To be or not To be?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Fun time…

I made C+E after 5 goes at the test.

First job was a happy trunking job marred only by a new supervisor who used to scream at everybody and generally bad mouthed anyone who he didn’t like.

Next two jobs on Containers (which I love) I binned both on training day two. I turned up to get my stuff.

I am so not proud at all.

Last container job - great training - all good. Can’t reverse for **** but realise it takes 6 to 9 months to get really good at it.

As my total time is about 4 months - I am still dreading arriving at a drop in case I mess up the reverse. Sometimes I slot it in in one go and other times its ten attempts to get it in.
I always get it in, in the end but that’s not the point.

In Southhampton I lined up three times and went around again so as not to hold anybody up, a great system that lets you do that. The straddle driver was VERY patient.

So, I did not drive since November because of Chinese New Year. It all went quiet.

One job came through and I rejected it with a view to binning the whole idea of lorry driving.

Then one fine day, in April. A year since my Class 1 there was a chipper positive agency who sold me the idea of my favourite port and day work and I was keen. So sent them all my driver cards but damage my eye whilst doing that. Opticians, then eye hosp. Followed by eye hosp and all better now - still with good 20/20 vision with specs.

But, as time goes on. I am procrastinating getting back in the saddle.

I’ve been back to drivng school to do more reversing.
I’ve had councelling about this reversing malarky.
And, either I want to do it or I don’t.
If I don’t do it. I get poor and there’s no fun.
If I do do it, I’m bricking it before the get go. So, I’m stuffed if I know what to do.

Maybe temping with an agency is lighter than doing full blown shifts of 2 x 15hrs plus the rest as per WTD. Incidentally, is it me or does the WTD seem to want to make you work to your absolute maximum legal limit?! I thought WTD was to protect the driver. and the worker but if you look at it another way it reads like a program instruction manual for a robot - machine. No wonder the pay is good, it’s a rat ar sed way to work!!

2

Get on class 2. And get your confidence boosted on skips or bins.
You sound typical of the new pass who goes straight to class 1 without experiencing lorry driving at all.

3

Newbie 1:
I always get it in, in the end but that’s not the point.

I disagree… Getting it in, is the point.

Dont worry about how long it takes to do the job. Dont try and do it quickly.
Do try to do it smoothly and calmly, and almost magically, you will be quicker at it.

Newbie 1:
But, as time goes on. I am procrastinating getting back in the saddle.

If you see that in yourself, then the solution also lies within yourself!

4

To/.

Narc and Franglais,

Thank you and merci bien for your insights.

Well, it’s warm (not) and sunny so maybe it’s time to get back to work.

Indeed, it IS the point getting it in.

Thanks again. External viewpoint is always valuable.

Hope you both have a great day!!

5

Buddy, I can see your angle, being nervous about reversing, but honestly put those fears to rest, no one gives a f of you get on a bay in ten shunts or twenty, we all started off exactly the same, needing experience before it came naturally. I struggle to get on some bays still after over ten years of practice.

Even today, it was a new yard I’d not been to, hardly space to spin the trailer into a decent position, it took me three shunts to get on, I wasn’t worried or stressed out, even though it was a busy yard with other trucks on bays, those guys were busy looking at their phones to care. As long as you don’t hit anything, just crack on mate, get in there, you’ll get the hang of it. Don’t give up, we’ve all been there.

6

Btw, I’ve done container work, it’s some of the hardest places to get in and out of, it seriously put me to the test, with plenty of experience. I would try for some fridge work or even parcel companies like UK MAIL, Whislt, much easier drops and collections of you need to build up your confidence.

7

I was thrown in at the deep end. Steel deliveries to stockholders mostly.
New pass, always right around 44t and some of the tightest places to deliver to.
Took a good 18 months to get proficient at reversing and I’m just over 2.5 years in now and have got better again.
No substitute for practice and experience. Nothing fazes me now.
Its just time under ya belt that you need. There is no magic solution, experience and practice.

8

Thank you guys,

You won’t believe this because, I certainly don’t but I started with your messages fresh in my mind and your words exchoed around my brain (but in a good way) like in the movies.

Anyway, I started work on Tuesday after Bank Holiday and literally put to rest my fears as you said.

And, just did it, just got on with it, really not giving a flip who is there or not and watched all the nice videos on YouTube at some great Lena the Trucker type of videos, she who has the personality of a Princess and loads of driving experience and Hayley another good driver, that American Chinese guy and quite a few more.

Sorry, I ravell on, and I just did it. I left the fear in the bog and just got on with my job.
The option of driving skips or bins helped a lot.

And, in this last …two days Tuesday and Wednesday I’m on days, heck o’clock in the morning …and I got everyone of the reverses done with minimal kerfuffle. I couldn’t believe my peepers. Again and again, started with fridges, full of fruit, you soon get used to the noise.

Access down tiny lanes, (because I saw an artic on break and I thought, well if he is there then it must be right.) and sure enough it was.

Then today, one or two things like a puncture on the M25 and this guy, came to fix it from the tyre people, and he was the salt of the Earth and just like a superman from Romford and he was just so great needing the strength of an elephant and he changed the super single in about 10 mins, amazing!!

And, I had to back it in round a corner of the building and it wasn’t going to do it, just watch the tyres they POINT TO THE WAY THEY WILL GO and if you’ve vent the lorry you’ll need some ground covered straighten it out and the first two were obviously not going to make it so I went furrrrther forward until ne, the trailer and the nearby metal fence were all in agreement and slotted it into the ramp.

And all this revolution just happened, like that!

The problem was caused by over thinking over steering, it only needs bits at the right time in anticipation of what it’s going to do next. All the other drivers looked bored reading their newspapers than to pay any mind to me.

“Calmly and Smoothly”
“”“Take your Time”“”
Underrated words of deep wisdom from you guys.

Thank y’all so much, really!

Newbie 1

You should all sign up for psychologists school - I mean it!

9

MikeDBristol:
Btw, I’ve done container work, it’s some of the hardest places to get in and out of, it seriously put me to the test, with plenty of experience. I would try for some fridge work or even parcel companies like UK MAIL, Whislt, much easier drops and collections of you need to build up your confidence.

Thank you!! MIKE DBristol - As if by magic, or Jesus, I started my fridge job (fruits )and it was joyfully easy around Lincolnshire - it was a fun, fun day. Tuesday

Today, I was on containers and all sorts of stuff happened, not my fault. Am perfect me, LoL but the reversing, sensational!! Well, almost but no problems.

You are right fridges are a dream. A noisy one but a dream, they are so light and fast at 52mph.

Swap and Drops too I feel like a kid with a load of new Tonka toys etc.

10

Great to hear your enthusiasm for the job again! Well done [emoji106]

11

Newbie 1:
Thank you guys,

The problem was caused by over thinking over steering, it only needs bits at the right time in anticipation of what it’s going to do next. All the other drivers looked bored reading their newspapers than to pay any mind to me.

Firstly, no problem, I’m glad some words of wisdom helped you mate.

Secondly, you hit the nail on the head. Its mind over matter, I’m glad you took the comments on board and thought to yourself, yeah, i can f do this. F everyone else.

Even though you’re a stranger in the Internet, we’ll probably never meet but id like to just say, I’m proud of you.