The further adventures of Texas-Nana at the Swift Driving Academy

Good for you Nana! Sounds like you are having a lot of fun.

 

Seems like all is going well Nana.
We were all nervous at first, at least those of us with any brains,
It's all about confidence.
If Billy Bob Buttcrack you saw at the truckstop this morning, who isn't mechanically inclined enough to figure out how to use a shower head can drive a big truck, you can too.

 

Believe it or not, many have the same problem. It will suddenly click.

 

it is funny how that happens. it did with ME too on the "serpintine" (basically a sightside then blindside parallel park back to back
NANA sometimes you just gotta STOP, get out, kick the tire and take a few DEEEP breaths.

 

Nana, quit trying so hard. You take it easy on your self-reproach. Remember when you were first learning how to drive a car? Just don't expect so much of yourself right off the bat. You should call my hubby tomorrow and ask him to explain how to back-up. There's the hard way and the easy way, and he'll talk you through it the easy way. He's taught many a student driver. Don't beat yourself up about it. No one learns right at the start.

You cussed? Lord have mercy. I never cuss. /// Just make sure you ask the Lord to forgive you, you know He will. I have used words that I didn't even know I knew on occasion. I got those words from hanging around my son. lol

 

OK, you had "one of those days." We all get them, but remember that tomorrow is another day. I know it can get discouraging when you seem to be getting worse instead of better, but "this too shall pass."

No, you won't give up. You are just not made that way.

That won't be the end of the earth either. Frustrating, yeah. Embarrassing, probably. But you aren't the first, nor will you be the last to have a problem with backing.

You WILL overcome the problem. (That IS an order)

Oh, that is what it was. I got a call from my boy in Mesa, thought they had an earthquake and tornado all at once. I can call him back now, and tell him to "rest easy," as it was just Nana cussing!

 

Try not to get too discouraged Nana.
Almost everyone has problems backing at first. We all have our own little way of understanding things.
I picture in my head where the pin has to go, then use the tractor to put it there. Like a kid's wagon.
Others follow the back wheels in. Some put their hand on the bottom of the wheel and back sort of normal.
You WILL find a way that works for you.
I was a yard-dog for 6 months and could put anything anywhere, most days.
Some days I couldn't put a trailer anywhere.
As someone said, sometimes you just have to walk away, kick the tires and regroup.

 

Your at swift... don't worry none of them will expect you to back straight..... Sorry running for cover now... It just takes time. As others have stated, one day you will look back and think why was this so hard...

 

I'm sorry I have missed this post. You sound like you are actually doing fine. We had some in our class that were having the same trouble that you are describing, it irons itself out. Like what was said before, it will suddenly click and you'll open your eyes and say "I can do this!" Once that happens, nothing will stop you.

Who is your instructor? Also, have they worked with you themselves personally? We had a guy that just needed the 1 on 1 time, and he finally got it and was doing fine.

When I went through class, it was the same in that your classmates would help others out with learning to do those maneuvers. The instructors would typically show us how to execute it in the beginning, then we were left to learn it.

Most of the time it's not what you are actually doing during the move, but the setup that throws it off. The parallel parking maneuver is a prime example of that (also, depending on the time of day, it's a bit tough to line up the cone).

For the setup, something that they did not mention was that until you say the words "I'm ready" you can spend as long as you want setting up the vehicle. I personally didn't need to, but try simply getting out of the truck and making sure you are positioned where you "think" you are. Also, make sure the truck is setup parallel to the box. We had a stray rear cone that was throwing some of the class off as they were trying to line up in a straight line using it. Once you have that cone between the IDT bumper and the rear tandems, back until you are seeing just a little bit more than half of the landing gear (3/4 or maybe a little less) under the trailor then STOP (don't make adjustments to these maneuvers while moving). Turn the wheel ALL the way in the other direction and hold it, then start backing and it should get very close.

Now... what they don't teach you is how you interpret the results of your move.

Example A:

Code:

   _____________
 _[U]| [/U]_________  |
 |           | | 
 [U]|  Trailer[/U][U]  |[/U] |
 [U]|Trk|         |
[/U] [U]|  |[/U]

You back into your box, but the trailer is not positioned far enough back in the box, or your tractor's tires are running over the cones.

To correct this, make sure you are not setting up with the cone closer to your bumper (ignore the plate if they are putting it on the ground, learn to set up about a foot or so, but not too far, from the cone instead as the plate will probably not be on the ground during the test). If you are sure you are setting this up in the correct position, and you are being consistent in hitting the same spot, just not far enough back in the box, then make your first move and position yourself according to your landing gear. Turn the wheel all the way in the other direction, but then back it off just a little (about 1/4 turn) right before it hits the point when the truck straightens out, then after it passes that straight point, turn the wheel all the way again. This will push your trailer about 2 or 3 feet further back into the box. (The rule of thumb: A slight variation up front, will affect the outcome a lot)

Example B:

Code:

___________
| _________[U]|  [/U]
| |          |
| [U]| Trailer  |
| |Trk|    |
[/U]    [U]| |[/U]

You back into your box, but the trailer's IDT bumper is going over the line.

This one would be because the cone is too close to the tandems when trying to position the cone in the middle point between the IDT Bumper and the tandems. The same rules would apply here as the above example.

Example C:

Code:

______________
|            |
| _________  |
|_|        |_| 
  [U]| Trailer[/U][U]|[/U] 
   [U]|Trk|
[/U]   [U]|  |[/U]

You back into your box, but the trailer is not making it fully into the box.

This happens because you set up too far from the cone. It can also happen as a result of setting up at an angle in instead of being parallel to the lines of the box.

To correct it, you have to back further (normally until you can see the foot on the far side of the landing gear barely). Then, like the first example, right before your truck gets to the point to where it straightens out, let off of the wheel just a little (about 1/4 turn) and let the trailor back deeper into the box just a little, then back to full right again.


The last example I won't draw, but if you are getting too deep into the box, it's because you are setting up too close to the cone, or you are angled out instead of being parallel with the lines on the box. Correcting the move would simply be to back up on your first move to only half of the landing gear, or even less if needed, then cut hard to get into the box.


So there are 4 examples on 1 maneuver where it presents a problem that causes you to have to adjust to the conditions of how your truck is moving. Each of the trucks out on the range will handle a little differently than the last, so I stand behind the statement that there is not a system that will work fool proofed, unless you nail one down and are lucky enough to take your test in that same truck and that same parking space.


Also, when trying to determine how far to back to get all 4 corners of the trailer in the box and line it up straight; I had trouble with that one personally for a bit, but then I finally caught a reference point that worked consistently. The way I did it was as I was backing and trying to line it up straight in the box, I looked through my mirror UNDER the trailer at the line in the back of the box. What I noticed was that when I had that trailor straight, that line was perfectly parallel to the bottom of the trailer as well.

(note: In this example, I have to use right angles, your trailer may not be 90 degrees though, but the system still worked for me when the trailer was angled in my mirror)

Mirror

Code:

____________
|          |
|          |
| Trailer  |
|          |
|_________[U] |[/U] <-- bottom of trailer
|          |
|__________| <-- box line
|          |
[U]|[/U]_________[U] |[/U]

I know it's a lot of information, but perhaps you might find it useful. Once my brain started working the right gears to work out the logic, it just seemed to fall in place after that naturally for me.


Good luck with the rest of your range class.