Hi all, just wondering if any more experienced drivers than myself can offer any tips when reversing onto a bay inbetween two artics in a tight area?
I was at Tesco Harlow the other week and struggled for quite a while to get on a bay and I decided it wasn’t going to happen that day so I asked to go on another bay.
Any advice appreciated, thanks.
Only practice can perfect your manoeuvering, so every time you stop at the services or truckstop in fact anywhere and everywhere you go, select an awkward marked reverse in parking bay with no danger to anyone else and park your truck there, precisely between the lines, do it by leaning out the window, do it by leaning out the door*, do it by mirrors and do it blindside, several times if need be and don’t stop till its spot on.
Do this every single day, several times a day if you have the time, after a few weeks you’ll find it comes right.
Any driver who asks you why you are doing this isn’t worth replying to, so don’t be embarrased or worry what any other bugger thinks, or the clever buggers laughing at you just before they scrape the NSF step of their truck cos they were too bone idle to clean the windows and mirrors, just do it.
And on that subject, your windows and mirrors should be spotlessly clean at all times, especially the NS and especially the side and front corner down mirrors, and the mirrors should be properly set.
And always select the lowest gears, auto’s despite being flavour of the month with some are complete crap for close manouevering, interminable delays whilst the bloody rubbish finds reverse, then trying to get some sort of fine control from the ill thought out garbage makes the job ten times harder than it should be.
Remember with an artic trailer, assuming the ground is level, a three axle trailer will pivot on the middle axle, so keep an extra eye on that, a 2 axle trailer will pivot between the two, so keep an eye there.
*some will say this is wrong, old school have been doing this for many years for good reasons which i won’t go into here.
Persevere, it will come right in the end, practice and more practice is the only way.
Thanks for taking the time to reply Juddian.
I’ve got to agree with Juddian, I’m new to artics and the reversing is coming along but still needs work, the best way I’m finding of learning is by doing it the hard way when I safely can. My biggest problem is not getting lock off quick enough so I end up doing a shunt to get straight. I know what I need to do, it’s just sometimes my arms, eyes & brain aren’t synchronised properly yet, if you get what I mean. Strange thing I’ve found is I can park straight/parallel on a plain piece of tarmac, but as soon as there are lines I’m always 3 or four inches off parallel 
. The other thing is (especially when blindsiding) is G O A L, Get Out And Look when your not 100% sure of where your rig is or going to be, it can save tons of paperwork.
With autos select the turtle mode or the lowest gear available especially when fully freighted, the steeper the angle your at in relation to the trailer the harder it is to push back.
When getting on tight bays I’ve found driving past the bay about 2 metres from the front of where the truck is going to be (2 metres more than guarantees the trailer won’t knock someone out of their bunk)and starting to turn when the bay is in the middle of the trailer, with a look out of the window I can see how the trailer wheels are lining up and adjust accordingly, when straightening up the unit you can get the final adjustment, if it isn’t quite there then do it when backing on, if it’s still not right get out open trailer doors and have a gander, then do a shunt, I’ve found that those bays with the vertical markers show nicely in the gap between doors and curtains if your on target.
HTH
Sound advice from Juddian.
Madbaz, I wouldn’t worry too much about taking a shunt, yeah you can do it without but a shunt will usually mean you can see in both mirrors earlier in the manoeuvre and that can be the difference between spotting that pedestrian that’s walked behind the trailer and not. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve pulled forward and straightened up and spotted something in the mirror that wasn’t there when I started.
I’m not sure it sends that right message that shunts are minor faults on the DSA test.
The DSA test is a strange one now they’ve changed the dimensions, your allowed one shunt and a free roll back into the box. Personally I’d rather do a couple of shunts and make sure it’s right and safe than to be pig-headed and do it it one and miss something (or not as the case maybe).
Who is this Juddian■■? He is replying with everything I would advise LOLOLOL … a man after me own heart
MADBAZ:
The DSA test is a strange one now they’ve changed the dimensions, your allowed one shunt and a free roll back into the box. Personally I’d rather do a couple of shunts and make sure it’s right and safe than to be pig-headed and do it it one and miss something (or not as the case maybe).
I failed my test on reverse first time , as I had already taken the 2 shunts i was thinking in my head ive got no more chances to pull forward so had to keep going and hit the cone , in the real world i would have pulled forward again and i think been able to go back straight and get it in on that 3rd attempt , and now beat myself up a lot on reverse as cant get it in places first time or second , its kinda put in my head that i should be able to do this without all the shunts ,
i think the tester probably dosnt want to have to be there too long which is fair enough , but since taking them out on my own so many drivers tell me not to worry just take as many as you need , im finding now the less pressure I put on myself to get on first time the easier and less shunts I take ,
the best drivers out there will see your new or having a few probs and offer advice and tips , costs me a fortune in coffee but rather that than hit owt 
jx
My biggest worry with reversing isn’t getting the trailer to go where I want it to go, but worrying about the far corner of the trailer and where that’s heading for - I reversed onto a bay a couple of weeks between two others, and although I could see down the RH side, and saw that was OK, I was fretting about how close the LH rear of the trailer was to the lorry on that side. When I got out and looked, it was obviously miles away, but it’s always the thought of that swing (going forwards or reverse) which gives me the most worry.
Gary
I didn’t realise that new drivers on test were put under such pressure as to even try to do the reverse without a single shunt without penalty, doesn’t surprise me though seeing as they no longer teach correct vehicle slowing control via downchanging and auxilliary braking either.
Whole bloody training system needs a good kick up the arse if you ask me, grossly negligent to send new drivers out who arn’t properly grounded in good practice vehicle control, but thats only my opinion.
Newer drivers…once you’ve passed your test don’t even think about doing any bloody reverse in one, if it happens all well and good, but as some have said above get the thing in some sort of line and then take a shunt to get a better bite as necessary.
This is where many, even old hands, fall down, most tractor units have excellent turning circles so a full lock shunt of maybe only a yard is needed, but i see too many drivers take a bloody 10/20 yard shunt where they only needed a tiny movement and where they trailer was nearly in line they’ve then buggered it right up and are more or less starting again from scratch…if that makes any sense.
It takes donkeys years to perfect one hit reverses, and thats if you have knack for it, so don’t worry if it takes you 9 minor shunts, so long as you go through the years without hurting anybody and without hitting things you’re doing fine.
PS…The Bear…Judd’s just another old ■■■■ been doing the job far too long…
PPS… Scaniason/Gary…‘’‘When I got out and looked, it was obviously miles away, but it’s always the thought of that swing (going forwards or reverse) which gives me the most worry.’‘’
Gary, you’re doing fine mate, you got out and had a look, thats the difference between a driver and licence holder, and you are right to be concerned about rear overhang, cos if you are on undulating ground and the trailer rear wheels lose grip as gound falls away the trailer is no longer pivoting on the middle axle, it has become a tandem trailer and is pivoting at that moment between the two fron axles, immediately your overhang and rear swing has grown by two feet minimum, similarly if the trailer front axle loses grip the trailer effectively grows a couple of feet longer, undulating or slippery ground is a sod for reverses.
The secret is to try to get your trailer almost straight before entering the bay by taking it wide, far too many drivers try to push the arse of the trailer into the bay when its still at a 45’ angle, thats always going to be a struggle.
Funny thing is, when we had properly specified tractor units, ie when ordered by people who knew how to drive trucks and not just push pens, they came with rear and side windows fitted to the cabs when trucks were designed for a days work not purely for image, with practice it often became far more accurate and easier in the long run to blind side reverse in to spaces by being able to look down the inside of the trailer via the rear windows, the other benefit was as you straightened up you were looking straight down out the drivers window so very little chance of scraping the front or side of the tractor.
MADBAZ:
The DSA test is a strange one now they’ve changed the dimensions, your allowed one shunt and a free roll back into the box. Personally I’d rather do a couple of shunts and make sure it’s right and safe than to be pig-headed and do it it one and miss something (or not as the case maybe).
Forget the DSA test, it is nothing like real life, you are only showing you can use both steering direction and demonstrating observation skills.
With an artic, you can only ever see one side whilst the unit is angled, you cannot always get the trailer straight, yards are not big enough.
Never ever try to blind side a trailer if you can go in the visible side. Even if it is a one way system, turn round and use your own judgement. People will shout about H&S, by turning round, you are demonstrating that you know more about it than them. Vehicles come in LHD & RHD in equal numbers, unlike when I was a lad and a left ■■■■■■ made us stare.
There are many more clues than the two lorries, tyre marks on the road, a bay number above the door, a drain cover, street lamp, a painted line. If there is nothing, chuck a pair of gloves on the floor where you want the trailer wheels to end up.
Set yourself up whilst driving forward, you need to be able to see the spot, that you want the drivers side of the rear of the trailer to end up. This may take a couple of short shunts, what you are trying to do is gradually undo the angle between the unit and the trailer. Try it in an open yard, put some gloves on the floor 9’ apart and reverse between them from different positions
If all the above are in order, then you can ignore the opposite corner until you unwind the angle enough to see both sides.
Small steering inputs, not going from lock to lock will make you look like a professional in short order.
SubFocus:
Hi all, just wondering if any more experienced drivers than myself can offer any tips when reversing onto a bay inbetween two artics in a tight area?I was at Tesco Harlow the other week and struggled for quite a while to get on a bay and I decided it wasn’t going to happen that day so I asked to go on another bay.
Any advice appreciated, thanks.
If they gave you the end bay of the produce chamber I forget the number, it is particularly difficult, trailers opposite and a very solid steel post at the corner of the building that you have to reverse round to get on the bay.
As has been said, you need to have the trailer lined up before you reverse down the side of the building and you can only do this on that bay with the tractor unit at an angle.
No shame in admitting defeat, I have struggled myself on that one, after 38 years of practice. 
, in fact, in countless visits, I have only once managed to do it in one without shunting.
Regards,
Nick
Remember also that, the steeper the angle between the tractor and trailer the harder it can be to judge. Personally I go for the shallowest angle possible for the circumstances because, as has been mentioned you can see up both sides of the trailer when straight only!
It’s all down to practise. If I realise I’m not quite right, I shunt immediately - don’t bang lots of lock on it’s pointless once you realise you aren’t in…
When done correctly (assuming plenty of room) you don’t need very much lock at all…For some reason I prefer reversing DD trailers…maybe that’s 'cos I pull them more often these days…
Dont reverse it like a rigid! Use all your forward space so you can go in to the bay as straight as possible. If your backing on to the bay and its not going right and your have to keep shunting, start again, pull as far forward as you can and have another shot, dont worry about other drivers looking and laughing because their not!
Most importantly becareful and take your time, you look like a bigger prat would you hit something!
Thanks for replying everyone, all really helpful posts.
In reality, the only person likely to be criticle is yourself. So relax and take your time.
Remember what they told when learning only a ■■■■ don’t take a shunt. Harlow is a real ■■■■■ so don’t let Anyone hurry you or if you are getting flustered go round the block n start again. Patience and it’ll all come together.
i dont drive a artic (7.5t) but have recently spent some time in a warehouse and been responsible for guiding drivers into what can only be described as a narrow pit that leaves approx 6 inch either side of the trailer 
some took many many tries, others got it in one . the ones that got it in one were the ones that took their time and used as little lock as possible. you just had to admire them.
I used to struggle with reversing artics. Then the firm i worked for asked me if i wanted to do the shunting at one of the contracts. i said yes, and i’m glad i did. the loading bays were originally built for transit vans, and we were putting 40 foot trailers on them. It was incredibly tight, and even drivers with over 25 years experience wouldnt put their trailers on the bays, many wouldnt take them off, as there was no real room to manouvre and we had loads of trailers being smacked when they were pulled out, but i learnt very quickly how to reverse into tight spaces. It is practice, and the more you practice the easier it gets.
Over the past week I have been doing 10 + reverses a day and it’s slowly coming together.
Can’t fault the advice above.
One thing I will highlight which only really came real to me yesterday. Where possible swing it round the loop that gives you a ‘good’ side reverse and get your head out the window. Your brain accepts a lot more info about where you’re heading and the angle of the trailer if you can see it at its origin (as opposed to a mirrored reflection). Keep looking out the drivers window with glances over the other side just to check for numpties etc.
You will find it will come with time just as I am.
I am nowhere near perfect, but each day and each time it all clicks in just that little bit easier.
I also (where time permits) pick services for my breaks where reversing is the only option.
Keep at it. Don’t worry about those who tut or laugh. They either can’t do it themselves or just should have more patience.