Helping newbies back in

What you didn't see we're the notebooks and pens where they were all writing down exactly how you got in the spot none of them could. Lol. The first time you have someone guide you straight into another person's truck you'll get over this issue. I let people tell me if I'm close now but I back up 2-6 times a day without assistance and I always pull forward to see my blind side or get out, just in case. I've had multiple people telling me I'm good to go in a spot look at me strange when I get out to double check, but one little fender bender turns you right back into a Newby and that frustration is a lot worse than wanting some help from uncertain strangers. If their not kin or don't own the truck you're backing towards, get out and look. It's your ### when they're wrong.

 

Great advice Arkansas Frost...but all of us aren't out to back you into something...just saying that some of your fellow drivers are willing to lend a hand or help on occasion.

 

I trusted a volunteer ONCE, not because I really needed help , but because I was tired and he insisted and I just didn't want to be rude to shoo him away. Well guess what happened, that's right...Crunchola! NEVER AGAIN! I don't need that kind of help...EVER! If someone offers to help I just say thank you but I'll handle this. I cringe when someone gets in my mirrors to help. If I'm not able to judge it I GOAL and I don't mind that one bit. Two heads ain't always better than one good one!

 

Yep. I know most people are there to help but I had the above experience my first Week solo. Heard the crunch. Got out, looked at damage, came back and helper was GONE! I've practiced a lot in four months and if I can't get lined up in two attempts, I'll park farther away rather than risk a preventable. When this happens you get helper-phobia. I know a lot of you are better drivers than me but as long as I have the keys, I call the shots on this truck.

 

Your opinion and you are certainly entitled to it. I meant no disrespect sorry if you took it that way. That GOAL way is always the BEST way even if you have a spotter helping. bender you keep on getting out and looking!

 

I was just stating my opinion and my practice in a rather strong manner, not to be offensive or pointing it at anyone. My experience of relying on a helper in darkness turned bad and I never had a good feeling about it. In my opinion, if you need a helper, he/she should let you operate the truck and only stop you when you get into trouble. A helper is not capable of affectively directing a driver in operating a truck from the rear, the driver will just get confused.

 

I will ask before I help and then usually tell the driver "I'll only warn him if he is going to hit something I'm not trying to drive the truck from outside." Exception was in Ks City just before Christmas, I had a load going 30 miles from home and a snow storm was on its way to KC. I couldnt get my trailer out til Swift got hers out of the way so after watching her try for 30mins it was obvious she had no idea what she was doing. I tried to guide her in from outside and she didnt do what I told her so after wasting 90mins trying to help her I got in the driver seat and put it in the hole for her . She was amazed that I did it in 2 pullups, (it wasnt that hard when you know what youre doing). I explained to her "I never had actually parked a truck for a driver before. I leave it up to the driver to finger it out but because I had a long way to go and a short time to get there and she was blocking me and seemed clueless as to how to back a truck I made an exception to my rule." I gave her some tits on backing and suggested she practice whenever she could. And because Swift gave her a crappy 400 mile run to deliver the 26th she would have many empty parking lots to practice. She told me she had been solo (away from trainer) for 6months. Thats sad, that her trainer didnt teach her to back and apparently she never gave her a clue on how to do it at all. Whenever they had to back the trainer did it without explaining to her why and what she was doing, all she could do was watch and try to figure it out . Of course she may have given me a bs story and she just was too dumb or lazy to try. And believe me I dont think anyone would "swap favors" to back her truck in so I dont know what she did the other times she had to back.

 

How do you know the person trying to help you knows what they are doing ?? In this day and age you are probably better off doing it yourself..

If I need help I'll ask and I expect you to do the same, don't be afraid or to proud to ask for help !!

 

I agree, helpers should simply be watchers to alert the driver with three simple signals, forward, back and STOP.
I rode with my Dad when I was a kid during the summer doing city p&d so I got trained at a young age and I didn't forget. Then I ran a yard dog (spotter) and that got me tuned in to pretty much anything although a couple of trucks that I ran that had no power steering could be a chore in some places. If drivers were just taught how to setup properly they would have the basics to become good backers quickly.

I've put a few in for drivers who were having a bad day, but I think those days are pretty much gone. We can no longer be as decent to one another as we once were, they won't let us.

I thought of breaking some of it out but I'm just gonna say that your stuff is too funny! Hilarius!

 

if i see a driver having a real hard time ill ask if he wants me to spot for him or her in case they going hit something,,, but not right of the bat had a guy tell me once that saying drivers say "drive your truck and ill drive mine",,,and me personally i rather do it on my own dont trust people you might be an inch from hitting a trl and they are telling you to keep going back thats why even if i have a spotter ill get out and look for myself everytime