Big Problems Over Thinking and Oversteering

Practice, and more practice. Students get frustrated because they wrongly believe they're good drivers, naturally, long before they arrive at truck driving school, and they haven't practiced any driving skill for 2 seconds since being granted a license, and they tend to throw the fundamentals out the window leaving the exam station. This causes their expectations of progress, when they find themselves required to meet some driving standard not of their own invention, to be unrealistic.

Literally millions of drivers have learned to back (perhaps most often they're better at backing than going forward, because they've practiced backing, because it's embarrassing and obvious to everyone when you're bad at that part). You can do it, too, I'll put money on it.

 

My very first driving job was in a COE w/arm strong steering and a very short wheelbase pulling a pup trailer.(LTL) No room for error. So first stop is at a CF terminal. Tried backing in a hole w/ about 10 old timers watching. FINALLY hit it. Got out and this one old boy says "Let me know if ya need help next time." Nice! But he did me a big favor that day. I decided that I would become the best #### backer upper I could be.

 

Regarding over-steering (especially in regard to backing) move your hands to the bottom of the steering wheel. Hold it at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions and make TINY adjustments, very small movements. You'll notice an immediate difference.

 

The smaller and faster adjustments you make with the steering wheel, the straighter the trailer will track, and again as other posters have said, practice,practice, it will come with time, also don't over think as that leads to frustration, the more confident you are inside the more it's going to come together for you.....

 

A guy in my class was really bad about it all.... but it seems at some point in the fourth week he snapped and could back better than everyone.

 

Your problem is you are not relaxing when you get into the cab. relax, take it as if it is a car and you are going to park it. remember the simple steps, write them down and tack them to the dash right in front of you.

All the advice is great but overthinking is about being nervous and trying to accomplish something that you don't have the confidence to do or never done.

 

backing is not a easy thing to do, it will only come with practice and more practice. when someone asked you how to back up and you have to stop and think how to do it you are getting better. it seems a lot of newer drivers look at the back of the trl. i always looked at the back of the tandems. just relax and it will come to you in time. b safe out there

 

any way you could contact me, I'm in a cdl school in Atlanta ga, struggling a bit on my backing up maneuvers. Would appreciate some help if possible. You can email me your number at elmowho1@gmail.com. Thank you.

 

Check out my backing playlist at your convenience.

Scottie's Backing Videos - YouTube

 

Have you had straight line backing drills? Across a long distance towards a set of cones?
Go back to that and practice turning the wheel a quarter turn, and then getting the trailer straight again after it drifts off the straight line.

Once your corrections get to be automatic, you will “feel it”......as they like to say.

In other words practice small steering turns before you Move up to the big turns.