reversing

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

had my ist ouch :blush: moment thurs night, caught one of there trailers when reversing in and tore the curtain for about 6 inches, been going to the same place for 12 months , 5 nights a week and never hit anything, dont know how i did it, never felt a thing , was sure the back corner was o.k ,but when i went round to wind down handles noticed it and reported it. must admit its really got to me , spent thurs morn from 4 to 7 am just wirling it round in my head in my bunk, went there again fri and as soon as shunter said hello wrecker and showed me the rip on his phone i just couldnt put it in the normal place and ended up putting it in middle bay of three[ confidence shot] . talking to a old hand later and he just said forget it and just chalk it down to experiance, he said ive seen you reverse and there nothing wrong with it apart from you always go for the difficult spot, use your head when you come in a yard , stop look round and pick the easiest bay because if you dont the next driver will, and if youve got any doubts get out and look.
i understand what hes saying but how are you going to get as good as the ones whove done it for years if you pick the easy options, or is he right

2

of course he’s right, he’s been there and done it.
go for the easy option every time, if theres no easy option then do the tricky manouvre
listen to the man and learn, only a fool ignores free advice and makes life more difficult for himself
as for the knock, its minor and just a dent to your pride
if thats as bad as you get, you’ll have had a good career.

3

all part n parcel of the job mate, despite what one or two would have you beleive on here, EVERYONE makes a pigs ear of it sometimes.
a few months ago a wiped a sign out one night at a steelworks i go to everyday and got some right stick for it for days, off the other drivers and security men. i’d think in reality theres not a driver in the country who could honestly say he’s not bumped a trailer.

4

We all have good and bad days, we all get tired, and sometimes make mistakes. :wink:

As said before - a 6 inch tear in a curtain is not the end of the world - it can be fixed! I’m not saying become careless, and bounce your trailer of the two either side when reversing into a gap - but keep things in perspective.

I agree with Paul - I think there must be very few drivers who have never knocked a motor. :blush:

I spend most of my time shunting these days, and my Terberg spends more time in ‘R’ than in ‘D’ - I literally reverse miles every night. I’d say I was (without wishing to sound cocky) as good as most others, at manoeuvring trailers in tight spots. But I still ripped a hole in a tautliner recently while reversing into a space on my good side. :cry:

The tautliner was to the nearside of the trailer I was reversing, and although it was too far to the right and over the line - it was still my ■■■■ up - I hadn’t properly assessed the space I was using. Yes I felt bad, but my boss wasn’t bothered at all because he knew I didn’t do it deliberately, and that I don’t make a habit of it.

When I’m shunting, I find it amazing watching other drivers go for tight spaces on the blind side when it’s unnecessary - WHY? What does it prove? Always go for the easiest space or bay you can see. Avoid blindside reverses unless it is absolutely essential. :sunglasses:
.

5

Everyone who has posted is saying the same point
it does happen and it has happened to us all as this
is apart of the ongoing process called learning,and NO
one every is finished with learning as they have all said
take the easy route,and when you are haveing to put the
trailer some where tighttake your time stop look ,also
ask if some one is around to watch you back,

WE all have done little mishaps as we are human
but as long as one learns from these mistakes
that is what counts.

6

Easiest option always, and if you can spin round and back in on your sighted side - do it - that’s not a copout, it’s good sense.
Don’t worry about practice, you’ll get plenty of opportunities where the difficult option is the only one, because people who don’t drive wagons, don’t know how to plan for them.

7

Put it down to experience,and move on.

None of us is 100% perfect,and even the most experienced amongst us,still have a minor indescretion from time to time.

And remember this,those who are taking the ■■■■ out of you now,will have their day with egg on their face as well,and you can be sure you’ll be at the front of the queue to dish it out.

Ken.

8

Rule number 375 of driving if know one saw you, never admit it :unamused:

9

Quinny:
Put it down to experience,and move on.

None of us is 100% perfect,and even the most experienced amongst us,still have a minor indescretion from time to time.

And remember this,those who are taking the [zb] out of you now,will have their day with egg on their face as well,and you can be sure you’ll be at the front of the queue to dish it out.

Ken.

GOOD ADVICE …Don’t believe all the hype mate…the ones that take the ■■■■ are the ones that usually do the same runs all the time so are like hamsters on a wheel…step perfect…but take these folks out of their comfort zone with new challenges and they are not infalable…its all part of the learning curve buddy stick at it… :wink: :wink:

10

I wish a six inch tear in a curtain was the worst thing I’d ever done. :frowning: :frowning: :blush: :blush:

Forget about it, move on. If you worry about it too much you’ll start making a balls up of every reverse because you’ll be too worried about doing it again.

11

Coffeeholic:
I wish a six inch tear in a curtain was the worst thing I’d ever done. :frowning: :frowning: :blush: :blush:

Come on Neil, spill. I heard you wrote off a Scania :open_mouth: . Nowt to worry about there then. :smiley:

12

Rob K:

Coffeeholic:
I wish a six inch tear in a curtain was the worst thing I’d ever done. :frowning: :frowning: :blush: :blush:

Come on Neil, spill. I heard you wrote off a Scania :open_mouth:

That’s true Rob, I did. It was the first truck I had as an OD and I jack-knifed it on the Antwerp Ring Road, 100% my fault. Ended up sideways across 4 lanes of traffic and thankfully manged to miss everything else on the road. Among other damage was a sore head where I banged it on the door/window, dented pride and slightly soiled under garments. :wink: :smiley: :stuck_out_tongue: The unit and trailer faired worse than that, the unit was a write off and the trailer had some damage to it’s offside.

Worst thing of all, I had just come back from taking a week off and during that week I had forked out a large sum for new pistons and liners to be fitted. :imp: :frowning: :frowning: Might as well have flushed that money down the toilet as it turned out.

13

Dafman:
Rule number 375 of driving if know one saw you, never admit it :unamused:

did the same last week or so i thought…3 weeks into job backed trailer into tight spot in our yard,noticed huge rip in curtain and told boss i think i just ripped big hole in said trailer…the blue 1 near the end says he…yep says i…dont worry dave that was done earlier…big sigh of relief from me and mucho respect from gaffa for admittin it(although it wasnt me)