As a newbie, i have been trawling the net looking for advice on blindside reversing, does anyone have advice or a weblink they can point me at.
Cheers
Blindside reversing is something you can only get better at by actually doing it. Start by using cones in a yard and reversing into gaps from various angles and slowly sharpen the angle.
You can adjust the nearside mirror and set it wider as the trailer fills the mirror but this will only work up to a certain point, once you are at 90 degrees to your trailer it will be useless.
Learn to use reference points in the yard such as concrete joining lines etc, try looking where the headboard of your trailer is as you go backwards and as you see a concrete joint coming into line start getting the full lock off to bring it all back into line. It definitely is a case of practice makes perfect. One last piece of advice…if in doubt GET OUT AND LOOK! never roll that extra few feet because you think it might be ok…CHECK!
As I was told never do it
Although I have had to on occosions but not easy to teach
Alway line up correct get out & look if other people about ask them to help watch you
Not the easiest thing to do but take your time and as said get out and look doesn’t matter how many times as long as it goes in.
Start to feed the trailer in and keep it smooth adjust your n/s mirror as much as you can to help and silly as it sounds keep checking your offside all to easy to concentrate on the n/s to have a post or wall bite you on the o/s.
If you have the room pull forward straighten up and start again the straighter the trailer the more you can see.
The first time you blind it in first time there will be no bugger watching lol.
Jeff.
Where people go wrong is they take the easy approach every single time, so they never get the practice and never perfect their blinders, you even see years experienced drivers nearly pulling the tyres off loaded trailers to U turn cos they can’t blind it.
What you do is every single day of your working life, and several times a day if you find the space and time, you practice blind siding.
Driving up the motorway, pull in to a quiet service area, there will be an area on the lorry park well away from everyone else, usually the bays are marked by white lines, but you can use anything in line of site as your aiming point, you reverse in on your blind side.
You never ever use these drive in out lanes that the incompetents have to use cos they can’t reverse, you blind side it in every single time, do it from all angles.
Every time you stop for a break you do the same.
If you have to turn round on a quiet industrial estate, find a reasonably wide left turning and blind side reverse it round, this is especially good because you can follow the kerb with the wide angle mirror and make minute adjustments to your line as you follow it round.
Windows and mirrors spotlessly clean, if you can’t see you’re losing already.
Mirrors set up correctly and it’s amazing how few drivers know how to set mirrors up correctly, the small wide angle mirror isn’t there to spot owls and low flying aircraft, its there as a your blind spot mirror both sides, it should be set as wide as poss but low enough to take over from the NS door down mirror for bicycles pedestrians and obstacles, this little mirror is you’re life saver when the blind side angle exceeds the range of the main mirror.
One other thing, when loaded and manoeuvering you want the tractor and trailer to turn as easy as possible, if you have a mid lift axle on a 3 axle tractor, dump the air in that axle, it will make the combination turn easier because you’ve removed the drag of the mid lift which only wants to go in a straight line.
practice practice practice, take a pride in it, take no notice of half wits the other side of the car park pointing and laughing, they’ll be the ones you see ripping the tyres off the rims to do a not needed U turn cos they can’t cope with a blinder themselves.
Juddian:
Where people go wrong is they take the easy approach every single time, so they never get the practice and never perfect their blinders, you even see years experienced drivers nearly pulling the tyres off loaded trailers to U turn cos they can’t blind it.What you do is every single day of your working life, and several times a day if you find the space and time, you practice blind siding.
Driving up the motorway, pull in to a quiet service area, there will be an area on the lorry park well away from everyone else, usually the bays are marked by white lines, but you can use anything in line of site as your aiming point, you reverse in on your blind side.
You never ever use these drive in out lanes that the incompetents have to use cos they can’t reverse, you blind side it in every single time, do it from all angles.
Every time you stop for a break you do the same.If you have to turn round on a quiet industrial estate, find a reasonably wide left turning and blind side reverse it round, this is especially good because you can follow the kerb with the wide angle mirror and make minute adjustments to your line as you follow it round.
Windows and mirrors spotlessly clean, if you can’t see you’re losing already.
Mirrors set up correctly and it’s amazing how few drivers know how to set mirrors up correctly, the small wide angle mirror isn’t there to spot owls and low flying aircraft, its there as a your blind spot mirror both sides, it should be set as wide as poss but low enough to take over from the NS door down mirror for bicycles pedestrians and obstacles, this little mirror is you’re life saver when the blind side angle exceeds the range of the main mirror.One other thing, when loaded and manoeuvering you want the tractor and trailer to turn as easy as possible, if you have a mid lift axle on a 3 axle tractor, dump the air in that axle, it will make the combination turn easier because you’ve removed the drag of the mid lift which only wants to go in a straight line.
practice practice practice, take a pride in it, take no notice of half wits the other side of the car park pointing and laughing, they’ll be the ones you see ripping the tyres off the rims to do a not needed U turn cos they can’t cope with a blinder themselves.
This piece of advice has gone into my copy/paste section of important tips/things to remember for the future.
I love the attitude you suggest.
Here’s hoping I have the nouse to actually carry it out.
Jon
You will do it Jon, because you want to.
If i can do it anyone can.
Thanks I appreciate the advice, ive ordered the mirror and when im sorted il definitely practice. Cheers again
geoffwales:
Thanks I appreciate the advice, ive ordered the mirror and when im sorted il definitely practice. Cheers again
Which mirror have you ordered Geoff, every artic you’re likely to come across already has the wide angle mirrors both sides…or am i barking up the wrong tree, wouldn’t be the first time.
The one suggested on the second post which clips over the passenger visor
geoffwales:
The one suggested on the second post which clips over the passenger visor
Fair enough mate, never heard of or seen one of those, can’t comment on it…would appreciate some feedback when you’ve tried it cos it looks promising.
Will do