Perhaps I should turn the CB down so it's much easier to ignore them. The only reason I'd want it on is so someone could WARN me if I was about to hit something. Other than that, you really can't trust someone because they might tell you wrong; half the time our instructor will say Turn left, keep turnin' left, I MEAN RIGHT, turn right, turn right. The opposite direction you have to turn to steer the trailer confuses the spotter as well as the driver. :lol:

The best advice that I can give you is take your time and the set-up for the back is half the battle. Do not worry about the other drivers watching you they had to learn the same way you are and I can guarantee that that they have days where they can back into any situation without any problems and days they can't back no matter what they do. Good luck and find a system that works best for you.

Funny I like the tunes on low when backing, nothing loud, but windows down and a little background noise is soothing hear. I do the same when sleeping however, so maybe that's just me.

The biggest error I find in newbies when waiting on them to back in the hole is a crappy setup. If the trailer is not lined up and placed in a spot to begin the manuevere then you are dead in the water before you moved a foot in reverse. Roll the package back a bit and see if your approach was close, if not or you are cocking the wheel to the extreme to make it go pull up and rehit the approach. It's when you don't that you notice a driver make 10 or 12 pullups with no room to make any measurable improvement to the lie of the trailer. Better to pull out and rehit in my book.

Once things are looking good and the tires are lined up with the hole yet the trailer is still off pull up the package and line it all up, I see so many people jam the thing cockeyed riding the trailer next to them and them your back to the 12 pullups to attempt to move the trailer over 3 feet, why not do it when it's a 1 pullup dial in when halfway into the hole?

food for thought, stay safe out there.

I don't know how anyone could back with noise in the background. If it is quiet, then there are no destractions and you can hear when you slam into the dock :wink:

I feel the dock, not hear it, haha.

On a dedicated run with the same docks at either end daily, you do get into the comfort zone with your surroundings make it safer.

Doesn't mean some wingding will not run behind the trailer oblivious to what is going around them, that occurs too often.

Yeah, I had some idiot in a bread truck who saw me start to back up run right behind me. Needless to say that management ripped him a new one. I think it was the statement of "Had I hit him it would have hurt, not to mention I would have totaled his bread truck"...

Oh well, gotta love idiots!

I learned to back up in 80 acre bean fields. After I got straight line backing down I started trying to get just 4 rows over. (about 1 lane) Hmm...not so easy...hey how'd I get way over here? Finally I got pretty good at it. Now I can back into a 20' field entrance at night and stay out of the ditch, which is important 'cause it happens to be 8' deep. I get out and look repeatedly and I DON"T CARE how long it takes.
I went to work for a bottom feeding otr company that delivered to the Owens Corning factory in Brookeville, In. You drive around the plant to the riverside and pull up beside the building. Now back around said building and try to get straight. BTY there is an asphalt truck in the dock behind you right now so it's a real good time to goal. Now pull up an try to go back the way you came in. You driver's steer tire is now about 2 feet from the Whitewater river. GOAL! Once you are turned around you are finally ready to back into your dock. Just watch out for the 2 poles and the #*&$ dumpster. Easy! See?

helpback Download this game and play around with the trailers, backing them up. Never know, it may help some folk :wink:

You are right on with your statement here ! I was told by a very good instructor back in 2004 to just simply remember to "Always turn to the problem" - If the problem is that the trailer is drifting left, then turn to the left and the trailer will go to the right, likewise if the problem is that the trailer is going to far to the right, then turn to the right to get the trailer drifting back to the left. Always turn into the problem.

Things do get better, but a little tip that I use. When I went to some of these tight places, I asked "what is the best way to get into your loading dock" the reason I ask is because these dock foremen have seen all sorts of stupidity from drivers who tried to do things THEIR way and ended up hitting something. Tell them your new, and your backing skills are still kind of new as well.

Hell, I had a guy let me drop the trailer right at the gate and the yard goat came by and snagged it for me.

As time goes on, your skills will get better. Also if you are backing into a space and finding yourself getting flustered and frustrated, pull back out , turn around and try again.

There is nothing wrong with doing multiple pull-ups if it avoids you running into something.