Yes, I can tie one, learnt many years before I learnt to drive lorries. Never used one in this line of work, but used often in my private life.
switchlogic:
I haven’t seen a roped down load and therefore a knot on a lorry in a very long time. To me this whole thread just strikes me as an attempt to put people down. ‘Can’t tie a dolly knot? Can’t possibly be a proper driver’
And quite right you should keep away from the dolly knot - apparently, so I have been told, VOSA have now deemed them unsuitable for the more powerful trucks and are penalising drivers with £1 per dolly per BHP above 600 horses. (10 dollys + 730BHP = 10 x 130 = £1,300 - soon mounts up)
stevieboy308:
I still know I’m not a proper trucker though!!
I was joking when I said I’ve packed a lot into my years, meaning not necessarily in a good or useful way 
. I can’t do all that stuff you were talking about, pretty cool, fixing hydraulics etc.
Why do you keep mentioning about proper truckers? I don’t think anyone’s said only proper lorry drivers use a dolly? I was far from a proper lorry driver as only did it full time when I was younger.
Freight Dog:
stevieboy308:
I still know I’m not a proper trucker though!!I was joking when I said I’ve packed a lot into my years, meaning not necessarily in a good or useful way
Why do you keep mentioning about proper truckers? I don’t think anyone’s said only proper lorry drivers use a dolly? I was far from a proper lorry driver as only did it full time when I was younger.
I’m not saying you, but you quite ofter get an undertone of proper truckers know how to rope and sheet, possible mentions of one of the ways it’s dumbing down the industry, skills lost, any idiot can drive a wagon, not like in my day etc, from those that can, whilst they don’t know how to look after the horses, I just find it a bit funny!!
stevieboy308:
I’m not saying you, but you quite ofter get an undertone of proper truckers know how to rope and sheet, possible mentions of one of the ways it’s dumbing down the industry, skills lost, any idiot can drive a wagon, not like in my day etc, from those that can, whilst they don’t know how to look after the horses, I just find it a bit funny!!
I’ve been known to bang on about ‘‘proper drivers’’ (yeh, I know… you never noticed ) about dumbing down, lost skills, idiots driving trucks of which there are many, but after saying that I reckon being a ‘‘proper driver’’ has ■■■■ all to do with if he can rope and sheet, handle a crash box, tie a dolly and all the rest of the old lost skills.
My definition of a ‘‘proper driver’’ or trucker, is firstly one who can actually drive 
…with all the manouvrebility skills that involves, (usually mastered by experience but in many cases unfortunately never)
Those who have empathy and consideration towards fellow drivers, displaying this with letting in letting out, flashing out and in (controversial to some ) not cutting in on overtaking, not leaving hanging in the middle lane, and all the rest of it that was once always displayed by …dare I say it, proper drivers not that many years ago as a matter of course and routine, ie…it’s what we all did, or at least the vast majority did anyway
Whether I am a ‘proper driver’ or not is not for me to say, but I know absolutely Jack S hit about handling horses.
An Irish labourer once told “I’m not very clever but I can lift heavy things” which roughly interprets that he could do all his employer ever needed him to do. My various employer’s never needed me to fasten things down with rope, apart from a sheet over a tipping body, hence why I never bothered to learn ‘proper trucker’s’ knots. Likewise I didn’t bother getting my class one licence because I knew that I would never be asked to drive an artic. I’m of the opinion that I only learn the minimum of what is needed so that I don’t overtax my poor brain, this is why I have never bothered to learn how to send tex messages either which annoys those who send me them and actually expect a reply! However I can strip and rebuild a Gardner 180/201 engine, Foden 12 and 8 speed gearbox’s and a Foden worm and wheel diff, plus reline brakes, fit clutches, springs, kingpins, weld chassis/bodies etc which are all talents that I learned many years ago but will never use again if Iive to be 200. 
Never EVER made it to ‘proper driver’ status though, but have just renewed my license so live in hope, well Matlock actually. 
Pete.
dieseldog999:
switchlogic:
Just makes me laugh when people come out with precise figures the reveal is an assumption, that’s all. His obsession with a knot is quite charming thoughtheres your sign right there…your wrongly assuming i have an obsession with knots…my original question was…shout if you cant tie one…nothing more…after about 4 pages of replies…theres about 3 replies actually on topic stating they cant tie one.my assumption/educated guess,was that id have thought it was just one of those things a new driver would pick up in the course of the job,whether on flats,fridges or anything else related to road haulage.rachet straps are fine and lots better in most cases,id just have thought if you were a driver,then you would at least know how to tie a dolly in case you ever had cause to use a rope even as a emergency repair, the dolly being i would think,assume,surmise,would be the most popular knot in our profession.or am i assuming wrongly?
my own opinion of the tosco type job having steering wheel attendants who have came into the job for reasons other than being mad for tar and working accordingly is only my own view.there will still be plenty of new truckies joining the profession for a genuine interest in the job.its just a different job from years ago.
You are obsessed, I didn’t assume it I saw it, you created a post and then replied over and over again about a bloody knot 
ROG get rid of that abomination of a “foreign” truckers hitch video!!!, THIS is a dolly knot! youtu.be/qBrb93lTIr8?t=607 (still not (knot) the best example but the best example I could find on YouTube)
And to the OP’s question, I only got taught to tie a dolly about 10yrs ago by my then transport manager, and still tie one every now and then just to keep my hand in (well, to see if I still remember how to if I’m honest) but haven’t used one in anger for at least 8yrs.
switchlogic:
dieseldog999:
switchlogic:
Just makes me laugh when people come out with precise figures the reveal is an assumption, that’s all. His obsession with a knot is quite charming thoughtheres your sign right there…your wrongly assuming i have an obsession with knots…my original question was…shout if you cant tie one…nothing more…after about 4 pages of replies…theres about 3 replies actually on topic stating they cant tie one.my assumption/educated guess,was that id have thought it was just one of those things a new driver would pick up in the course of the job,whether on flats,fridges or anything else related to road haulage.rachet straps are fine and lots better in most cases,id just have thought if you were a driver,then you would at least know how to tie a dolly in case you ever had cause to use a rope even as a emergency repair, the dolly being i would think,assume,surmise,would be the most popular knot in our profession.or am i assuming wrongly?
my own opinion of the tosco type job having steering wheel attendants who have came into the job for reasons other than being mad for tar and working accordingly is only my own view.there will still be plenty of new truckies joining the profession for a genuine interest in the job.its just a different job from years ago.You are obsessed, I didn’t assume it I saw it, you created a post and then replied over and over again about a bloody knot
the knot being the point of the o/p…replying and commenting on replies to the o/p dont make me obsessed.you might think its reasonably relevant to comment on replies to your postings?..i dont think ive tied one more than 5 times in the last 20 years whilst doing the job.id use it more often taking crap to the dump…hence hardly obsessive.
Unpicking this thread has me tied in knots. I don’t know if I’m a lorry driver or knot now.
James the cat:
Unpicking this thread has me tied in knots. I don’t know if I’m a lorry driver or knot now.
dont be naughty now going on about knots.just keep on knotting away or itl be the naughty corner for you. 
Reef:
ROG get rid of that abomination of a “foreign” truckers hitch video!!!, THIS is a dolly knot! youtu.be/qBrb93lTIr8?t=607 (still not (knot) the best example but the best example I could find on YouTube)
And to the OP’s question, I only got taught to tie a dolly about 10yrs ago by my then transport manager, and still tie one every now and then just to keep my hand in (well, to see if I still remember how to if I’m honest) but haven’t used one in anger for at least 8yrs.
Reef, I thought with a username like yours, knots would be your thing.
Ask your ‘Granny’ she’ll show you…without any ‘Hitch’
dieseldog999:
James the cat:
Unpicking this thread has me tied in knots. I don’t know if I’m a lorry driver or knot now.dont be naughty now going on about knots.just keep on knotting away or itl be the naughty corner for you.
What a stitch up. Ok ill practice until I can do a tight dolly in the dark. I want to be able to do a dolly from behind, or more than one dolly at once. I might keep a selection of particularly nice dollies in the Cab and show them to people who are interested. I might show the vosa man my dollies. Could ask if he wants a go.
dieseldog999:
apparantly does not compute would be the answer for a lot of younger dudes…so sad.i ripped half the low bar from the front of a unit a few years ago loading up on le shuttle…i told the dude that owned it that it would catch,i told him it was too low,and i told him it was a bollox and stuck out too far,but hey ho it was going to be perfect…1st trip out,i caught the lip of the thing on the side rails and bent it to buggery…your in france…on your tod…not working for a beancounter,and having to fend for yourself…i couldnt get it bent back myself being a wimp with no muscles…so i parked up next to 1 of those big concrete bollards at the fuel pumps,and dolly knotted the thing back to where it was meant to be and then some…due to the pully effect it was possible as it was already hanging out and down…it was also my fault to a degree though i didnt want the poxy bar fitted in the 1st place but they wouldnt be told…the point was…i made a handy horace repair and cracked on for the rest of the trip due to knowing how to tie the hitch and pully effect thereof.i didnt have ratchets with me on the fridge so i blagged a bit of rope and job done.i suppose i could have blagged a rachet stap as well,but the point is,that id think anyone should know how to tie the most common hitch/knot in the given profession…i.e a hairy assed truckie.
I’m with Mr Dieseldog. As much as the survival of the trucking industry doesn’t rest on a knot,it’s a question of knowledge. The more stuff you know,the more chance you’ve got of solving a problem. I don’t think he was going down the ‘proper trucker’s route’. We had enough of that with the class 2 v class 1 debate.
A lot of what went on in the past doesn’t happen today because of either the law,helf&safety,or new technology. Which means that having to think for yourself is a dying skill.
When I go on a site of a well known house builders,no one needs to think for themselves cos it’s done for you. The list of things you can’t do is longer than the can do list.
Do 99% flatwork steel and general sheet trailers everyday ■■■■ tautliners horrable things
robroy:
stevieboy308:
I’m not saying you, but you quite ofter get an undertone of proper truckers know how to rope and sheet, possible mentions of one of the ways it’s dumbing down the industry, skills lost, any idiot can drive a wagon, not like in my day etc, from those that can, whilst they don’t know how to look after the horses, I just find it a bit funny!!I’ve been known to bang on about ‘‘proper drivers’’ (yeh, I know… you never noticed
My definition of a ‘‘proper driver’’ or trucker, is firstly one who can actually drive
Those who have empathy and consideration towards fellow drivers, displaying this with letting in letting out, flashing out and in (controversial to someWhether I am a ‘proper driver’ or not is not for me to say, but I know absolutely Jack S hit about handling horses.
You’ve just described me to a tee, I am a proper trucker after all!! Cheers Rob
stevieboy308:
robroy:
stevieboy308:
I’m not saying you, but you quite ofter get an undertone of proper truckers know how to rope and sheet, possible mentions of one of the ways it’s dumbing down the industry, skills lost, any idiot can drive a wagon, not like in my day etc, from those that can, whilst they don’t know how to look after the horses, I just find it a bit funny!!I’ve been known to bang on about ‘‘proper drivers’’ (yeh, I know… you never noticed
My definition of a ‘‘proper driver’’ or trucker, is firstly one who can actually drive
Those who have empathy and consideration towards fellow drivers, displaying this with letting in letting out, flashing out and in (controversial to someWhether I am a ‘proper driver’ or not is not for me to say, but I know absolutely Jack S hit about handling horses.
You’ve just described me to a tee, I am a proper trucker after all!! Cheers Rob
I never thought anything to the contrary mate.
robroy:
I never thought anything to the contrary mate.
James the cat:
switchlogic:
Just makes me laugh when people come out with precise figures the reveal is an assumption, that’s all. His obsession with a knot is quite charming thoughYes, so the pedant angle
It’s a widely used knot, if knot (ha the humour of English) thee knot. I’ll be honest, between you and I [whispers] when have we seen a catspaw or double sheet bend used on a lorry? Me neither, but stuff it, he’s taking numbers, we can get him on this… [end whisper]
I don’t think he’s talking a knot, more an approach within the industry, ha, but what am I to say…
A hitch. It’s a hitch. A knot is found at end of a sheet, to stop it going through the block.
the nodding donkey:
A hitch. It’s a hitch. A knot is found at end of a sheet, to stop it going through the block.
According to the dictionary a hitch is a form of knot
From The Free Dictionary
hitch - Any of various knots used to secure a line to another object such as a post or ring.
From Wikipedia
Hitch, a knot used to attach a rope to a fixed object, see list of hitch knots
Apart from that, as far as I can remember it’s always been known as a dolly knot in the UK, truckers hitch is yet another Americanism that’s found it’s way into the English language 