left handed

Discussion in 'Swift' started by sprink99, Apr 15, 2011.

  1. sprink99

    sprink99 Light Load Member

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    Just a foolish question but one that makes sense to me. I am left handed and have a tendency to do this backwards and my mentor has noticed that also on backing up. Mentor said it is common in left handed drivers. Any merit to this. I have seen things different most of my life but I don't think this forum can fix that.
     
  2. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    sounds like your mentor is full of total bs to me....i'm left handed and having no trouble with it at all....at least one other lefty in my class right now and he's not having issues either.....it just comes easier to some than others.....you'll get it just go slow and don't try to get in any hurry.....when the light bulb comes on and you can see it as you do it you'll be just fine. just don't get in a hurry, try to rush it, or overthink it. slow slow slow and if you have to stop and get out and look , do it. i understand what you mean about seeing things differently, it does seem as if we process things in a different manner than right handed people, but not to the extent of seeing things in reverse....just a different perspective.....good luck
     
  3. sprink99

    sprink99 Light Load Member

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    No disrespect but I had no problem in school either but its a little different out here in the truck when your doing a blind back 90 degree into a dock with trailers on both sides. Yes it has been 9 days on his truck and I will get better it is just the observation he made. He says my setup is a little off most cases and I can usually fix it but in most cases I do turn the wrong way starting out.
     
  4. Injun

    Injun Road Train Member

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    I'm right-handed and when I first came out, I noticed I was doing the same thing: poor setup and turning the wheel wrong. It'll come to you. Just give it time.

    Doesn't help that I'm mildly dislexic. I've been noticing it more these days....transposing numbers and letters and my brain insisting that left turn I just made was a right. As said before, just take your time. You're not in the controlled environment of school anymore. It's different out here.
     
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  5. Palazon

    Palazon Road Train Member

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    Me too. I've noticed it's a bit worse at the end of the day when tired... just plan for it and compensate.
     
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  6. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    no disrespect taken at all......i will qualify my answer further and say i have alot of 'unoffical' experience (over 10 years' worth) backing pups, doubles (yes it can be done. sometimes lol) , 48's and 53's with a yard dog and single screw daycab at work when the occasion presents itself.....so it goes alot beyond just 'being easy in school but different in the real world"....being right or left handed makes not one bit of difference other than the fact that we leftys tend to look at things from a different perspective as far as spotting points and/or points of reference to work off of......i think injun said it the best and made the point i was trying to get across and failed miserably in doing....setup is the most important thing of all, no matter lefty or righty.....and second only to that is time in the seat.....actually, i find it alot more difficult in school than on the yard at work, only due to the fact that the course setup at school is alot tighter than what we work with in the 'real' world out on the staging yard / dock area at work.....just have patience, setup setup setup and slow slow slow.....and don't overthink it lol i've been famous for overthinking the trailer when i should just be listening to what it's telling me and watching it......you'll get it.
     
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  7. ronin

    ronin Road Train Member

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    Just make sure they issue you a left-handed truck, and you won't have a problem.
     
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  8. Texas-Nana

    Texas-Nana Princess Drives-a-Lot

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    My husband is left handed and I'm right handed. Both of us struggled with that first turn at the beginning of a set up. It was the stress of being on the road and not in class. You'll get it. And one day you'll be posting to a newbie saying "hang in there, you'll get it". :biggrin_25525:
     
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  9. Texas-Nana

    Texas-Nana Princess Drives-a-Lot

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    Is that what's causing it? And here I've been thinking I'm just getting old and senility was beginning. I'd much rather be dyslexic than old and senile.
     
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  10. Hamshoe

    Hamshoe Medium Load Member

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    Don't worry about being perfect. I still can mess up while backing and I still grind some gears...so what...just make sure your not gonna hit anything and take what time you need to get it done.
     
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