Backing and turns

Maneuvering a big truck is something I find second nature. But for me to get to where I think I want the trailer here or there it is so. Takes many years for me of practice practice and practice. (As if you don't get enough...) and a few broken eggs along the way.

The best thought I can share with you is the initial set up. That is like 90% of your effort rewarded when you set up just so and it glides into the space in one move.

Never rush it. ALWAYS get out and look. The moment you get ideas like that somehow the truckstop will treat you poorly like a 6 year old for getting out and looking while backing is a moment that a accident takes root and will happen in your near future.

TAKE your time. Discard the three minutes and three pullups in schooling. It's something to work on. Believe it or not I still run by the three minute clock hammered into me back in the 80's but goal is to do it in one move that is smooth and not interrupted.

Practice and practice. You will find that your 18 wheeler will exhibit certain specific behaviors every single time should you do this or try do that or some thing else. Take advantage of predicability. 90% of your work is in the set up.

Finally but not least. A Marine taught me that just because you have something to do does not mean it will come easy, or should. If you by chance had a whole lot to choose a space from when backing, make it a blind side back. Just because. If it goes well, you are in. If not? You might be a little bit over tired or fatiqued or something else is bothering you. Try again tomorrow.

And lastly. Do. NOT. stress. you are manuvering a big truck and sometimes she is gonna throw a fit and maybe twist into something stubborn and needs to be undone. Don't stress about it.

Sooner or later once you master all the possibilities in backing up a big truck, you will also begin to glide into spaces in one move.

 

Sims are good when run properly. I found a couple of older Trucking sims to finally be accurate in the act of hooking up to a trailer or even backing a trailer to a dock. But no 18 or 21 speed double under for me with a stack of directs to boot to manage a B train on the computer. It's the same generic 4 speed that the game passes for a manual.

What am I supposed to do with a 4 speed in a actual Super B train loaded to the Nuts? Can you imagine that? Burn a whole tank of fuel for failing to get to and stay at torque from bottom to top.

I have yet to find a game product that simmed trucks with any accuracy. I can work a accurate factual historical engine start on a B17 what with all the steps listed. Or take a 747-800 into Memphis under a human controller or whatever it is in a sim situation. Its' fun.

But what is not fun are loads like Lancaster PA direct to Idabel Ok overnight and change, logs be ######. That was about 1480 miles of pain. I could have done a better job coming across via Voss MO and St Louis rather than working all the way down to Little Rock the hard way for the first few times in my life that year. I thought little rock was pretty cool. But you have to shoot em first.

 

When it's really tight and I'm struggling I just sigh close my eyes and let Jesus take the wheel. If Jesus is screwing it up too I pull him off the wheel, sigh close my eyes and call upon the force. When all that fails I G.OAL as quickly as possible before the driver jesus just hit gets and chases me down. Remember to (goal - go on and leave) quickly but nonchalantly.

 

Turn away from the obsticle you want to avoid, or...
Turn toward the way you want the trailor to go, or...
Right is left and left is right, AND...
GOAL: Get Out And Look.