Few drivers are perfect, and lorries are so big and unwieldy that incidents are almost inevitable.
Everyone talks about ‘experienced’ drivers versus new drivers, but what is ‘experience’'? Surely it is that time spent learning how the vehicle behaves, how it cuts in and swings out, how you can’t see half of what is going on behind you etc. Until you have that, how are you supposed to be a perfect driver? You can be as careful as you like, but if there are things you don’t know because you haven’t yet learned them, how are you supposed to avoid every possible incident?
Each time you have a little ■■■■ or scrape you learn something new, and you put that into your bag of ‘experience’. Hopefully you’ll never make the same mistake twice - that’s probably the time when you should start doubting yourself.
My ‘experience’ bag has a nice accumulation of half a dozen or so little lessons I’ve learned during my first year driving lorries. None of them were serious, all were low speed manoeuvring problems, and they are getting less frequent.
MickyB666:
I think you have the right attitude “telling myself that everybody makes mistakes especially when they first start out”…
I think it’s the wrong attitude.
It’s like giving yourself a get out of jail free card to smash things up as much as you like. An excuse to not be as careful as you should be.
I agree it would be the wrong attitude if applied as you describe however the comment was made under the premise that the OP is a conscientious new driver who already endeavours to be as careful as possible and not some unscrupulous person who thinks it would be okay to use it as an excuse to “smash things up”.
Speaking from experience as a new driver “telling yourself that everybody makes mistakes especially when they first start out” is better than needlessly berating yourself after the event, you cannot rewind the clock and the sooner you attain a state of mind that permits you to reflect on events objectively the quicker you can learn from the mistake, become a better driver and reduce the risk of a repeat of the same mistake.
I hope this explanation adds clarity to the comment I made.
ORC:
Few drivers are perfect, and lorries are so big and unwieldy that incidents are almost inevitable.
Everyone talks about ‘experienced’ drivers versus new drivers, but what is ‘experience’'? Surely it is that time spent learning how the vehicle behaves, how it cuts in and swings out, how you can’t see half of what is going on behind you etc. Until you have that, how are you supposed to be a perfect driver? You can be as careful as you like, but if there are things you don’t know because you haven’t yet learned them, how are you supposed to avoid every possible incident?
Each time you have a little ■■■■ or scrape you learn something new, and you put that into your bag of ‘experience’. Hopefully you’ll never make the same mistake twice - that’s probably the time when you should start doubting yourself.
My ‘experience’ bag has a nice accumulation of half a dozen or so little lessons I’ve learned during my first year driving lorries. None of them were serious, all were low speed manoeuvring problems, and they are getting less frequent.
chicane:
Actually war1974 there is a lot of pressure put on newbies by planners, TMs and customers to do things as quickly as experienced drivers, with the implied threat that they won’t be kept on after the trial period. It’s utterly wrong, downright stupid and incredibly short sighted but there it is. Is it any wonder that many newbies think ‘I can do without this carp’ and leave as soon as they can.
i am aware about pressure but why make it harder? I spent about 6 months on pallet work and quickly found that they can call/text/moan all they want i get done when i am done.
they will only push so much if you let them and yes its hard as a newbie but my argument back would still be the truck is safe the good got delivered and yeah i took an extra half hour.
chicane:
Actually war1974 there is a lot of pressure put on newbies by planners, TMs and customers to do things as quickly as experienced drivers, with the implied threat that they won’t be kept on after the trial period. It’s utterly wrong, downright stupid and incredibly short sighted but there it is. Is it any wonder that many newbies think ‘I can do without this carp’ and leave as soon as they can.
i am aware about pressure but why make it harder? I spent about 6 months on pallet work and quickly found that they can call/text/moan all they want i get done when i am done.
they will only push so much if you let them and yes its hard as a newbie but my argument back would still be the truck is safe the good got delivered and yeah i took an extra half hour.
Trouble is some of them just can’t see it that way, took me a while to develop the ‘it gets there when it gets there’ mindset.
Accidents happen…BUT…my old man would have battered me if I did not get off my Arse and out of the cab and take a walk about and a good look first.
No disgrace in doing that if it’s tight or unsighted.
my first weeks / shifts were (and still are) shaky as well.
Class 1 multidrop in central london is not the easiest thing for the newbie. I managed not to hit anything so far but i was quite close to posts/gates and it was only my luck i did not hit anything (or unconciously picking the line that just about allows me to pass through).
However i have already passed 7.5t except for access sign when i got lost and the bloody sign just appeared after the bushes ( i was travelling straight ahead) so i did not even break and carried on. Question - what do you do when you see the 7.5t sign when you don’t really have other options but reverse on to a busy junction? i know i should look better and plan further ahead so what the practical advice is when you failed?
Also i keep trying my luck but now with potential three points for jumping a red light. I know i was flashed (saw only one but that does not mean it was only one flash) which i supposedly triggered by the trailer wheels but can’t say for sure now. i misjudged my speed, but the other way round: i thought i was travelling too fast (still within the speed limit of 40 - around 35, i slowed down a bit but not enough obviously) to stop. My only hope is that the cab passed on the yellow (which to me it did) but i am ready to accept the three points unfortunately.
so not a very good start either and yes, after that incident i was thinking whether driving is for me
Getting lost is down to inexperience, we’ve all done it.
Clipping the car is the same with a bit of bad luck chucked in, just ■■■■ it up, move on and do not let it affect your confidence. Do not fall into the trap of being ott too careful, that is when ■■■■ does happen, just remember what you have learned about observation especiall y checking those mirrors often.
Don’t worry too much about it bud, there aint a driver on this forum that has not ballsed up at one time or another.
Even me …
Shakey? Yeah. I passed my Class 2 then Class 1 a month later. I had no commercial driving experience so the agency sent me on a 7.5t job from Skem to Halifax. Easy, I was Billy big Bollox on my first day out. That is until I got lost, took a tight left at some lights and smashed the side of a car in and drove off cos I didn’t know I’d done it. I wondered why I was being chased by an old couple in a car! Brought me down a peg or two, I thought my career was over in a morning.
Stick at it and soon enough it becomes an amusing anecdote on a truck forum and experience in the bank.
I know I said that “everybody makes mistakes especially when they first start out” and I am by no means using that as an excuse. I have been beating myself up since the accident took place.
I am taking everything in and watching the lines other drivers take at junctions. Im also asking for advice when waiting at depots for collections, and so far everybody has been very very helpful.
I feel that this week has already started out better than last week ended.
I know I said that “everybody makes mistakes especially when they first start out” and I am by no means using that as an excuse. I have been beating myself up since the accident took place.
I am taking everything in and watching the lines other drivers take at junctions. Im also asking for advice when waiting at depots for collections, and so far everybody has been very very helpful.
I feel that this week has already started out better than last week ended.
Chin up fella,when I passed my class 2 I didn’t drive for 6 months then registered with an agency to work Saturdays while doing my mon-fri job.
First Saturday agency rang me could I go as a pair of hands to co-op and I would be allowed to drive to the first drop and then back from the last drop under supervision to get some road time.
Turned all up keen on the Saturday to be told they knew nothing of the agencies plan and I was going out in my own to do 4 drops round Sheffield,I have no maps,sat nav or anything because I was told otherwise by the agency.
Anyway I’m babbling on,to cut a long story short I got my first drop and managed to knock a wall down by driving into the car park ( loading area wasn’t on the car park,I was just flustered and panicking because I let things worry me like making sure I got the drops done ect)
I did 2 drops took the other two back,took me 13 hours that day…I had never even opened a A-Z before so after buying one in Sheffield after driving round aimlessly for hours trying to find my first shop I still struggled massively.
In part I still blame the agency/co-op for what happened but ultimately it was me behind the wheel so the blame stops with me.
BUT 11 years on I’ve had no other accidents apart from that one so touch wood I’m doing ok,but that first day certainly made me realise the truck had two ends not just one!
Eric Rambler:
That car should never have been parked there.
This excuse means nothing,regardless of whether it should or should not of been there it was a stationary object that was hit,can’t blame a stationary object for an accident.
Eric Rambler:
That car should never have been parked there.
This excuse means nothing,regardless of whether it should or should not of been there it was a stationary object that was hit,can’t blame a stain art object for an accident.
Unless it’s a .com van because Trucknet has taught us that they are fair game.
Eric Rambler:
That car should never have been parked there.
This excuse means nothing,regardless of whether it should or should not of been there it was a stationary object that was hit,can’t blame a stationary object for an accident.
True, but like some nastily positioned overhanging branch, low bridge or bollard, the mere fact of that thing being there makes it more possible that contact might occur. However, it is optional to badly park a car and it is more likely to be hit if in a busy, dangerous position, not that I’m stating it’s OK to hit it, just that it’s riskier.
Back with the OP, one must learn not to repeat one’s mistakes, else one is a fool. Ahem! I know how the OP feels and I fear having an accident, which is both a good and bad thing in that it obviously encourages you be more careful but introduces an element of stress and almost, paranoia. I always try to get deliveries done (quite regularly going to places we shouldn’t, e.g. in an inappropriately-sized vehicle) but on very rare occasions it must not be attempted due to whatever hazard: discretion being the better part of valour. Or you have to get people to move… A little experience and you should be able to judge widths etc. better. I tend to get out if a gap looks like it’s less than about a foot wider than the vehicle just to be safe (not allowing for the extra 2 yards of mirrors!). Others may have probably lower or higher margins of error. A miss is as good as a mile as they say, usually in a different context though.
You somehow have to keep an eye on the 4 corners of the vehicle when manoeuvring at low speeds, I was told once, bearing in mind that e.g. in London something might be coming at you from each corner! You should be wary of damned overhanging objects as well as things on the ground as I have found.
… 