hi guys im new here so i thought i would tell you a little story what happend to me today and other day’s to i have had my class 1 for just over 1 month and have a problem reversing it may sound silly but some times i think its easier for me to revers round bends and in to small gaps but to day i had to reverse on to a bay it looked strait forward to me but could i get it on strait no 20 mins later i did. in fact a shunnter come over to me and said you eventually dun it then laughing i dont no whats wrong with me i just cant get the trailer strait it looks like it is and im sirton it is but its not can some one help me out 
Sometimes the mirrors can be deceiving. If you line up seemingly straight in one mirror then look in the other and you appear crooked.
A lot of bays have ‘bananas’ (metal pipes usually painted yellow) just wider than a standard trailer to help guide you in. Alternatively you might just have lines painted on the ground so follow them and get your trailer close to a line and parallel with it. Worst case scenario is no bananas, no lines, and no adjacent trailers to line up with. In that case you just do your best to centre on the bay and try to hit it perpendicular. Get out and look, then adjust accordingly.
It’s peculiar that an empty yard often brings out the worst reverses, because there is nothing to line up against. A tight bay between two trailers forces you into line.
ORC:
Sometimes the mirrors can be deceiving. If you line up seemingly straight in one mirror then look in the other and you appear crooked.A lot of bays have ‘bananas’ (metal pipes usually painted yellow) just wider than a standard trailer to help guide you in. Alternatively you might just have lines painted on the ground so follow them and get your trailer close to a line and parallel with it. Worst case scenario is no bananas, no lines, and no adjacent trailers to line up with. In that case you just do your best to centre on the bay and try to hit it perpendicular. Get out and look, then adjust accordingly.
It’s peculiar that an empty yard often brings out the worst reverses, because there is nothing to line up against. A tight bay between two trailers forces you into line.
thanks yes there were the bananas there so do you think if i consecrate on o/s mirror instead of using both that could do the trick obviously have little glans in the other mirror
webstar:
ORC:
Sometimes the mirrors can be deceiving. If you line up seemingly straight in one mirror then look in the other and you appear crooked.A lot of bays have ‘bananas’ (metal pipes usually painted yellow) just wider than a standard trailer to help guide you in. Alternatively you might just have lines painted on the ground so follow them and get your trailer close to a line and parallel with it. Worst case scenario is no bananas, no lines, and no adjacent trailers to line up with. In that case you just do your best to centre on the bay and try to hit it perpendicular. Get out and look, then adjust accordingly.
It’s peculiar that an empty yard often brings out the worst reverses, because there is nothing to line up against. A tight bay between two trailers forces you into line.
thanks yes there were the bananas there so do you think if i consecrate on o/s mirror instead of using both that could do the trick obviously have little glans in the other mirror
You only need to concentrate on one mirror really,if your say an inch from the bananas on the OS then you have no need to worry about the NS as the OS mirror tells you that the NS will be fine,that’s the thing some new drivers will cause themselves problems on because if you start steering your unit so you can get the angle to see in you NS mirror obviously while you’re adjusting your unit to see the NS of your trailer at the same time you’re back end will be moving towards the OS if you see what I mean.
Try and just concentrate on one mirror,if it’s close enough in one mirror you have no need to worry about what the other side is doing.
Stick your head out the window I think it’s much easier. Also when your trailer starts turning then try and start taking off your steer so your not doing it at the last second as this normally causes over steer…
When I first started I used to sit watching how other drivers do it. You’ll get it soon enough it’s just practice.
Lsands:
Stick your head out the window I think it’s much easier. Also when your trailer starts turning then try and start taking off your steer so your not doing it at the last second as this normally causes over steer…
When I first started I used to sit watching how other drivers do it. You’ll get it soon enough it’s just practice.
That is if you can stick your head out of window 
as said watch other drivers or ask for help tell them you are a new driver ( I have done this for nearly 3 years in some places ) it does help a little if there is someone there like the shunter ask him / her to watch you back only turn the steering wheel a small amount keep checking your mirrors
I hope he can stick his head out the window or I’d be writing a faulty window in my defect book. You do understand we are talking about reversing on the easy side.
I very rarely use my mirrors. Far easier to balls it up if you do, looking out of your window will also make you less conscious of which way you’re turning the wheel, and you’ll instantly be able to see (more clearly) how your steering input impacts on your position. It’ll click into place eventually, we were all new to it once.
PaulNowak:
It’ll click into place eventually, we were all new to it once.
This is really important to remember. Be patient and don’t beat yourself up, it’ll come to you eventually.
And in the meantime I think you’ll find the vast majority of drivers will have sympathy for you because we all remember when we were new to it. Don’t feel intimidated or worry about being watched, most people are probably quietly willing you to succeed and hoping you’ll be okay. I know I do, and I try to give a thumbs up to a struggling driver once the job is done. If you don’t hit anything it’s a good reverse…
Lsands:
I hope he can stick his head out the window or I’d be writing a faulty window in my defect book. You do understand we are talking about reversing on the easy side.
Why 
PaulNowak:
looking out of your window will also make you less conscious of which way you’re turning the wheel, and you’ll instantly be able to see (more clearly) how your steering input impacts on your position. It’ll click into place eventually, we were all new to it once.
As I said if you can look out your window I am not in a position to
I was at work the other day, and I’d deliberately gone out of my way to put my trailer away into an easy spot because the one I was going to have a go at looked a bit on the tight side. Having backed mine in just fine, I saw another driver (with probably more class 1 years under his belt than I’ve been alive) have a go at the first spot. If I hadn’t stayed in my cab (deliberately) he’d have wiped out his trailer, as well as the one on his blind side. A quick toot was all it took, and he got the message.
There aren’t many days you don’t learn something
Thanks for all your input guy I’ll try that to day if I have to back in a bay also as I’m so ■■■■ at it its putting me off going in to motorway services in case I have to reverse stupid I no but I suppose I’ll have to come to terms with it and hopefully not look like a tool all together
‘sirton’ 
‘glans’
webstar:
Thanks for all your input guy I’ll try that to day if I have to back in a bay also as I’m so [zb] at it its putting me off going in to motorway services in case I have to reverse stupid I no but I suppose I’ll have to come to terms with it and hopefully not look like a tool all together
When in services just wear a green L sign around your neck.
Seriously though your not alone in your plight. Reversing round bends blind side with busy traffic around and pedestrians seems much easier than backing onto a bay. Just wait till you get on the bay in one, feeling ded proud until you remember your back doors need opening
A lot of bays & parking spaces have concrete floors, use the lines in the floor to straighten up against if there’s no painted lines, also make sure that you’ve got the lift axle up (if it’s got one) the steering responds quicker/more positive, try to line the cab & trailer up nice & straight. If/when you get a chance on a quiet road/RDC or industrial estate, practice reversing in a straight line, use the heel of your hands on the steering wheel & make quick but small movements until you can do it without messing up.
Practice reversing into quiet side roads until you can get the trailer to follow the curve nice & evenly, eventually it’ll happen & then you’ll be ■■■■ a Hoop & start showing others how to do it. [emoji106]
ha ha When in services just wear a green L sign around your neck. what a great idea i can see it now all eyes on me drivers getting there popcorn out ha ha
martinviking:
A lot of bays & parking spaces have concrete floors, use the lines in the floor to straighten up against if there’s no painted lines, also make sure that you’ve got the lift axle up (if it’s got one) the steering responds quicker/more positive, try to line the cab & trailer up nice & straight. If/when you get a chance on a quiet road/RDC or industrial estate, practice reversing in a straight line, use the heel of your hands on the steering wheel & make quick but small movements until you can do it without messing up.
Practice reversing into quiet side roads until you can get the trailer to follow the curve nice & evenly, eventually it’ll happen & then you’ll be ■■■■ a Hoop & start showing others how to do it. [emoji106]
thanks martin am off the weekend but yes ill find some were quite and practice practice
Last night it took me about 25 minutes to park a trailer in a parking bay between two other trailers… but I got it in without hitting anything so I consider that a successful job done, I held up a couple of shunter drivers who in turn held up another couple of drivers but I don’t give a monkeys about that - none of them offered to help so I figured they where either happy to wait or enjoying the entertainment I was providing
I have been driving artics for a few weeks and I am slowly improving with the reversing, I find bay parking easier than parking up between trailers or other trucks - I think this is down to knowing that on either side there is something that could be hit and damaged.
Stick with it, it will get easier, take your time, don’t be afraid to get out and have a look as many times as you feel is needed and don’t worry about the audience! I have been working on the night shift so I have reduced light and shadows to contest with, one tip that I picked up from the forum is to clean the mirrors, even when they look clean I give them a wipe over, a clear view behind makes the procedure so much easier!
webstar:
ha ha When in services just wear a green L sign around your neck. what a great idea i can see it now all eyes on me drivers getting there popcorn out ha ha
and when done, take a bow
I ■■■■■■ up a bay other week. Took +5 shunts. Eventually got it squared up and went over to my neighbour and had a good laff at my expense. He originally thought I was a foreigner. Cheeky barstool
Laup:
webstar:
ha ha When in services just wear a green L sign around your neck. what a great idea i can see it now all eyes on me drivers getting there popcorn out ha haand when done, take a bow
I [zb] up a bay other week. Took +5 shunts. Eventually got it squared up and went over to my neighbour and had a good laff at my expense. He originally thought I was a foreigner. Cheeky barstool
ha ha i have had a few at my expense up to now its ether that or rip the steering wheel out and lash it