Scared to get behind a lorry again... don't laugh 😟

[driver2021]

Hello all

So… i’ve been driving a class 1 for a total of about a year. Did well, drove for a few companies, my reverse was good, i was confident in my driving overall and no accidents but then i didn’t drive trucks for 2 years and 3 months as i was concentrating on another career.

I’ve been wanting to get back in to it but i have this unexplained fear of driving a lorry again. It’s very stupid and i’m flabbergasted by it. Because i’m a very very confident individual with everything else in life. I’m the first person who wants to face people in difficult situations and confront things head on, i’m someone who would walk in to a boardroom full of executives and tell everyone you’re wrong and here’s why but here i am bottling it and shi**ing huge reinforced, barbed wired, concrete blocks now when it comes to driving a lorry again after 2 years.

What can i do to overcome this?

I know you’re meant to face your fears head on and to ‘just do it’ and i want to but im still feeling like an opposite side magnet just repelling myself. It’s ridiculous. Is this normal for truckers who have had some time off?

I’ve been wanting a shunting position since passing but it’s been difficult geting one. Finally got one but then i bottled it. Rang in and said can’t do it. I basically said i’m a pu##y

Replies would be appreciated.

Cheers.

[franglais]

Contact a truck driving school? Talk to them. E-mail if shy!
It’ll cost some cash, but they are not expecting anything from you.
You are not under performance expectations…(I sound like a ■■■ councellor!)

If there are no underlying issues get behind the wheel with no need to do what you don`t want to do.

[zac_a]

Why not see if you can get some 7.5T work to ease yourself back into things?

I remember having two weeks off for the birth of my daughter, my first day back at work I looked at the old cobbled back lane I had to drive the bin wagon into - with a 90 degree turn at either end of it - and thought to myself “can I really do this?” despite it being the same lane i’d seen every fortnight for over a year. So don’t worry, it’s perfectly fine to doubt yourself after time away from it - don’t just focus on Class 1 though.

[driver2021]

That’s a good shout. Didn’t think of this weirdly. Will contact my old school and take it from there.

[driver2021]

Thing is, i hate multi-drop. I did 1 day with Hermes (Evri) and promised myself not to do this ever again. I prefer 1-2 drops so trunking/depot to depot. It’s not the size of the lorry or manoeuvrability.

I’m going to contact my old school and drive for an hour. That will fix me up. Weirdly i didn’t even think of this. Low IQ moment.