now intoo my 4th week of class1 which up until yesterday has pased without incident, BUT yesterday i stupidly mADE THE MISTAKE of letting others judge the situation, i had too get the unit and trailer intoo reading auction site which is also a ncp carpark area , 2 lorry drivers told me they would watch me through gates ,ok says i even though ivegot in before on my own ,prob being this time lots more obstacles including the arsey hgv 1 driver who had parked in the turning area and had been aske too move but wouldnt. anyway gets the front end in with major swing out of trailer and narrowly avoiding concrete pillar on my right side , GO ON DRIVE GO ON DRIVE LOADS OF ROOM , THEN WOOOOOAAAAAAAAA , MY LEFT SIDE 3 quarters along catches post and shreds curtain big time , yes admitedly i coulda looked left more but i was so concerned with my right , when i got out and asked the 2 drivers if they were watching the back end ,both said nah sorry mate ■■■■ happens and cleared off too cafe . never again will i listen or accept from others LEARNING CURVE PERHAPS ,boss was ok said not too worry people in firm had done worse , aslso like too thank the ignorant ■■■■ in the wood waste artic for not even moving his artic too provide more room ,more concerned with his bacon sarnie ,hope karma comes his way 
never mind, you’ve learned the hard way.
if you have to back on to a ferry in the future you will have the same sort of help, but they use whistles and wave there arms around, they will try to get you as tight to the next lorry as possible, they don’t give a toss about damage to £100000+ trucks, so you just tell them to [zb] off.
It’s ok to let other CE drivers watch you reverse a CE providing you are sure that they are in your view all the time and are confident that they can see what you cannot.
just too point out rog i was going in forward 
It is a sharp learning curve, but you should trust others even so. Only up to a point though. If you have any doubts at all, it is better to get out and look for yourself. You can always say you just wanted to size it up for yourself if they get miffed.
Phil, I always trusted the guys on the ferries except for the ones out of Hull. Most of the crew were really good at getting it right.
I wouldn’t worry mate, i made a similar mistake in my first week driving artics. Was backing onto a bay next to another artic, it was tight & the warehouse man was watching me back. Keep coming keep coming he said, go foward & try again he said blah blah blah. When i had finally backed onto the bay i got out & he said you just hit that truck. I told him he was watching me back & why had he not stopped me. Since then i don’t trust anyone. If i’m not sure i get out & look as many times as needed & regardless of who’s watching. Better for people to laugh at you for getting out to check then laughing at you for hitting something.
At the end of the day there is two types of drivers. The cocky ones who think they’re better than everyone else & were never in a situation as a newbie & needed help…so they say.
Then there are the ones who will go out of there way to assist you as i know what its like to be a new driver. These are the real drivers & i have come accross alot like this & i just ignore the others.
GOTTA GET my self picked back up feeling a little gutted etc and on edge but my boss says it will stop me doing it again it wil STICK in my head now , wot pees me off most is ive got the damm thing intoo some right sod holes including speedy hire yard wharside way old trafford ,now that was a sod but i done it in one with the traffic held for me and onlookers , if anyone knows it its right on corner of road just in front of the bridge too old trafford car park
The best ones are the banksman that tell u what way to turn the steering wheel when they are in your mirror 
really gets on my ■■■■ that does. I cant help but tell them my feelings aswell, normally along the lines of “cheers for seeing me back mate appreciate it but i do no what way to turn the steering wheel” and with a little smile goes a long way 
topmixer11:
GOTTA GET my self picked back up feeling a little gutted etc and on edge but my boss says it will stop me doing it again it wil STICK in my head now , wot pees me off most is ive got the damm thing intoo some right sod holes including speedy hire yard wharside way old trafford ,now that was a sod but i done it in one with the traffic held for me and onlookers , if anyone knows it its right on corner of road just in front of the bridge too old trafford car park
Everyone makes mistakes But the good drivers don’t make the same mistake twice. Your boss obviously knows this from experience. And as for other drivers or forkies watching you in or out 
Just remember it’s your wagon and your responsibility. If your not sure look for yourself. And don’t worry about upsetting them as proper drivers will understand, It’s what they would do themselves.
You’ve only been at this for a month so don’t worry you’ll have far more tricky drops in the future. And I’m sure others will agree that some days you can have a real ■■■■■ of a manouver and you’ll slot it in first try 
Other days you’ll have an acre of space to put it straight back on the bay and you’ll end up having 3 or 4 shunts to get it right 
That’s just the way it goes. And remember you will see and learn something new almost every day 
first thing monday morning can never get it right laugh at myself cos i know it,s gonna happen and thats after 20 yrs no ones perfect just smile and try again
FarnboroughBoy11:
The best ones are the banksman that tell u what way to turn the steering wheel when they are in your mirror
Surely. when reversing, left hand down a bit/right hand down a bit. Is a lot easier to understand than left a bit/right a bit? If given by someone who actually knows what they are doing. especially in an artic, when there are so many parts going in different directions.
The OP has learn’t a valuable lesson in trust but there are some instances, where a yard manager, for example. Will know exactly the lines to take, to get you where you want to be.
Still got to obey the rule. If in doubt, get out though 
Why is it that so called professional drivers will sit in their cabs in an RDC and watch a fellow driver try and get into a tight spot? It is no shame to accept help and if it prevents an accident all well and good.
A little help from someone who knows what they are doing is much appreciated even when you have been driving for many years.
Another point, the bin lorry that collects my rubbish and virtually all tippers have rear view cameras, when will artics join the rest of them?
renaultman:
FarnboroughBoy11:
The best ones are the banksman that tell u what way to turn the steering wheel when they are in your mirrorSurely. when reversing, left hand down a bit/right hand down a bit. Is a lot easier to understand than left a bit/right a bit? If given by someone who actually knows what they are doing. especially in an artic, when there are so many parts going in different directions.
The OP has learn’t a valuable lesson in trust but there are some instances, where a yard manager, for example. Will know exactly the lines to take, to get you where you want to be.
Still got to obey the rule. If in doubt, get out though
I agree but i didnt mean them ones, i ment those that actually do the motion of turning the steering wheel 
i remember a job i did last year. reversing into a building so as you can imagine, light outside, dark inside, i couldnt see what was going on but the bloke there guides drivers in all the time. following his directions i struggled so i pulled out, had a look at the lines for myself and just got on with it. got it in no problem. its since then that i have come to the conclusion that a lot of this job is about instincts rather than all round vision. have a look before you start so you know what you need to do and be aware of then just do it. your instincts will tell you what to do and if you get that niggling feeling, jump out and check for yourself
if i need help with manouvers and sum1 offers i dedicate a certain part of the trailer to watch out for, as you can usually manage everythink else, saves him flapping his arms and appearing and disappering in your mirrors, i always get out cab if am worried about gettin too close to another drivers unit, you no how it is get told to park on bay 13 and between to other units, always use extra caution!! and this is because i was droppping at boots nottingham, and i happen to glance up to watch a young driver trying to do this such manouver so i watched a little as he got closer and closer to one of the units, as i sat there my attention was drawn to the unit he was slowly reeling in and i noticed that the driver was sitting in it watching him get closer and closer, to my absolute horror the driver had no intention of warning the lad so i gave 3 loud bursts on my horn and the lad slammed on( the unit he was in bouncing everywere). i then got out my cab and told him he was inches from the other unit and i helped him to back it in,…then the driver of the other unit pretended to just notice what was going on so my exact words can not be typed on here but the only english bit was why didnt you warn the lad you (zb), his reply he’s got his license just like me, well he got it both barells i mean this is what you encounter everyday useless selfish arrogant losers, its making me mad thinking about it now
we all need help at times and we all get it wrong alot of the time its like me i can judge blind side better than normal side to an extent which winds me up
Just think of it like this…the first one is out of the way. In a way it will take some pressure off you, you’ve had your first knock and it had to happen at some point. Now you can get on and not be worrying about hitting something. You’ll laugh about it in a few months
C-Kay:
Just think of it like this…the first one is out of the way. In a way it will take some pressure off you, you’ve had your first knock and it had to happen at some point. Now you can get on and not be worrying about hitting something. You’ll laugh about it in a few months
Amen brother, just look upon it as a steep learning curve!
C-Kay:
Just think of it like this…the first one is out of the way. In a way it will take some pressure off you, you’ve had your first knock and it had to happen at some point. Now you can get on and not be worrying about hitting something. You’ll laugh about it in a few months
Thinking about the mistake I made on Friday I can laugh about now but it could have had disaterous results - my trailer wheels went over a kerb and one went back on the road it werent half swaying about, I thought it was going to roll over 
Why was it “Vital” that you damaged your truck ?
DAF95XF:
C-Kay:
Just think of it like this…the first one is out of the way. In a way it will take some pressure off you, you’ve had your first knock and it had to happen at some point. Now you can get on and not be worrying about hitting something. You’ll laugh about it in a few monthsThinking about the mistake I made on Friday I can laugh about now but it could have had disaterous results - my trailer wheels went over a kerb and one went back on the road it werent half swaying about, I thought it was going to roll over
I was on holiday last week, got back in on Thursday after 9 days off and it was like starting all over again, ■■■■■■■ bricked myself going round some bends with the milk slop