Backing into a loading position this morning in the artic, got out had a quick look as it was a bit of a dog leg reverse behind some puddle jumpers nobody about, plenty of space. Nearly a width and a half of my trailer walks back and start to reverse with the reverse beepers on and hazards happily flashing away then all of a ruddy sudden WHOAAAAA bloody whoa driver, slammed on jumps out and judging by the noise the chap was making I’d run over a bus of nuns heading for Lourdes, I said what the F’s up pal, you’ll never get that in there driver I’ll go and get the accident form while you bend it he said, I followed with a polite F’ off of course, now I’m all for assistance but bloody hell !!!
It makes a change from " we’ve had much bigger than that in here drive" . The answer to your question is yes I often get people supposedly helping and making it worse, then when you ignore them and get out and look for yourself they look at you as if your stupid.
knight2:
It makes a change from " we’ve had much bigger than that in here drive" . The answer to your question is yes I often get people supposedly helping and making it worse, then when you ignore them and get out and look for yourself they look at you as if your stupid.
What does my nut in is when a banksman is meant to be helping switches constantly from left to right and back… That and the whole moving just the fingers right in line with their faces and then just standing there when you’re meant to stop instead of holding up a hand.
Had customers before try to operate the locking pins on the skelly before, as much as I like people helping it does my nut in. I don’t know what buttons they could be pressing…
DJC:
What does my nut in is when a banksman is meant to be helping switches constantly from left to right and back… That and the whole moving just the fingers right in line with their faces and then just standing there when you’re meant to stop instead of holding up a hand.
Had customers before try to operate the locking pins on the skelly before, as much as I like people helping it does my nut in. I don’t know what buttons they could be pressing…
Or when they dissapear from view, talking to someone.
Right hand down a bit! left hand down a bit! waving arms about in circular motions! I usually get out and inform them that I know how to make the trailer go wherever so would they kindly just point in the direction they want the rear end of the trailer to go and shout like hell if I am going to hit anything, especially on the blind side.
matamoros:
Right hand down a bit! left hand down a bit! waving arms about in circular motions! I usually get out and inform them that I know how to make the trailer go wherever so would they kindly just point in the direction they want the rear end of the trailer to go and shout like hell if I am going to hit anything, especially on the blind side.
Exactly this. I tell them to leave me alone and only move their arms or shout if im going to hit something.
If its fark and raining its often hard to distinguish between different arm signalls especially, as others have said, the banksman keeps switching between the N/S and O/S.
Reminds me of the ship’s crew that blew their whistles and wave at you like a drunk octopus to guide you in to board the ferry.
Sometimes reversing up a ramp, then a blind side reverse in to a tight spot with not much light to see.
If you disobeyed their orders and steered without their instructions, they would go mental.Blowing the whistle in rebuke.
At an antequated warehouse in Porto, the manager also blew his whistle to guide you between pillars and posts inside the depot, blind side reversing.
Garland Laidleys depot where Euro Psl had their subsidary warehouse.
Cobbled streets from the horse and cart days.
There’s another side, it must frustrating when the bloke at the wheel you’re trying to direct hasn’t got a clue.
Some drivers all you need to do is stand somewhere he can see you whilst you keep an eye on the blind side for him, others you need to tell them exactly when and how much to turn and then which way or you’ll be there all bloody day while they manoeuver themselves into an impossible position whilst you get choked in fumes and clutch linings.
Best ones are trying to see the driver peering round past half a side window view of tasselled curtain…are peek a boo curtains welded in place or is against some code of conduct to actually draw the things out the way so you don’t wreck several thousand pounds worth of lorry and building…and don’t get started on the ones who’s windows and mirrors are caked in dried on salt and a years worth of woodbine residue on the insides.
matamoros:
I usually get out and inform them that I know how to make the trailer go wherever so would they kindly just point in the direction they want the rear end of the trailer to go and shout like hell if I am going to hit anything, especially on the blind side.
That’s me as well I hate it when told which lock to put on as if I’ve never reversed before, really annoys me. OK some (ex drivers - sometimes the worst) are ok but I don’t know who is who. As stated above by matamoros, tell me where you want the trailer and I’ll do the rest - and shout like hell if I’m about to hit
Banksmen on construction sites are a pain. The ones on the Oxford-Bicester railway upgrade make me laugh. They have little “AA patrol” type boxes to sit in and a few will jump out and wave at me to slow down and indicate to put my beacons on (circling motion above the head) when I pass their site entrances. They get so arsey that I’ve seen some taking down my reg number to “ban me” from their job, which I have never been on or will actually ever go on.
Anyone passing these sites, put a piece of paper in your windscreen with “CBJV” on it and really confuse them. They’ll think you’re delivering there.
I had some knob shout WHOA when I was reversing onto a sainsburys loading bay in the nineties,i jumped out thinking I had hit someone and asked who shouted it and this guy said me,when I asked why he said he felt like it,i called him all the names under the sun and said if he ever done it again he would not be able to speak with a broken jaw[mind you I was a bit of a hothead then,chilled a lot since those times]not worth it anymore
I love it when the banksman (loosely termed) makes motions at you as which way to turn your steering wheel by circling his arm around…JUST TELL ME WHEN I AM CLOSE TO SOMETHING OR SOMETHING IS APPROACHING I CAN DO THE REST …caps off
I hate it when someone does proper banksman signals as all I understand is hand moving = keep coming, hands waving like a ■■■■■■■/whistling/shouting = stop
It starts to get ridiculous when your “banksman” is using the hand signals his training course provided and then starts to gesture to another employee where such and such pallet is! It looked like he was trying to swat a fly
toby1234abc:
Reminds me of the ship’s crew that blew their whistles and wave at you like a drunk octopus to guide you in to board the ferry.
Sometimes reversing up a ramp, then a blind side reverse in to a tight spot with not much light to see.
If you disobeyed their orders and steered without their instructions, they would go mental.Blowing the whistle in rebuke.
.
I had a right ruck with one on the Stranraer Belfast, he kept pointing irately to keep tight to the ship side before I turned right at the end, what he didn’t realize was I had kooi/moffit on the back, and if I had done as he said, I would have took out the panels on the side of the ship. I was in a left ■■■■■■ foreign reg truck so he thought he would show off to his mate and talk to me like a ■■■■ . When he realised… a. I was right after seeing the kooi sticking out on the arse end, and b… I was a Brit, and wouldn’t be talked down to (as he evidently did do to Foreign drivers) he turned and walked away embarrased mumbling, with his mate grinning
I had a crappy blindside reverse with a portacabin to mind on the other, loading dude sat on the forklift behind me (bout the only thing I could see) watching, fairly bored, I must have jumped out seven times to check the blindside (ok, I was panicking) he finally puts a hand up and it looks like he’s finally making use of himself… Until I hear the sound of an entire row of cages being knocked over I guess he was just using me for entertainment.
I did offer to pick em all up (when I finally got into position) but lucky for me he managed it with the forklift. Maybe next time he’ll be more helpful.
In my defence it was my first real blindside manoeuvre.
I was delivering a mobile office type o thing to a local ish Farming show years back, I stopped at the gate and was told to NOT reverse onto the pitch(up against a drystane dyke) without a banksman/follow all instructions etc . So off I go and get lined up with the pitch.one o the numpties from the gate arrived and informed me to watch his signals etc,stay in the cab until in position,around this time the clients arrived and watched and waited for me to reverse into position.
well the flyswatting started so out I get and tell him just tell me to stop I can line up on the marks.one unhappy numpty!! …well a couple o seconds and crunch and the numpty wobbles up and tells me I have reversed to far and hit the wall putting a hole in the trailer!!!
well I went kin Rambo on his ■■■ after he says its not his problem .
Lucky for me the client had heard and saw what had happened regarding the no reversing without banksman /following instructions and spoke to the show committee there and then ,and they agreed to pay for the damage.
ever since then banksman or not im out for a look if I recon im close to anything…lesson learned. jimmy
I don’t like anyone engaging me in conversation whilst I’m dropping and picking up another trailer…
Figure it… I’ve got out of the cab, someone starts speaking to me, and I idly pull off the airlines, pull the pin, jump back in to pull off when - I’ve forgot to put my legs down - which I normally do first thing after getting out of the cab when dropping a trailer! Disaster averted, but I blamed the near-■■■■ up on me being “distracted” at a vital moment.
Had a manager start talking to me alongside some trailers once - and I stopped everything to give him my full and proper attention. He goes “Why have you stopped working?” and the dirty look I gave him must have made him decide that “it wasn’t that important” after all.
Is it ever? - I mean, when a manager talks to you outside, it’s to tell you to do what you are already doing - or (in my experience at least) to tell me “In my office!” and I’m in the crapper over something again.
I hate it when told which lock to put on as if I’ve never reversed before, really annoys me. OK some (ex drivers - sometimes the worst) are ok but I don’t know who is who. As stated above by matamoros, tell me where you want the trailer and I’ll do the rest - and shout like hell if I’m about to hit 
. When he realised… a. I was right after seeing the kooi sticking out on the arse end, and b… I was a Brit, and wouldn’t be talked down to (as he evidently did do to Foreign drivers) he turned and walked away embarrased mumbling, with his mate grinning 
I guess he was just using me for entertainment.
and the numpty wobbles up and tells me I have reversed to far and hit the wall putting a hole in the trailer!!!