Taking my road test Friday, any tips?

You'll do fine. The main thing they look for in Texas is going over a double yellow line and hitting a curb. Also, don't get cute with the parallel parking. The most you can lose is nine points for an ugly parking job, but if you hit the curb, its an automatic fail.

Just drop it in there about four feet from the curb and then tell the tester its your worst parallel since the day you learned it. She/he will say, "That's OK, at least you didn't hit the curb, and let it go at that.

That and don't stall it and you win a bright, shiny new CDL!

Oh yeah, use those key phrases on the 8-step brake test. You can garble the rest, but as long as they hear certain things they let it slide.

 

Key phrases?

 

You didn't get a sheet from your school with the eight-step, word for word? My school highlighted the key phrases that the testers like to hear and made sure that we understood that you needed to say those things. It was made clear that you might just fail the road test right in the parking lot if you didn't get it right. It is the first part of your road test so you need to know how to do it.

I'll try dig up my eight-step sheet, scan it and pm it to you if I can find it. It's pretty easy to learn and it will get you through the air-brake test.

 

I'm not going to any school, doing this completely on my own

 

You need to get the CDL handbook and memorize the right step brake check. You won't even get out of the parking lot if you fail that.

 

don't crash, stay calm

 

Wear a ball cap. Seriously, instructor at school failed me lack of mirror checks, told him I was doing them. Had hat with me, put it on at his request, passed. If they don't see head move, could fail you. A ball cap will allow tester to see bill of cap moving.