Nerves

First off, I'd have to assume he was just trying to help. I hope he wasn't riding you while you were behind the wheel. I had an instructor do this, and in my oppinion it was very stupid. Unless there's a real compelling reason to criticize a student right on the spot, like immediate safety, I think they're beter to hold their "critique" until you're stopped. JMHO. I guess a case could be made that they're trying to toughen ya up for the real world and all that b.s. I just happen to disagree.

Quick example... I was on the street with an instructor and he was teling me I made a turn too wide/wrong gear blah, blah blah... and I was listening to what he was saying when he suddenly snapped, "now get over in the other lane!". Well I put on my directional and simultaneuously checked my mirror. When I did this YES, I did move over maybe a foot in my lane when I saw a car preventing me from changing safely. No sooner than i corrected, he was snapping, "now you just cut that guy off!". And I mean he was hot! It occured to me right there and then that this guy was clearly in the wrong. I maybe a newbie, but common sense sould suggest that I can make my own mistakes with out his help. He needed to remain calm and just tell me, "We'll be turning right at the next light". I didn't even need him to tell me to change lanes. But if he did want me to change lanes, the comand is, "When it's safe to do so, make a right lane change".

You get the point. Just because he's having a bad day, doesn't give him the right to ruin mine. That same week our lead instructor was throwing out some tid-bits of wisdom at dis-patch that he got out of some mag. One of them was, "When your only tool is a hammer, pretty soon everything starts loking like a nail." I thought about that incident.

Relaxing behind the wheel is important though. Attentive... but relaxed. Good luck!

 

yeah, what Monrkr said !
It's tough to adjust, but I see your age, you are trying something new probably after having been in something altogether different. Nerves are part of learning so don't let it distract you. You will stay nervous for a good long while, even after you are out on the road without someone snapping at you from the righthand seat. You will snap at yourself. In a few years you may be like me and even have flashbacks from time to time - I can still remember being barked at when slowing to enter a scalehouse because I wasn't gearing down the way my trainer wanted. I can roll into one tomorrow and have deja vue from that time 12 years ago.
If he has been a good trainer, you will remember instances like that as you encounter them on your own, and that is a good thing. He was making a point though, as did monrkr, that you can't let your own thoughts distract you from the task at hand. Attentive, but relaxed, I like that!bb.

 

I suggest you try to get ahold of yourself. this is not a job for the timid. just wrestle with yourself and get rid of that nervousness. otherwise maybe you should get into another profession.

 

I was very nervous too. I think more so because we always have an audience at the scales and if you mess up, miss a gear anywhere close to the scales, everyone knows it. Other than that I was relieved to know the rest of the guys hated some of the times we had to make runs on bad roads as much as I did.

 

Driveing is a stressful job. Different people deal with it in different ways.
If you don't find a way to deal with it, it will be like a hundred pound
ruck sack on your shoulders. You will be tired all the time because it
can effect your sleep. You can gain or lose weight because of it.
I deal with it by setting aside time almost every day for high intensity
exercise. I talk things out with my wife also. Stress is one major reason
this industry has such a high turnover rate.

 

I hear ya. Last year I lost weight and also between every load made sure there was walking as fast as I could. Since son and I are saving up for costs to get our truck going I can't wait to get back to work harvest season!! I've gained weight while I was sick, now walking, lifting weights etc to try to get back into shape. Doesn't take much to lose that tone after you pass 40 lol.

 

I am a new driver as well. I also tend to get nervous in new situations. After doing something once or twice I can tell the nervousness is leaving. Know that you are not the only one that experiences this and as you continue to do things over and over again you lose the nervous edge.

Xo

 

Everyone goes through this. Unlike some people's views if it ever gets to where nothing bothers you then it is time to look for another job. Drivers get in that phase and they are usually the ones that have problems. I am not saying that you won't get used to it. It will get easier as time passes, but when one forgets that these trucks will kill you and those around you that is where the problem begins. The key is to control your truck. Don't let it control you.