Hi guys I’ve been driving class2 for 5 years with no problems I past my class1 a year ago but I’m lacking confidence reversing into tight bays etc driving is not a problem just reversing anybody know any help or what I could do to get my confidence up as I need a job asap any help is appreciated many thanks Gavin
My advice is to find an open space and practice putting it where you want. That was my problem at the start. Some of our pick ups were in tight places and round corners. Just take your time!
All us Newbie benders lack confidence with reversing mate, you’re not alone…
So just get on with it and don’t be frightened to take your time, even if DipperDave is behind waiting and busting for a crap! 
Like most things in life, practise is the best. As has been said just take your time, and don’t worry about what others are thinking.
You are in the majority my friend. Very few people can drop straight into reversing artics and be gods from the outset. You have passed your test so you plainly know how to do it but what you don’t yet have is the self belief that comes with more practice and experience.
My tips, along with those already given is to take it slow and make small adjustments on the steering wheel. If you can get a “good side” reverse take it but don’t shy away from “blind side” as there will come a time when that will be your only option. If in doubt get out and look unless you know people offering assistance be wary of their advice - YOU ARE THE DRIVER not them. Don’t beat yourself up when it goes belly up; don’t get cocky when you land it without shunting.
If it is any help I still go from awesome to awful in a matter of hours as long as you don’t hit anything, make the delivery and everyone walks away it is a successful day.
Thanks guys it’s just when theirs loads of other drivers waiting to get unloaded and they am watching I get nervous I’m looking for someone where I can pay and practice in their yard maybe to get confidence
It’s got nothing to do with confidence, it’s an ability issue you have. In fact it’s good you’re not confident as if you were you’d ■■■■ up. There is no easy fix, just practice. Try not to put pressure on yourself by rushing, nice and steady, and watch your trailers wheels. The squarer you can come in the better too. At certain places you won’t have the margin either side of the space to come in at an angle I.e Cambridge services & Boots Nottingham, so practice jacking it in whenever you can instead of taking the easy option.
hingley12345:
Thanks guys it’s just when theirs loads of other drivers waiting to get unloaded and they am watching I get nervous I’m looking for someone where I can pay and practice in their yard maybe to get confidence
Get over the self conscioness for a start, any driver that judges a new driver is a prick anyway so not worth worrying about. Don’t be afraid to stop and ask for help. 90% of drivers will happily watch you back.
hingley12345:
Thanks guys it’s just when theirs loads of other drivers waiting to get unloaded and they am watching I get nervous I’m looking for someone where I can pay and practice in their yard maybe to get confidence
If they are ‘proper’ drivers mate they will voluntarily help you if they see you are having difficulty.
If they are arsewipe drivers (of which there are many 
) they will not… simples.
Do not put too much lock on at outset, the more you put on the more you need to take back off, do try and gauge it to minimal adjustments.
Try and reverse in a wide arc, rather than cutting in and trying to correct it.
Get out as many times as you think you need to check, do not rush it no matter who you are holding up, that is when ■■■■ happens, so just take your time, practice and it will come.
Do not try and compete with guys that have done it for years and can reverse on a penny piece, but do watch HOW they do it, and just try and slowly develop your own ability, and it will become second nature.
Believe me mate it WILL come, I used to be the world’s worst, I even ballsed it on my test, but still managed to pass. You are not the only one.
So what if they are watching mate?
Try to adjust/change your mindset to take them out of the equation, as worrying about them is probably handicapping you. It’s not like you’re going to be down the pub with them later, with them ripping in to you. They also aren’t going to holding up scores when you complete the manoeuvre either. And you’re definitely not going to get paid a bonus for nailing it in one! So just go in with the attitude that if it takes a few shunts and hops out the cab, then that’s what its going to take. Chances are you will actually do better than you expect if you don’t set yourself too higher standards to achieve.
Evil8Beezle:
All us Newbie benders lack confidence :
By the way E8b, if ever you are up my way be careful who you tell that you are a ‘Newbie bender’ Especially if you end up in one of our pubs… It has a whole different meaning up here
Reckon I have saved you either getting a smack in the teeth, or maybe even making a new…‘‘friend’’ on your visit…depending on which pub. 
As the others have said on here, TAKE YOUR TIME, and try and tune out the spectators,
It is hard to do that as you feel that they are all watching a sniggering, but take your time & get out and look if you are not sure,
If they are in that much of a hurry, they should get out & help,
No shame in getting out to look, I do it all the time, better a few shunts than a bump
Good luck with it.
On your journeys pop into every service area or lorry park on route, for a piddle if you’re on tracker and some arse wipe is trying to justify their non job watching you.
In that service area find a marked bay where no matter how badly you ■■■■■■■■ up you can’t do any damage, then reverse into said bay from all angles, your own side, blind side, mirrors only, leaning out the window, leaning out the door (thats my way but some jobsworths get all unnecessary if they see you)…we all have our own particular method that suits us.
If you do this a couple of times a day for a week even you’ll feel the improvement, none of us were born good at this so as said its all practice.
As Robroy says, take no notice of other drivers, if i see a bloke struggling i’ll offer a hand, if i see one doing this on the services i’ll give him a thumbs up for having the good common sense to learn where its easy and its almost impossible to do it wrong/damage.
First things first, spotlessly clean window and mirrors are a must, if you can’t see where you’re going you’ve lost already, but mainly cos the last lovely lady who dresses to please might cruise gently past you today and if you miss that vision of joy you’ll never forgive yersen… 
The other important thing is setting the mirrors up properly before you start, a lot of vehicles run round with mirrors set as they might have done in the Battle of Britain, unless you are very unlucky you’re not going to get an enemy fighter trying to strafe you from behind your left ear 'ole, so set 'em proper like…
One other thing, make sure you’re in the lowest gear possible, preferably the manouevering gear if the lorry has one, some lorries you might have to hold the gear lever in D or R for a few seconds before M or some other symbol appears, in normal reverse the vehicle can be too fast, with arsetronic boxes in particular careful throttle control can take a long time to perfect especially with more extreme manoeuvers.
But that come sunder learning your lorry, and it can take an long time to fathom all the idiosyncracies.
I’ve been driving artics for 30 years and I still manage to get it spectacularly wrong at least once a day. 
robroy:
Evil8Beezle:
All us Newbie benders lack confidence :By the way E8b, if ever you are up my way be careful who you tell that you are a ‘Newbie bender’ Especially if you end up in one of our pubs… It has a whole different meaning up here
Reckon I have saved you either getting a smack in the teeth, or maybe even making a new…‘‘friend’’ on your visit…depending on which pub.
Rob ive had to report your post as its blatant cockblocking.
Ive had a bad few months with my online groomings, even the newbie section is wary of me now. Im gonna have to start looking in the old timers section soon. Fresh meat is getting harder to ■■■ upon these days.
As far as reversing goes, your always going to get good advice on here. Starting position is half the battle even when im in the correct position I like to tickle her forward a little.
Slide her in slow and steady, try not to enter your to slot to much on the ■■■■■, learn your trailers pivot point (middle axle on a standard tri), practice, practice, practice.
Try not to worry about other drivers, they will usually help apart from the odd ■■■■ and you can guarantee if you nail it in one the buggers will pretend they werent watching.
As they say, theres no prizes for doing it in one (unless in competition conditions), dont be afraid to get out and check and dont be a ■■■■■ have a shunt.
I was absolutely horrendous when I first started driving.
Just couldn’t grasp it at all.
I think it was due to the fact I was doing argrculture work on a wagon and drag that didn’t involve much reversing.
Then I done multi drop in arctic round London. I had to learn pretty fast. After a few weeks or a month of arctics it just clicked one day.
Like what a lot of lads are saying take your time and don’t rush.
If you rush and get stressed 9/10 is when your going ■■■■ it up.
If you ask anyone mate we all reversed into posts and stuff when we started and it all happens when your stressed out.
I know it sounds stupid mate but after a few months of reversing on bays and tight places a few times a day it becomes natural and you can predict where your trailer is going end up with the amount of lock and steering your putting on.
Also most of end depends on having a good starting position before reversing.
If you have good starting position it makes it half the battle.
Your still struggling to reverse after a year 
, a few months maybe but a year still struggling to reverse would have alarm bells ringing , not sure what the answer is to be honest , not what I’d expect .
Or do you mean blindside , I find it easy , but know a lot of drivers who never seem to get the hang of it , had one ask me the other day how I got into lane , said just blindsided it , the look of terror on his face , I just put it in for him , obviously been driving years as had grey hair
Don’t worry about drivers waiting most will be saying I remember i did it
like that
It like ■■■.
Things always start out tight as a virgin.
As time goes by things get a little easier.
Then one day you find out there’s so much room it’s like riding a whale.
Chill out take it easy enjoy the ride
Dipper_Dave:
robroy:
Evil8Beezle:
All us Newbie benders lack confidence :By the way E8b, if ever you are up my way be careful who you tell that you are a ‘Newbie bender’ Especially if you end up in one of our pubs… It has a whole different meaning up here
Reckon I have saved you either getting a smack in the teeth, or maybe even making a new…‘‘friend’’ on your visit…depending on which pub.Rob ive had to report your post as its blatant cockblocking.
Ive had a bad few months with my online groomings, even the newbie section is wary of me now. Im gonna have to start looking in the old timers section soon. Fresh meat is getting harder to ■■■ upon these days.
Robroy, it means exactly the same down here in the South, but as I’ve seen that Dipper is getting frustrated, I’m being a tease!
I’d give him the number of one of my brothers, but if Dipper has been to the Torture Garden, they may have already met! 