First weekend of class

Well,
I had my first weekend of driving school. We spent Saturday in the classroom going over the book work and movies on shifting, hooking and unhooking, and a few others. We spent a while on logs and the rules. Went in yesterday and had a quiz on 395 and then went to the range. Spent the first few hours on Pre trip and hooking and unhooking. I pull a fifth wheel with my pick up, so I know the concept, but it sure is different in that big truck and not being able to look out the rear window. Sure was fun though. Then we spent a few hours backing. Here in Virginia we only have to do a 25 foot straight back and a curved back for the DMV, so we started on the straight back. I thought it was pretty easy, but some of my classmates had a hard time. The very first time I backed it up, I neglected to look in my right mirror at first and as the trailer filled it, I waited too long to correct. I learned my lesson and then had my head on a swivel. I had no problems after that. I sure wish we had one truck per person. There are 7 guys in my class with one truck. The school actually has two trucks, but there is another class four weeks ahead of us using the other truck. They basically have one truck for the yard and one over the road. The one we were using yesterday would never pass the pre-trip and would get you put out of service if pulled over.

I wish I was doing this class everyday and not just weekends. I will keep you all posted on my classes progress.

 

They have cones and paint on the asphalt. The cones are in a painted square and then there are paint marks 36 inches out from the cones. They said that the place that the DMV does their tests in Hampton does not have the painted lines, just the cones. They put the paint out 36 inches so we get used to what 36 inches looks like from the cones. We have to put the outside tires between the paint and the cone.