Blind Side Backing

Thanks and yeah I've had travel trailers and boat trailers so I have done some backing but the first time in a cave like this with a big rig was somewhat intimidating heh heh.

Do tell!....spent some time in stumptown have ya?

 

Do tell!....spent some time in stumptown have ya?
Oh a few miles/years in them parts. Live on the other side of the mts. now.
Short story on my screw up in the cave. Backed in then got told to move over one slot,ok. Had a 48 dry van swing door trailer. Moved ahead and had a left side back in. Right swing door had rattled loose from the hook(frink railroad trailers)and was straight back. Put it between water pipe system and the cement pillar. Yeah it was a real wet mess by the time they got the water shut off. I see they have changed the plumbing seen then. That was in 89.

 

Proficiency is a product of repetition. Do almost anything enough times & you will figure it out. With operating a truck, or any other type of equipment, you will develop your depth perception, judgment of speed & distance, and just get "a sense of where you are".

I occasionally find situations where it's actually easier to blind-side. For some reason it's always harder in truck stops or at shippers with other drivers watching.

 

Thats a problem I have backing period. I get nervous because I swear everyone watches me espically at truck stops and then when I get nervous I end up all overr the place!!

 

That's natural. When I was a green P and D driver with a short trailer and armstrong steering I had to back up at an old CF terminal on my first day on the job. Took a FEW times. Got out and of course a herd of old line drivers were have'n a smoke watching. One guy says to me."Did ya need some help son". Right there and then I decided that I'd be the best dam backer up I could be. Ya know what mean. Dad use to say"If ya can see daylight in your mirrors,ya good to go."

 

And a day cab with a flat bed is even better.

 

I lived on the dry side (Bend) back in the '70's,live'n in SW WA up near the volcano nowadays.
Funny stuff about the water pipes,bet it weren't so funny at the time though heh.

 

I have a stupid little window.Your must have been born blindsiding. I can do it with my window or without. Sometimes better than others go figure.

 

blind side backing is an aquired skill, just like any other backing. Trouble is people become intimidated and only do it if they have to. It's not hard, once you learn it.
So do yourself a favor and when you have extra time at a truck stop, go pick a back row where there's still room and practice.
it won't take long, and then you won't worry about it anymore.

 

My biggest problem with blind siding is when it's in a space with open slots next to it. For the life of me I can't bring it in straight unless there are other trucks or trailers I have to come around. Really, I have the same problem from either side but it's much more exaggerated blind side. If there are 3 open slots I guarantee I'll be across all of them. If I have 1 open slot though I bring it in fairly close with usually only having to do one pullup to bring it back in the hole safely and another pullup to center it in the hole.

I've been trying to work on it but it just seems like it's the one backing situation I'm not improving at. Not to say the rest of my backing is perfect by any means, I just feel like I am getting better when it comes to tighter holes and not so much on the open spots. I just lose all perception of the angle the trailer is coming back when I don't have a truck or trailer next to me to give me an idea of how the trailer is coming back compared to what's next to me.