Maybe not quite up there with gaining actual experience, but, if you want to improve your reversing from the comfort of your own home, here are two great ways that definitely helped me.
Firstly, get the SCANIA Truck Driving Simulator from SCS Software. Excellent game and being able to drive the truck into a bay using the ‘head out of window’ camera angle and watching the trailer wheels is fantastic practice.
Secondly, Lego Technic’s Container Yard set includes an artic lorry with roof-mounted steering wheel so you can practice reversing between your coffee mug and your cereal bowl on the breakfast table.
I wonder how the simulators compare to real life? I’m only Class 2 so I can’t draw a comparison, but I’ve always wondered if reversing in ETS2/ATS is anything like real life. Although I still can’t work out when to start steering when reversing round a corner in ETS2. Annoyingly, I can back a 53’ trailer on the back of a W900 with ease in ATS =/
Try on eBay for the remote control lorry for practice I got a 1:32 scale Mercedes actros from there for about 45 quid, like the guys above said it really does help you with the reversing and thinking about which way to turn the wheels when your in the real thing and new to it !
I’ve played a LOT of ETS2, still do at the weekends now that I can drive the real thing.
I’d say that the physics in it is very, very realistic. However, doing it in real life is different. I’d say that ETS2 has made me comfortable with what to expect, and deal with the steering, but that’s the only real advantage.
If you are using a sim for practice, hide the “always on” mirrors you’ve got in your screenshot there and just use the truck’s mirrors. When you turn you head to look out of your passenger side in real life, you can’t also see everything else all at the same time!
While a sim is good for learning the basics it can’t teach you about weight and how that affects your reverse. If you try screwing in a max weight trailer onto a bay then you’re in for a fight.
I’ve put a lot of hours into ets2. The reversing was quite realistic but no of game prepares you for the real thing imo. Just because I can fly a plane of flight sim x doesn’t mean I could in real life.
It also doesn’t prepare you trying to couple to a fully loaded trailer, and the horrible moment that the Arsetronic box literally just drops the clutch and you ram the pin so hard that stuff falls out of your cubby holes
slowlane:
It also doesn’t prepare you trying to couple to a fully loaded trailer, and the horrible moment that the Arsetronic box literally just drops the clutch and you ram the pin so hard that stuff falls out of your cubby holes
You’re doing it wrong then or your turntable doesn’t have enough grease on it.
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