Well i finally got a day out in an artic after passing my test 7 weeks ago. I will firstly aplogise to the Morrisons driver - if he is here - that i cut up on the Droitwich Berry Hill island, i am sorry mate but i was still a shaking wreck and missed my gears completly. I had a 0700 start which ended up as a 0900 depart and went from Kidderminster down to Monmouth, Swansea, Bristol and Gloucester. It was a great experience and a whole lot different from driving on what appear to be test routes that actually are nothing like real road situations and depots that are nothing like the reversing test. Due to the fact that i left later than planned and the Bristol drop closed at 1430 i had to bring thier load back, which didnt end up being a prob.
Anyway sorry to the Morrisons guy again, but if anyone could give me a tip on how to get an artic on to a busy island in rush hour without causing carnage and mayhem please please tell me, cause i dont fance pulling out eyes shut and fingers crossed/or sitting there until the rush dies.
That sounds like a typical day to me…delayed starts, returned deliveries, trying to find a gap on a roundabout is sometimes impossible, you just have to go for it in the end, and you just have to be calm if someone does it to you!!! Welcome to the world of trucking.
but if anyone could give me a tip on how to get an artic on to a busy island in rush hour without causing carnage and mayhem please please tell me, cause i dont fance pulling out eyes shut and fingers crossed/or sitting there until the rush dies.
Good forward planning
early vision = early decision
you are most likely to inconveience some-one during the rush - just make sure that they can SLOW (not jam brakes on) in time - Got a loud horn - USE IT just prior to entering the roundabout - drivers usually only look to their right - make them look left to see you - this is real life, not the unreal test you did with the DSA - the DSA only wanted to see you MOVE the lorry with relative safety - you now have to DRIVE it
To improve your awareness and planning skills, you could take your driving skills to another level by doing an advanced driving course (in your own car) which is done in your time - no rush - fairly cheap as well.
Some roundabouts can be virtually impossible to get onto without causing someone to slow down during rush hour. If you’ve got a loaded full size artic and the roundabout is clear, you can get going but still not clear roundabout by the time something that has entered from the opposite side has come round and had to slow down. That’s their problem though, as you were already on the roundabout.
Main problem I find is not so much finding a gap, but trying to predict where all the morons who think they don’t need to use indicators are going. Just look at the way they’re driving, where they’re looking and sometimes you can tell if they’re exiting the roundabout (even if they’re not indicating), so you can start pulling off, being prepared to stop incase they change their mind ofcourse. Once you’re used to your gearbox you’ll be able to get upto speed quicker so it’ll be easier.