AndrewG:
Some good advice already given above but… if youre really not absolutely 100% sure get out and have a look. Would have saved me putting a fully freighted tilt through the workshop doors… …
Just dragging off original subject briefly but as you mention doors…
Went to a place to collect 26 pallets. Booked in at security no probs and he told me bay eight which being the only empty bay is already sort of worked out.
Anyway the gaffer comes out and says “oh I could.do with you on bay five hang on” and moves a rigid off bay five and puts him on eight. So I’m backing on the bay and hear an almighty smash so stop as a reaction even though I’ve seen nothing I could have smashed into. I see no damage so carry on thinking it was maybe a forklift thumping out of another trailer.
It was only when I pulled off the bay and seen the poor guy in the rigid had slammed his taillift through the doors of bay eight.
I use the following method, as you approach and position yourself, you will have a rough idea of how much bend you’re going to need to put into it, so throw a bit of right hand lock on and then as you go back, look in your right mirror and see how much trailer you can see, that will give you a good idea how bent you are. From there I straighten up until I can see clearly through the big mirror and adjust as necessary. If it’s a really tight hole, it’s best to look for something that will be in front of you to use as a guide, so look closely at what’s directly opposite the hole and try to get it line up with that as you wind the lock off.
I had to think about this as I do it all naturally, having been driving artics for over 30yrs, but one thing’s for sure, the times you absolutely nail it first go, nobody will be there to witness it, mess it up though and you can guarantee there’s a crowd standing around watching you.
toonsy:
It was only when I pulled off the bay and seen the poor guy in the rigid had slammed his taillift through the doors of bay eight.
momentarily lapse and its easily done…
I pushed the workshop doors off the runners at the bottom, the whole door had to be replaced as they were totalled. The workshop guys still take the p1ss to this day…
I used to do a lot blindside reversing when driving LHD artics here and RHD ones on the Continent. As several have already said on here, the more you do it the better you get. I always found it useful to square up the rear of the trailer to the gap as early as possible (not always easy on tight bays). Robert
I once backed a brand new hanging garment step frame box into the rail jutting out of the warehouse for loading garments with the doors closed, mangled the doors and the rail, I was not very popular that day I can tell you.
I also saw another driver pull off a bay on a green light, the warehouse dude had bunched all the straps hanging from the roof of the trailer up and wrapped them around the pivoting light they swing around to see inside the trailer, when the driver pulled away he took the door frame and the complete pillar separating that bay from the next one with him, it made a hell of a racket and apart from a bit of brick dust, the trailer was unmarked.
Think I may be able to assist here with some blindside tips, most prolly already mentioned but here’s what I do and as an experienced box jockey who as we all know are the best backeruppers I’m well qualified in fact without blowing my own trumpet (tried it once when I was 14, only managed to lick the tip, nearly broke me back), on me day I’m the best the world has ever seen.
Ok so first off your faced with a proper blindside delivery/ collection point, not nancy boy RDC’s where you have to blind it onto a bay with loads of room etc.
Study the area closely look at the road for points to aim for or walls/ posts/ cars etc you can use as a guide.
Get the best starting position you can.
Do not adjust your leccy mirrors, this is very gay and distorts angles and perceptions that make things worse. Just leave them as they are for normal running.
Using a combination of looking at your wide angle mirror and front of the trailer put a fair bit of lock on to start then watching the front of the trailer still estimate the point you need to take it off. As you straighten up you can use your wide angle mirror again to judge how much lock to take off until your able to use your main mirror at which point if you haven’t hit anything yet there’s an opportunity to judge if your close enough to a good line or need a correction shunt.
That’s about it, but practice whenever possible it will come, embrace the blindside and clean your bloody mirrors.
Oh and don’t be afraid to ■■■■ it up, we all do, in fact I can’t good side reverse for ■■■■ these days…
Dipper_Dave:
4. Using a combination of looking at your wide angle mirror and front of the trailer put a fair bit of lock on to start then watching the front of the trailer still estimate the point you need to take it off. As you straighten up you can use your wide angle mirror again to judge how much lock to take off until your able to use your main mirror at which point if you haven’t hit anything yet there’s an opportunity to judge if your close enough to a good line or need a correction shunt.
Dipper_Dave:
4. Using a combination of looking at your wide angle mirror and front of the trailer put a fair bit of lock on to start then watching the front of the trailer still estimate the point you need to take it off. As you straighten up you can use your wide angle mirror again to judge how much lock to take off until your able to use your main mirror at which point if you haven’t hit anything yet there’s an opportunity to judge if your close enough to a good line or need a correction shunt.
And if you have hit something■■?
Then usual rules apply.
Can I pretend I didn’t hit it
Can I say it was already like that
Was anyone watching
Can I BS my way out of it
Any witnesses/ CCTV etc
If there’s witnesses will anybody miss them
Can I blame somebody else
Can I blame the obsticle itself
Can I blame the truck
If in doubt knock one out, is my moto…
AndrewG:
Some good advice already given above but… if youre really not absolutely 100% sure get out and have a look. Would have saved me putting a fully freighted tilt through the workshop doors… …
Never really had to do them with previous employer but since changing quite a few drops are blindside and some ■■■■ tight!
At moment it’s embarrassing pathetic attempts ( at least getting fitter hopping out of cab nearly 10 times - and no that’s not an exaggeration!)
I seem to be over cooking the turn in and then end up ■■■■ close to whatever’s on my blindside. Nearly got myself into a point that I was seriously struggling to get trailer away from a wall so I could start again.
Bit stuck as I keep making same mistake and it’s annoying - both for me and anyone waiting to get past !
Thinking my perception when looking at wide angle mirror is main problem but no more adjustment in main and no window above bunk I can look out of.
So - any pointers welcome
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Try and avoid blindside reversing if you can. See if you can attack it on your good side. If you can’t, slow and steady, if you to keep stopping to take a look so be it
The best two from all the excellent advice given already for NEW drivers in my opinion is regarding the use of space (when available), and the ’ shunt '.
The further away from the bay/space/box you are, the more time you have to align and present the rear of the trailer ’ square on '. It’s when you are on a shallow line (good or blind side) that catches other trailers/obstacles etc. And as another poster pointed out, numerous shunts and/or looks is far more preferable than damaging another wagon
Blind side reverses are one of those manoeuvres that takes a little practice and patience. At one time other drivers used to help you out and guide you in as a matter of course. Nowadays they tend to sit in their cabs watching you and sniggering or even worse, filming you. Don’t worry over holding up traffic whilst doing a blindside, better to return the lorry back with no damage than to upset some numptys day by holding them up for five mins.
eagerbeaver:
As mentioned already, some good tips.
The best two from all the excellent advice given already for NEW drivers in my opinion is regarding the use of space (when available), and the ’ shunt '.
The further away from the bay/space/box you are, the more time you have to align and present the rear of the trailer ’ square on '. It’s when you are on a shallow line (good or blind side) that catches other trailers/obstacles etc. And as another poster pointed out, numerous shunts and/or looks is far more preferable than damaging another wagon
Couldn’t agree more! Though I’m not that new and did 3mth shunting so did about 15-20 trailer moves per shift. Unfortunately all could be done goodside, in hindsight I should have done a few blindsides per shift !
I’ve seen drivers screw fully freighted trailers round leaving £5 worth of rubber behind em to avoid a simple blindside which isn’t really a blindside in the first place.
Embrace blindsides, practice them and they will get you out the ■■■■ more often than not.
bald bloke:
Practice makes perfect, whenever I can I’ll blind side into a space either in our yard or msa for example, now I wouldn’t do it if it was tight but providing it’s reasonably impossible to hit anything I’ll have a go to keep my eye in.
Is the right answer, i try to do at least one blind side every day i’m at work, which makes it miles easier when the time comes for the real thing.
Before you perform any maneuver, spotlessly clean windows and mirrors are a must, or you’ve lost before you even start.
…
momentarily lapse and its easily done…
