Hi there everybody, i have just discovered your real world, and down to earth forum drivers site. I am a very new driver to the HGV world, ( but not for to long i hope ). I passed my class 2 on the 18th October this year, on my second attempt, and am taking my class 1 test on the 12th December.
My question is, and i’m sure there’s a simple explation for it, What is a blind side reverse ■■. I am doing my training and my test in a drawbar and drag oufit. i have also being told that it is the simplest type of outfit to reverse, is it ?
Just like some off your other new licence holders, i too have been told that you need 2 years experince, after ringing just about ever transport company in the phone book in a 30 mile radius of Berwick upon tweed, does anybody no off any companys that take on new licence holders anywhere here’s abouts ?
Blind side is exactly what it says. If you are driving a right-hand drive truck and you need to reverse onto bays on the right-hand side then as you are already sitting on that side of the truck then you can stick yer head out of the window and watch your trailer turn in. AKA reversing on your good side.
Now if the bays you need to reverse on to are on your left hand side then obviously you can’t stick your head out of the passenger window (unless you’ve got a really long neck ) so therefore you can’t physically see what your trailer is doing hence having to solely rely on your n/s mirrors, hence it being a blind side reverse.
Unless you like making life difficult for yourself or you just like the challenge of reversing blind, you should try to avoid them where ever possible. Usually you just need to apply a bit of thought and see if there’s any way you can get turned round so that the place you want to stick your trailer is your good side. More often than not, you can.
It’s good to spend some time practicing them though, because there will be times when you’ll need to do them and of course those times will be where the place is on tea break and you’ve got 20 people stood about waiting to laugh at you when you make a complete hash of it .
Paul Hoggard:
those times will be where the place is on tea break and you’ve got 20 people stood about waiting to laugh at you when you make a complete hash of it .
If doing a blindside reverse - get out and take a look to work it out - then start it and get out again and if necessary again & again & again… better that than hit something.
There was a thread not so long ago on the pluses and minuses regarding drawbar trailers against close coupled.A close coupled trailer is more akin to an artic,whereas a drawbar is a different ball game.A blind side reverse means the same what ever rig you are driving.
I’m with bestbooties on this one.
If you’ve a wagon & drag,start reversing as a rigid.Correct as an artic,then correct as a rigid.Continue this until you’ve completed the manouvre.
Or just pray.
If you’ve a wagon & drag,start reversing as a rigid.Correct as an artic,then correct as a rigid.Continue this until you’ve completed the manouvre.
This only applies to an A-frame though.
Close coupled W&D behave like an Artic - Use the same principle but less steering band make sure you dont bend them too much.
In my opinion reversing a Wagon and Drag is a doddle compared with an artic for beginners. As for blindside reversing I agree with Rog. Just make sure you get out and have a good look and you will soon find its not that bad.
Firstly let me start by thanking everybody for the time and effort that they have spent in replying to my questions. i mentioned that the answer would be simple to the blind side reverses, and sure enough, when it’s explained like that, it is.
Anyway had me FIRST days training today in a drawbar and drag, it seems that you are in the middle of the road, for some off the really tight LEFT HAND turns into smallish streets, etc.
Also getting used to the trailer pushing you on, with your foot off, seems different to.
And as for the reversing at first it seemed that i would never work out the correct way to turn the wheel, but after a couple of hours it seem’s to be coming a little easier.
Back at 8.30 tomorrow for some more practise, will let you all know how things go, hopefully for the better, here’s keeping my fingers crossed that things can only get better !!!
) so therefore you can’t physically see what your trailer is doing hence having to solely rely on your n/s mirrors, hence it being a blind side reverse.
