Using mirrors only on a 45 degree back?

Yes, but you have 2 years experience and confidence within you. The original poster does not.

The very lesson they are trying to instill in him.

 

Nothing wrong with that but from what I understand of the OP, they wouldn't even let him look over the shoulder to line up to the hazard even which is what I don't understand. But yeah any time you have ANY doubt in your mind about anything in a backing situation (and sometimes even driving forward lol) Get OUT AND LOOK! I do agree with that sentiment and hard to argue against that for sure.

Even with experience there can be times that you think your trailer is doing one thing and it is doing something just a little bit different lol.

 

A prime example of that, would be the comical attempts at backing that occur ANY time of day. After a driver has ran really hard, and really long without rest.

I'm just glad nobody is around with a video camera...those days

 

No doubt about that lol. I was at a shipper in MD one time with ALL THE ROOM I could ever possibly need on all sides and the holes were even lined and I just couldn't get that SOB in there for nothin'. I dunno what was wrong with me that day but after about 5 pull ups I finally figured it out.

One thing I'd say to rookies (hell I'm still a rookie ain't I?) is there's no point deductions for pull ups in the real world. You may catch hell from other drivers but they've all had those days too lol. DO whatever you gotta do to get in there without damagin anything (your ego doesn't count)!

 

I am still learning, and for me right now, I can often see it better from the outside. I am getting better with the mirrors and all, but not enough experience yet. Sometimes from the mirror it doesn't look right, but from the back of the trailer I can see it is good or vise versa.
For me, it is easier to back no a slot beween trailers. Had to back up to a door the other day that was all open on both sides, 4 doors on one side and 3 on the other. I didn't have to worry about hitting thing but had heck of time getting lined up right. That was the first time I had that, so my first thought was "wow this will be easy" was I wrong.

 

I have not started driving yet but COME ON. I just completed driving school and we had to pass three backing tests. 1st. test was backing down a 100 foot alley with only about 6 inches on eather side i got two points out of fifty, the 2nd. test was the 90 dagree alley dock with trailers on eather side I got a zero out of fifty, and the third test was the backward zig zag i also got a zero on that.
Anytime the tractor trailer was in line with each other you had to use your mirrors witch was not that hard after you do it a few times.
My point is if you can't back using your mirrors 95% of the time you should go get your money back from the truck driving school you went to " JUST SAYING "

Scoring for the backing test was like keeping score in golf the lower you score the better you did so out of 150 points i only got 2

 

You're always learning when you drive a big truck. Always! Even if you try to insist you won't learn anything today, you'll still learn something. It does get better but you'll still have bad days.

 

Points to rookies who are honest about their abilities.

Best "student" (for the lack of a better word) I ever had when I trained. Actually told me point blank, he was uncomfortable with a backing situation, and ask if I would do it.

It was tight as hell, and dark too. Couldn't hold it against him in the least.

 

In the real world there ain't no do overs. I don't care if someone uses only mirrors as long as they don't hit me. To each his own.

 

Smart driver there! That's another thing, if your gut tells you something ain't right and you think you can't do a manuever safely, by all means get advice or assistance from someone if you can or, for example, if there's obstacles in your way that can be moved that would make your life a lot easier, kindly ask someone to move it! Don't risk it if you have doubts.