Come on Rog do you have a link? I have not had the pleasure of doing this yet but have seen it done so just thought it would be of use to anyone new or experienced to give us a head start before we get on with it and make a complete ■■■ of ourselves when we mess it up
Theres a diagram in the Truckers Handbook on how to do it…
OllieNotts:
Come on Rog do you have a link? I have not had the pleasure of doing this yet but have seen it done so just thought it would be of use to anyone new or experienced to give us a head start before we get on with it and make a complete ■■■ of ourselves when we mess it up
OK, I’ll tell you a story about me and parallel parking an artic so you can have a good laugh
On one of the local training areas is a T-bar down a dead end side road where you drive down it, do a blind side reverse and then park on the left - same side as the T-bar.
So there I am doing a demo drive as it is the first day and down the side road I go - so far so good . Nose up to the gates of a truck dealer/repairers and about 3 feet away from the left kerb to set up for a blind side reverse - road clear and do the blind side reverse - PERFECT first time - great, cos I did not want to look like a numpty.
Right turn and now need to park on the left but there is only one space available that the artic will fit in and that is the space directly behind the T-bar and in front of another artic.
The T-bar is busy, about 8 people there - all watching… eeeks
OK, go for it - pulls up parallel to T-bar and starts to blindside it in… now, I know the principal of this… get trailer in first and THEN worry about the unit because the unit is easier to adjust near the end of the parallel park… soooooo much for theory…
First go - trailer wheels too close to kerb - pull out - second go - trailer wheels too far away - pull out - third go - gat trailer wheels about right but unit at too much of an angle to adjust - pull out a bit - oh good now unit in - oh !! - trailer wheels are out a bit again - {ZB] it, it’s staying there
By now all at the T-bar were laughing their heads off as the T-bar owner had pointed out to them that I was the INSTUCTOR
Oh well. had me coffee and took some stick
That’s not the end of this story…
Next day, about lunchtime I think, the trainee is driving it and we are faced with exactly the same situation - BUGGER only goes and parallel parks it in one go absolutely perfect
More ribbing form the folks at the T-bar - “your trainees can drive it better than you !!”
Well, I did redeem myself, a bit, by saying that it was down to my training and walked (strolled very quickly - Ok, jogged ) away.
Ha ha ha more proof it happens to us all at some point. Why is it always when folk are watching?
What is this truckers handbook? Ive never heard of such a thing, and if there is no link Rog why not? Tut tut tut you’re letting standards slip
The truckers handbook was published by the DAILY STAR several years ago .If you google for it there are a few Haynes titles that have good info. on offer.
alamcculloch:
The truckers handbook was published by the DAILY STAR several years ago .If you google for it there are a few Haynes titles that have good info. on offer.
truckershandbook.co.uk/Home.aspx
can get it cheaper on amazon - google amazon truckers handbook
Be a real cheap-skate become a member of I.A.M. and get 20% of all Haynes titles .Maybe save a bit on insurance as well.!
alamcculloch:
Be a real cheap-skate become a member of I.A.M. and get 20% of all Haynes titles .Maybe save a bit on insurance as well.!
still cheaper on amazon
amazon.co.uk/Truckers-Handbo … 1844252108
I wouldn’t worry about it, I reckon it’s easier to parallel park an artic than it is a car as you can watch the trailer go in make sure it’s going nice and flush to the kerb and then swing the cab back inline at the end and you’re sorted. It’s effectively the same manouevre you do on the test, just nowhere near as big.
double post
Well I had the oppurtunity to have a go yesterday in milton keynes as I had to park up on the road and queue. So I pull along side the trailers, didnt go anywhere near far enough forward and to be fair got a decent angle but I lost view of trailer behind me and as it was very tight anyway and it was a small road I decided against it and pulled out half way through and felt a complete ■■■
Ok ok so my excuses arent grate but I had a go and im crap so at the weekend I will have a look for this hand book and practise next time I am at this drop as it is regular run and always loads of trailers about I just never had a go before.
Come on Rog you’ve covered everything else you might as well sort this out for us to
OllieNotts:
Well I had the oppurtunity to have a go yesterday in milton keynes as I had to park up on the road and queue. So I pull along side the trailers, didnt go anywhere near far enough forward and to be fair got a decent angle but I lost view of trailer behind me and as it was very tight anyway and it was a small road I decided against it and pulled out half way through and felt a complete ■■■![]()
Ok ok so my excuses arent grate but I had a go and im crap so at the weekend I will have a look for this hand book and practise next time I am at this drop as it is regular run and always loads of trailers about I just never had a go before.
Come on Rog you’ve covered everything else you might as well sort this out for us to![]()
As you said, you lose the view behind you !
It’s a blindside reverse into a fixed space which, as most will know, is something that usually (see my post about mine above ) comes with experience - the more you try it the beter you become at it - supposedly…
I would suggest having someone watch you for the first few - just in case.
OllieNotts:
im crap so at the weekend I will have a look for this hand book;)
Available in all good bookshops
I bought mine in Waterstones…
No doubt a stupid question, but is parallel parking part of the C+E test?
NewBlood:
No doubt a stupid question, but is parallel parking part of the C+E test?
NO, the only reversing part is done on the DSA test reverse area.
There is no manoeuvring done on the public highways.
- UNLESS you go down a dead end road
First thing i do is look for the easiest option.
if i have to do the parallel park between two cars / lorries i keep towards the center of the road, swing the cab into the gap as soon as the trailer allows, get it to the kerb as quickly as possible then run with the front left wheel level with the kerb for as long as possible. I then swing the cab back out into the road keeping the lorry close to the front vehicle, making sure the trailer headboard doesn’t hit . I go as deep into the road as i can, i figure if the space is there use it! Make sure that regardless of how deep you pull back out into the road when you stop the cab is square with the trailer. Then you can see the trailer wheels near the kerb in one mirror and the vehicle behind you in the other. Roll back until your trailer wheels are nearish the kerb, then full lock the cab to square the trailer and get the back wheels in, when the back wheels are getting close to the kerb full lock the other way to bring the front in.
This way you can see better and its not so blind.
Thats spot on advice there mate thanks, never thought of going right into it up to the kerb am hoping I get chance to have a go now might start doing it in between the forgeiners in the lay bys when ive got nowt to do
ROG:
alamcculloch:
The truckers handbook was published by the DAILY STAR several years ago .If you google for it there are a few Haynes titles that have good info. on offer.truckershandbook.co.uk/Home.aspx
can get it cheaper on amazon - google amazon truckers handbook
I could be wrong but I think you’ll find that’s an old version, here’s the second edition on eBay