First time since having my licence which has been 18 months now.
Was screwing it round in a yard which I would much preferred to have reversed into from the road as it was tight to get round, but the companies H&S rules and risk assessment stated that you weren’t allowed to reverse in and had to spin round in the yard.
I made a slight misjudgment in a yard where there was no room for a misjudgment and ended up too tight and my trailer caught one of the panels that are either side of the catwalk causing it crack a bit of plastic on the back which is making the panel sit of line a bit.
The damage is seems quite minor and not too noticeable unless your looking for it, but I did the right thing and reported it to my company. Will probably end up getting some “extra training”. Feel like crap for it though because even though it’s only minor and I didn’t hurt anyone or damage anything else it’s a yard I’ve been too twice before and even though it’s tight it hasn’t been a problem.
It’s not even a busy road you’d have to reverse off and the entrance is plenty wide enough to not cause any issues. Would be a very simple reverse in but they say no. You must drive in and screw it round.
Honestly, WTF? Since when did some suit in an office with his stupid H&S rules and risk assesment, over-rule the risk assessment of the driver who has to take the flak when it goes wrong? Not forgetting the paperwork for the insurance claim, and having to declare it on your own car insurance for the next 5 years. Sorry Mr Suit, but I’ll do my own risk assessment as a driver, thanks, and I will decide what way is best to manouevre in and out of your yard. And if it really is all that dangerous, then I won’t be coming in. It’s up to you to make sure it is safe for HGV’s to access it if you want goods delivered or collected.
Inexperienced comes to mind
Why o why did you not stick to your first thought it’s nearly always the best one don’t drive in
If you are a professional driver you need to start acting like one you are the one in charge what’s happening here is your reading on this site and thinking you have to be like them and be afraid to appear to look and sound like you know what you are doing trust me respect comes in buckets from everywhere
Don’t make that mistake
If you go there again then drive into the yard and then ask for a banksman to supervise when you are leaving. I found that worked at a place that I delivered to in Chelmsford. That was after I caught the gate as I reversed in blind side up a slope into a yard with two trailers already in there on a previous occasion. They did as I asked.
Homebase at Cromer is one of those “not fit for purpose” yards. You turn off main road, into car park and turn immediately right and follow perimeter roadway along back wall. Yard is barely big enough to turn in and reversing in or out is nigh on impossible.
nightline:
Inexperienced comes to mind
Why o why did you not stick to your first thought it’s nearly always the best one don’t drive in
If you are a professional driver you need to start acting like one you are the one in charge what’s happening here is your reading on this site and thinking you have to be like them and be afraid to appear to look and sound like you know what you are doing trust me respect comes in buckets from everywhere
Don’t make that mistake
Because I’ve been 2 times before and it’s tight but just about ok, even though I’d prefer reversing in that’s the rules there. I just made an error of judgment yesterday. So when you say stick to your first thought…my first thought was I knew I’d done this drop before so I know it will go round.
nightline:
Inexperienced comes to mind
Why o why did you not stick to your first thought it’s nearly always the best one don’t drive in
If you are a professional driver you need to start acting like one you are the one in charge what’s happening here is your reading on this site and thinking you have to be like them and be afraid to appear to look and sound like you know what you are doing trust me respect comes in buckets from everywhere
Don’t make that mistake
Have you ever made a mistake pal?
The bloke has been driving 18 months and this is his first accident!
FFS I think he’s done bloody well to go that long without a prang, I didn’t even manage a month!
And yes I’ve also missed a turning before and had to reroute because of it due to a low bridge…
It’s always a bit of a lottery if you’re trying to turn an artic in a space where you’re juggling tail sweep with angle of the unit v trailer.Realistically much if anything past a 90 degree L shape in the angle between unit and trailer needs to be avoided and is all dependent on getting the tail sweep allowance as close and accurate as possible before you start turning.
Ive worked for 2 large supermarkets in my illustrious career and I’ve never once clapped eyes on a store risk assessment. The key is not to ask for one
If you’ve been driving for 18months your eyes still probably haven’t adjusted to “what’s on and what’s not” Most drivers can look at a space and instantly make a call on it and make their own risk assessment in their head.
To hijack a thread it would be curious all things being equal a serious tight space (say 14 metres across) how do you prefer to turn on your drivers side on the inner turn or your passenger side on the inner turn? You’d think drivers side as you can see more but I always favour my passenger side as you can almost feel where your tail sweep is.
