So tomorrow’s my first day out on road since pass in October and I’m absolutely no joke Fudgekin bricking it to the point where I’m actually debating Sacking off driving at all now, genuinely [emoji17]
Confidence in myself with anything I do is something I’ve never had, unless I’M COMPLETELY ALONE weirdly??
Which coupled with viscous anxiety, fear of ridicule for being new and not being 100% sure of the ropes/regs/people/the road itself I’m going to face…
It just feels too much to take on [emoji17]
Now I’m no snowflake, and I know I will probably be met with the whole “man up bit” or go find some rope comments hahaha, and no fear there I’ve already had them thoughts over last 20yrs and have tried a couple too lol but like many in life we’re all different and mental health triggers come in many forms from many sources, which I won’t share on here but it’s not been easy to accept and is really becoming impossible to live with and I don’t want it to take my dream away of driving, even though I’m trying so hard to be positive by looking forward to find new goals, company’s and prospects I can’t shake the sick feeling no matter what I do that I’m gonna fail/■■■■ up and that’s it I’m on dole, now that would finish me off to be honest but I’m starting to fear maybe I just shouldn’t drive at all and I feel this is maybe gods way of telling me so? [emoji57][emoji20]
Anyone got anything they can suggest outside of the rope, a hammer, quitting, stop being a fanny… Boxes to try get this on a leash before 4am in morning as tbh I’ve got 2 duvets ready and I’m gonna stay under them till no oxygens left and it’s all gone away [emoji20]
Cheers as always Blokes/folks/lasses/ladetts [emoji41][emoji41]
Aside from that, do things at your own pace. Everyone around you will expect you to know the drill where ever you might be going but don’t let that force your judgement. Do things how you wanna do things at a pace that works for you.
Don’t tailgate.
Do check your pin after coupling.
Don’t forget your number-plate.
You will need a hammer and some old carpet to commit lots of murders because that’s what lorryists do all day.
At some stage during the day, sit back in your big comfy seat, take a long slow breath out and say ‘I’m a lorry driver…I got this’.
I wanna be a lorryist, think tbh it’s just because its been so rushed for me.
Im applying for two firms in the week who offer mentoring, think I just need a slower pace as I want to do it proper, I dispise being rushed, chivvied, and I DONT do bullying especially when your told it won’t be found round here…
Aye deep breath, and think 60k driver shortage so if come tomorrow night I don’t feel safe, respected for being honest then I’m off as there’s gotta be some four dimensional humans about in the industry somewhere…
Have a read of my post to you on the ■■■■■■■■ in a bag thread.
Don’t be brainwashed into thinking that driver hour LIMITS are to be treated like targets, as many firms will try and drop feed this to their new and newer drivers,.and the thick as mince ones believe it and end up on an endurance exercise rather than a ‘job’
Any new job is as good or as bad as YOU make it.
I wanna be a lorryist, think tbh it’s just because its been so rushed for me.
Im applying for two firms in the week who offer mentoring, think I just need a slower pace as I want to do it proper, I dispise being rushed, chivvied, and I DONT do bullying especially when your told it won’t be found round here…
Aye deep breath, and think 60k driver shortage so if come tomorrow night I don’t feel safe, respected for being honest then I’m off as there’s gotta be some four dimensional humans about in the industry somewhere…
You passed your test on your own so you can do it.Just go in and be yourself. Mentoring is a choice do you want someone watching you for a week or two.I was with my mentor for a day then he said i was ok .Next day i was on my own .First thing my mentor said was i am not here to teach or watch your driving.I am here to show you how to do curtains thats all. If you worry too much you will spoil your day before you start.Stick at it for a few months.Dont be a quitter be a fighter.You haven’t spent that money for nothing.
You cant buy experience in this job you have to do it .Cheers bud go and enjoy yourself.
Nothing to be terrified about at all. You can drive already and you have passed a test now to drive an LGV. Take your time with everything double check the important factors.
After a day or two you will be wondering why you felt the way you did. I still remember my first day on an artic and although I suppose a litte nervous I can honestly say I was more excited than anyting else and could not wait to get going.
Sympathies Benjie. Maybe it’s not mental health issues, but simply a fear of the unknown. Whereas as previously it was pre-match nerves as in any new job, the worry now is whether you’ll be thrown in at the deep end and left to sink or swim. Take your time, slow down and double check everything. On Monday night you might be pleasantly surprised and wonder why all the worry, or conversely, never want to darken their doorway again. It always saddens me to hear of people trying a new job these days and be frightened of the prospect.
I think like I do sometimes, you build the unknown into massive problems in your head, it puts you off doing things, I have done it all my life and still do at times, but I’ve found those massive problems aren’t such a big deal in reality.
Remember as has been said, you’ve walked through a door of a training centre and said I want to be a driver, they didn’t laugh and tell you no chance, you passed your test, the examiner didn’t say you’ll never be a truck driver, you went to a job interview and the people interviewing didn’t say you a fraud, you’ll never make the grade, so now you’re going to walk into the company, who know you’re a new driver.
All of us had a first day as a driver and were no doubt worried to a greater or lesser degree, but I was, I’m a terrible worrier, I’m still nervous before every race, I check and double check everything, I’d hate to be the reason we lose. I’ve learnt to deal with the nerves, I’ve always wished I was like those people who seem to go through life so easily, but I’m not so I can either stay doing what I was doing which would have been 35 years of stacking shelves or keep challenging myself and deal with the nerves.
Is it possible that this game may not be for you? Yes it is.
Are you going to actually try to find out? You sure are.
Generally you put small vehicles in small spaces and bigger vehicles in bigger spaces. Yes you will need to use more space on the road at junctions etc. Yes, you may need to take up more than one lane. Yes, car drivers will shake their heads and get annoyed at you. Welcome to the world of being a truck driver.
Just take it one day at a time and confidence will grow.
Out on the road, take your time and your confidence will grow.
At the end of the day and then at the end of the week take a look back and see how your confidence has grown.
Big Oak trees start from little acorns
in your heart you know you can do it. are your friends and family behind you? many doubts that are deep seated are put there by folk close to you- iv learned to never take any advice [on any matter whatsover] from family itll be wrong guaranteed
Benjie83:
Cheers all, really thank you all so much [emoji41][emoji3590][emoji482]
I’ll tell you all the things that are terrifying me the most…
Don’t laugh [emoji20]
ROUNDABOUTS/positioning/negotiating them, eg those 8 lane spiral ones [emoji20]
And scale, eg, the actual size of the buildings and environments surrounding me is really frightening me.
There ya go, that’s what’s TRUELY scaring me and ramping my anxiety over the edge [emoji20]
Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
If you weren’t nervous they would be something wrong with you.
I purposely tried to advise you from a different perspective of how to approach the actual job sort of thing, as I knew everybody else would advise you from a ‘‘not cocking up’’ perspective …as they have.
The fact that you are nervous and a bit apprehensive shows that you will drive with care and basically ■■■■ it mate, trust me.
None of the other road users around you know you are new, so just blag it out, and pretend you have a world of experience …bluffing in life and appearing to be over confident whilst bricking it inside always worked for me in my life…
Good luck and keep us informed tomorrow night.
You think those of us been doing it dozens of years don’t still worry when we start a new job?
When i go somewhere new, like yesterday in fact, soon as i pulled up at the gate i got the bods name, told him mine, broke the ice then told him it was my first time delivering to that site so put me right will you, sure enough he got on the phone for one of the storemen to come out and sort me out.
Just the same when you’re new, if you go somewhere and don’t know what the score is, find some bod with a kind face, tell him you’re as green as grass, and chances are he’ll put you right.
Don’t be afraid to ask someone to watch you in, sometimes others will volunteer to watch you some won’t.
You’ll find some clever dicks but mostly there’s still some decent sticks behind the wheel of lorries.
Just take your time, do not be rushed or try to do something quickly, double check everything you do, remember if you can’t see out the windows or in the mirrors cos they’re minging you’ve lost already.
Enjoy it mate, you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about in a few weeks time
You make yourself look a bigger twonk, by pretending to know it all.
If your unsure while reversing, get another driver to assist you and explain why. I have big respect for any driver that does. I was there once upon a time.
Take as much time as is needed when doing anything, particularly your walk around check, and if your not sure, then flag it up. Remember. As soon as you enter the Queens highway, it is YOUR responsibility.
Just remember the truck is a lot bigger than you think. One wrong turn down the wrong road and you are bang in trouble. The pressure will really be on and the timer counting down until the police are called.
…bluffing in life and appearing to be over confident whilst bricking it inside always worked for me in my life… 