obviously an “old” post thou" relevant, me , learned like yourself will , to make more contact with anyone who i think can help i.e. ask them , AND tell them , if i must b against the bay , 2 shout very loud just before they think they should ,cos i"m 50 feet away , on top of a very loud engine! if none driver helping they most likely dont realise that. amazing the little things us drivers have 2 learn .
I feel like a total idiot. Today I’m delivering steel and I’m having to back into this building because they’ve got one of those cranes to lift it off.
I’m going nice n carefully, lots of observation - it was a 3 month old volvo fm9 and the boss would probably skin me if I scratched it.
However… I forgot about the foot and a half of steel girder overhang at the back, and put a huge dent in the side of the bay.
I feel a bit stupid now… but what I’d really like to know is… what were the THREE guys watching me back doing? Having tea? Grr. And then they laugh at me!!
Sorry to hear of your misshap today Dapper… 
I would have gone mental at them. 
. standing there laughing at you when it was their [zb] job to see you back?? … Hope you lodged a complaint with there boss 
…
Unlucky m8,it happens to us all sooner of later,(preferably never 
)
Sorry to hear about that Dapper, if it is any consolation I tried to re-arrange a fence on Tuesday with a standard length trailer. 
Heh, by the time I’d got back to the yard the Chinese Whispers had done the rounds.
Everyone came rushing out to see the damage I’d done to the now “totalled” motor and find out exactly how I’d “knocked over a wall”. l I had to disappoint them all.
i chewed up an electronic gate and bumped into sainsburtys bay killing the electric…take care
I backed under a fridge on night - did the lines and legs put in into gear and set off. Did not check the 5th wheel pin and drop the trailer on its knees.
Lucky there were 2 fork lifts there and they picked up the front of the trailer and I just backed under and locked into it.
Some places are beyond a joke, I did some work one night for the local bakery. " Put it on ## " I’m told, then having done so the same zb manager has a go at me for breaking his flood light by reversing in to it.
Its 3am, its dark & the light is not working, I’ve been told to put it on the bay without any warning about the light. so I tell the manager I will only fill out the insurance form with the full details, at home, so if he wants me to tell everyone what a zb zb he is & go straight home to do so, he had better hold an HGV as he’s just lost me for the night.
Dapper Scavenger:
I feel a bit stupid now… but what I’d really like to know is… what were the THREE guys watching me back doing? Having tea? Grr. And then they laugh at me!!
As they were feeling inferior because they can’t drive a anything that size, they were probabley watching you hoping you’d hit something so they could take the ■■■■ out of you. I once backed into a gaffers car. He didn’t bollock me for it so much as they guy who watched me do it (he sacked him ) didn’t say a word to me 
.
TheBigOne:
He didn’t [zb] me for it so much as they guy who watched me do it (he sacked him
Whilst I’m expert on H&S, I do know that under Sections 7 & 8, EmployEES have a duty to “To Co-operate with their Employer & Other Persons in ALL matters relating to Health & Safety.”
Which would seem suitable justification for sacking him.
Too many people take the attitude that “It’s nowt to do with me”. However, once in the workplace, it has everything to do with them.
This afternoon I was in a yard where I had to ‘screw’ the unit and trailer round. Not being too familiar with the yard, and having a sleeper cab with no rear window, I was a little uncertain as to where the back end of the trailer was.
Another driver was standing about 20 yards ahead of me. He had a line of sight with the end of the trailer and gave a ‘thumbs up’ and a nod. That was all that was needed. I then knew I was clear. That’s all it takes. 
Krankee. The bloke watching me had just had a major shunt and cost him a load of money. He was sat their hoping I’d hit the thing so it wasn’t just him who’d done it. The gaffers take on it was I should have got out and had a look (I thoroughly agree with him) but with the bloke in view in my mirrors I’d have been expecting some sort of help at night with floodlights in my mirrors. I think he just lost patience with him. Your right about the thumbs up though, most are too ignorant to lend a hand . BTW, I offered him insurance value for his motor, claimed the tax back (11 months) and flogged it at a profit as it wasn’t too badly broke .
Dapper Scavenger:
I feel a bit stupid now… but what I’d really like to know is… what were the THREE guys watching me back doing? Having tea? Grr. And then they laugh at me!!
Don’t want to start any trouble or anything, but could it be they were less than helpful because you’re a woman? Some drivers are known for giving the ladies a rough time… no offense to any of you guys.
Some are, but then others are extra-helpful. Its hard to tell what you’re going to get sometimes.