Hello All
I was lucky enough to get a drive for a company delivering chilled around the country last week. No experience and first drop, out to an RDC for Asda. Once there given bay number and told to back on with doors open and hand in the keys. I had never backed an artic onto anything apart from the short trip over the car park for the class 1 test. It was a bit of a job to start with, but I seem to manage it after a few shunts, don’t think I upset anyone waiting too much and kept smiling throughout.
What I could really do with is some sound advise on the most efficient way to back onto bays, forget the blind side stuff for now as I want to concentrate on the easier one first. One chap I spoke to advised me to stay in the centre of the manoueuvering area otherwise you run out of room to swing the tractor around if you get to close to the fence on the opposite side to the bays. I was positioning myself as far away from the trucks as possible with the hope of getting straightend up and having a slow run back into the space. I took his avice and it seemed to help on the next drop but it would be great to hear if anyone has any other tips on a good method of getting in between parked lorries with the minimum of fuss.
All advice welcomed and gratefully received.
Regards
Truckist 
Half of your reversing work is already done if you can get the trailer pointing in the direction you want it to go.
+1 I made the mistake of trying to reverse onto my first bay like a car and was snaking all over the place lol !!
From what I have read on here and in my limited experience, 75% of reversing is in the planning and positioning of the vehicle before you begin your final reverse onto the bay.
Sorry about the shoddy drawing but its easier than explaining. Like people say just set yourself up right and you’re more than halfway there.
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As people know on here I too struggle wiith reversing not so much on bays as i find you have plenty of room but between trailers one thing i have found instead of moving while unwindind the wheel I stop unwind the wheel then carry on and go very slow and it is working for me so try that and posioning is very important.
My fist reverse onto bay was same stressfull. Tesco Doncaster, and quite tight cause they keep tousands of cages in front of units. After something like 3 attempts, 10 shunts, and another correction because forgot to open back doors prior hitting ramp (LOL) i made it without any damage to lorries next to me. Saw a bit of laughing from passing drivers, but hell, i was happy that make it at all 
I disagree with the advice you got about using the middle of the yard, that’s ok in a yard with plenty of room but they’re not all like that, far from it! Use all the space you have. Position yourself left of centre as close to whatever is on your left hand as you feel ok with. I’d suggest about 6 feet? Drive parallel to the bays until the rear of the trailer passes the bay you want then steer slightly to the left to create an angle for reversing. You should now be in a decent position to start your reverse. It will take a little practice before you get the idea about the best position for whatever yard you go to. It seems contrary to common sense to be over to the left but it will give you a nice gentle arc into the bay and minimise the chances of striking adjacent trailers. If in doubt Get Out And Look. GOAL! I do.
As others have said - the bulk of your reverse is set in how you line the truck up before you even engage R.
If you’re going onto a bay, between other trucks (as in most RDCs) - run along the front of the trucks/bays, close but not too close, after the cab passes the bay you want, keep going forward but swing to the left, until the trailer is past the bay, you should be on a 45 degree or less angle by now (the less the better), then bring the cab round to the right so you can see down the side. Looking back you should see your trailer is nicely lined up for the bay.
Stop, get out, open trailer doors - whilst taking a look at your bay, make sure it clear etc and how you are lined up etc
Engage R, slip it back in slowly.
Pretty much as has been said above, but to add to not use too much steering at once.
Alot of problems come from going from full lock to full lock, put a bit on, then straighten the wheel. Makes it easier to correct if its going wrong.
Above all, if in doubt GOAL - get out and look !
It doesnt matter how many shunts & corrections you make, as long as you dont hit anything its a successfull reverse.
Advice I’ve given new drivers when there reversing into tight spaces is to put your Air Con on …
If you’re getting hot and flustered and struggling at least when you finally get out you look cool 
Not so much advice on the actual reversing, but a little tip…
Dont Panic, once panic sets in you’ve got real problems. We’ve all cocked it up in full view of bays/waiting rooms of other drivers, best thing to do is get out and laugh, because regardless if what other drivers try and tell you, we all have those days when we couldnt hit a barn door…
Best of luck, relax and enjoy. In 6 months time you’ll wonder what the fuss was about…
Herongate:
As others have said - the bulk of your reverse is set in how you line the truck up before you even engage R.
If you’re going onto a bay, between other trucks (as in most RDCs) - run along the front of the trucks/bays, close but not too close, after the cab passes the bay you want, keep going forward but swing to the left, until the trailer is past the bay, you should be on a 45 degree or less angle by now (the less the better), then bring the cab round to the right so you can see down the side. Looking back you should see your trailer is nicely lined up for the bay.
Stop, get out, open trailer doors - whilst taking a look at your bay, make sure it clear etc and how you are lined up etc
Engage R, slip it back in slowly.
Plenty of good advice here, most Asda RDCs I have visited have enough room to open the trailer doors when you are lined up and a few feet off the bay.
I would recommend this wherever possible as the open doors do make judging where the trailer is more difficult.
As above for lining the trailer up and if there is enough room, you can do as below, basically as advised but as you turn, if you have got it right, you will see your chosen slot appear in your mirrors, sometimes right behind you.
It will all become easier with experience, which, in my case means that I can still get it wrong but I know I have and can put it right before I make myself look too silly.
its pretty easy at RDC’s as most have more then enough room. The way I do it is pull past the bay swing left to get the angle look in mirror to line up rear tyre on trailer with the lines. if you take a few shunts so what we all do. If you mess it right up pull out and try again then laugh about it after
As everyone’s said, it’s deffo in how you set yourself up prior to the reverse. Another tip i’d give, and something I sometimes do when I encounter a REALLY tight one, is to imagine yourself already on the bay/space/over the pit/whatever, and imagine driving out from there and the line that your trailer and unit would take. It can sometimes help with your positioning. And remember, it may be tight, but I’m afraid to say that if it’ll drive out, it will reverse in too
First off, take your time, most of the drivers will understand…we’ve all been there, n done that if you find it too stressful dont pannic, pull away and take a breather, coffee if needs be, you can also try paracise n an industrial estate on a night out if you think it might help. It will come soon enough and you will look back and laugh about it 
Hi there. Would the same apply when reversing onto a bay with guide rails and ultimately trying to get it straight fairly well before the end?
dukeofdirt:
Sorry about the shoddy drawing but its easier than explaining. Like people say just set yourself up right and you’re more than halfway there.
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