this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my own, ive had a few little knock already, and I feel my confidence is being dented already… anyone else had this feeling or problem
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my own, ive had a few little knock already, and I feel my confidence is being dented already… anyone else had this feeling or problem
What do you mean knocks?
I’ve been class one 5 years now and still aren’t perfect, can’t say I’ve ever met a driver who is.
Maybe if you’re struggling with certain issues you’ll get some advice but you need to explain more…
like mis judging my turn clipping posts, clipped a car trying to reverse round in a tight space at a set of kennels last week, just silly mistakes which we shouldn’t be making but do, but as ive only been driving class 2 for two weeks, I felt my confidence dropping today, when I clipped this post
Don’t be afraid to stop and get out and check clearance. It’s not a race. Take your time. Everyone has to learn.
midlifetrucker:
Don’t be afraid to stop and get out and check clearance. It’s not a race. Take your time. Everyone has to learn.
that’s true mate, im goner start doing that, cause cant be having anymore knocks
It sounds to me like you’re rushing and misjudging things as you’ve not given yourself time to do things properly.
Slow down, think out loud and do a commentary drive to yourself, slow and steady all around vision and get out and look! ■■■■ anyone who’s being held up you’ll soon get the swing of it.
You’re new and your boss knows but there’s only so much a gaffa can put up with if you keep costing him money. Good luck.
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my own
Professionals don’t struggle with things (hence them being pros), it’s best you label yourself as just a driver, it’ll be a while (if ever) until you’re ‘professional’…
Pimpdaddy:
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my ownProfessionals don’t struggle with things (hence them being pros), it’s best you label yourself as just a driver, it’ll be a while (if ever) until you’re ‘professional’…
cheers for that, but don’t particulary need comments like that fromyourself
Batesy2014:
cause cant be having anymore knocks
You’re right, you cant (not until the dust settles anyway 
) but Midlifetrucker hit the nail firmly on the head when he said it isn’t a race. Very true. Just accept it may take you a little longer to do the things that more experienced drivers make look so simple. Remember nobody was born being able to drive a lorry, it takes time and practice, and it only looks simple after many, many hours/years of practice.
Don’t beat yourself up about it or you’ll end up in a vicious circle, stop, get out and check, and if you’re feeling flustered have a cuppa or a ■■■ and wait a minute.
Good luck anyway.
Pimpdaddy:
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my ownProfessionals don’t struggle with things (hence them being pros), it’s best you label yourself as just a driver, it’ll be a while (if ever) until you’re ‘professional’…
Pathetic 
Yep, even those with YEARS AND YEARS on the job still mis-judge things sometimes.
The main difference between people with years on the job and newbie’s is the actual contact.
That’s not to say that people who’ve been driving years won’t have an accident, but where you’ve mis-judged something at a relatively low speed and had an impact, an experienced person would have most likely spotted it and stopped and got out and looked or even aborted the manoeuvre.
I was turning left into a delivery point yesterday and I’d got the approach wrong, it was a wide entrance off the road, but narrowed and cut back on itself, so by time I was getting round, my trailer near-side wheels were getting very close to contact with a fence. Hazards on, check it’s clear and then reverse back, and then a bit further back and then take ALL the road for the next try.
I can blind side REALLY well (even if I do say so myself), like it will almost guaranteed to go where I wanted it, but when I’m at that point of ‘if it’s not right I’m going to hit that’, I still get out and look or straighten up so I’ve got better use of my mirrors etc, even though it was actually right.
I think it’s about having something to prove, newbies (no offence btw) seem to think everyone knows they’re a newbie and are judging them, oldies just don’t give a crap anymore and will do 200 shunts and still get out without a care in the world - and 99 times out of 100 nobody will even say anything even a joke.
Pimpdaddy:
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my ownProfessionals don’t struggle with things (hence them being pros), it’s best you label yourself as just a driver, it’ll be a while (if ever) until you’re ‘professional’…
Bit harsh there PD. Those who claim that they were perfect from day one has either never done anything or lying.
Batesy. Others have already hinted at the probable cause, give yourself time to think about tight manoeuvres, get out and look as often as you need to. Try not to let the impatience of others put extra pressure on you and give a wave of acknowledgement to the folks that you’ve held up. It gets easier, honest. 
Was told by my instructor maaaany years ago.
Don’t be a C**t
Take the shunt.
Wiretwister:
Pimpdaddy:
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my ownProfessionals don’t struggle with things (hence them being pros), it’s best you label yourself as just a driver, it’ll be a while (if ever) until you’re ‘professional’…
Bit harsh there PD. Those who claim that they were perfect from day one has either never done anything or lying.
Batesy. Others have already hinted at the probable cause, give yourself time to think about tight manoeuvres, get out and look as often as you need to. Try not to let the impatience of others put extra pressure on you and give a wave of acknowledgement to the folks that you’ve held up. It gets easier, honest.
cheers for that mate
Don’t be too hard on yourself, we all made a balls of things when we started, even when you’ve been doing the job for a lifetime you’ll still make the odd ■■■■ up, and when you’ve had a break of a few weeks holiday and get back in lorry its…sod me this things big how the hell do i drive this.
On tight turns in tight places select the lowest gear, its going to take a few seconds longer to do whatever it is you want to, but as said, its not a bloody race.
What all new drivers should do is give themselves an intensive manoeuvering course, every time you need to park somewhere, and even if you don’t need to park whenever you see a suitable area, like a quiet lorry park with bays marked out go and have a practice, select a bay where you can’t hit anything, an practice, backwards, blind side, on side, head out the window and by the mirrors all the ways you could imagine to reverse that lorry into that bay from all angles, and do the same forwards too, learn instinctively the amount the trailer you have cuts in, and how the overhang swings out.
Its the tight manoeuvering thats the tricky stuff, once you’re confident in that everything should come in due course, but if you know that whatever happens you can manoeuver your way out then the pressure goes, trust me.
None of us knew this stuff when we started, and IMO too many avoid at all costs the difficult reverse, they drive in drive out every time and never learn, but inevitably that impossible reverse will present itself when there is damage to be done at a customers premises, so learn it while you can.
Sorry I didn’t mean to be harsh, just trying to highlight how the op labelled his/herself, commercial rather than professional would have been better I think…
Pimpdaddy:
Sorry I didn’t mean to be harsh, just trying to highlight how the op labelled his/herself, commercial rather than professional would have been better I think…
It’s what the OP does to pay the bills, the OP gets paid to drive, the OP is a professional driver.
I’ve seen professional footballers make a ■■■■-up, does that mean they’re not professional footballers?
You can be a right dumbass sometimes Pimpdaddy
Most of these comments are all good advice, but dont get disheartened matey.
The mistakes you are making will only become a serious problem if you keep making the same one’s.
Pimpdaddy:
Batesy2014:
this is my 2nd week driving professionally on my ownProfessionals don’t struggle with things (hence them being pros), it’s best you label yourself as just a driver, it’ll be a while (if ever) until you’re ‘professional’…
What you bein like that for? He don’t work for tesco 
Knocks will always happen! Personally i hate a blind side reverse, hence i always get out and check, move a couple of metres, get out and check, move a couple of metres…you get the idea! Must have lost a stone the amount of time i got out and checked!
Even at the HUBS, if someone is walking by, ask them to watch you in, if not, move a couple of metres, get out and check, move a couple of metres etc etc etc!