Hi all passed my class c+e last February and since then the firm I worked for sent me out 25 times or so , same route each time London and back but at the end of November I was told no more driving just warehouse work . I finished with them Xmas eve , had 2 days induction for the my new job last week one day in the office doing the computer based induction and the second day taking an empty trailer to one of their depots and picking up a full one to comeback with .
Have to say am looking forward to it but I am really nervous about the revesring between the trailers as a lot of the time the room to manoeuvre is minimal . I’ve looked at all the reversing threads on here and all though they are very helpful I realise experience is the only real thing that will help also things like how much space do you need for a u turn in a yard . The only reversing I did in my previous job was onto the bay back at the depot the rest of the driving was mostly on dual carriageway or motorway which means I really am doing something new .
Anyway happy new year to you all and hope you all have a good one .
Take your time,don’t rush. You’ll think every one is looking at you but believe me they’re not. Take as many shunts as you want. Good luck.
Thanks , getting used to when the trailer moves and how much it does or doesn’t is going to be a big thing as in my last job there was what seemed like acres of room for manoeuvring whereas in my new job it will be a lot tighter . I know it will come but as the newbie I think I’m more nervous of causing damage .
It’ll come to you the more you do. Don’t be afraid to get out and look. Use as much space as available.
Gillberry:
Thanks , getting used to when the trailer moves and how much it does or doesn’t is going to be a big thing. .
Ask your new boss if you can go in on a wk.end when no one is there to practice for a couple of hours 
,my mate done that, and I went with him to help him.
Don’t put armfuls of lock on, take it around gradually on an arc, using ALL the space that is available to you, until you get into a position where the arse end of your trailer is virtually paralell with the headboards of the two trailers either side of the space
And back in straight tickling the lock to correct it.
. Backing in on an angle between them is much harder to do and to correct, and you are more liable to hit one of them.
The more lock you put on , you have to take the same amount off when straightening up, so trial and error
Keep getting out of cab to check …as many times as you think fit, it doesn’t matter.
Take no notice whatsoever of any other drivers watching you they have all been the same as you at some point.
If they are ‘proper’ drivers they will come over and help you, if they are d.head drivers they will not…■■■■ them, and if one is filming you with a camera, deck him …ok I did not mean the last bit 
…or maybe I did. 
Hope that helps, I’m the world’s worst at explaining things and giving directions, in fact reading it back, I don’t even get it myself . 
Mate…I was the worlds worst reverser during and even after my test, it just comes with practice and experience.
Good luck, the first 30 years are the worst.
I find with newbies that they usually still have their ‘Rigid Head’ On, the brain automatically turns the steering wheel as they would on a rigid instead of starting the trailer turn (by turning the steering wheel the opposite way to where you want to turn it/if you get what I mean) then follow it with the tractor.
I was training a new lad on New Year’s Eve & we were practicing around a quiet corner for about half an hour, he got it a couple of times than started messing it up, turning the steering wheel the wrong way, potentially Jack Knifing the whole lot, so we decided that he was over thinking it & drove off to another location, after 10 minutes we found another corner & reversed again & he started to get it, all in all we spent four hours just playing, eventually reversing onto a bay to collect a couple of pallets (that took him a few shunts) without any damage.
Practice any where you can, do a few long straight reverses to get the feel of the direction/correction on the steering wheel (it’s opposite to where your brain is telling you) It will eventually Click, it’s surprising how small a gap you can squeeze a trailer into, potentially 3 or 4 inches apart, just means that you’ll be crawling underneath to let the brake off (use the air suspension on high to pull it out, then wind the legs up [emoji6])
Finally, as mentioned already, take your time, it’s not a race. [emoji106]
Yep you get used to it but can still have off days even when you can normally nail it so just take your time and as many shunts as you need, if in doubt get out and look and or ask someone to STAND WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM 
while they watch your blind areas.
Tri’s and tandems handle differently but the ‘tail wags the dog’, if you get the trailer lined up and keep it going the right way the unit will more or less follow.
Two bits of advice.
Don’t over steer, see what the trailer is doing before you wear your arms out.
If in doubt - get out. Your handbrake allows you to see the dark side
Thanks guys I have the theory of reversing and have done it in areas with loads of space and reversing the trailer between 2 others I’m not worried about when I have enough forward space to get the cab and trailer in a position with a small angle left to negotiate but when we drove into the yard Wednesday to drop the trailer off the yard was full and the angle was very tight , it took 5 shunts with the trainer as banksman . As he said to me I was taking the lock off too soon which would have put me straightish and I could have shunted with a minor adjustment . A lot of my problem was watching for the pivot wheel to turn and being worried that if I didn’t catch it in time I would hit the trailer on my offside whereas the reality was I was straightening too early and risking hitting the blind nearside trailer . When we got back to base depot putting it between 2 trailers was no problem as I had more forward space to get an angle I was comfortable with and even though I had to shunt to get straight between the lines that was fine , it’s just that the base I will be working out of is the one that is tight and you’re reversing in between trailers from a major angle as the gap you have is roughly an artic lenght apart which is no problem when you are used to your gaps but in my case I’m not used to what the artic can do when in tighter situations .
Sorry for being long winded , and the thanks for the advice .
When you are short of forward space and you are going for the gap in between two trailers (and this is easier to do than explain on here) you need to take the opposite angle than you normally would
You need to drive past the gap and stop with the back end of the trailer at about lined up with the third trailer from the gap and the cab about four foot from the trailer next to you on your right, so you are across the trailers rather than at an angle but even then you do need to be at a slight angle with the back of the trailer slightly further away than the cab, so totally opposite than what you would normally do, if that makes sense (as I said it’s hard to explain)
Start reversing and you will find that the trailer will be moving away from the trailers (which is what you want) then using small turns and when you get close at some point you will have to give it a big lock and jack knife it in, taking the lock off as it straightens up.
I hope that makes sense because I’ve just read it back and confused myself now 
Reversing is like coitus, the more you worry about it the softer it gets or in this case the harder it gets, well thats not like coitus at all so im starting again.
Overtime it gets easier and you will start to get a feel for that exact moment to take the lock off. Starting position is half the battle and just when you think your in the perfect spot pull forward a bit more. Watch the middle wheel of the trailer as thats the pivot point on most standard triaxle trailers.
Relax and take your time, the moment you think youve mastered it you havent. Never be afraid to try a blindside as this will hone your skills quicker than always going for the goodside manouvre.
Im one of the worlds worst reversers (although a few of maritimes can give me a run for me money), but just occasionally pull off something special when no ones around.
In the end dont panic and always remember the golden rule which is dont be a Unt have a Shunt. (Unt = lady bits).
Why is it describing reversing is so hard
I’m hoping that like you guys coming on here with helpful advice that my new work colleagues are as helpful .
What been said is so true.Take it easy and retry if you have too.
Im in my 3rd year and still mess up some times.We all do.
Good luck with the job and enjoy the ride.
Pull into the services and have a playfully soon see how much room you need to spin. Just be careful if you have a loaded trl and one with weight on the front so that it don’t tip and snag on the 5th wheel runners. Also spinning is not always the best as it’ll ruin the tyres and dig up tarmac
Best of luck Gillberry, and as a relative Newbie myself I feel your pain and trepidation…
Martin is bang on about having a “Rigid head” on, and this took me a week or so to snap out of, which was lucky, as I was starting to get frustrated with steering the wrong way. 
It does go away, and your reversing skills will come on leaps and bounds in the first month or so!
The one thing I had issues with that isn’t mentioned above, is the 90 degree reverse into clients yards off the street…
Fairly stressful for a Newbie, as you’re normally holding up traffic, and dealing with impatient morons that try to slip down the side of you as you’re about to start the reverse! 
To start with, I was trying to use too much lock to get the arse of the truck pointing into the target entrance and as a result pivoting the unit around the wheels of the trailer. Not really an issue when you have LOADS of space, but on narrower roads, you risk running out of space on the far side of the road… After making a hash of it a few times I EVENTUALLY realised that I needed to go further past my target entrance, put a little bit of bend on, and watching the bend increase/magnify as I reversed straight backward up the road with the unit. Judging how much and when to make little corrections comes with practice, and I’m still practicing A LOT!
Best of luck, you will get there, as will I…
Just forget about anyone else watching, waiting and filming, sod em!
Evil8Beezle:
Best of luck Gillberry, and as a relative Newbie myself I feel your pain and trepidation…Martin is bang on about having a “Rigid head” on, and this took me a week or so to snap out of, which was lucky, as I was starting to get frustrated with steering the wrong way.
The one thing I had issues with that isn’t mentioned above, is the 90 degree reverse into clients yards off the street…
Fairly stressful for a Newbie, as you’re normally holding up traffic, and dealing with impatient morons that try to slip down the side of you as you’re about to start the reverse!
To start with, I was trying to use too much lock to get the arse of the truck pointing into the target entrance and as a result pivoting the unit around the wheels of the trailer. Not really an issue when you have LOADS of space, but on narrower roads, you risk running out of space on the far side of the road… After making a hash of it a few timesBest of luck, you will get there, as will I…
Just forget about anyone else watching, waiting and filming, sod em!
Thanks evil , your 90degree reverse best describes the full yard I will be reversing trailers between .
I know it will come with time and being a caravaner (criticise all you like ) I’m used to an audience when reversing so it’s not that bothering me just being in a scenario where I know what I need to do but why can’t I do it 
What little reversing I have done so far has given me a good idea it’s just that now I’m going to be doing it in smaller spaces than I have before and my head needs to get around the size and space 
robroy:
Hope that helps, I’m the world’s worst at explaining things and giving directions, in fact reading it back, I don’t even get it myself
Don’t worry mate, I’m sure Juddian will be along to explain it better!
One of the most important bits is setting yourself up for a reverse, if you get yourself positioned pretty ■■■■ on you’ll make the reverse half as easy!
i’m sorry but i fail to grasp why adults worry over such a thing as reversing,having passed a test for hgv were it was part of the test ,it’s as simple as this ,when you was a toddler you underwent potty training had the odd mistake but mastered it in the end ,have you made the wrong call since ,yes we all have but very few and far between,then you learnt to tie your shoe laces and mastered that but do your laces come undone sometimes ?yes but you tie them the same way so why is that , in all honesty once you know the basics of reversing an artic nobody can teach you any more because they can;t see what you can see ,the only way it can get better is by the practice makes perfect method ,nobodys laughing at you most people will help you ,some wont but they are areholes any way ,and in a few months you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about.every time you get in to drive it is a unique experience,every time you load /unload reverse etc it is a unique experience,approach everything with confidence and every day is a learning curve so take something from it ,good luck in your new job ,and enjoy
buses:
What been said is so true.Take it easy and retry if you have too.
Im in my 3rd year and still mess up some times.We all do.Good luck with the job and enjoy the ride.
Still messing up in your 3rd year, I still mess up after 25 years and I’m the best driver I know
We are kings of the road for a reason