Had my 1st taste of a artic today, went for a driving assessment at a training school to see how long of a course I will need before C+E test. This is simple I thought till we pulled in the yard and the very nice instructor said “let’s have a look at your reversing then”. I’ve only ever towed a broken down car but never had to go backwards doing it. So I set abt putting it in between two trailers parked nxt to each other, I reckon an old hand would of been able to drop 2 and half trailers in the space I had. He got out to watch me back so off I went, I straightened up, off to one side then thought to myself “trailer left steer right, trailer right steer left” piece of ■■■■ I thought. I burst out l laughing after abt a minute of wrestling with the steering wheel cos I was telling the trailer to go one way and it said nope I’m going in the other direction!!! So i abort this pull forward and straighten her out then dropped her in on the 2nd attempt after going slow and small adjustments once I’d got going in the general direction I wanted to be going. I had a blast though even if it was balls up 1st time. Can’t wait to get my license and start looking like right noob at the truck stops all for your entertainment.
I was the same. In a couple of weeks you’ll be doing it no problem. My first day I had a crowd laughing at me. Just ignore them and don’t rush. Get out and check as often as you like.
Wouldnt worry, reversing is its own artform and you’ll get good and bad days even years later.
What you have to remember is the back of the trailer is a long way from you, so it takes a while for your requests to translate into actions…bit like turning a large ship. Then of course it takes ages to stop those actions.
Little and often is a good stratergy and take it slow too. The reverse on the test is nothing like the real world and it would help if we were taught why we wrre turning this and that way rather than memorising a series of moves.
I remember my first real world supposed 90 degree reverse - think dog chasing its tail backwards and you get the picture of what actually happened. 
Have fun with it!
no1dieselman:
I was the same. In a couple of weeks you’ll be doing it no problem. My first day I had a crowd laughing at me. Just ignore them and don’t rush. Get out and check as often as you like.
Yup I had an audience of mechanics having a bit of a giggle when I did the 1st one that’s why I creased up laughing myself, I just shrugged my shoulders and started again.
“I remember my first real world supposed 90 degree reverse - think dog chasing its tail backwards and you get the picture of what actually happened.”
This is exactly what it feels like, a few hours on the reversing pad will sort me out. I agree that the test situation is nothing like real world work I know that from my cat C, I’ve never done a reverse at any drop like I had to do on my test. Normally got to negotiate badly parked cars, forklift trucks, abandoned stillages, a fence here a wall there watch out for shutter door they never open fully!!! Lol
no1dieselman:
My first day I had a crowd laughing at me.
And THIS is why people worry about reversing
So much for looking out for each other
OP - like already been said, one day it’ll just click without you realising it. When your training just listen to your instructor, they’ll keep you right
Real world- Get out as many times as you need and triple check where trailers going
You’ll be fine if you don’t rush or let pressure get to you. Let others wait a few mins it won’t harm them!
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dcgpx:
no1dieselman:
My first day I had a crowd laughing at me.And THIS is why people worry about reversing
So much for looking out for each other
OP - like already been said, one day it’ll just click without you realising it. When your training just listen to your instructor, they’ll keep you right
Real world- Get out as many times as you need and triple check where trailers going
You’ll be fine if you don’t rush or let pressure get to you. Let others wait a few mins it won’t harm them!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yup once I’ve passed my test that’s when I’ll start learning how to reverse properly, I know I’ve got a lot of 20/30 shunts and in and out the cab reverses to get through but I’ll soon be blindsiding her onto the bays like a pro (I hope) 
You got it in and hit nothing. Job done.
It will click at some point but even after that you’ll get a reverse that just gets fudged despite some saying they’ve got it bang on 100% of the time and have never messed up a reverse ever 
toonsy:
…and have never messed up a reverse ever
Even better are those who do that and dont even have a car licence a d think they have half a clue how to reverse one of these 50 odd feet units.
dcgpx:
no1dieselman:
My first day I had a crowd laughing at me.And THIS is why people worry about reversing
So much for looking out for each other
OP - like already been said, one day it’ll just click without you realising it. When your training just listen to your instructor, they’ll keep you right
Real world- Get out as many times as you need and triple check where trailers going
You’ll be fine if you don’t rush or let pressure get to you. Let others wait a few mins it won’t harm them!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This ^^^^^
One thing when your passed and out on your own though,YOUR the one in control when your reversing and how long it takes,if you get a queue of traffic giving you grief that your taking ages to reverse in somewhere,even though you know you can put it in first time,make em wait back a bit forward a bit get out have a look back a bit more get out lol,used to have to tip in Church street Lancaster turn in then blind it into the small service yard,nightmare to start with but soon got used to it,more the cars got impatient longer it took lol.
Daytrunker:
lol,used to have to tip in Church street Lancaster turn in then blind it into the small service yard,nightmare to start with but soon got used to it,more the cars got impatient longer it took lol.
That´s either a pub or the coffeehouse? That street is no built for reversing off at right angles.
steviespain:
Daytrunker:
lol,used to have to tip in Church street Lancaster turn in then blind it into the small service yard,nightmare to start with but soon got used to it,more the cars got impatient longer it took lol.That´s either a pub or the coffeehouse? That street is no built for reversing off at right angles.
Nope used to tip at Poundland with a 33ft rear steer had to watch the post outside the pub opposite,did send a 45ft in once coppers had to get the driver out not a good idea
Sounds like it´s changed alot since I was there.
trevHCS:
Wouldnt worry, reversing is its own artform and you’ll get good and bad days even years later.What you have to remember is the back of the trailer is a long way from you, so it takes a while for your requests to translate into actions…bit like turning a large ship. Then of course it takes ages to stop those actions.
Little and often is a good stratergy and take it slow too. The reverse on the test is nothing like the real world and it would help if we were taught why we wrre turning this and that way rather than memorising a series of moves.
I remember my first real world supposed 90 degree reverse - think dog chasing its tail backwards and you get the picture of what actually happened.
Have fun with it!
Absolutely spot on… I passed in June first assessment today with culina and the reverse was utterly embarrassing, made a complete mess of it, even being told drivers with 20+ years experience struggle on this yard does not help one bit, feel like I messed up the interview and a real confidence knock, test reverse does not prepare you at all
avfcnat82:
trevHCS:
Wouldnt worry, reversing is its own artform and you’ll get good and bad days even years later.What you have to remember is the back of the trailer is a long way from you, so it takes a while for your requests to translate into actions…bit like turning a large ship. Then of course it takes ages to stop those actions.
Little and often is a good stratergy and take it slow too. The reverse on the test is nothing like the real world and it would help if we were taught why we wrre turning this and that way rather than memorising a series of moves.
I remember my first real world supposed 90 degree reverse - think dog chasing its tail backwards and you get the picture of what actually happened.
Have fun with it!
Absolutely spot on… I passed in June first assessment today with culina and the reverse was utterly embarrassing, made a complete mess of it, even being told drivers with 20+ years experience struggle on this yard does not help one bit, feel like I messed up the interview and a real confidence knock, test reverse does not prepare you at all
avfcnat82 I feel for you, it probably didnt go as bad as you think in your own head but if it did try and think about the positives. You have learnt something from assessment even if you don’t know it yet and nxt time you have one things will be a little more familiar so hopefully you will be a bit more relaxed abt it. Good luck and just keep going
cribs76:
avfcnat82:
trevHCS:
Wouldnt worry, reversing is its own artform and you’ll get good and bad days even years later.What you have to remember is the back of the trailer is a long way from you, so it takes a while for your requests to translate into actions…bit like turning a large ship. Then of course it takes ages to stop those actions.
Little and often is a good stratergy and take it slow too. The reverse on the test is nothing like the real world and it would help if we were taught why we wrre turning this and that way rather than memorising a series of moves.
I remember my first real world supposed 90 degree reverse - think dog chasing its tail backwards and you get the picture of what actually happened.
Have fun with it!
Absolutely spot on… I passed in June first assessment today with culina and the reverse was utterly embarrassing, made a complete mess of it, even being told drivers with 20+ years experience struggle on this yard does not help one bit, feel like I messed up the interview and a real confidence knock, test reverse does not prepare you at all
avfcnat82 I feel for you, it probably didnt go as bad as you think in your own head but if it did try and think about the positives. You have learnt something from assessment even if you don’t know it yet and nxt time you have one things will be a little more familiar so hopefully you will be a bit more relaxed abt it. Good luck and just keep going
I was actually offered the job yesterday for culina, so over the moon, they are going to buddy me up for a few weeks so hopefully I can learn a lot from my mentor as I will be all ears on this !
I was actually offered the job yesterday for culina, so over the moon, they are going to buddy me up for a few weeks so hopefully I can learn a lot from my mentor as I will be all ears on this !
Happy days avfcnat82, good luck with it!