I am re-scheduled to take my initial road test this week. I failed the road test 3 weeks ago for 3 reasons.
1. I had horrible difficulty backing the vehicle into a marked spot.
2. I had trouble eliminating "clutch roll."
3. I had trouble finding the gears in the fine piece of machinery that I was driving.
I believe that I have figured out why I had so much trouble backing the vehicle. The On-Road Sup that gave me the test had told me how to adjust the mirrors -- the top one so that I could just barely see the top-rear corner of the car and the bottom one so that I could barely see the bottom-rear corner of the car. It didn't occur to me, until a day or so after the test, that with the bottom mirrors adjusted like that I was not going to be able to see the rear tires nor the white lines. Now it makes sense that, if I am to put the car where I want it, I have to be able to see the tires and the lines that I want to put the car in between. Problem solved(I hope!).
As for the clutch roll, during the test I solved the problem by letting the clutch out a little bit and giving the engine a little gas. I didn't know that this isn't the way that they want you to eliminate clutch roll. Am I supposed to eliminate it using the hand brake? Can someone please tell me how to properly eliminate the clutch roll?
The last problem I had, finding the gears, is probably because I am not used to the shift pattern in the 800 and how close together the gears are. The only shift pattern I have ever seen is 1st gear all the way to the left and up, 2nd left and down, 3rd middle up, 4th middle down, 5th right up, and reverse right down. I think that this problem will probably go away with practice. However, maybe someone can help me with this problem also.
If I can solve these 3 problems(and remember to keep my foot off of the clutch pedal unless I am engaging it), I believe that I will pass the road test and be in driver training W/E June 9.
Thanks in advance for any help!
eyewannaracethetruck
Ocala, FL