theonlybigman:
You are entitled to your opinion, but I think you need to have a wider outlook on this, rather than having the narrow minded vision of “I’m a driver and I don’t need anyone to see me back”. I have seen the aftermarth of someone who was crushed because a driver couldn’t be bothered to use a banksman and it wasn’t pretty!If you are happy to use a bnaksman without even asking him what he is going to do to stop you, and/or allowing him to step in your blind spot and you keep reversing, then I feel you need to go on one of these so called “useless” courses. Because if you did you would realise that the act of reversing is very dangerous, usually in confined spaces with pedestrians around you. Communication is the key and talking to the banksman before conducting the manouvere is key. Im sure you went headlong into those two firms, with the attitude of “I don’t need you, you are a waste behind me” reversed too fast and the banksman never even had a chance to keep in your field of vision.
That just shows how little you know then. I’ll give anyone a chance once, but ■■■■ it up and well, you’re gonna hear about it. First time it was a good side reverse and the banksman was stood about half way along my trailer on the same side waving me back. What good is that exactly? I already have my head out of the window and can see every inch of the vehicle from front to back. 
The next time (different site) it was a blind side and the banksman stood at the rear of the trailer on the blind side. What good is that? Can’t even see him. For him to have been any use he would’ve needed to stand either in front of the cab on the blind side and watched the blind side rear corner of the trailer from there and guided me, OR stood at a right angle on the good side from the offside corner of the trailer and in my line of sight in the offside mirror. Where he was actually stood meant I had to actually stop and get out to make sure he was still there as we was completely hidden from view.
On the 3rd occasion it was a delivery to a different part of the site which involved a good side reverse through a tight gateway. Banksman is stood there again on my good side, whilst I am watching the nearside front corner of the trailer getting closer to the gate. He sees the issue and comes round the front to watch me. He’s waving his arms for me to carry on as I’m clear but it’s not looking like that in the n/s mirror. I shout at him “are you sure” and he says “yes, you’re alright, it’ll be close but you’ll clear it”. I was 99% sure he was talking BS but he was adamant I’d clear it so I gingerly carried on. bump “STOP!” he screams, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “YOU’VE JUST HIT IT!”. Needless to say that was the last time that a banksman ever “helps” me. ■■■■■■■ the lot of them. Perhaps if they were artic drivers themselves (like a lot of the banksmen on abnormal load stuff are) then they’d know where to stand and what specific stuff to watch out for, rather than being trained by some do-gooding muppets from ROSPA who don’t know one end of a truck from the other.
If you are not up to admitting that and feel I am taking rubbish then that is your opinion as I said earlier, but I believe in the course because I know it works and if everyone operated this course to the letter there would be no reversing accidents period!
Wow. Just… WOW.