Stopped for a “Comfort break” on the A50 near East midlands airport today. Got back in cab and started engine. Just checking where I was heading on my map and had my head down and i thought the truck was suddenly reversing. I slammed the breaks as hard as I could but nothing stopped me… Then I realised it was the truck moving off next to me. Doh!! Scared me though
I get that when reversing onto a bay the driver next to me is pulling off it feels like you’re going backwards too fast and going to hit the stops too hard.
Classic! have this one now and again too…
Horrible feeling !!
I’m sure there are quite a few that have had the same happen.
Happened to me on the M25 in heavy traffic, everything stopped, likewise I was looking at something away from the road and saw myself moving backwards, but it was the lorry beside me in lane 2 that had started moving forward, I too slammed my foot down on the brake, only to find the handbrake on. DOH
My worst numpty moment though was when I pulled into a parking area of a routier in France to have a 15. Back of seat tilted back a little, dozed off, then suddenly woke up abruptly and grabbed the steering wheel in a frenzy, thinking I’d nodded off at the wheel.
Actually went into the routier afterwards to chill out over a strong Grand Cafe.
Funny as [zb] after but do spook at the time.
Got to admit did exactly the same this morning , stamped on the the brakes then realised what was happening, did feel a idiot afterward.
pierrot 14:
My worst numpty moment though was when I pulled into a parking area of a routier in France to have a 15. Back of seat tilted back a little, dozed off, then suddenly woke up abruptly and grabbed the steering wheel in a frenzy, thinking I’d nodded off at the wheel.
Ha ha! I’ve done something similar to this. I was sat on a bay at Morrisons Yate whilst being tipped. It was a really windy day, even rocking the cab while I was stationary.
Anyway, I dozed off in the drivers seat for about 20 seconds then jumped up and grabbed the wheel only to find I was parked on a bay!
I’d been absolutely convinced I’d fell asleep due to the rocking of the wind. My heart was doing 100mph for about 5 minutes after, proper ■■■■ me up.
I’ve also done the, ‘other vehicle moving’ mistake. Always makes me laugh after I see what it is.
pierrot 14:
My worst numpty moment though was when I pulled into a parking area of a routier in France to have a 15. Back of seat tilted back a little, dozed off, then suddenly woke up abruptly and grabbed the steering wheel in a frenzy, thinking I’d nodded off at the wheel.
Actually went into the routier afterwards to chill out over a strong Grand Cafe.
Done similar when pulled over in a layby to have a short eyelid inspection, still sat in drivers seat when the truck i’d pulled in behind, lit up his brake lights (whilst standing still) I grabbed the steering wheel, and nearly rammed the brake pedal through the floor, then realised I hadnt fell asleep at the wheel I had allready parked, my ticker was going 10 to the dozen.
Another similar incident was when I was working on the roof’s. I was hanging off some scaffolding dropping the the rubbish shoot back away from the road for the night, the small (16 ton) tipper truck which was under the shoot started to slowly pull away, I saw this from the corner of my eye, and my brain computed that the scafolding was moving, I leapt onto a lamp post which was right next to the shoot. Our tipper driver nearly fell out the cab laughing 
.
I had a similar experience last year. A bloke was loading stuff into the back of my vehicle, then went out of sight, when a caravan appeared in my mirror. I thought I was rolling back, but then realised that it was the caravan owner bringing it out of an open plan garage with a remote control. Quite unnerving.
…
It does put a crack in your cool!
The only one I’ve had is on a night out when I was half asleep on the bunk & you dream you’re driving & have to slam the breaks on, so I sit bolt upright with my right foot slammed in to the bunk and both hands outstretched for the wheel, does give you a jolt of adrenaline.
dont feel as much of a prat now at least.
I wish i had of been stationary
Ran out of hours on the M25 between services, had to get off and find somewhere for a break …quick, parked in a sideroad facing uphill no streetlights on (must be saving pennies). Had a kip for 30 in the bunk, woke up to my alarm swung me legs out over the side to stand up and kicked the handbrake off. Half asleep still I notice a dormant lamp post moving past the nearside window at a leisurely pace followed by a car with a great deal more urgency. Blind (literally) panic sets in and, disoriented, I jump into the driver’s seat and land on the brake pedal. Truck stops instantly, from what is now a fair lick downhill, and I hear crash bang wallop from inside. Stopped so quick a strap had snapped and threw cages everywhere, luckily all empty. Stopped about 18 inches away from another lamp post.
Moral - leave in gear on hills 
I worked for Kammac 30 odd years ago, when sleep was an occasional luxury.
Stopped one day on Farthing Corner services to grab 2 hours kip, and ripped my leg open on my sleeping bag zip in my rush to get from bunk to brake pedal, when I saw the shape of the truck next to me pulling off through the flimsy cab curtains
Another time I grabbed a few minutes sleep in a layby on the A1 near Leeming, and woke up to see two red lights right in front of me, so grabbed the wheel and stamped on the brakes as hard as I could, but I was still certain I was going to crash into the back of the truck in front . . . . after a few seconds it finally dawned on me that we were both parked and stationary
No wonder we don’t age well 
Had the same feeling years ago was first lorry on the woolwich ferry, engine stopped, handbrake on, and was having a quick study of the a to z when i looked up the boat started its crossing, the water rushing towards the bow made me jump hard on the brake pedal ,it felt like the lorry was rolling forward, made the heart beat a good few revs harder aint it funny when you do something like that the first thing you do is look to see if anyone was watching
along the same lines, i remember when i was a kid (just)… standing on a river bridge and looking down at the flowing water, after a while it felt like the whole bridge was moving.
When it happens its as scary as [zb] but you have to laugh at your self afterwards
It’s when a few of you start work at the same time, so all hooking up together and your putting the suzzies on and the person next to you pulls off that’s caught me out a couple of times
I pulled away from the services at Macon on the A6 and was happily going down the road when the hostess came up front with a coffee for me and asked where my second man is (Billy). I had a heart attack thinking I had left him at Macon, he must have gone into the toilets! Then he came downstairs and I saw him in the mirror, he had been chatting to a family on the top deck Phew!
midlifetrucker:
Stopped for a “Comfort break” on the A50 near East midlands airport today. Got back in cab and started engine. Just checking where I was heading on my map and had my head down and i thought the truck was suddenly reversing. I slammed the breaks as hard as I could but nothing stopped me… Then I realised it was the truck moving off next to me. Doh!! Scared me though
was you parked in a layby were there is a blue café of the A50? Blue magnum?
had that situation a few times over the years,you never get used to it