Another question and its about backing.

[sbatson]

Ok I seem like I'm having problems backing into a spot at a truck stop, can anyone give me some pointers on the best way to set myself up to get into a spot easier, I try and seem like I'm turning to soon or something so I'll get Pi#@ed and move on and try to find a straight spot.

[bjs24]

Ok I seem like I'm having problems backing into a spot at a truck stop, can anyone give me some pointers on the best way to set myself up to get into a spot easier, I try and seem like I'm turning to soon or something so I'll get Pi#@ed and move on and try to find a straight spot.

Being fairly new myself i have found that the slower you back the easier it is to turn and not turn too much. but i have had plenty of more seasoned drivers tell me to find the easiest space to get into if you dont have to back dont you get enough of that at load stops. they have also told me to use all the space you have to make it easier. hope it helps BJS

[sbatson]

Ya I always look for that easy spot but it seems like I'm running into these areas like Amarillo late and seems like the only spot is the one right in the middle of everything.

[matcat]

Truck stops after dark are the perfect places to practice that backing skill Unless I just wasn't in the mood, I often looked for the toughest spot and worked my way into it, and driving for swift I had a really nice cheering section over the radio .

You ask 20 drivers the best tips for backing and you will get 20 different tips and ideas. The biggest is don't blind side it, if at all possible. Most truck stops are setup that you don't have to blind side into a spot. Also take your time, if people start getting on your nerves over the CB about taking a while, just shut it off, don't worry about them (Me personally I rather enjoyed the penut gallery ).

[Uturn2001]

When trying to back try, if possiblef to not start the back at a 90 degree angle from the space.

To start you want to be about 6-8 feet away from the hole and parallel to it. When your door is about even with the middle of the hole stop and look to your right for some kind of land mark directly across from the space you are wanting to back into. . Turn hard right and drive towards that object. When you about a 1 1/2 hood length (maybe a little more) away from your landmark turn hard left. This should place your trailer at the opening of the hole. You may have to drive forward a little bit to improve the angle or orientation to the hole, but it should put you in decent shape.

Before starting your back, be sure to turn your steering wheel straight.

It will take some time and practice and you will need to fine tune your turns and starting point to fit your truck since every truck handles a bit differently.

[sbatson]

Ya I leave out 2-morrow so I will try all the advice I get today and see what works best for me.

[classB]

You need to find your reference points. Find a big open parking lot with no cars. Then select one parking space and try to back in. Look at the spot on the road where you started to turn before backing up and where you end up once your backing up. The next time try doing the exact same thing but from a different starting point, it could be a couple feet further down or a couple feet earlier. Maybe your reference point is the door. See where you line your truck up so when you turn the wheel you are lined up to go in straight. That is your reference point. It is trial and error but once you find your reference point you will be able to back in every time the exact same way without having to think about things.

On my bus the reference point is the center of the passenger door. Once I see that line up with the parking spot next to the one I want (right before my parking spot), I turn the wheel all the way to the left, hard left and go until I am lined up perfectly straight with the spot. I then back in straight. Works every time.

One more thing you want to do is when your actually backing up is use your drivers side flat mirrors and watch to see your truck get close to the parking line. Use those mirrors. Don't try and stick your head out the window or use some other system. Don't worry about the passenger side mirrors. If you're lined up straight and your tires are close to the parking line on the drivers side, you won't hit anything on the other side. You can look from time to time to the passenger mirrors, but don't use them to line yourself up.

Good luck. Once you learn your reference points and back in a couple times it becomes very easy to do. Go slow the first couple times and learn from each attempt at backing up. It is much easier to line yourself up and go back straight than to try and turn in at an angle.

[matcat]

Ohh and I should of mentioned it before hand, get out and look! People might look at you silly but it really is a great way to get a good overall picture of what you see in the mirror, and how it actually looks looking at the entire rig and where it is at and what it is doing.

[JeffTheTerrible]

This may sound a bit weird, but I actually managed to work out my backing difficulties through the dreams I had when I first started running OTR. I know it sounds ridiculous, but, when I first started off, I would actually have dreams that I was driving the truck, and it would always scare the living hell out of me when I woke up, because I'd immediately think that I'd fallen asleep behind the wheel.
I know it's not advice, but I just thought I'd throw it out there. As for backing advice, practice, practice, practice. That's all I can really say.

[sbatson]

This does help and I will use it out there on this trip and try to stop early so I can try to do it before everyone piles in.

[matcat]

I think every newbie driver gets intimidated by the truck stops for their first few weeks. You are performing I would say the most difficult maneuvers to master in controlling a large vehicle (Atleast it seams that way when you first start), and doing them with a very captive audience, who aren't afraid to offer every comment imaginable while you are doing it. I know for the first few weeks I tried to stay away from truck stops, and looked for the most out of way places to park, but eventually got over it and just did it.

[Colts Fan]

Just turn the CB off, pretend no one is watching, and you'll be fine. If you have to pull up for 5 straight minutes who cares?

[Phreddo]

do your best to get the trailer as straight as you can with the hole -before- you enter the hole. that is, don't cross the threshold while at a pronounced angle, otherwise you risk taking out a mirror.
i always tried to bring the trailer in real tight to one truck and pivot the tandems around the bumper. but what i think you need to do is try and move your aim point about 6 feet further forward than you think you want to go.

[ohiomohawk]

Steer towards trouble is engraved in my mind.

I had a tough time learning how to back, I kept turning as if i was in a car.

Teaching myself to turn the steering wheel opposite direction you want the trailer to turn just took me a little while to get use to.

I always tell myself now to steer towards trouble and its so much easier.

[geeshock]

Ohh and I should of mentioned it before hand, get out and look! People might look at you silly but it really is a great way to get a good overall picture of what you see in the mirror, and how it actually looks looking at the entire rig and where it is at and what it is doing.

so what, 2+ years later and I get out and look more than i did when i started, only the fools look at you funny about that. I know all those O/O's with the new trucks I backed up next to were thankful I got out and looked. I was too, I realy don't need to pay for a new hood.

[geeshock]

Ohh and I should of mentioned it before hand, get out and look! People might look at you silly but it really is a great way to get a good overall picture of what you see in the mirror, and how it actually looks looking at the entire rig and where it is at and what it is doing.

so what, 2+ years later and I get out and look more than i did when i started, only the fools look at you funny about that. I know all those O/O's with the new trucks I backed up next to were thankful I got out and looked. I was too, I realy don't need to pay for a new hood.

[matcat]

Ohh and I should of mentioned it before hand, get out and look! People might look at you silly but it really is a great way to get a good overall picture of what you see in the mirror, and how it actually looks looking at the entire rig and where it is at and what it is doing.

so what, 2+ years later and I get out and look more than i did when i started, only the fools look at you funny about that. I know all those O/O's with the new trucks I backed up next to were thankful I got out and looked. I was too, I realy don't need to pay for a new hood.

Gotta realize, driving for Swift the penut gallery goes into full swing when a swifty is moving in any direction I personally never cared, I rather enjoyed the banter.

Actually I remember a time when myself and 2 other swifties going in the same general direction decided to do a 3 truck swift convoy from Salina Utah to Denver Colorado. Just picture 3 swifties all pulling into and out of the truck stops all at once, the penut gallery was quite active. Was a very entertaining ride.

[Roadhog]

The further up your tandems are, the faster the tail swings, and you need to be more mindful of where your doors are...as they are further out than you expect, if you are watching your wheels.

If I have a tight spot, I sometimes will run my tandems all the way back, and it makes my backing a whole lot easier. The tail swings slower, and I know more where my doors are.

I got into the habit of sliding my tandems by doing a lot of Grocery Warehouse docks. Lots of them are tight as a gnats ass. I like my tandems all the way back for loading and off loading.

I've been in some tight spots, where I needed to squash my rig as short as possible too. So it helps if you gain experience both ways. That little Flying J in Tacoma brings to mind...where I have to crunch up short in order to manage wiggling in.

In the dark, storms, and tight spots...by all means, get out and check your progress. Some spots are just too tight, unless someone spots you...and you have to let it go.

[Roadhog]

Actually I remember a time when myself and 2 other swifties going in the same general direction decided to do a 3 truck swift convoy from Salina Utah to Denver Colorado. Just picture 3 swifties all pulling into and out of the truck stops all at once, the penut gallery was quite active. Was a very entertaining ride.

I saw this once at Bloomsburg, Pa.
Three Swift trucks were pulling out of the Truck Stop early in the morning "convoy style."
They all were yakking on the CB to each other. I was walking out to my truck, shower bag and coffee in hand.
The last truck in the convoy had a flat tandem tire.
True story.


...sorry matcat, your story jogged my memory of this.
This was like three years ago. It's a fond memory for me.

[Snowman7]

Ohh and I should of mentioned it before hand, get out and look! People might look at you silly but it really is a great way to get a good overall picture of what you see in the mirror, and how it actually looks looking at the entire rig and where it is at and what it is doing.

This is a great tip. You need to learn what you are looking at in your mirror. Even though you may be new if you are calm, cool and collected, and do it right, most people will leave you alone. It's just going to take time and practice. Go slow, study your mirrors, and get out to see the big picture. You cant fool anyone by pretending to be good at it cause they are going to know. And then when you screw up you will hear about it! You will learn faster by taking your time and paying attention then you will by pretending and rushing.

Like someone said there are 20 different ways to set up for a hole and git r done. Some might be better than others but no one cares unless you screw it up. But one thing you have to do is follow your trailer in your mirror while pulling forward to set up. When you see that the angle is correct for the situation then you can begin backing. There's no point in going in reverse if you're just guessing and hoping it'll work out.

Just keep working at it and it'll come together. Telling someone how to back is like telling someone how to ride a bike. We all know how to do it but its hard to explain.