I did this myself a long time ago. Can’t remember how it happened, but somehow I just forgot to wind the legs down! Realised at the last minute and swiftly backed in under again before it all went ■■■■ up. I guess it only takes the slightest distraction to screw up your routine. It’s made me proper paranoid about coupling and uncoupling. Go through my normal routine and now double check.
For all the perfect people on here I take my hat off to you all for never making any kind of mistake in your lives [emoji56] [emoji56]
I can only dream of what it must be like to be so great. Keep up the good work [emoji8]
You was lucky there, I’ve met a few who would have openly humiliated you for less
You’re getting a bit of flak for not pulling the pin last, but looking on the bright side you’ve learned a valuable lesson and one you’ll hopefully remember
Boxlife77:
Surely in the training they don’t say it can be done in any order? So on test couple you can pull pin when you get out cab?
I bet you won’t be pulling pin first next time you drop a trailer
I do believe if I remember rightly as long as all aspects are done prior to pulling off the examiner will not fail you.
I can’t remember if the instructor stressed pin last. If he did then he clearly didn’t do it avivdly enough.
You can do whatever you like, whenever you fancy, however it suits you. But, as you’ve already found out, it’s best to leave pulling the pin until last (unless, as others have pointed out, you’re split coupling).
Me? After I’ve done everything, for my own piece of mind, I stand away from the lorry to a position where I can see the legs are down, the curly pipes have been disconnected and the pin has been pulled. Back to the cab and off you go.
I did my training in a wagon and drag (army) when I left and went on the agency it wasn’t until I got sent to the other army in green that I actually got proper instruction on dropping/picking up. Before that I watched and asked other drivers and to be fair I have seen people pulling the pin first, why I’ve no idea but these guys seemed happy with it, not for me thanks, brake, legs, lines, clip, pin, pull forward till I hear the click then down with the air on the unit, seems to be the best way I’ve been taught
We all make mistakes. And while the honesty of your post won’t be appreciated by some. Take comfort in the knowledge that you have probably saved someone from the same mistake in their future…
I always do a check of everything before pulling the pin last. My problem is that I normally forget that the only thing I haven’t done is pull the pin. I always remember before I go to pull out, but I feel the shame as I have to get back out the cab to pull it, even if no one else cares to notice…
I’m sure all the flak is just how it’s coming across to the reader a lite ribbing with a serious message in the inflection etc.
Anyway it’s easy to get into bad habits, jumping out the cab the first thing you come to is the pin so easy bad habit to get into.
I have a few bad habits myself, predictably most involve coitus or self abuse though.
No one died, lesson learnt, crack on jobs a good un.
Even the best of us drop clangers here and there, complacency, rushing, still a bit ■■■■■■ from the night before, ■■■■ beads still inserted and putting me off etc.
As somebody once said - “show me someone who has never made a mistake and I’ll show you someone who has never made anything at all”.
I don’t think the OP is out for fame, he’s just pointing out how easy it is to come unstuck sometimes in the routine workaday life.
I’m not perfect by any means and that helps because I don’t expect others to be either - we’re all fallible (apart from some posters on this thread it seems)
Mick81:
I did my training in a wagon and drag (army) when I left and went on the agency it wasn’t until I got sent to the other army in green that I actually got proper instruction on dropping/picking up. Before that I watched and asked other drivers and to be fair I have seen people pulling the pin first, why I’ve no idea but these guys seemed happy with it, not for me thanks, brake, legs, lines, clip, pin, pull forward till I hear the click then down with the air on the unit, seems to be the best way I’ve been taught
I do the pin last on uncouple, first when coupling. I have met guys who pull the pin first on the uncouple and they told me it is so they don’t forget… I.e pin is always first in any situation. Maybe that is why some do it in this order. Not comfortable with it myself tbh.
I have met guys who pull the pin first on the uncouple and they told me it is so they don’t forget… I.e pin is always first in any situation. Maybe that is why some do it in this order. Not comfortable with it myself tbh.
If you forget to pull the pin when coupling, worst case, you won’t move! The reverse is true of the opposite scenario, as has already been pointed out.
Ive not been on the bendy’s long enough to lecture anyone but I’m certainly not comfortable with the idea of pulling the pin first.
Whether you do pin first, last, or somewhere in-between is not as important as making sure you complete your routine.
The problems usually happen when you break your routine, usually because some ■■■■ has interrupted you.
If someone comes over to speak to you, start over again.
I dropped a loaded decker once, because a bloke on a bay 3 bays away called me over to ask where he had to go with his notes,
and what gate to go out & where were the bogs,
went back to my trailer, tug waiting to pick it up, jumped in, pulled out, bang.
Motto of the story, don’t be rushed, don’t get distracted, If so, start your routine again, even if it is ■■■■■■■ down,
Toddy2:
Whether you do pin first, last, or somewhere in-between is not as important as making sure you complete your routine.
The problems usually happen when you break your routine, usually because some [zb] has interrupted you.
If someone comes over to speak to you, start over again.
I dropped a loaded decker once, because a bloke on a bay 3 bays away called me over to ask where he had to go with his notes,
and what gate to go out & where were the bogs,
went back to my trailer, tug waiting to pick it up, jumped in, pulled out, bang.
Motto of the story, don’t be rushed, don’t get distracted, If so, start your routine again, even if it is ■■■■■■■ down,
^Yep…
That’s why I stuck with B-L-A-C-K, it was what I was taught on my class 1 lessons and it’s what I always recited in my head ESPECIALLY if I got distracted mid way, do this and you’ll never drop a trailer.
but I’m certainly not comfortable with the idea of pulling the pin first.