That a lot of folk drive bolt upright with their noses pressed against the windscreen, cause I find it very uncomfortable…
I’ve been cab hopping of late and 9 times out of 10 I find the seat in this position. I tend to lower and recline the seat, recline the backrest, and push the whole thing back a tad. More so on motorways and only bring in forward when I need to “drive”.
Am I storing up back problems for later years driving like this ? or is there something I’m missing…
I’m the same. I can nearly guarantee every wagon I get in has the seat jammed under the steering wheel and it’s physically impossible to get in the seat 
and what’s with having the steering wheel at the lowest point as well 
. I like the seat about half way up, reclined a bit and with the steering wheel as high as it will go and raked back as far as it will go 
.
but how do you see if you pull up at a pelican crossing if someone crosses in front of you, if your laid right back.
this was the question i was asked by one of our drivers who drove my truck after me, i just said if hes daft enough to walk in front of a truck he gets what he asks for.
what i didnt know was john one of the other drivers had run over and killed a bloke on the pelican crossing on brooke street , grantham. the bloke had gone to cross , but had stopped for a unknown reason in front , john went when the lights changed and killed him, john was eventually found not guilty [ never went into exact details as to why] but its definately food for thought
our new trucks are being fitted with a mirror above screen, i still sit back like i always have but on pelicans/ pedestrians i always sit up and dont go if ive got any doughts whats there
Well Ady, I think you’re somehow misinterpreting the word “reclined” here. What I mean is that I don’t have the seat completely upright like most other drivers, I have it reclined about as much as I do in my own car. Obviously common sense prevails at zebras and pedestrian crossings where you would lean forward to make sure the coast is clear before moving off. 
Ha! You just descibed getting in a cab after me there Rob! Well almost, i have seat up quite high as i have long legs and if its low then my legs are bent, i have back straight and the air cushion pumped up if fitted. But Steve it isnt what you call a relaxing position but it does keep you attentive, i find whenever i’ve settled back and reclined a bit i get out the cab aching a bit and start to stoop over a bit like some of the old guys you see.
But if you’ve got long legs Mike, don’t you fidn that uncomfy with the seat forward but up high? I find it cuts into the back of my legs and makes pressing the pedals uncomfy. I find it better to have the seat about half height and as far back as it will go, then you’ve got room to move your legs and your knees aren’t resting up against the dashboard as well (another hate of mine) .
I’m an “upright and close to the steering wheel” person, although I have the dampers and seat suspension at their lowest to reduce bounce. I also sit on a pressure cushion designed for wheelchair users, and have the lumbar supports out to their fullest extent (much to the annoyance of our 2 night men who drive whichever distance truck is in that night…my lumbar support has been in this position for so long it’s now stuck there).
This may seem a tad excessive…But I used to be a “recliner”, until I developed a spinal abcess which required emergency surgery, and which came back again a year later after I stubbornly refused to alter my posture. It was caused by the excess pressure on my tailbone from all the reclining, apparently, and is one of those things which is little talked about but actually quite common amongst distance drivers. I’ve come across loads of people who’ve had it happen since then, and every one of us has decided that getting used to a new seat position was better than 2 months off work every time the abcess recurred (which they generally do once you’ve had one once).
Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you end up as one of the unlucky ones… 
I suffered after having a reclined seat as well - brought on sciatica & now I have to make sure the seat is as upright as I can naturally get it with the lumber supports fully inflated. According to the chiropractor who treated me, it was a combination of the slightly reclined position together with the air suspension seat which knocked the nerve out. Now I’m always conscious of the problems that can occur & I’ll defect a motor if there’s anything 'iffy about the seat.
I am tall & have the seat pumped right up, but pushed right back and the steering
as high & as far forward as it goes. I recline the back slightly.
On one of the older units I drive, the seat no longer pumps up & it’s very uncomfortable being sat on the floor.
I usually have it half way up, all the way back, reclined all the way back until the bunk allows it to recline no further. Then I have the steering wheel half way up raked back about 75%. I put my left foot up on the engine hump too. I’m virtually lying down. This is ok for a 4 hour motorway drive on a night trunk. Its very comfortable. I too find the majority of trucks I get into are bolt upright and forward too much. I often think there is a secret and elusive army of grannies driving our trucks before we get in them.
Your definately looking for back problems later in life.
Proper seating position will ensure correct posture and a relaxing drive.
You should be sat upright, the seat at an height so your knees are slightly bent, then push the seat back so you can reach the pedals comfotably. Try it and feel the difference after a long journey.
Can’t you tell I’ve had to sit through heavy lifting lectures 
Rob K:
Obviously common sense prevails at zebras and pedestrian crossings where you would lean forward to make sure the coast is clear before moving off.
But surely you should be in such a position all the time? I drive upright because it enables me to get a better view around as well as keeping me more alert.
David5l:
Can’t you tell I’ve had to sit through heavy lifting lectures
We have had them where they show you how to pick up two tins of paint, but when we point out that we don’t carry paint and ask them to lift up what we carry they say they are not here for that, so we refuse to sign that we have done the course. 
Dafman:
David5l:
Can’t you tell I’ve had to sit through heavy lifting lecturesWe have had them where they show you how to pick up two tins of paint, but when we point out that we don’t carry paint and ask them to lift up what we carry they say they are not here for that, so we refuse to sign that we have done the course.
rofl
ady:
but how do you see if you pull up at a pelican crossing if someone crosses in front of you, if your laid right back.
this was the question i was asked by one of our drivers who drove my truck after me, i just said if hes daft enough to walk in front of a truck he gets what he asks for.
what i didnt know was john one of the other drivers had run over and killed a bloke on the pelican crossing on brooke street , grantham. the bloke had gone to cross , but had stopped for a unknown reason in front , john went when the lights changed and killed him, john was eventually found not guilty [ never went into exact details as to why] but its definately food for thought
our new trucks are being fitted with a mirror above screen, i still sit back like i always have but on pelicans/ pedestrians i always sit up and dont go if ive got any doughts whats there
You shouldn’t be stopped right up on a traffic light or crossing.You need to stay back about 10’ so you have a better view of whats going on up front and at your sides.
Me thinks I should pay more attention to my seating position…
Thanks folks, my back is precious and thankfully in good working order, I’d like to keep it that way.