Driving a Cat C

I need some advice please, I know this has come up before but can’t find it now. I started a new job today. One of the drivers is off tomorrow and they want me to drive his rigid. It’s a Mercedes, not sure which model but it is a hell of a lot longer than the one I learned in 3 years ago. (The only time I have driven a rigid) Due to long wheel base I know it will be a pain to turn compared to an artic but I can’t remember how to deal with the Long rear overhang. Any pointers greatly appreciated.

Really :unamused:

GOAL

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?

Couldn’t tell you, it’s beneath me to drive an inferior class of vehicle

OVLOV JAY:
Couldn’t tell you, it’s beneath me to drive an inferior class of vehicle

That’s what I thought but new job and want to get off to a good start. It was a genuine question, any advice gratefully received

Best advice I can give is to be acutely aware of traffic trying to get round you as you turn left/right. Block two lanes as necessary. The tail end can fly round with rear steer thrown into the mix.

toonsy:
Best advice I can give is to be acutely aware of traffic trying to get round you as you turn left/right. Block two lanes as necessary. The tail end can fly round with rear steer thrown into the mix.

Ok. Cheers

Mine without the drag isn’t very long (oo er mrs) but because of the rear steer really kicks out so as said, be very careful making sharp turns if traffic is able to squeeze past you.

Jist think of ot as an artic with a long overhang (bit like many steel carrying trailers) and make yourself as wide as possible.

They are a total pain sometimes (coop have them) bit i found taking long sweeping curves tends to help. Turning too tightly will result in problems. Also reversing onto places is often easier than trying to reverse out, esp parking spaces.

GOAL means Get Out And Look

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The bad news is might have a bit more tail sweep than a standard 45 ft artic trailer.The good news is that,unlike an artic,you can always see what it’s doing and what’s near it in the mirrors.

While as in all cases you minimise it by turning away from anything with small gradually increasing steering inputs and get the positioning right in which you have to allow for and balance both the cut in and sweep on the approach to a turn.

no1dieselman:
I need some advice please, I know this has come up before but can’t find it now. I started a new job today. One of the drivers is off tomorrow and they want me to drive his rigid. It’s a Mercedes, not sure which model but it is a hell of a lot longer than the one I learned in 3 years ago. (The only time I have driven a rigid) Due to long wheel base I know it will be a pain to turn compared to an artic but I can’t remember how to deal with the Long rear overhang. Any pointers greatly appreciated.

Some rigids have swing-outs so large that they really represent a different class of vehicle - there is almost as much body behind the rear wheel as in front of it.

If you have no experience of driving rigids at all (let alone no recent experience), I’d decline the offer and just explain that you don’t have enough experience.

It’s easy to state in principle what the hazard is with these vehicles, but applying it in practice requires rehearsal and habit, and if it’s not a vehicle you will normally drive then it’s not worth taking a chance - especially if your employer gets in the habit of asking you again from time to time, where you never truly get into the daily habit, but just cross your fingers each time and muddle through.

Thanks for all the tips, I will let you know how I got on tomorrow.
Rjan, I know you mean well but I am sure I will manage ok taking it slowly to start with.

Rjan:
Some rigids have swing-outs so large that they really represent a different class of vehicle - there is almost as much body behind the rear wheel as in front of it.

It might seem like that but the legal limit for the body overhang is 60% of the wheelbase.

To put a positive side on it for the OP, personally, given the choice of 2 rigids with the same size body, one with minimum overhang and one with maximum I would take the maximum one every time. Apart from your tail swing issue everything else is easier. imho anyway. Like someone above pointed out, the back corners are never out of sight anyway. If the body side overhang obscures the rear wheels in the mirrors then put a marker on the body above the centre of the axle, that will give you a guide as to when you can start putting more lock on when manouvering round building corners etc.

Just drive the thing!

Love driving a rigid with big overhang.

Drice close enough to the kerb when turning right you can take out lamposts signs and wven the occasional cyclist.

no1dieselman:
Thanks for all the tips, I will let you know how I got on tomorrow.
Rjan, I know you mean well but I am sure I will manage ok taking it slowly to start with.

Fair one. I just draw on my own experience of once being asked as a favour to drive a particular long-bodied rigid as an artic driver.

I turned out to be the something like the fourth person to bump the same wagon within 4 weeks, including the supervisor! :laughing:

Rjan:
Some rigids have swing-outs so large that they really represent a different class of vehicle -

I think a lot of it can be blamed on the crazy Italians.Although to be fair in that case on good grounds literally that so long as the front,and most of the rear, wheels stay on the road it doesn’t really matter if the body,or even a tag,is overhanging the side of a mountain through hairpin bends.

Otherwise it’s a stupid idea that creates all sorts of weight distribution issues and an out of sight out of mind attitude to turns.When at the end of the day it takes as much room as it takes to turn the equivalent length of truck through 90 degrees.With lots of sweep jut creating two problems instead of one to deal with.

I know an experienced class 2 driver who crushed an oncoming taxi with his rigid’s tailswing on a left turn. Rear steer axle. Very helpful indeed