A tough couple of weeks

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

so i’ve not posted for a little bit… but that’s mainly due to my learning curve over the last couple of weeks being a vertical line.

i’ve been in driving the artic solidly after being given my chance. i’ve been tramping general haulage, pulling curtain side single and double deckers between the north west, midlands and south east. my rig is a cf space cab. i’ve had all sorts of different loads from pallets to timber, loose boxes and poly containers, ibc’s, drums and beer kegs. i’ve cocked up a few times but i’m generally not the sort of bloke who’ll make the same mistake twice…

i thought i’d list a few things i’ve had go wrong in the hope it may help you…

spend time route planning, if you miss your turn in a rigid it’s not so bad, miss your turn in an artic and you can loose 30 minutes to an hour trying to find somewhere suitable to turn. i can’t stress suitable enough… i chose an inappropriate place to turn and created a jam for other users whilst i carried out my 30 point + shunt to get round. never ever just follow a post code someone has given you. it’s easy to get a digit wrong. and that leads to a whole host of issues. for me it was a housing estate near derby… (why is the whole of derby a 7.5ton route by the way).

when you get to a drop. unless you know it, pull up walk in and have a butchers. a couple of minute reccy of the site and asking someone will stop you just pulling in blindly to a place to then find there’s nowhere to turn, swing, get back out etc…

secure your load. curtains protect your load, not secure it. i’ve learnt that if something can move, it will. if in doubt get a ratchet strap or rope on it. even if your not in doubt get it strapped. if your trailer has a dock leveller, and you’ve adjusted the trailer height ensure you pull the handle out to auto level the trailer before you set off, i didn’t, and it was probably a contributing factor to blowing an airbag. hell fire, they go with a bang don’t they…

never leave it too late to find somewhere suitable to stop for a break or your daily rest. it’s no good for your blood pressure when your flapping about finding a rest spot in an artic. that lay by that you spotted earlier will probably be full when you get back to it. if you’re stopping for a short rest somewhere make sure it’s somewhere you can get out of easy enough. i stopped at a motorway services for a 30 only to be blocked in whilst i was ‘taking a comfort break’. the driver of the waggon couldn’t give a toss and i had to wait a further 40 minutes whilst he booked a 45… i was not happy.

always carry your night out gear, a stove, brew kit, couple of tins of soup, bottled water and some cash. one night i didn’t know i was stopping out and had nowt…! eat and drink regularly, even if it’s just water. i’ve been out a few times without a drink and my lips ended up as cracked as crazy paving. you’ve got to keep your blood sugar levels up, you’re gonna be a bit stressed and worked up and getting a bit of scoff down you will work wonders.

if you take a wagon over from someone else, never assume it’s coupled up right or defected correctly. if you’re in the yard take five to fill the fluids up. it’s not fun when the weather’s crap and you run out of screenwash. i took over a waggon with 60psi in some of the tyres and it was like driving jelly on a plate. whilst your at it, brim your diesel tanks. not all fuel gauges are accurate.

i never knew gatso’s and other speed cameras are rigged for vehicle type and can switch between cars, vans, wagons etc. i got flashed on a single carriage way, yeah i know the speed limit is 40mph and it’s not big or clever. just don’t take chances on single carriageways. last week i even had another wagon overtake me on a single carriageway and i was doing between 40-45…

accept the fact that you’re gonna ■■■■ other road users off daily. i know it’s not intentional but they don’t. up until getting my licenses i had no idea just how much road space you sometimes need. if you think you need to use both lanes to get round or into somewhere then take it. you can’t get that space back when it’s gone. learn to trust your instincts. i don’t know how this works but somtimes you’ll get the feeling that something isn’t right. and it usually isn’t. there’s been a couple of occasions where my instinct has made me look in the nr side mirror to find some chav on a scooter coming up my inside as i’m about to swing left.

apart from the odd gate ■■■■ who couldn’t care less when i turned up early for a booking, nearly everyone i’ve come across has been only to happy to help, answer rookie questions and generally point me in the right direction. so all you need do is ask. if your flapping about anything. stop, have a ■■■ and ring someone. i’ve had a few ‘good luck with thats’, off the t.m but it’s all good fun… :smiley:

so the above, in a nutshell have been my experiences over the last couple of weeks, my first couple of weeks in an artic.
i’ve had fun, i’ve got stressed. this is what i wanted to do. i’m learning…fast…!

stay safe y’all

:smiley:

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brill post wdf76
We all have to learn and sounds like you havent done too badly your still in one piece and so is the lorry take it easy out there and enjoy your new job sounds like a cracker

best of luck

Jen x

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Jennie:
brill post wdf76
We all have to learn and sounds like you havent done too badly your still in one piece and so is the lorry take it easy out there and enjoy your new job sounds like a cracker

best of luck

Jen x

cheers jen :smiley: i’ve booked a few days off this week. so i’ve had chance to have a good kip and think about how things have gone over the last few weeks. i’ve been in a rigid since october and i haven’t had to think about half as many things as i do now in the artic. so i am hoping that my experiences will help someone else on the forum.

take care

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you`ll be an old hand before you know it :wink:

jx

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Hi wdf76

A very interesting and helpful read, especially for a newish driver such as myself.

Thanks for taking the time to share your experiances and to help others as we await our chance to get out in an arctic :grimacing:

All the best
Ben

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its all good points for a rigid as well, yea its a doddle compared to the artic but its still a bit of a ■■■■■■ when you balls up. Spent the day in an Iveco Stralis [?] Rigid,lovely drive but when you make a wrong turn its a big bugger to turn around… :slight_smile:

brilliant post mate, thanks so much

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Hi wdf76,

What a great post!!

There’s loads of spot-on stuff in it for every new driver to read, so thanks very much for posting it. :smiley:

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Thanks for that WDF :slight_smile:

A lot of those issues you mentioned are things that I have found on rigids except, of course, with the trailer life is more complicated.

I had a run out with a fridge truck and the office gave me the postcode and off I went. When they handed me the paperwork there was a yellow postit on top but the office bod took a look at it and screwed it up and tossed it in the bin. This was a note to me NOT to use the postcode but a map of direction.

So at 4am I found myself in a close housing estate with a fridge truck :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush:

I’ve got my Class 1 now but I’ve still not managed to get any driving done. Passed on a W&D and most training companies won’t even touch me for the familiarisation until they’ve seen my licence, coupled with that I’ve had court for the last fortnight and haven’t managed to do anything else. Although, saying that, whilst helping a mate I kinda might have walked into a job, but that’s only class 2 and hasn’t been confirmed yet.

I would prefer to get on Class 1 but there are things I worry about. For example, how do you plan loading heavy things in, or does it just ‘work out’ and how do you know if it is too heavy for the axles, without the use of a weigh bridge?

I suspect I shall be loitering on here with my netbook whilst I’m in court tomorrow waiting for stuff to get going and drag us out of the Jury room :astonished:

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Thank you all for the compliments, i genuinely hope that posting about my little dramas may help any of you, who like me are trying to get to grips with artic driving. i know that a lot of what i posted applies to rigids as well as artics, and indeed, in most cases you can spin an artic in a much smaller space than a rigid. there’s a long wheel base 4 wheeler in our yard that has the turning circle of an ocean going oil tanker…

i’m sure there’ll be a few more things that will happen to me that i can post soon. it’s all good fun.

thanks ladies and gents :smiley:

10

A great post mate and spot on mate :smiley: loads of stuff there to think about … :wink: .

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Great post! Reading it really took me back to my first days on road. Someone told always explain ASAP you’ve only recently passed you’re test and help is offered even before you need to ask, I still do it sonedays. Look forward to more posts.

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That post brought me out in a sweat! So much truth in there!
Good post mate… :grimacing:

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Great post, gives an eye opener of the real world.

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Fantastic post dude. I’ve been on class1 for coming up 18mths and I have lived by the rule, if in doubt, chuck another strap over it or ask someone that knows more than you. Its worked me ok so far and I’ve not had any major issues.

Again, well done on your post.