New poster here, but have been reading the board a couple weeks, and following your thread. Thanks for the info and good luck, SP. Hope it works out well for you.
I just got done my 5th day at Richmond Acedmy, check out http://nepageocachers.org/truckin/ to follow my blog on it. It is going great here, schedule is a bit diff then yours but seems about the same.
I just got done my 5th day at Richmond Acedmy, check out http://nepageocachers.org/truckin/ to follow my blog on it. It is going great here, schedule is a bit diff then yours but seems about the same.
On Wed. we drove around downtown Memphis, and surrounding areas, our instuctor took us on some pretty narrow streets and tight turns but nothing impossible and is verry good at not only telling you when to do something but explaining why. He also makes me think about what i'm doing so that really helps a lot! I did have a bit of a brain fart at one point today and almost took out a light pole as i was making a right turn because i swerved to miss an oncoming car. Even though my instructor had to yel for me to stop, he was not upset and 2 minutes later told me to pull it over and smoke a cig and get over it. My nerves were shot!
On Thursday, we drove arouns the Suberbs of memphis, the focus on thurs was putting everything we have learned thus far, turning, shifting, stopping, merging, turning and identifying hazards to work all at once. It was a much better day for me, i think i'm just starting to actually put it all together. I did a lot better today, shifting was smooth, no coasting searching for gears, and my turns were decent.
Friday (HELL DAY)... We took a road trip and ended up on some narrow country roads, with some steep uphill and down hill driving. Also a lot of sharp curves going downhill. This really got us thinking, but it was really cool..... until........
5 minutes after i got in the drivers seat, i'm driving on a road where the speed limit was 45, as i pass some road crews i see a sign that says "end 30 MPH speed limit" I turned to my instructgor and said "dont you hate it when you see an end speed zone sign and dont see the begining" he informed me that there was a smaller sign underneath another sign about a 1/4 mile back. He thought i was doing the limit. Just then i look in my mirror and see a trooper coming flying up in the left lane..... OF course... we get pulled over. GREAT!!!!!!! He ended up giving me a ticket for doing 41 in a 30mph construction zone, but he said if i go to court he would ask the judge to throw it out as i was a student. He also said he would;ve given me a warning but had already called it in before he came to find out i was a student driver. Then he gave the entire group an inspection lesson on the side of the road. He was actually a really nice guy, itg just really pissed me off! I am really glad he didnt do an inspection though, as we had found out just 15 minutes earlier that our hub oil seal was leaking and the level was low, that and we picked up a nasty vibration on our way back.
So, now i have to go to court on 10/26 to get it taken care of. Which is going to cut into my time with a mentor, and make it take even longer to get onto my own truck. The good news is, i am not getting sent home or anything. WHEW!
We have the weekend off, then back to driving on monday and we all test on tuesday! Oh we are getting about 2 hours (or more) of driving each day... just FYI!
On Wed. we drove around downtown Memphis, and surrounding areas, our instuctor took us on some pretty narrow streets and tight turns but nothing impossible and is verry good at not only telling you when to do something but explaining why. He also makes me think about what i'm doing so that really helps a lot! I did have a bit of a brain fart at one point today and almost took out a light pole as i was making a right turn because i swerved to miss an oncoming car. Even though my instructor had to yel for me to stop, he was not upset and 2 minutes later told me to pull it over and smoke a cig and get over it. My nerves were shot!
On Thursday, we drove arouns the Suberbs of memphis, the focus on thurs was putting everything we have learned thus far, turning, shifting, stopping, merging, turning and identifying hazards to work all at once. It was a much better day for me, i think i'm just starting to actually put it all together. I did a lot better today, shifting was smooth, no coasting searching for gears, and my turns were decent.
Friday (HELL DAY)... We took a road trip and ended up on some narrow country roads, with some steep uphill and down hill driving. Also a lot of sharp curves going downhill. This really got us thinking, but it was really cool..... until........
5 minutes after i got in the drivers seat, i'm driving on a road where the speed limit was 45, as i pass some road crews i see a sign that says "end 30 MPH speed limit" I turned to my instructgor and said "dont you hate it when you see an end speed zone sign and dont see the begining" he informed me that there was a smaller sign underneath another sign about a 1/4 mile back. He thought i was doing the limit. Just then i look in my mirror and see a trooper coming flying up in the left lane..... OF course... we get pulled over. GREAT!!!!!!! He ended up giving me a ticket for doing 41 in a 30mph construction zone, but he said if i go to court he would ask the judge to throw it out as i was a student. He also said he would;ve given me a warning but had already called it in before he came to find out i was a student driver. Then he gave the entire group an inspection lesson on the side of the road. He was actually a really nice guy, itg just really pissed me off! I am really glad he didnt do an inspection though, as we had found out just 15 minutes earlier that our hub oil seal was leaking and the level was low, that and we picked up a nasty vibration on our way back.
So, now i have to go to court on 10/26 to get it taken care of. Which is going to cut into my time with a mentor, and make it take even longer to get onto my own truck. The good news is, i am not getting sent home or anything. WHEW!
We have the weekend off, then back to driving on monday and we all test on tuesday! Oh we are getting about 2 hours (or more) of driving each day... just FYI!
I don't think I've ever heard of someone getting a ticket while in school. :lol: Hopefully all will be good the rest of the way. Take care.
i guess tenessee doesnt have too much officer discretion shoot most cops in md I know dont even bother stopping you around where i live unless you are doing 15 if not 20 over the limit. iguess tenessee has to call out the stop reason before making a stop.
i guess tenessee doesnt have too much officer discretion shoot most cops in md I know dont even bother stopping you around where i live unless you are doing 15 if not 20 over the limit. iguess tenessee has to call out the stop reason before making a stop.
He was in a construction zone. They are very trigger happy on those.
