Just starting out on class 1 and I wonder if any experienced guy’s or gals can tell me if a hard and fast rule exists about dealing with the overhang?
I’m watching other drivers just casually pull away off decks/bays without a care in the world and dissappear into the sunset.
But when I leave a bay or parking space I’m paranoid that I’m going to rip the parked wagons nose off as I start to steer out, so I’m just gently edging out and even get out of the tractor just after I’ve started to turn and look to see how much space is on my blindside so I know that I can get back in the cab and drop full lock on it knowing I won’t be waking the other driver up by putting an arse end of a trailer through his door.
Drove class 2s for years with all different length of overhangs and piggybacks but never had any problems cos you can always see your rear corners.
I know time will help but a few tips would take stress levels down a little lol thanks
No.
No ‘hard and fast’ rules really.
You’ve correctly seen the problem with losing sight of the trailer side in a turn, and described the difference between an artic and rigid.
You are aware of what’s happening.
You are doing the correct and cautious thing in getting out the can to check.
You will need to do that less as time goes on but you’ll still get odd occasions when it’ll be necessary, even years down the road.
.
Looks to me you’re doing it all the right way.
Franglais:
No.
No ‘hard and fast’ rules really.
You’ve correctly seen the problem with losing sight of the trailer side in a turn, and described the difference between an artic and rigid.
You are aware of what’s happening.
You are doing the correct and cautious thing in getting out the can to check.
You will need to do that less as time goes on but you’ll still get odd occasions when it’ll be necessary, even years down the road.
.
Looks to me you’re doing it all the right way.
Thanks for the reply you have given me a bit of hope that I might actually get my head around this bendy vehicle lark.
To be honest I’m just winging it atm been doing it a few weeks and I thought by now I would be starting to see things a little more clearly but I’m still having to think really hard abt everything especially reversing.
I’ll keep on plugging away at it and hopefully I’ll get there sooner rather than later but when I watch some of the drivers drop trailers on bays with ease among all the hustle and bustle of a large distribution centre at night, shunters zooming around everywhere and artics queuing to drop and swap I’m watching these people with awe thinking will I ever get to that level.
I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing then I suppose it’s only taking me abt 4ish tries to back on a bay now plus I don’t steer the wrong way anymore when I’m trying to go backwards, well not very often lol
You’ve probably heard it before… but it will come with time and practice.
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5 years ish in and I still balls up reverses or get out and look. Its all part and parcel of this bendy lark.
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Same here lol… theres days im putting it on a bay with plenty of room and takes me 10 shunts then theres the most awkward tightest ones and bang it in first go… strange lol
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mark1284:
Same here lol… theres days im putting it on a bay with plenty of room and takes me 10 shunts then theres the most awkward tightest ones and bang it in first go… strange lol
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Sounds exactly like me but I on a tight one I just go to pieces and lose count of shunts. still ain’t hit nothing yet so counting that as a score in the plus column lol
cribs76:
mark1284:
Same here lol… theres days im putting it on a bay with plenty of room and takes me 10 shunts then theres the most awkward tightest ones and bang it in first go… strange lol
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Sounds exactly like me but I on a tight one I just go to pieces and lose count of shunts. still ain’t hit nothing yet so counting that as a score in the plus column lol
worst thing you can do is go to pieces! if backing on to a ‘tight’ bay…ask any other driver or shunter to watch you back.our yard is not built for 45 footers,but us Company drivers reverse on with no problem. a lot of hauliers bringing goods in struggle like ■■■■ tho’,and often we’ll give advice,or on occasion back it in for them ourselves.no shame in asking for help!
as for the overhang pulling off a bay,or in an MSA…if it’s very tight just go forwards as far as you can,start your turn,then get out and make sure you’re not going to ■■■■ the truck on your nearside. life was so much simpler when we had the rear axle right at the back! 
carryfast-yeti:
life was so much simpler when we had the rear axle right at the back!
You should have tried pulling off the dock at Feltham with the new 45 ft two axle trailers. 
When I was starting I would wait until the middle axle of a tri axle was level and then start the turn. If you want to be doubly safe wait until your last axle is past.
You will soon realise you can start the turn a lot earlier but I found it a good guide to help at the beginning
There are always clues, worn concrete, ruts, shadows, reflections and sounds, not the sound of crunching metal, but shouts and horns. An articulated trailer doesn’t cut in or step out like a rigid or balanced drawbar.
Take notice on the road of where your trailer sits, on roundabouts, motorway exits, crossroads, sharp bends, slight bends etc.
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If there are guidelines on a bay they’ll be a trailer’s width apart so if the side of your trailer you can see is over one of them then the blind side will be over the other and not in the unit next door.
Make sense? I’m not expressing it perfectly but it’s what works for me.
Thanks to everyone who took the time out to post replies with help and advice. I’m now a week and half in and I’m currently sitting on a bay waiting to be green lighted, reversed straight in no shunts. Everyone one is right things just start falling into place the more you do it, and everything everyone said made sense to me but I was just being ultra careful.
Its been a steep learning curve but I’ve climbed it a lot especially the last week with all your help and also some good people I’ve started working with in this new job. I’m still along way off but I’m more comfortable with things now…
All about positioning too… line up right and bobs your mams brother
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mark1284:
All about positioning too… line up right and bobs your mams brother
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Second this.
Getting it right to start with make a everything afterwards so much easier.
That will happen one day without even realising it.