So… I passed my class 2 around two years ago and have been driving 7.5 very regular since and in June this year I decided to go for my class 1 which I passed first time.
Today was the first day I went for an agency shift on class 1. After quite frankly making a hash of reversing onto the dock we came to an agreement I would cut my loss and go home unpaid.
Obviously this has put a downer on me as I would love to learn but just don’t know how? Any advice on best place/way to get some experience and practice.
Please don’t take the p##s as I’m sure we have all been there??
I’m with Alliance…stuff working for nowt just because you stuffed up reversing.
Believe me after you’ve been driving for a few years you’ll see lots of people who have been driving Class 1 for years who can’t reverse for toffee. In by brief stint as a Stobby shunter I was on a shift with a guy who I know had been driving for over 30 years and he couldn’t put a trailer on a bay with a tug.
Best advice:
When people start they get too eager on the steering wheel. Instead of putting on or removing a bit of lock and going back for a bit and letting the trailer start to turn they see the trailer not turning so put on more lock and then the trailer turns too quickly. Before long the pendulum effect is on the go and they do 3 miles side to side in the cab for every foot the trailer goes backwards. You want to be adding steering lock or removing it no more than an eighth to a quarter of a turn at a time and giving the trailer time to react.
If you completely balls it up just pull forward to get the whole lot straight and start again.
We’ve all been there and even those who are good at reversing will occasionally have a day where the damned trailers just won’t do as they’re told.
why don’t you see if you can book a days lesson on reversing with a school ,wether that is feasible I do not know.just an idea …I dare say google may help…Only advice I can give and am a tech not a professional driver ,is get lined up as best as possible and keep steering movement to as minimal as possible ,
Don’t give up. Ignore any mocking ■■■■■■■■■ and just keep calm.
Every driver out there has been in the same position.
It took me a couple of months before I started to feel confident in most situations. I still mess up but it doesn’t bother me now. I just move off and start again.
I found that there are alot of really helpful guys out there that are more than happy to pass on their wisdom.
Two sugestions that helped me were:
Get as straight as possible as soon as possible.
Don’t over steer, give the trailer time to react.
Any driver who gives you any grief is not worth ■■■■■■■ on.
Keep going.
Do you have a towbar on your car, or can you borrow someones car and/or trailer, if you can spend a few hours in a quiet car park perfecting reversing, size isn’t the problem (as i keep telling my mrs) the basics are exactly the same.
Otherwise you’ll have to find someone prepared to teach you, either a friend if he has access to a motor or you’ll have to pay a driving instructor for some intense training.
Don’t worry about bollxing up we’ve all done it, and don;t worry about going home unpaid, put it down to just one of those things…in a short while you’ll look back on this and laugh.
I say this to every new driver, take a few minutes every day every trip to practice the reverses you don’t like where there’s no danger of hitting something, its when the pressures on that you muck up so make it easy for yourself by getting used to it.
Don’t worry about it I watched two experienced guys get removed from an induction last week because there heads had gone with the pressure of other lads watching them reverse onto a bay at asda it happens to everyone I think it’s all about your initial manoeuvre in setting up for the reverse , use all the space available to get yourself in the best position for an easy reverse everyone’s different I prefer to use as much room as possible to set myself up but other lads seem to prefer to almost jackknife onto bays just take you time next time and find what’s best for you.
Juddian:
Do you have a towbar on your car, or can you borrow someones car and/or trailer, if you can spend a few hours in a quiet car park perfecting reversing, size isn’t the problem (as i keep telling my mrs) the basics are exactly the same.
Otherwise you’ll have to find someone prepared to teach you, either a friend if he has access to a motor or you’ll have to pay a driving instructor for some intense training.
Don’t worry about bollxing up we’ve all done it, and don;t worry about going home unpaid, put it down to just one of those things…in a short while you’ll look back on this and laugh.
I say this to every new driver, take a few minutes every day every trip to practice the reverses you don’t like where there’s no danger of hitting something, its when the pressures on that you muck up so make it easy for yourself by getting used to it.
I don’t think the car thing would be worth bothering with, to be honest an artic is easier. The op needs practice reversing with nobody about to get his confidence back.
Being a tech I only reverse in to 3 or 4 bays,same bays every day ,only difference may be customers abandoning vehicles where they shouldn’t ,but I know the layout inside out and yet when the yard is empty I still muck it up…it happens …Look at truck manufacturers ,they build trucks day in day out ,they still make mistakes ,commonly known as RECALLS but they don’t stop making vehicles…So don’t worry ,you just have pride and want to be professional,nothing wrong with that .Just learn from any mistakes that is all anyone can ask
I think this highlights the problem with most LGV instructors, who teach people how to pass the test, not how to actually drive.
The reversing manoeuvre on the test is learned not by practicing but by learning to turn the wheel so many times at point a then another certain number of times at point b etc. This may get you through the test but doesn’t really help in the real world.
DO NOT GIVE UP, keep at it the common problem is that at first you will turn the wheel to much, just practice. You will find the easiest reverse is the one you ■■■■ up and everyone will be watching you, and then the hardest blindside reverse you do and get it in one, there will be no buggar around to see it And all the idiots who are watching you and taking the p have also been where you are now.
class1john:
Don’t give up. Ignore any mocking [zb] and just keep calm. Every driver out there has been in the same position.
It took me a couple of months before I started to feel confident in most situations. I still mess up but it doesn’t bother me now. I just move off and start again.
I found that there are alot of really helpful guys out there that are more than happy to pass on their wisdom.
Two sugestions that helped me were:
Get as straight as possible as soon as possible.
Don’t over steer, give the trailer time to react.
Any driver who gives you any grief is not worth ■■■■■■■ on.
Keep going.
Exactly!
I remember being in the same position and for some reason (why I still cant explain) it just clicked and I barely take a shunt now…stick with it pal I promise it will come…Good luck.
maestegboy:
Some people find it easier to reverse with the drivers door open!
Give it a try!
i can never understand why they do this.
So it won’t be worth wasting time explaining, including the secondary benefits, why some of us have been doing this for donkeys years…a clue, think reflections but not by sight.
And all the idiots who are watching you and taking the p have also been where you are now.
what agency are you with on which contract? 