Falling Behind......

Hello Truthers,

Thanks to you all I'm in cdl school and passed pretrip, 4 point and straightline. It felt like forever getting the straightline.

Any tips on offset concepts and parallel would be appreciated. I have a great trainer but my anxiety seems to rear it's head when they have me behind the wheel and I'm so scared of making an error.

He says I'm in an accelerated class because I'm behind my peers and classmates and need to get this. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I started school may 31st. Thank you all.

Check out this video from Allie Knight it is a unique backing video that may help.

Good luck!

Any tips on offset concepts and parallel would be appreciated. I have a great trainer but my anxiety seems to rear it's head when they have me behind the wheel and I'm so scared of making an error.

First, try to calm down, chill... while you are in school is THE time to make mistakes/errors. Just try to learn from each mistake/error, i.e. try not to just keep doing the same/wrong thing over and over again. And, keep in mind/keep telling yourself... YOU CAN DO THIS!

As to backing help/pointers... it's really hard to provide specifics but... maybe the following will help a little re your offset maneuvers:

OFFSET - When in school... I always started with my tractor and trailer straight... and my steers straight. Before I started backing, I would turn my steering wheel 1 and 1/4 turn, in the direction appropriate for the offset I was performing. As soon as I started backing, I would count 1-one-thousand, 2-one-thousand... up to 6-one-thousand (i.e. I would back 5-6 seconds). Then, very quickly, I would "catch-up" with my trailer (i.e. I would keep backing while I got my tractor and trailer lined up straight again). At this point, I would always GOAL. Also, at this point, it was pretty much just a "feel thing," re pushing the trailer into the hole. If/when I needed, I would use GOALs and "pull-ups" to get my trailer into the hole.

I just spent this past week completing my backing maneuvers in CDL school. I watched myself and 2 other students do straight, both offsets, both parallels and 90 degree alley dock... over and over and over again. In general, in my opinion, other than the 90, the mistake most often made was "over steering." So, I was constantly telling myself... "NO BIG MOVES, don't over steer, small moves, anticipate, anticipate..." With the 90, of course, you need to start with a couple of big moves... but, after those initial big moves, it's back to small moves and anticipating where those moves will take your trailer.

Good luck... hang in there... you can do it!

Thank you big Scott, I was trying to search her videos earlier and couldn't find one. Thank you again.

Thank you old rookie so much. The word chill sounds out to me loud an clear. Small moves you are awesome. Thank you again.

Old Rookie says:

First, try to calm down, chill... while you are in school is THE time to make mistakes/errors.

This is truly Step One. Maybe you've tried the same maneuver four times already, and it seems a lost cause. I know you want to take the shift lever it and beat your head in. (Don't to that!)

Key word here: chill. You are practicing! Everyone expects you to mess up and that's OK.

Do try to remember what you did last time, and how to improve on that. Forget the failure part, that's really no big deal just now. Now focus on the current situation, and do the best you can. This is called Learning!

Thank you Errol, yes beating my head against the shifter is exactly what I want to do. Thank you..... breathing and chilling you are right.

Thank you big Scott, I was trying to search her videos earlier and couldn't find one. Thank you again.

Welcome. There are many videos on YouTube of truck backing. For some people videos help them visualize what they need to do.

You are so right, yes I'm trying to pound it in that I get it. Once I get it I'm good, it seems to be the getting it part I struggle with. Thank you Big Scott.