My first week as a 'proper' trucker

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

Radar19:
You don’t need to put it in the right bay/lane. The computer will allocate the lane but its not always possible to put it in. When you find a space, make a note of which lane you are in, the bay number and then the bay code. It should look like this. Lane 222, bay 08, bay code UX. When you exit the dock, the computer will ask you where you put it. It will default to the lane that was originally set by the computer, just punch the screen then edit the numbers using the keyboard. Its so simple, even I can do it :grimacing:

Dockside is easier though. Just drive up to the gatehouse, they will ask you if its loaded and hazardous. Then they’ll tell you which lane they “want” it in but just stick it anywhere there is space.

Also, if you have a hazardous load you need to have the correct hazard diamonds in place before you get to the gatehouse because they will refuse you entry if you haven’t. To add to that, make sure you have completed your DGN’s because they sometimes ask to see them before you enter the dock. I had a trailer kicked off last week because they hadn’t written the hazard classification on the DGN so the gatehouse refused it. Its not a bother for me as I only have to take it round the corner and dump it but it would be annoying if you traveled over 200 miles only to be refused entry. Just to add, if you do have hazardous, always go to lane 1. Ignore what the screen says when you come over the bridge.

If there is anything else you’d like to know about Immingham docks, don’t worry about asking. There are a few of us on here who do it regularly.

Thank you so much for that !!! I`ve done Dockside with no problem, though they wanted to do a cab search, not too sure what they thought they were going to find :laughing: I found it easier to park in there as there were more empty bays side by side, so it made it easier.

With regard Riverside, row 207 is so easy as you can just drive in to the spaces there, that was one of the first rows I got, so didnt worry too much, but its really taken the pressure off knowing I can drop it somewhere a bit easier and just update it as I leave, thanks again :smiley:

xichrisxi:
Aaah the elusive blindside reverse,only undertaken by most when it’s forced upon to them…here lies the problem!

Practice makes perfect so any chance you get to blindside it even if the option is there to good side it,consider blindsiding it to get some practice…better to practice where there is plenty of room than panicking when it’s forced upon you,also is your n/s mirror is electric use that to aid you by moving it with the trailer when your coming round with it.

Ok, yes that makes sense, the mirror thing, and Ill be honest, if I ever felt I couldnt do it, Id ask for help for sure. I know Im still learning and I don`t mind telling people that at all :slight_smile:

Berty:

Dipper_Dave:
Embrace the blindside, practice it whenever possible and it will be your saviour.
Use your wide angle mirror and look out the driverside window at the front of your trailer this will help a lot.

Would I be correct in saying a blindside reverse is slightly easier in a flatbed??

I was going to ask the same thing Berty :slight_smile:

Dave, I have my pick of trucks, and for trailers I can borrow curtain siders or flatbeds. We`re going to set up a bit of a course/bay for me to practice in on Sunday, would I be better starting with the flatbed? (lowish headboard) and then try the curtain sider? or should I just bite the bullet and get the feel of the curtain sider straight away?

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:wink: just saying :smiley:

23

And what was that of women’s LIB in the 70’s. Bring it on. After a day of the arcs & sparks, 'er indoors just give me the orders… get on with the washing & ironing… Distance suffojet ( wrong spelling again ) I know :blush:

24

Lol. Uncle Albie got squashed by Trouble flatter than a witches ■■■.

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or use the cost effective option

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I love this quote from the o/p…definitely true to life for reverse sexism…((To be fair, the places I`ve been so far have all been fab. Offering me use of toilets, canteens and making me coffee, so no complaints there at all, everyone has been kind.))…

yep,thats the normal reception and welcome to your average male truckie throughout the uk… :unamused:

27

dieseldog999:
or use the cost effective option

She still does DeiselDog999… Tesco special, not galv one like you put it… :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

28

Tesco plastic ones aint just so good when you fill them with diesel,and have a barbeque at the roadside on a nice night…the smell of stale pish burns off after a few mins and your eyes stop watering enough to see what your incinerating… :slight_smile:

29

dieseldog999:
Tesco plastic ones aint just so good when you fill them with diesel,and have a barbeque at the roadside on a nice night…the smell of stale pish burns off after a few mins and your eyes stop watering enough to see what your incinerating… :slight_smile:

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: PMSL … GONE :smiley:

30

Uncle Albie:

Trouble:
So, yesterday I finished my first week as a Class 1 pilot. The things I`ve learned so far … :

  1. Car drivers are moronic lemmings who are hell bent on self destruction.

  2. Other HGV drivers (for the most part) have been extremely helpful when I tell them I`m new at this. Ditto the guys unloading me.

  3. I haven`t got enough pairs of eyes, particularly in the back of my head, when navigating tight spaces and dealing with car drivers (see point 1)

  4. The facilities for women are appalling.

  5. The way you are “taught” to drive to pass the “test”, in no way mirrors real life. The DCPC tests have a huge amount of holes in correlation to what you ACTUALLY need to know, and for a number of questions I`ve asked, no one seems to know the answers :open_mouth:

  6. It`s surprising just how quickly you can bring 44 tonne of lorry to a halt when needed (again refer to point 1).

  7. Reversing is a b@$t@rd … Complete and utter pain. At one very tight right angled bay I got it in, no worries at all, another where I had limited room, I set myself up brilliantly and again got it on the bay with out issues, yet another straight run back with a football pitch size amount of room and I ballsed it up good and proper and took about 6 shunts to get on the bay :laughing: … and don`t even get me started on blindside reversing on the Riverside at Immingham, that finished off my Friday night/end of the week perfectly … not :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Again (see point 2) thank god for the Polish fella who gave me a hand and watched me in.

Just how do you do that type of reverse? Is it something you learn? Does something finally click and youre like "yep, I can do it now?" or what■■? I watch others do it like theyre reversing a car, bosh, done. Will that ever happen to me? :laughing: :laughing:

Here`s to next week and another shot down the road 10 - 4 :wink:

First of all get things in perspective.
You are not a pilot. A pilot flies planes.
You are a lorry driver(a driver) with no experIence yet you think you know so much.
You are heading in the right direction though to become a driving god that only believes one thing.
I AM THE BEST…but in reality…oh dear…lol.

Wind your neck in FFS. :unamused:

31

Nightlord:
0
:wink: just saying :smiley:

OMG, They are a real thing, you are a star, I`ve just ordered some from Amazon :smiley:

simon1958:
And what was that of women’s LIB in the 70’s. Bring it on. After a day of the arcs & sparks, 'er indoors just give me the orders… get on with the washing & ironing… Distance suffojet ( wrong spelling again ) I know :blush:

You iron :open_mouth: … Noooo no no no no no, even I don`t do ■■■■ like that :laughing:

eagerbeaver:
Lol. Uncle Albie got squashed by Trouble flatter than a witches ■■■.

LMFAO !!! Haven`t heard that saying in donkeys years :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

simon1958:

dieseldog999:
or use the cost effective option

She still does DeiselDog999… Tesco special, not galv one like you put it… :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Aldi more like it :laughing: :laughing:

dieseldog999:
I love this quote from the o/p…definitely true to life for reverse sexism…((To be fair, the places I`ve been so far have all been fab. Offering me use of toilets, canteens and making me coffee, so no complaints there at all, everyone has been kind.))…

yep,thats the normal reception and welcome to your average male truckie throughout the uk… :unamused:

I don`t know what you could possibly mean … flicks hair out of face and over shoulder whilst fluttering eyelashes innocently :wink: :laughing: :laughing:

Gembo:

Uncle Albie:
First of all get things in perspective.
You are not a pilot. A pilot flies planes.
You are a lorry driver(a driver) with no experIence yet you think you know so much.
You are heading in the right direction though to become a driving god that only believes one thing.
I AM THE BEST…but in reality…oh dear…lol.

Wind your neck in FFS. :unamused:

Thanks for that Gembo :wink: :smiley: … Much appreciated, I was only trying to have a giggle, not sure why some took it so seriously :laughing: :laughing:

32

Trouble:
Dave, I have my pick of trucks, and for trailers I can borrow curtain siders or flatbeds. We`re going to set up a bit of a course/bay for me to practice in on Sunday, would I be better starting with the flatbed? (lowish headboard) and then try the curtain sider? or should I just bite the bullet and get the feel of the curtain sider straight away?

Tempting as it is to start with the flatbed I would say bite the pillow on this one and go straight for a curtainsider, more visibility is easier in a way but I prefer the chuck in at the deep end approach.

The flatbed will also give a false sense of security when a trailer with less visibility will see you concentrating on the wheels and where they are heading, starting position is key as always but also use the force a bit, there is no trying a blindside only doing a blindside.

Course don’t be afraid to get out and look, sure you will enjoy the practice and be slipping her into tight spots in no time.

33

Trouble:

Uncle Albie:
Yeah Radar I am quite mad but not as mad as some of our fellow truckers.
Too many get a class one and seem to think they are superior to other drivers.
Trouble is most of them are the biggest dicks on the road.
Maybe the OP is not a ■■■■ but he is beginning to sound like one already and he has only been driving a week. Oh dear.

Wow, and you really pay attention in class don`t you :laughing: :laughing:

Firstly, Im a "she" not a "he", I have been driving for many years, I have held my Class 1 dock licence and have "piloted" both Class 2 and Class 1 (Flatbed and tipper) around our local docks, I have also driven all points North, East, South, West, Class 1 whilst on L plates. Yes up here we term drivers as "pilots", whether youre driving a Mini or a Magnum, we say you are “piloting” that vehicle, maybe its a regional thing? I have also been a nationwide courier for a number of years too and Ive found car drivers have always had their moments, its just more noticable when they throw themselves in front of you with no warning at all, and youre trying to bring 44 tonne to a standstill with out rear ending them, as I found out a number of times this week, usually heading into roadworks when folk suddenly decide they want that jct, I even had a copper do it to me :open_mouth:

Secondly the post was made tongue in cheek, maybe that was lost on you, well, not maybe actually, it was fully lost on you :laughing: :laughing:

Thirdly, if you read anything I put, youll see I said folk had been helpful (which Im grateful for), and I was asking for advice on various things, which thankfully a number of people offered. I KNOW im not a driving god, I never claimed to be, just thought Id write a bit of a light hearted post about my first week, and how Id found it to be, the reality of the Cpc (and how inept it is), and how as a woman its a bit harder to pull into a layby for a pee :unamused: :unamused:

WOW, trouble you are my heroine,all that experience on the docks and driving all over the country.What skill you have.
How did you manage it?
Got to say you will fit in very well on this site. A pilot…hahahahahahahahahah…what a div. like a few other posters.Proper divs.

34

Dipper_Dave:

Trouble:
Dave, I have my pick of trucks, and for trailers I can borrow curtain siders or flatbeds. We`re going to set up a bit of a course/bay for me to practice in on Sunday, would I be better starting with the flatbed? (lowish headboard) and then try the curtain sider? or should I just bite the bullet and get the feel of the curtain sider straight away?

Tempting as it is to start with the flatbed I would say bite the pillow on this one and go straight for a curtainsider, more visibility is easier in a way but I prefer the chuck in at the deep end approach.

The flatbed will also give a false sense of security when a trailer with less visibility will see you concentrating on the wheels and where they are heading, starting position is key as always but also use the force a bit, there is no trying a blindside only doing a blindside.

Course don’t be afraid to get out and look, sure you will enjoy the practice and be slipping her into tight spots in no time.

You are the king of innuendo :laughing:

Ok, well Ill be straight on with the curtainsider then. Now, you say about watching where the wheels will be going, am I right in thinking its better to line up the middle axle of the trailer with the corner of the turning point/bay? I seem to think Ive been told that before, that its the middle axles path I need to follow/watch?

Uncle Albie:
WOW, trouble you are my heroine,all that experience on the docks and driving all over the country.What skill you have.
How did you manage it?
Got to say you will fit in very well on this site. A pilot…hahahahahahahahahah…what a div. like a few other posters.Proper divs.

Well, what a witty retort, I didnt realise we were back in the playground■■? LMFAO :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: You missed the point again entirely, never mind, at least youre consistently good at something eh? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

35

Oh dear. He has gone from a witches ■■■ to a slice of wafer thin ham in one thread.

How squashed can a truck driver get?? :wink:

36

Well, what a witty retort, I didnt realise we were back in the playground■■? LMFAO :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: You missed the point again entirely, never mind, at least youre consistently good at something eh? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I hate to disappoint you but it was not meant to be witty and I have not missed any point by the way.
It is you that is missing the point.
Now I have better ways to spend my time than speak to another div driver that thinks they know it all after five minutes behind the wheel.
Take care out there now.

37

Uncle Albie:
Well, what a witty retort, I didnt realise we were back in the playground■■? LMFAO :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: You missed the point again entirely, never mind, at least youre consistently good at something eh? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I hate to disappoint you but it was not meant to be witty and I have not missed any point by the way.
It is you that is missing the point.
Now I have better ways to spend my time than speak to another div driver that thinks they know it all after five minutes behind the wheel.
Take care out there now.

Youre hell bent on calling me a "Know it all" driver, when all Ive done comment on what Ive found out in my first week, and then asked for advice. __*If I was a "Know it all" driver why would I be asking for advice?*__ So yeah, youre so far way from the point it`s going to take you months to locate it, I hope you find your delivery addresses easier :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

If you have better things to do than speak to me then why the frick do you keep coming onto MY thread??!! Dont open it, dont read it, pure and simple … Simple being the operative word :unamused: :unamused: :wink: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

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:laughing: ^^^. Where’s the ‘applauding’ smilie when you need one?!

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Trouble:
I have also been a nationwide courier for a number of years too and Ive found car drivers have always had their moments, its just more noticable when they throw themselves in front of you with no warning at all, and you`re trying to bring 44 tonne to a standstill with out rear ending them, as I found out a number of times this week, usually heading into roadworks when folk suddenly decide they want that jct, I even had a copper do it to me :open_mouth:

So you know that car drivers are suicide lemming. :open_mouth:
The difference now is that you HAVE to read the road ahead and consider your breaking distances, as you’re now not driving a van that handles almost like a car. You now really HAVE to access the road conditions and make judgments based of the capabilities of your vehicle and load, it’s not a game with a reset button, or just a van in a ditch…

40

Nightlord:
:lol: ^^^. Where’s the ‘applauding’ smilie when you need one?!

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Evil8Beezle:

Trouble:
I have also been a nationwide courier for a number of years too and Ive found car drivers have always had their moments, its just more noticable when they throw themselves in front of you with no warning at all, and you`re trying to bring 44 tonne to a standstill with out rear ending them, as I found out a number of times this week, usually heading into roadworks when folk suddenly decide they want that jct, I even had a copper do it to me :open_mouth:

So you know that car drivers are suicide lemming. :open_mouth:
The difference now is that you HAVE to read the road ahead and consider your breaking distances, as you’re now not driving a van that handles almost like a car. You now really HAVE to access the road conditions and make judgments based of the capabilities of your vehicle and load, it’s not a game with a reset button, or just a van in a ditch…

Aye, that I do, and Ive made numerous allowances this last couple of weeks as I know I now need longer to stop. The main "idiot" last week was a small police van, on the M60, wed been in queuing traffic, his lane had really started to move, he was accelerating but not paying attention, they stopped, he didnt. His instinct to avoid rear ending the car in front of him made him swerve right into my path instead, thankfully I had anticipated the slower moving traffic and had left myself enough room, he took up a vans worth of the room Id given myself to be able to stop in, it made it a tad more interesting :laughing: :laughing: So yes, that`s what I mean lol. You give yourself enough room (just) and people dive in and give you nowt to stop in, and if you try and give yourself a bigger gap you end up with every hero and his best mate seeing it as an invitation to leap in front of you … Lose/Lose :laughing: