listen to what your told
but don’t take everything at
face value
Hiya BB - I passed my class1 on Aug 1st, and can absolutely relate to your post. The rule of thumb : wheel anti-clockwise = trailer swinging in to your o/s, and vice versa. Don’t grab huge handfuls of lock to start your reverse - just a gentle turn does it nicely. You can always feed some more in as the turn progresses, and it’s far easier than cancelling out an overzealous beginning. Never be too self conscious (or lazy) to climb out and assess your position, and feel perfectly at liberty to shunt to your heart’s delight. If you start to observe where your trailer wheels are at, you’ll begin to develop a feel for when to start giving it some opposite lock to get your unit back under it and into line again. Remember it’s still turning after you begin to straighten out. After 6months, I’m finally reversing without stressing - and so will you!
If anyone gives you any crap, ignore them (completely) cos they ain’t worth the time of day.
Congrats on passing btw!
Oh, and Matt - Wisemans dairies might be worth a sniff.
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Hiya BB - I passed my class1 on Aug 1st, and can absolutely relate to your post. Don’t grab huge handfuls of lock to start your reverse - just a gentle turn does it nicely. You can always feed some more in as the turn progresses, and it’s far easier than cancelling out an overzealous beginning. Never be too self conscious (or lazy) to climb out and assess your position, and feel perfectly at liberty to shunt to your heart’s delight.
Yes this is exactly what I’m doing then suddenly I’m at a stupid angle and trying to get out of it makes it worse. I’ll certainly try the more gentle turn next time,good tip that thanks. I did get out a couple of times so that’s no problem for me,yes there will be those that thinks what the hell is he doing but sod it you gotta learn
Beggersbanquet:
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Hiya BB - I passed my class1 on Aug 1st, and can absolutely relate to your post. Don’t grab huge handfuls of lock to start your reverse - just a gentle turn does it nicely. You can always feed some more in as the turn progresses, and it’s far easier than cancelling out an overzealous beginning. Never be too self conscious (or lazy) to climb out and assess your position, and feel perfectly at liberty to shunt to your heart’s delight.Yes this is exactly what I’m doing then suddenly I’m at a stupid angle and trying to get out of it makes it worse. I’ll certainly try the more gentle turn next time,good tip that thanks. I did get out a couple of times so that’s no problem for me,yes there will be those that thinks what the hell is he doing but sod it you gotta learn
Did my 1st reverse onto a bay thursday night having passed my test Wednesday and my 1st attempt wa only slightly off it was when shunting that the magnet in the wall was switched on (didn’t help the audience of night packers watching the newbie) so the regular night driver said he’d take over and do it . Friday the regular day driver was about to back the artic onto the bay and he asked me if I wanted a go but as he is a trucker of many years I chose to jump into the cab and see how he did it . This week I’m not out until friday and it’s supposed to be in the 18tonner but just in case I’m going to see if when the day driver comes back I can jump in and reverse onto the bay .
Ironically I was going to ask the question regarding the reversing as on test you have a nice big area and you only reverse into one area which is no good when like me the bay you reverse onto is the other way around and the cones aren’t there either .
It’s nice to see that others have problems aswell .
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(didn’t help the audience of night packers watching the newbie)
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Oh no I can imagine that,all laughing and pointing what a nightmare !
Good idea about jumping in with another driver see how it’s done from inside the cab. I’ve seen clips on YouTube etc of reversing and whenever I’m parked up I watch any artics around me doing a reverse but reckon would be better actually sitting in the cab
Beggersbanquet:
(didn’t help the audience of night packers watching the newbie)
[/quote]
Oh no I can imagine that,all laughing and pointing what a nightmare !
Good idea about jumping in with another driver see how it’s done from inside the cab. I’ve seen clips on YouTube etc of reversing and whenever I’m parked up I watch any artics around me doing a reverse but reckon would be better actually sitting in the cab
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It was really good where as I sat in cab and used mirrors (completely forgot about reverse camera ) he leaned out the window (reverse to the right) and watched the trailer go where he wanted and the straightened up .
If I get chance this week guess what I’ll be trying also remembering the reverse camera is useful tool for centering correctly onto the bay .
Gillberry:
Beggersbanquet:
(didn’t help the audience of night packers watching the newbie)
Oh no I can imagine that,all laughing and pointing what a nightmare !
Good idea about jumping in with another driver see how it’s done from inside the cab. I’ve seen clips on YouTube etc of reversing and whenever I’m parked up I watch any artics around me doing a reverse but reckon would be better actually sitting in the cab
[/quote]
It was really good where as I sat in cab and used mirrors (completely forgot about reverse camera ) he leaned out the window (reverse to the right) and watched the trailer go where he wanted and the straightened up .
If I get chance this week guess what I’ll be trying also remembering the reverse camera is useful tool for centering correctly onto the bay .
[/quote]
This is also where I confused myself,at first was using just the mirrors and seemed to be going ok ( apart from the too much lock to start with ) but then I leaned out the window and forgot which way I should be turning the wheel…yeh I’m easily confused ! Joking aside reversing is a fundamental part of driving an artic obviously so the quicker we get to grips with it the better for everyone. Next time I won’t hesitate to go and chat with another driver and just ask him to watch what I’m doing and where I’m going wrong,think most would especially in your own depot/yard.
That’s the thing driving is the easy bit the reversing on the other hand is the bit where we have to get into the tightest of spaces but you only learn to reverse into a bay of cones for the test . Watching others in the real world and getting tips is one way forward but practice and time are the only things that will help .
Everyone knew about my calamity at work but those who are class 1 drivers (3out of 20+) said it will come with time they weren’t worried that I stuffed it first time .
I think going by my experience of reversing a caravan on site with lots watching is that over time you get more and more used to it so that before long you do it 1st time or with one shunt and that’s with people watching so I’m not too worried 
I found that the agencies are no good for newbies. Milk deliveries multi drop gave me my foot in
I got my first C+E job last month with a reputable local company, who are sick of being let down by folk, and using too many agency drivers, so they’ve bitten the bullet and started giving newbies a chance.
I had a full day with the company trainer, basically showing me how to reverse into awkward spots.
I don’t profess to be a natural, but I can feel myself getting more confident by the day.
It’ll come with time, just don’t get stressed and beat yourself up over it. Use your eyes, and when necessary get out and use your legs.
Twenty shunts is better than one bump in my humble opinion. And don’t be frightened to ask a driver for help, they’ll have been a newbie once too.
I remember not being able to park a puddle jumper in Beaconsfield Services when I first started driving for a living. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d get an artic in without several grands worth of damage.
Biggest thing in my opinion is remaining composed. Once I start getting flustered or rushing is when I start making a right royal balls of things.
toby1234abc:
Find farms that run their own trucks, hay or straw haulage.
If he has no experience I don’t think that work would be a good start, baptism of fire.
I would get onto agency work, first 6 months or so just do a mixture of class 1 & class 2, don’t worry too much about whether you’re doing one or the other.
Multi-drop is crap but every workplace has different ways of doing things, different vehicles, procedures etc which is good experience. You need to learn when to do things by the book, and when to relax a bit and use common sense, that comes easiest imo from varied agency work. Even if you arrive at the conclusion that agencies are a bit scummy, it’s still best to play the game for a few months, and then decide to continue on agency or zero in on the permanent job you want.
RE; reversing, 100% you will be a natural and a year from now you won’t be phased at all by manoeuvres which at the moment phase you. Also bear in mind that trailers are always going to handle different based on how much weight there is, whether it’s gravel or tarmac, how many axles. So even old hands can misjudge then tidy it up with a little tug forward and go again.
Congratulations on your pass 
If it’s anything like Perth Australia - then do what I did tell a few white lies with fingers crossed and say 10 Hale Mary’s 
I also got a close friend that has a business that uses 7.5T to write a reference. They phoned him and he told them that I have been driving his class 1 and I’m a fantastic driver.
Its hard, but think of a solution not the problem and it will work out…Good Luck