during this week I went to Rotherham and found it to be very slippery; exiting 2 roundabouts, under very slight gas I felt the truck starting to slide - this was not covered in training! I just let off the pedal then gently squeezed it back on again and steered into the slide a bit and that seemed to correct it.
When we got to the factory (we were 2 trucks in convoy), the other lad said that on approach to one of the roundabouts he pressed the brake and nothing happened until he took his foot off and tried again, so I’m sure it wasn’t because I was heavy footed (cus I am careful anyway as I dont want to tip over )
I am worried about the trailer sliding away tbh as I don’t know what your supposed to do - everyone knows that in a car you steer into a skid; but in a truck?
Same thing with a car; steer into it. If the road looks greasy or icy then it probably is so take it real steady until you’ve straightened up. I once had the trailer trying to jack-knife the cab round coming off a roundabout onto a sliproad too fast and I [zb] myself. I just turned into it and eased off slightly and removed the lead-weight from my right foot If you’re accelerating away, a slide can easily be rectified but if you start sliding when braking then start praying
Sounds like you got it about right. When it slides touch nothing with your feet and steer into it, in other words the direction you want to go. When you feel a bit of grip gently squeeze the throttle and anticipate well before normal hazards like roundabouts and lights, you can only very lightly and evenly touch the brakes on glass. No heavy pumping.
Last winter I was on a minor road with a pronounced camber and the truck, almost staionary, kept sliding towards the side. Just kept pointing the wheels in the right direction with feet flat on the floor and waited till the truck gently nudged the verge then gently on the throttle until I found a better stretch. Continued like that for over an hour and covered a couple of miles.
In extreme circumstances - stop and go to bed.
The trailer sliding will do much the same as the unit and the remedy is axactly the same but more so because heavy braking could lock the drive and the trailer will try to push the unit out of the way sideways. That’s a jack-knife.
You do not want that, in the final seconds the two snap together like a door slamming in the wind and the force will throw you across the cab or out the window if you’re not belted.
To sum up gently, gently, gently, and if you can’t make headway like that - bed!
How easy is it to jack knife a lorry, everyday on the traffic reports you hear a lorry has jack knifed. Have most of you drivers been in this situation.
)
If you’re accelerating away, a slide can easily be rectified but if you start sliding when braking then start praying