Only logged 19 drive hours in school so far. Is it normal to be afraid of the truck?

As far as getting into the left lane to let 4 wheelers onto the highway, it's nice if you can do it, but I wouldn't lose momentum or speed just to satisfy them. They're the ones with the yield sign, not you, if they can't put it to the floor and get around you or slow down, that's their problem, not yours.

 

Naw, no need to be a afraid, just be ready for anything, use your head, don't hurry yourself. I remember when I got my pilots license, 16 hours and then I went solo, boy was I nervous but fun. We all started somewhere. I applied the same concept when I first started driving, nervous but fun. Be smart!

 

Perry is great .

 

Seriously... 3 seconds following distance? Have they taught you how long it takes to stop a big truck? 3 seconds will get someone killed... 4 should be the bare minimum and 6 if you are serious about safety...

It takes two seconds for your brain to register the need to apply breaks, move your foot to the pedal, press ot and wait for the brake chambers to charge... that soen't leave.you much time st 3 seconds...

 

boy isn't that the truth lol i soloed with 11hrs and in my opinion it wasn't enough time but at the same time had a natural feel for the aircraft and the instructor was one of those that wouldn't have turned me loose over a residential area in an aircraft unless he thought i was ready....the truck is the same way and our instructors in school were old-school hard-##### who wouldn't have signed off on us unless they thought we had the foundation for safe operation to go forward into the road test for the license and on to an employer with a trainer......although i have to say at my school i had well over 750 miles in the seat before class was done....

still, i look at the license for wings or wheels the same way....it's a license to learn and after 2500hrs+ in aircraft i still learn something every time the wheels leave the ground....and the same for the truck.....even after 10 years in the seat i'll still be learning.....

if you ever feel you know it all or there isn't anything or any situation left for you to see or learn, that's when it's time to park it and hang up the keys.....

you'll do fine.....it's far better to be a little apprehensive and respect the vehicle and your experience level and how fast it can kill you (and others) than to be overconfident and make a huge mistake.

the two bigger issues i see there with the 4 wheelers merging.....as said above, THEY have the responsiblity to merge safely, you do NOT have to let them in. if you have clear road to move over and give them the courtesy then by all means do so, as i do as well, but i'll make them wait if it is a situation where it isn't safe for me to move over or it will cause an unsafe situation for surrounding traffic if i do move over....

the 'curvy ramps' and getting up to speed? those ramp speed signs are there for a reason and we were taught to always check the speedomoeter either exiting or entering.....don't proceed at a speed faster than you are comfortable with until you get straightened out and can accelerate....but also remember that now it's YOU that has the responsibilty of merging safely....that's a two-edged sword sometimes lol....as you gain more experience you'll learn how the truck handles with different types of loads on it and your confidence (combined with the ramp speed limit signs) will dictate how fast you manage the ramp.....but never push it just to get into traffic or appease the line of cars behind you.....they can wait....safe operation and you comfort level trumps their convienence always

 

If they are pulling away, just maintain you speed... they will increase the distance for you. It's the ome that pull in front and then slow down that suck the most.

In urban areas and areas of heavy traffic I generally drive about 5mph below the speed limit and the following distance comes naturally.

 

You should be to a going to a company with automatics

one basis of accidents, problems, near-misses is "(How lame, I know)" or in other words self-consciousness of what others are thinking being a basis for bravado or skipping needed safety actions

that is a warning bell but for what we dont know ~ ~ but it is good that instead of driving around town and on the interstate for a few miles,....

only by doing hundreds of miles on the (interstate or otherwise) do we get the time needed but it takes 5 years to get in the groove on anything

.... don't double clutch all the way.... why do you need the clutch?...

what ever else there is takes 2-nd seat to that .... just dont get overpumped

if:

that is because it is as you say, not because anything wrong and in fact I take it that you now realize what is going on ...

if you have time to drop through the gears in a crowded moment you will know it

Correct, stay that way.

you dont, you fish & float the rpms and the clutch until it will go in one gear then you go up and down from there as needed, often skipping one or two gears 2-4-6 is not overly hard in a two-speed split axle if not fully loaded

Correct, that's why money is paid to do the job, if it were the park on Saturday no one would pay you to do it, unless you get a Rickenbacker with al the CDL paychecks....

3-rd probably too far up as you describe it ~ you get it right pretty fast, worry about the other things like observation and look-ahead ..

probably is, they usually are, if you work for a major you can get a shop-ticket written on it then at least you reported it, it that is still too much start looking for another carrier right not & if it is not too much just make sure you get written doc on asking for a mech-check on it ..... those dont bother me much, what bothers me is someone in the back of the truck that is not a commercial driver

you drive as slow as you have to ~ let'em moan & honk & whatever - whatever == that is some ten to one-hundred thousand just for the truck alone & the cargo who knows, if you even so much as do not have any room left that is in technical basis an accident, if it bust and someone hurt any kiddo trying to pay for flashy car with a law degree will not be concerned with your why on the matter ..... see current issue of Texas Today and think about how they pay for the rent at those law-firms .....

if you do not tear up anything, it is a safe turn, if you damage something it is not a safe turn, there are not much else except as describe in the para right above ....

stay that way, that is the only safety tool you have