Where ever you sit when driving normally you should be able to stick your head out the window and look down the side of the truck. You are aware it does involve a certain amount of movement?
I cant decide if you’re on a wind up or not tbh
Stussy:
Where ever you sit when driving normally you should be able to stick your head out the window and look down the side of the truck. You are aware it does involve a certain amount of movement?
I cant decide if you’re on a wind up or not tbh
No animal is not on a wind up, just vertically challenged. 
Maybe a large booster cushion and also wooden blocks tied to your feet would help animal? 
Fyi
147cm is roughly 4’ 9" ~ 4’ 10"
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Fair enough then, it can be a bit of a stretch in some units!
I’m 5’10. I suppose the answer is to get good with your mirrors, of course it’s possible to use just those as I sometimes do, but a quick glance out the window every so often is well advised to help judge distances easier
Could be worse …147mm 
Stussy:
Fair enough then, it can be a bit of a stretch in some units!
I’m 5’10. I suppose the answer is to get good with your mirrors, of course it’s possible to use just those as I sometimes do, but a quick glance out the window every so often is well advised to help judge distances easier
So no not just a wind up depends on the vehicle tbh but most of the time I use my mirrors over the years have learnt how to position most so if you see me going very slow this is probably why never reverse fast slow as possible & with some caution
Nothing wrong with all of that no matter how tall you are 
Also, the positioning when driving forward can make a huge difference to how much work needs doing when reversing, it seems some people like to make it hard for themselves without realising
carryfast-yeti:
Peter Smythe:
Make it as simple as you can by giving yourself loads of room, aiming to be pretty well straight before you arrive at the gap. Avoid blind side reversing until you’re more comfortable. And get out and look as many times as you need to.Pete
Peter…lots of newbies on here struggling with reversing,yet they’ve passed their HGV 1 test!
not having a dig at the OP,or any other newbies,but surely more reversing should be involved in the training of artic drivers?
I mentioned this in another thread and Connor couldn’t get his flame thrower out quick enough!!
Any reverse where you get the truck where it needs to be, without hitting anything in the process, is a win. The more often you do it, the better you will get.
Reversing an artic is difficult, and takes a long time to learn to do really well.
When I was starting out, I’d sometimes put an old glove down on the ground to aim at. I’d put it about 5’ ish in front of the bay line I was aiming at. I’d then aim the middle axle at the glove, and it would help me get the turn in at roughly the right place. I struggled with aiming too far ‘into’ the bay, so I’d end up going in too wonky to correct. Use an old glove, because you’ll run it over at some point!
Any sort of top tip like the glove thing, or anything else, isn’t a silver bullet, it’s just something to help you get your eye in. Practice is the only way.
If you get an opportunity - practice reversing into a bay at a services etc too, don’t take the lazy option.
For me, the greatest ‘leap’ in mastering reversing was sticking my head out of the ■■■■■■■ window and actually looking at where I was reversing.
This way you can observe the direction of travel with many points of reference (other trailers, bollards, marker lines etc).
It makes life so much easier.
LouisM:
Hi all,Just wondering if anyone can give me more help and advice on reversing in tight areas or reversing into a bay.
I have only been driving under two weeks, and was set loose by myself for the first time on Friday, but I’m still struggling with reversing.
Just do add on, I am driving an arctic.
I know it will take time and hopefully one day will just click!
Any advice is appreciated!
Take your time .
Position and if in doubt get out and look.
Never be afraid to ask for help or advice .
Use all available room ie if there’s 40 ft to the bay use it all then you have 40+ feet Infront to square yourself up before finishing on the bay ,
I’m. A relatively new driver myself (passed class 1 in June).
The most important bit for me is the setup. Get your initial position right, and the whole manoeuvre is a lot easier.
The straighter the trailer is (relative to the space), the easier it is. And if your cab has a slight bend to the right, you can pop your head out the window and see where you’re going…
Take your time.
Take as many shunts as you need.
Go slowly, steer slowly.
When I first started, if it was quiet when I got back to the yard I’d park up 3 or 4 times just to get the extra practice.
Good luck - it’ll come in good time. And remember that even the most experienced drivers have off days when they can’t park for toffee!
Guys another question when reversing , sometimes i get in spots were i have to sort of jack knife the trailer to get it into a bay.
my question is if i jack knife the trailer too much at low speed will it just flat out die and will the company need to call recovery to move it?
Of course not.
Even when having to have the unit at near 90 degrees to the trailer you’ll be fine.
The main thing you need to be careful of is the suzies snagging on the corner of the trailer and getting stretched or ripped out
Stussy:
Of course not.
Even when having to have the unit at near 90 degrees to the trailer you’ll be fine.
The main thing you need to be careful of is the suzies snagging on the corner of the trailer and getting stretched or ripped out
Careful with that sort of advice.
It’s very rarely a problem.
But… It is possible for the unit and the trailer to collide. Usually damaging wind deflectors.
Captain_Amateur:
The straighter the trailer is (relative to the space), the easier it is. And if your cab has a slight bend to the right, you can pop your head out the window and see where you’re going…
Will ask again how do you just pop your head out of window 
( please read page 1
rabb:
For me, the greatest ‘leap’ in mastering reversing was sticking my head out of the [zb] window and actually looking at where I was reversing.
This way you can observe the direction of travel with many points of reference (other trailers, bollards, marker lines etc).It makes life so much easier.
How do you pop your head out of window again please read page 1
animal:
Captain_Amateur:
The straighter the trailer is (relative to the space), the easier it is. And if your cab has a slight bend to the right, you can pop your head out the window and see where you’re going…Will ask again how do you just pop your head out of window
rabb:
For me, the greatest ‘leap’ in mastering reversing was sticking my head out of the [zb] window and actually looking at where I was reversing.
This way you can observe the direction of travel with many points of reference (other trailers, bollards, marker lines etc).It makes life so much easier.
How do you pop your head out of window
Are you serious■■?
You lean over to your right and turn your ■■■■■■■ head■■?
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rabb:
animal:
Captain_Amateur:
The straighter the trailer is (relative to the space), the easier it is. And if your cab has a slight bend to the right, you can pop your head out the window and see where you’re going…Will ask again how do you just pop your head out of window
rabb:
For me, the greatest ‘leap’ in mastering reversing was sticking my head out of the [zb] window and actually looking at where I was reversing.
This way you can observe the direction of travel with many points of reference (other trailers, bollards, marker lines etc).It makes life so much easier.
How do you pop your head out of window
Are you serious■■?
You lean over to your right and turn your [zb] head■■?
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Apparently she is too short to do this and when she is sitting close enough to the wheel she cannot get her head out of the window.
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rabb:
animal:
Captain_Amateur:
The straighter the trailer is (relative to the space), the easier it is. And if your cab has a slight bend to the right, you can pop your head out the window and see where you’re going…Will ask again how do you just pop your head out of window
rabb:
For me, the greatest ‘leap’ in mastering reversing was sticking my head out of the [zb] window and actually looking at where I was reversing.
This way you can observe the direction of travel with many points of reference (other trailers, bollards, marker lines etc).It makes life so much easier.
How do you pop your head out of window
Are you serious■■?
You lean over to your right and turn your [zb] head■■?
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
As said read page 1
at 147cm then think about that 1 please
^^^ try opening door and looking out , i’ve been doing this for 42 years, it’s better than looking out the window for more reasons than just visibility.
To keep the elf and safety mob happy (including the snowflakes resident here who need molly coddling), you could keep your seatbelt on.
On the subject of jack knifing the oufit, just be very careful with throttle clutch and brake engagement especially if there’s lots of weight on the front and nothing on the back, very difficult to turn the lot over (unless you’re spinning round with one side of the trailer loaded to allow forkie access to the other side) but if you rock the boat too much not only could you throw the load off the side but you could some damage to the tractor unit catwalk and any fittings that the front of the trailer could well clout…ie seen a catwalk fuel tank punctured doing this.
Stussy:
The main thing you need to be careful of is the suzies snagging on the corner of the trailer and getting stretched or ripped out
It’s the handle on the curtain pole that does the damage to your lines, make sure your curtains cover them if at all possible, it’s when you come out of the turn and they are still wrapped around the handle they rip. Learnt this 3 times now.