Dafman:
i drive a wagon and drag also, you have to stick your head out much harder to see the rear of trl
is there a hard and soft way of putting your head out the window 
danielwilkie:
Im driving 15M long coaches just now so when reversing them at night in the depot I tend to stick my head out the window to see where the fence is. Otherwise I usualy just do it on mirrors. Only tend to stick my head out when backing up to something.
first time i’ve heard of a coach driver using his mirrors. 
alfa man:
I drive a wagon and drag and it is very difficult to judge the angle of the trailer when reversing using only your mirrors . I therfore usually stick my head out the window to keep a proper eye on the trailer.
As I made plain in my earlier post,be you driving an artic or a wag n drag,once the trailer is out of your mirrors,you have to look out of the window,even if you don’t stick your head out.
maverick72:
Dafman:
i drive a wagon and drag also, you have to stick your head out much harder to see the rear of trlis there a hard and soft way of putting your head out the window
Yeah, it depends if the window is open or closed as to whether it is going to be soft or hard. 
as a new hgv driver i struggle to guage how far away things are in my mirrors. i can go backwards straight, round bends fine but as soon as there is a parked car or some machinery in the yard i have to look out of the window or get out and look
Both, if it’s only a slight angle to reverse in then usually just use the mirrors, but if i’ve gotta put any kind of decent angle on the trailer or go tight between 2 trucks then i’ll look out of the window as it’s the only way to get a proper perspective and judge where the nearside/rear of your trailer is if it’s out of sight in your left mirror.
As said, I don’t see how you could do a 90 degree reverse on your good side without looking out of the window as all you’d have to see your trailer wheels is the tiny reflection in your blindspot mirror, useless.
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It depends entirely upon the situation - so sometimes yes, others no.
Thanks for all the replies i can understand drivers doing it when doing a very
sharp turn or with a draw bar outfit,but when going straight backwards or
only a bit of an angle i find it a bit odd.But it seems alot of drivers were
taught this way so fair enough what ever each individual driver is happy with.
Tight reversing , such as Asda Didcot etc , when going back on the fence , it’s head out the window . Easier to judge the far side of the trailer when going in between parked trucks .
Once it’s ok then back onto mirrors .
Use a combination of really . Head out to get it sorted and mirrors to finish off .
the funny thing with this though is when you look at all he future concept trucks most a based on a similar theme.
that being with the driver sat in the middle of the cab (huge glass greenhouse type) so their wont be head out of the windows then. reversing will all be done with the assistance of rear cameras and mirror cameras which never seem to give a true picture. 
I usually only use my mirrors for reversing my rigid unless im backing up very close to a wall/loading bay or maybe another vehicle if the mirrors are giving the impression that you are already there when im reality you have got 10 foot still to go.
I do a lot of multi drop work in town centres with 18 tonners, so get plenty of reversing experience and tight spot manourvering, before that i started off driving dustcarts which anybody that will know who drives these things, most of the days work involves manouvering around around badly parked cars and reversing in/out of incredibly narrow roads and lanes, some of the reversing that i have done in a dustcart has been done solely by the rear view camera, as the overgrown hedges either side of the mirrors make viewing anything in them impossible!
i have noticed that drivers who reverse onto loading bays using only the mirrors…often have more shunts than those who hang out the window…and me !!!..i get me mate to do it…nah…i use a bit of both…and it also depends how much room you got…
Now talking of reversing…i hate the companies in the uk who have their depots designed for left hookers…and rarely get one in…that can be fun …watching others…
DEANB:
Why do some drivers hang out the window when reversing ■■?
Cos spitting in the cab would be dirty
MR VAIN:
Why not? Who cares? As long as the job gets done and nobody is hurtjust watch out for all them tassles choking you mr vain
A bit of both, if I’m at a big angle I look through the window but as soon as I can see the trailer in the mirrors then I use them only, the art of reversing is all about positioning though, if space allows I get as straight as I can & normally only make small steering corrections, in a tight space with a big angle I look through the window though I never hang my head out in case i mess my hair up
Coz we want to and it’s got nothing to do with you as long as it does’nt hurt you in anyway what does it matter.We all have our own way.
maverick72:
Dafman:
i drive a wagon and drag also, you have to stick your head out much harder to see the rear of trlis there a hard and soft way of putting your head out the window
Its softer if you open it first
who gives a toss.i cant believe you asked this