver will be along shortly to correct me.

I think the DQC is for any driver that drives a vehicle with a tacho machine. But I'm not sure either, my info is confused between two countries and two languages!!

This course seems to be doing everything in full volume! So the DQC is something that we will be studying driving hours and rules etc but not just the one day that I did in 2016, I think we have some serious learning going on there OK, I've done that once before, but it seemed easier in English! LOL (I did the Transport Manager CPC in 2016, so my info will almost certainly have some out of date bits too ! )

CPC
Certificate of professional competance in the UK
35 hrs of egg sucking and condescension!
Luckily there is no pass/fail, just attendance.

Death by powerpoint if I remember correctly!!

It's part of the course, but I'm reasonably sure we have a test - not 100% tho, although the company running the course does kinda have to justify the 9950€ cost of the course, so I suspect there will be a test for everything!! LOL


The course itself probably isn't as complicated as it feels, it's just that I don't have the French level yet or the learning brain level anymore to make it as easy as it probably is But it is twelve weeks and 3 days long!

[ChrisW]

Just incase anyone is interest in the types of questions, these are the ones I have to learn

I take it they give you with the answers to learn?

[Noggin]

Just incase anyone is interest in the types of questions, these are the ones I have to learn

I take it they give you with the answers to learn?

They do. I have an answer sheet. Honestly, in english I wouldn’t be so freaked out. It’s not hard. But I am not good at reading so trying to read the questions in French is just seriously challenging!!

[Horse]

Simulator sickness is quite common. IIRC caused by the lag between your steering input and what happens on the screen (and so what you see).

I don't think there's any fix as such, apart from making steering inputs smoother. Which might require 'driving' slightly slower.

I've only seen one person get it badly.

He'd been regaling with info on his rally spec car, wearing a rally team jacket. When a volunteer was required, he was front of the queue.

In the sim he was swerving about.

Then 10 minutes outside, head between knees, waiting for the world to stop.

[636mick]

Simulator sickness is quite common. IIRC caused by the lag between your steering input and what happens on the screen (and so what you see).

I don't think there's any fix as such, apart from making steering inputs smoother. Which might require 'driving' slightly slower.

I've only seen one person get it badly.

He'd been regaling with info on his rally spec car, wearing a rally team jacket. When a volunteer was required, he was front of the queue.

In the sim he was swerving about.

Then 10 minutes outside, head between knees, waiting for the world to stop.

National Highways, or whatever name we were using at the time, had a simulator in a van that went round the country. Quite a few people suffered in the same was as Noggers. I was ok in it but it was a piece of crap. Stupidly I considered having a qualified assessor in a real car might be the way to go!!

Good luck with the course Nogs, you know you can do it, think of everyone else in the room naked!!
Mick.

[Felix]

Question 6 is beating me at the mo, so will learn the answer and then get someone to explain why on Monday -

Circulant en région difficile ou accidentée, au-dessus de quel PTAC un véhicule de transport en commun doit-il être équipé d'un ralentisseur?

But actually, now I've actually typed it into DeepL, the 4 tonnes more sense -

When driving in difficult or hilly terrain, above what gross vehicle weight must a public transport vehicle be fitted with a retarder?

My bus had one of them Retarders in it when i bought it. When in service it was used in the Welsh Valleys which is probably explains why it was added and other Coachsmith busses i have seen never got one. My bus is 4.2 Tonne but obviously France may differ if it is law here.

[Horse]

a simulator in a van that went round the country. Quite a few people suffered

Stupidly I considered having a qualified assessor in a real car might be the way to go!!

The benefits really depend on what you're trying to achieve.

If the intention was to assess 1500 TOs in exactly the same scenarios (with consistent weather, lighting, traffic, etc.), at multiple sited and times to suit shifts, then a sim in a van allows that.

That repeatability is why they're used for commercial pilot training. [With interesting research on incorporating surprise rather than planned events]

And they can be incredibly immersive and convincing. But not always. Typically, bike sims don't countersteer

[Cousin Jack]

Never felt sick in a car simulator, but I can confirm I am crap at driving them, or at least the old ones with no real feedback except through your eyes.

Despite driving fir years I crashed in the first mile on the simulator.

[Noggin]

I can confirm that the sim was horrible to 'drive'!! Really weird steering, lack of feed back. To the point that I crashed it once! But I'm blaming the sim for now as never managed to crash one in a the time I drove them on Guernsey, so I figure the real ones will be easier!


This morning I went through the questions again and the total was 73/80 So I've chilled (baked, packed, tidied) for the rest of the day and will do some more revision before bed. Then again in the morning before class (I'm planning to be there early enough to get a coffee and have a quick revise!! )

Also had a chat with a colleague who is also doing the course, but in Lyon (you have to go to the training centre in your area apparently, which is annoying as it would have been perfect to do the course with Alain because I'd have had someone I knew and that could help me!! And I'd have finished a month earlier which would have been better for work!!). Anyway, he'd called me on Friday and left a message about the course and if I was ok. As I really wasn't, I didn't call him back! Bit of a melt down yesterday but I have been a lot more positive today so called this morning and had a chat which was really good. He was really kind and said he called because he guessed it would be difficult for me in the first week or so and wanted to offer support Total sweetheart! He's also got the age issue, but, I'm only the oldest student - he's older than all the students AND all the people that work at the training centre! So, I now have someone that knows the course to call if I have any issues, and he's not 'that' far from Chambery so we could possibly meet up if I really need some help!


And, talking to some French friends this morning and they've said that I speak better, with better grammar than lots of French, so they are full of confidence that I'll be fine. That helped!

Still stressful, but here's hoping

[Jody]

Best of luck Smix

[Bigjawa]

Drivers qualification card that I know of is a requirement for HGV drivers. Initially it's 5 days days of training and has to be renewed every 5 years. Training could be 1 day a year, 5 days on the last year or anything in between. It shows you know how to secure loads, handle chemicals, stuff like that.

A tacho card is just something you apply for, no qualifications needed.

A proper HGV driver will be along shortly to correct me.

The chemical stuff is ADR/Dangerous goods, CPC is shite like company image, "a driver's day" with a passing mention of drivers hours and tachos, It's the most boring 35 hours of your life. IMO a money making scheme and fuck all about driving lorries. It's also the one card you will be instantly fined for not carrying. Thank fuck I have another three years before I have to do it again.

When I was on the buses, it was worse, they started talking about shite like what would you do if you saw someone jump off a bridge, apparently "Drive the fuck on" isn't the right thing to say. Luckily the truck CPC covers the bus licence too.

[Noggin]

Drivers qualification card that I know of is a requirement for HGV drivers. Initially it's 5 days days of training and has to be renewed every 5 years. Training could be 1 day a year, 5 days on the last year or anything in between. It shows you know how to secure loads, handle chemicals, stuff like that.

A tacho card is just something you apply for, no qualifications needed.

A proper HGV driver will be along shortly to correct me.

The chemical stuff is ADR/Dangerous goods, CPC is shite like company image, "a driver's day" with a passing mention of drivers hours and tachos, It's the most boring 35 hours of your life. IMO a money making scheme and fuck all about driving lorries. It's also the one card you will be instantly fined for not carrying. Thank fuck I have another three years before I have to do it again.

When I was on the buses, it was worse, they started talking about shite like what would you do if you saw someone jump off a bridge, apparently "Drive the fuck on" isn't the right thing to say. Luckily the truck CPC covers the bus licence too.

When I did mine in the UK, I was told I could do one day a year and renew at the end of the five that way - sounded much easier than death by powerpoint every five years! LOL

[Bigjawa]

You can, but for some reason the firm I'm with now insist on the full week, and these guys won't even let you sleep. It's downright cruel.

[cheb]

I had to do all this to drive a 4.5t Transit. Basically just a heavy Luton bodied van. As said, 35 hours wasted and IMO less of an attendence course and more of an endurance course. May your instructors be less patronising than some of ones I had.

Good luck and all that.

[Noggin]

You can, but for some reason the firm I'm with now insist on the full week, and these guys won't even let you sleep. It's downright cruel.

That's abuse at work!!! Shocking behaviour by the firm!!


It'll be interesting to see what we are going to study as they are stretching it out and yes, covering everything I did on the driver CPC (and some of what was on the TM CPC, but it's very full on for what could be less than a month in the UK!!!