Now that is sensible, though it doesn’t cover my mate pulling the pin and then releasing the tractor handbrake to pull forward to make room to disconnect the airlines. 
Just to clear up any ambiguity, if the park brake is applied, in any prime mover, the trailer supply is cut, ergo once the park brake is applied all wheels except the steer are braked.
You can’t fix stupid. 
You’re right, I was concerned because it was my trailer and we were swapping somewhere in the north because he had loaded apples for England and obviously they wanted me to do it but I can’t remember why we had each others’ in the first place.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as I saw my trailer slowly sliding down the 5th wheel and I shouted at him to press the brake with his hand as I leapt on the chassis to cut the redline. 
To be fair, the bloke who never made a mistake, never made anything.
I’ve made a few blues in my time, some simply stupid.
My method. UK/Euro unit on air.
Dropping
Raise unit rear end by about an inch or two. No need for extremes.
Release all brakes. If you don’t do this there will tension on the pin and it will be a hard pull.
Handbrake and out of cab.
Pull red trailer brake button.
Legs down so touching ground. No need to load them up in low range.
Pull the pin.
In cab and pull forward 6", drop air, and forward another foot.
Handbrake on and out of cab, disconnect and stow suzies and number plate.
Connecting
Back up close to trailer and drop air so 5th wheel is under the trailer without touching it.
Handbrake and out of cab.
Quick look for damage, wheels, tyres, and load
Check trailer red button is out. It should always be, but takes only a second to check.
Look in cab door at handbrake to check.
Connect suzies. (no taps)
In cab, raise unit to gently touch trailer and reverse a bit more, then raise so legs are off ground for the last shove under.
Pull forward, push back, pull forward again.
Handbrake again, and out of cab. Look in cab door at handbrake.
Look at the handle. Dog clip.
Standing back push in red button on trailer to allow air in and release brakes.
Then legs and stow handle.
From the ground equalise suspension.
Full check of running gear, lights, load and number plate.
I know I get in and out the cab more than other methods.
I know I walk around more than is needed.
Doing a rough check before a full pick up works for me.
Doing a full check after connecting electrics works for me.
I prefer a split coupling to have more room to work with a close coupled trailer.
My units have mostly had handbrakes on the dash that can be seen from the ground.
You lost me at jump down the other side. I hope to still have knees when I retire.
That is standard practice used every time for some combinations that are so close coupled that there is no room otherwise, and if there’s no Mavis rail. Many people do it safely without dropping the trailer. Like everything, you have to do it properly.
Well I’m 81 now and still have knees enough to walk everyday with the dogs, cycle up at least one 10%er and swim in my pond (all year round if no ice) to get out of which I have to climb with the aid of a cargo strap. On the other hand I have never dropped a trailer on its knees since 1962 when I drove my first artic… 
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i disagree if you remembered to walk round and set the trailer brake surely you would remember if it was in the cab next to the handbrake.
wasnt the trailer brake under the trailer at one point rather than the nice easy one on the side you just pull nowadays
It was a nice easy handle which stuck out the side of the trailer. 
BTW, do you still have to walk to the back of the trailer and fit your number plate in England? And pass the landing legs that you have to wind down?
Or is all that done for you with a little knob in the cab in your brave new world?
Not quite in the cab, Spardo.
Bet a handy gadget on a dark and stormy night.
well if im fitting the number plate i would be winding the legs up not down.
however if the trailer brake was in the cab then i wouldn’t have to hunt up and down the trailer for it. however to indulge your comment further number plate would be put on when closing the doors after pulling off the dock/bay and taken off when opening the doors to go on a dock/bay.
trailer brake would be operated at the end of picking up or at the beginning of dropping the trailer ie right before releasing or right after setting the handbrake so if its in the cab no need to walk past everything 2 set it so as you put it we use our brain
Yes, a handy gadget although it is not clear to me where the power comes from. The tractor, directly or via the trailer, or a trailer mounted battery? Either way at least you do have to walk down the side of the trailer to operate it, Which is what I have been talking about, nothing beats a complete walk around for safety.
@cooper1203 I think we have come to the end of an otherwise useful discussion if you are now reduced to nit picking about fitting or removing a number plate.
@spardo , if the trailer has a battery, fridge, electric tarps, electro hydraulic ramps etc, power can be taken from the trailer battery. Otherwise a lead with Anderson plugs to the truck batteries.
I suppose the battery recharges from the truck while the engine is running, does it?
Yes. I used to have a float with electric hydraulic ramps. The battery was recharged on the parking light circuit. As headlights are required to be on, when towing a wide load, the battery was always charged.
The Kiwi does it a bit differently. His walk around check is pretty ordinary.
Interesting, and, although it made it drag on a bit, I liked the way he was no expert film maker and did no editing of the boring bits and the mistakes he made, but then corrected.
When he first coupled up he showed the value of a full walk around, although he didn’t do one, but he went part of the way and thankfully as a result saw what he hadn’t expected. That is that the legs were down, even though trailer was connected to the dolly. Lucky not to have bent legs, but I was surprised, especially in view of that, that he didn’t continue all the way round. Who knows what he might have found amiss around the back?
I would have appreciated more out of the window shots rather than his face all the time. Also, of course, my pet hate, no gloves. The value of which was ably demonstrated near the end when he realised how filthy his hands were. Might have been filthier if he hadn’t already planted muck all over his wheel, gear stick and other controls.
Only do it that way if you’re on level ground and you’re confident 