reversing onto docking bay question

[Captain Caveman 76]

Lining the truck up first will make your life much easier. As others have said, take your time and if you find youself getting vexed, handbrake on jump out and have a breather whilst pretending (or not) to look at the situation. Oh, nearly forgot to say, if it takes you ten shunts to get in, nobody cares. It's been seen a million times before!

[Freight Dog]

Just reverse until it bounces off. Then push harder on the pedal and put it back onto the dock. It'll bounce again but push harder until the bugger stops bouncing. Eventually the bounces will stop and you'll be on. If you reverse hard enough you won't even have to worry about waiting for someone to tip you!

Disclaimer: to those suffering the disease humour failiarous -I wasn't being serious. Or was I?!

I started to type out some things but you know what, It sounded far to complicated in text. Like typing out how to make toast or boil a kettle. Don't be worrying about this crap now. It really isn't any big quizz. You'll see when you have a go and the big mystery will vanish. Ask a bod or two at your first Job. 5 mins, it'll be ticked off and you'll kick yourself for wasting time thinking about it whilst preparing for your class 1 test. Enjoy your training!

[Thruxton]

Good luck with your test

But stop making problems for your self. Let your trainer show you what to do, practice it, when things go wrong you will learn what to do to sort it out.. You have paid for an instructor so ask as many question as you can and get them to explain everything..

No point beating yourself up before you start the training..

[pump]

I think you are over thinking this.

First focus on passing d test and forget about after. The test is easy enough when you do a few lessons.

After you pass your test and you still think you not happy with the reversing nothing stopping you on going back and doing another few lessons but this time you will b able to tell d instructor what you want to do as he wont b thinking of getting you past the Test.

First artic job i did was about two years after passing the test. Went and did 3 lessons and did a bit of motorway driving,reversing etc.just to settle myself before starting the job.

[The gas man]

Morning fella.

When I did my test my instructor had a bay like the one for test conditions and what we did was made a loop with one of the straps on the trailer and as I looked in the mirror I just had to make sure that the loop was lined up with a certain point (think it was my shoulder in the mirror and that was lined up with a bollard) then that meant that the rear of the trailer was about 1or 2 inch from hitting the stop sign at the back on my test, worked a treat and passed first time

Good luck you'll be fine and like others have said don't be over thinking it

[Dipper_Dave]

In which case be sure to remove the electrical suzy on the drivers side as this disables the soft dock system and ensures a smooth reverse without the trailer brakes kicking in if someone farts in a 100 yard radius and ends up making you look like a right cock.

I hear what you're saying Dave and I've done this BUT we had a driver reversing onto a bay at one of our collection's and unknown to him a warehouse bod shot out from no where and was chatting to another warehouse bod who had the bay door open and it was only the soft docking sensors that potentially stopped a crush injury/death, needless to say our driver went ballistic.

Thats a good point BB, as disabling any safety device is going to leave the driver wide open to trouble if something happens.

I've used good ones for culina that worked great I've also bad some nightmares that would barely let you go backwards 2 feet without kicking in and lead to a kangaroo wheel spi effect that any joey would be jealous of.

Also had a banksman once get a bit frustrated with me when I tried to explain that the trailer could see him and was braking on its own. He thought I was making it up, either that or it was some sort of magic he wasn't aware of. In the end I disconected it but if something had gone wrong I would have been up poop river without a toothbrush.

Although this same banksman was a bit keen and had obviously just been on a signals course, unfortunately I wasn't familar with these signals he was using so asked him to just scream and wave his arms violently if a potential disaster was about to happen.

[bald bloke]

I've also bad some nightmares that would barely let you go backwards 2 feet without kicking in and lead to a kangaroo wheel spi effect that any joey would be jealous of.

Some of ours have been known to suddenly slam the anchors on for no reason that's why I take it slowly when reversing one especially with tall pallets on otherwise you open the back doors and you've got yogurts flying at you.

[Tooz]

always reverse on / drive off on a green light !!...never take chances even when you are given your keys and told you are tipped !!

if someone is on the bay next to you use them as a guide as when your cab is nearly in line with theirs then you know you are about to hit the bay...unless they are driving a rigid then have just reversed your truck halfway into the warehouse !!

oh and if its a drop and swap...dont forget to take your number plate off the trailer first !!

[Dipper_Dave]

Also when completed docking procedure, hand keys in at waiting room, hover around for 5 minutes then sneak back to truck and hide on the bunk.

This can lead to a ban though if caught. Not always a bad thing.
If attempting this be wary of other drivers especially shunters who will grass you up.

[the maoster]

I've also bad some nightmares that would barely let you go backwards 2 feet without kicking in and lead to a kangaroo wheel spi effect that any joey would be jealous of.

Some of ours have been known to suddenly slam the anchors on for no reason that's why I take it slowly when reversing one especially with tall pallets on otherwise you open the back doors and you've got yogurts flying at you.

I defect no end of our trailers that have had the sensors bent down facing the floor. You either leap across a yard in a cloud of frustrated rubber smoke or look like a right spanner going backwards one inch at a time! This is when I too disconnect the lead. Seems to be worse when the road surface is wet for some reason.

[kr79]

Don't panic I'd been driving 10 years before I got a job that required backing on to a bay

[war1974]

bets of luck but it did make me laugh that youre worried about reversing onto a bay first off then your next worry is how to make time to go to truckstops!

easy way is dont worry it will come every driver has days when it just dont go right 1st time.

[Héraultais]

You might be lucky and get a trailer with a soft dock system which automatically applies the trailer brakes when your almost on the dock.

Absolutely hate them, biggest pain in the backside ever thought up by a non driver.

[Clunk]

One trick I used, which to be fair was on a rigid, I had the curtain buckles marked on the drivers side and wherever they lined up on the road was my markers.
For example:
4th buckle from back lined up with top of kerb would mean the tail lift tip would just be on the kerb.
4th buckle from back lined up with bottom of kerb would mean the tail lift would clear the kerb.
6th buckle from back lined up with ground was my marker for docks.
8th buckle from back lined up with wheels.

[silvasurfa67]

bets of luck but it did make me laugh that youre worried about reversing onto a bay first off then your next worry is how to make time to go to truckstops!

easy way is dont worry it will come every driver has days when it just dont go right 1st time.

[Actrosman]

Keep watching your trailer wheels and where they are going rather than the sides of the trailer.

Don't forget your spray suppression's (mud flaps) on the bananas they can rip them off then you're stuck at an RDC with a VOR trailer.

you just said a whole load of stuff I didn't understand there mate, sorry :-/

Who me ? Bananas are the metal guides that well basically guide you onto the bays, some places don't have them but most do and sometimes they're painted yellow hence the name bananas, just watch your flaps, keep it tight offside so you know nearside you have plenty of room.

[silvasurfa67]

Keep watching your trailer wheels and where they are going rather than the sides of the trailer.

Don't forget your spray suppression's (mud flaps) on the bananas they can rip them off then you're stuck at an RDC with a VOR trailer.

you just said a whole load of stuff I didn't understand there mate, sorry :-/

Who me ? Bananas are the metal guides that well basically guide you onto the bays, some places don't have them but most do and sometimes they're painted yellow hence the name bananas, just watch your flaps, keep it tight offside so you know nearside you have plenty of room.

thanks for the pics mate, all clear to me now

[mick palmer]

Biggest mistake I see from new drivers is over steering , trying to go from lock to lock , losing it and being nowhere near . Until you get used to it try to get as straight as possible ( if there is room use it , you can also see in both mirrors throughout ) reverse slowly on engine tick over only , small adjustments of steering should be all that is needed . If you're lucky enough to get a Volvo FH / FM they're easy to reverse with good mirror set up , Mercedes are hard work especially the six leggers .... best to raise the mid lift to limit wheel spin , something you don't want while reversing . Good luck.

[ORC]

I've been doing Class 1 for a few months now and am getting to grips with reversing reasonably well. My continuing problem is leaving it too late once I'm well into the bay to straighten up the bend, so I have to pull forward to correct the oversteer on the trailer. I haven't got my eye in on when it's time to take the bend off, and because it takes time to bring the cab round straight it's too late. Doh!

[rob22888]

oh and if its a drop and swap...dont forget to take your number plate off the trailer first !!

That was me at Gadbrook the other day, crawling under back of the trailer

Also, if you've got a column tail lift on the back - put it down! Done that as well, just as I was getting my head down "you've left your tail gate up drive" Do that with a drop & swap and you really won't be popular.

[DAF95XF]

oh and if its a drop and swap...dont forget to take your number plate off the trailer first !!

That was me at Gadbrook the other day, crawling under back of the trailer

Also, if you've got a column tail lift on the back - put it down! Done that as well, just as I was getting my head down "you've left your tail gate up drive" Do that with a drop & swap and you really won't be popular.

Been there done that

[Dipper_Dave]

I've been doing Class 1 for a few months now and am getting to grips with reversing reasonably well. My continuing problem is leaving it too late once I'm well into the bay to straighten up the bend, so I have to pull forward to correct the oversteer on the trailer. I haven't got my eye in on when it's time to take the bend off, and because it takes time to bring the cab round straight it's too late. Doh!

Don't worry about this it gets easier with time, although it varies from truck to truck and trailer to trailer, some are more forgiving than others, eventually you will be picking almost the exact point to start bringing her straight or have enough room to do a little shimmy with the other lock on to correct.
Your doing well recognising that youve taken the lock off too late and nudging forward a bit, this is half the battle.

Thats said I still do this after 20+ years of driving (albeit with 10 years off in the middle), but then my moments of excellence when i get it right are done when no ones watching and when I bugger it up every sod and his dog is around.
Also feeling pressure as others are watching can distract one slightly but don't worry there aren't many class 1 drivers around who haven't made a lash up of the smplest reverse, I mean i've done a nice bit of bay reversing (perfectly spaced between the bananas) only to realise I have ended up on the wrong bay.

Don't get me started on blind side reverses, i'm lucky to be in the same RDC when completed.

[The-Snowman]

Don't get me started on blind side reverses, i'm lucky to be in the same RDC when completed.

PMSL me too!

[ORC]

Don't get me started on blind side reverses, i'm lucky to be in the same RDC when completed.

PMSL me too!

Me three...

The angled bays are tricky enough, and all I have to work with is a tiny image in the nearside mirror to figure out if I'm about to hit the trailer next door or not. If it's dark that makes it even worse. And I have yet to attempt a right-angled blindside reverse - I wouldn't know where to even begin to do that...

[Dipper_Dave]

Don't get me started on blind side reverses, i'm lucky to be in the same RDC when completed.

PMSL me too!

Me three...

The angled bays are tricky enough, and all I have to work with is a tiny image in the nearside mirror to figure out if I'm about to hit the trailer next door or not. If it's dark that makes it even worse. And I have yet to attempt a right-angled blindside reverse - I wouldn't know where to even begin to do that...

I try and extend the landingstrip using a bit of imagination or even a peice of litter on the tarmac to aim at and put loads of lock on early then bring her round a bit, if theres enough room you can alsways adjust a bit. Also look at the trailer from the drivers side will give you a rough idea of the angle the trailers at. Leccy mirrors help but I come from an era these didn't excist on basic trucks when it was literally blind and guesswork oh and a smidgen of luck.
Try and get her straightish as soon as possible and avoid going into the bay between two other trucks at an angle if possible.

Worst blindside I ever did was after a 15 hour shift, last parking space at the truckstop, just went for it and luckily a couple of drivers helped me out- one to guide me in and the other to mop my brow and give me moral support...

[daffyd]

Don't worry about it man.
The driving school will show you how to pass the test then it's just practice, watching how others do it etc.
I think they even allow you to get out to have a look how far you are away from the barrier thing when doing the reversing on your test now

[Terry T]

You'll know when you're on the bay when it wont go back any further, it's a sort of controlled crash

Or in the case of our shunters, a crash

[Tooz]

Good point, dont watch the shunters and do what they do !!.....you would be banned from site within 2 mins !!