As I explained before, it’s over a year since I tried, and failed, to get my C+E. Having run out of money I decided I’d do a year or so in the rigids and get the hang of things better and try again. Which is what I’m going to do after christmas but I’m now trying to shake off the few bad habbits I’ve picked up along the way.
I spent much of yesterday calling myself alsorts of names, most wouldn’t get past the swearing thingy on here Because I’m really not winning with my mirror checks - from the other post (and what I can remember) I know what to do, I just need to get back in the habbit of it
So, can someone please either tell me some magic way of reminding myself to do it right or sit with me and slap me HARD everytime I fail to do so?
the way i’ve learnt it, is if your going to do anything, scratch, ■■■■, blink, etc etc check the mirrors. but if your say making a right hand turn, check the danger side first nad last, so it’d be, right mirror, left, right long distance, left ld, and again right close mirror. i check about every 7 seconds when driving. just a small right left right.
Thanks dan, you’ve missed the point a bit though - I know (roughly at least) what to do, I’m just not doing it
For example; Turning left - I’ll check the right mirror (might be someone overtaking), move out to the right a bit if needs be, indicate, left mirror and start turning, left mirror quickly to check I’m still o.k and then I have a long look in the right incase the swingout is gonna cause a problem of some sort. It’s not overly bad I know but I also know it’s not really right. - where was the miror, mirror - signal, manouver?
Yep, and I know it - but I’ve got into the habbit of not doing it somewhere along the line. Incidently, why does the left need to be checked if I’m going to move to the white lines in preperation to turn (I checked the left before the actual turn and during it) Might help if I know…
Another example; coming to a roundabout-
Get to a point where I need to start slowing down so what do I do; lift my foot off the accelerator missed something there didn’t I!? Still approaching too quick (say, 40mph) with 5ton of eggs pushing me quick glance in right mirror but by now I can’t see anybody close to me because they’re all ■■■■■■ off with slowing down so far away from the rbt and are trying to get a better view of the graphiti on the tail lift so start braking gently ( and again) and watching what’s happening on the rbt incase I can go without stopping
See the hazard - mirrors (both) - take up play of brake pedal (puts lights on) - start squeezing pedal - now a good deep squeeze to get most of the speed off BUT leaving enough momentum to reach the hazard with light braking.
The blue bits can be done together
[ZB] those behind - they’ll have to wait
All this will give you lots of time for mirror checking etc
darkseeker:
Can you answer the above about why the left mirror needed to be checked please as I feel it may help me to get me into the habbit of doing it
I am a teenage motorbike rider and I can get up your inside !!!
And you did not know I was 10 feet behind you in your rear blind spot before I decided to do the above !!!
but I hadn’t moved left at all at that point - I checked the right mirror then went right to give myself more space to make the turn, even the swingout would’ve been negligable, and you just said yourself - the biker was in my rear blindspot (so I presume I wouldn’t be able to see until I checked the left mirror(s) when I did?).
I’m not arguing as such, I’m one of those people who learns things better if they understand why, how, what, where etc
OK, as you check your right mirror and move to the right I am the hidden biker who is now trying to pass you on the nearside rear 4 feet of your truck and as you go right your left rear is about to clout me !!
Not your fault if you did clout me and kill me but could you live with yourself if a left mirror check would have prevented it ■■?
Point taken - I take it the biker came into view at the point when I should’ve looked.
Anyway, so what I should do (correct me if I’m wrong);
As I approach the turning, check both mirrors - R then L?
then move to the right?
Check mirrors again L then R before braking
Start to turn but a last check of L first then check R because the swingout’s off over the other side of the road then L just before the view’s lost (because all that can be seen is the trailer) - I know I’m in a rigid at the moment but I need to try and get it squared away as though it were an artic - because that’s the whole point of all of this
God I hope no employer or examiner ever sees this or I’m doomed
hi mate one think i had was not looking in my left mirror i found a way of doing it was think of the green cross code but for mirrors you be surprised how it worked in the end it work for me just an idea
and always remember to look in your left mirror just before you move off once in the habit it does come to you
and the other thing i did was to cover my interior mirror of my car so i start using my cars side mirrors and looking over my shoulder more
Del - can you explain your version of the green cross code please? (it’s too early for me - I can’t work it out ). I’m sure it’s something like left then right then left again but I just can’t quite get it
I’ve no real problem with the rear view in my car - that became redundant a long time ago! The only time I think to look in it really is if I’m reversing and feel there might be something behind me.
darkseeker:
Del - can you explain your version of the green cross code please? (it’s too early for me - I can’t work it out ). I’m sure it’s something like left then right then left again but I just can’t quite get it
I’ve no real problem with the rear view in my car - that became redundant a long time ago! The only time I think to look in it really is if I’m reversing and feel there might be something behind me.
what i did mate was every time i change gear or did a something in the truck that meeds a look in the mirrors i did look right look left and look right before ever thing after a while it just became normal for me
when you see a hazard IE a road to the left look in you left mirror just before and just after you pass it, if you see a bike look left again and again just as you have passed
before any movement you do you need a look in the mirrors so look right look left look right again
I don’t have a specific order that I train my guys to do - they just have to make sure they look in both mirrors every time before changing speed or direction.
I have threatened many trainees with the following:-
“Tomorrow you will have to bring a £50 note that I will blu tak onto your left mirror - that will make sure you use it!”
I guess a £20 would have the same effect! Or you could just stick a bit of paper on the mirror to keep an eye on.
Smart Mart:
I don’t have a specific order that I train my guys to do - they just have to make sure they look in both mirrors every time before changing speed or direction.
I have threatened many trainees with the following:-
“Tomorrow you will have to bring a £50 note that I will blu tak onto your left mirror - that will make sure you use it!”
I guess a £20 would have the same effect! Or you could just stick a bit of paper on the mirror to keep an eye on.
That might work. I remember the bloke who taught me on my motorcycle kept shouting what is behind me, what are you looking at? and then asked me what I had seen when we stopped.
Don’t see so many now but I remember when a lot of trucks had a strip of cloth hanging from the mirror arm so that it cleaned the mirror when the truck was at speed
They were very eye-catching
As I explained before, it’s over a year since I tried, and failed, to get my C+E. Having run out of money I decided I’d do a year or so in the rigids and get the hang of things better and try again. Which is what I’m going to do after christmas but I’m now trying to shake off the few bad habbits I’ve picked up along the way.
Yep, and I know it - but I’ve got into the habbit of not doing it somewhere along the line. Incidently, why does the left need to be checked if I’m going to move to the white lines in preperation to turn (I checked the left before the actual turn and during it) 
Might help if I know…
