driveress:
What a gift of a thread, just at the right time for me, thanks Riz. I need to get my recent reversing experience off my chest. It’s encouraging to me that you have driven Class 2 for 15 years, passed Class 1 with a clean sheet and still find reversing trailers a challenge.
After my first proper Class 1 experience on Friday (multi-drop), I’m struggling to believe that I will ever cross the bridge from reversing a trailer being a complete mystery to me to it clicking and becoming instinctive. I seem to remember feeling like this about learning to drive Class 2 and passing the Class 1 reversing test, so I am also aware that it’s probably all part of the learning curve but ■■■■, the learning curve is long, challenging and demanding.
It’s also depressing when Class 1 drivers with years of experience admit to occasionally struggling with a reverse. Although a driver I was out with the other day put that “every day is a school day” into context by explaining that it’s more about occasionally having to come out of your comfort zone, so when he gets a new drop he has to learn a new reverse, which he had to do relatively recently. This particular one was a 90 degree blindside into the tightest, filthiest yard you’ve ever seen. I was sat next to him while he performed wizardry with only a cone to help him. I felt sick at the thought of having to do it.
I know that I can read as many tips, watch as many videos, play as many simulators and watch as many drivers as I like but nothing will prepare me for reversing an artic than actually doing it. As someone who’s only been driving professionally for 14 months and still gaining experience on Class 2, I dream of moving onto Class 1 without having to go through the pain of learning how to reverse the hard way. The fact is, for me as an agency driver, it’s either learn the hard way or don’t do it.
Last week when the agency booked me in for 2 days at a new client, they ever so casually mentioned that one day was a Class 2 the other a Class 1. I protested that I wouldn’t be able to do the Class 1 because I can’t reverse. Neither they nor the client seemed bothered! I requested a day’s training with a driver and they did arrange that. It was helpful and daunting in equal measure but we still had a full delivery schedule so I only drove for half the day because I’m too slow and we needed to crack on. My main takeaway from that day was I don’t know what I’m doing.
I have had two other outings in a Class 1. The first was in a single axle trailer. I had 4 drops, I knew about them the day before so I could plan. I did have to do some reversing and I had a lot of help from a couple of young forkies who had grown up driving tractors. The second didn’t really count and wasn’t planned. The yard I was working at had a maintenance issue with the class 2 vehicle I was supposed to be driving and needed a collection doing and when they saw I had C+E they put me on it.
The only reversing I had to do, bar straightening up a bit in the customers yard, was park it in the yard when I got back. They said park it anywhere, which I did, then a forkie came out and said “You’re not leaving that there are you? Park it next to that trailer over there and get it nice and tight”. Thankfully he was a driver and talked me through the whole manoeuvre once he could see I was struggling.
So, Friday…twin axle urban trailer but not rear steer, no real opportunity to plan. I won’t say I had a [zb] day because that’s not true. I felt like [zb] but it would have been a whole lot [zb] if people had been impatient with me or rude to me. Actually everyone was so nice and helpful. It never ceases to amaze me how many people who work in warehouses/as forkies are former drivers. They all say it will come. I have a hard time believing any of them!
The worst was having to reverse off a main road into a drop. I tried several times and couldn’t do it. It takes about 6 seconds before car and van drivers lose patience, and I lost space in front to pull forward enough, so I just had to move onto my next drop which was further down the road. I managed an ugly turn-around and returned to the site of the abandoned reverse, pulled up on the road and asked them to tip me from there. I was surprised to hear from them that what looked like a straightforward reverse to me, a lot of drivers struggle with.
Another nightmare scenario - a very public three point turn left me feeling like a complete wreck at the end of the day. I’m supposed to enjoy this, right? All my other reverses were in yards where I could take my time. It makes such a difference to your ability to concentrate when you know there is no timer ticking and other drivers watching and getting impatient. You actually have a little time to think about the many things that might help you get it right: don’t oversteer, wait for the trailer to respond etc etc
Finally, 8 drops and 1 collection later I was on my way back to the yard, all my reversing done for the day, when I remembered, [zb], I will have to park this up in the yard. I very nearly jumped out and asked one of the other drivers to park it for me, but I persevered. As I was doing it, I had a very brief feeling of “that looks and feels right” and was surprised as hell when it all aligned and back it went. Fluke or first step of the elusive clicking?
I think what could possibly work for you is to just volunteer yourself into whatever class-1 work they have, even if you dread it. But try to see the positive side rather then dread it because otherwise you end up having to fight your nerves and attempt to reverse all at the same time. And try not to be self-conscious if people are watching. You WILL get better if you keep a positive attitude!