Leave Of Absence

Bruce wrote:

My issues mainly have to do with low light situations, like dusk and when it’s overcast.

I think all of us more senor drivers deal with this. I wear corrective glasses (to 20/10) with a non-glare coating to enhance my night vision. Very effective. I use to wear contacts for driving, and switched to glasses for the very points you mentioned. I agree, err on the side of safety "always".

But I strongly believe your backing challenges will be resolved once you gain the experience necessary so this type of skill becomes intuitive requiring less thought. When I started, my backing was barely average...and then there was "WalMart, a significant wake-up call that shifted my focus to the set-up more so than the backing. This was discovered by watching the WMPF drivers perfect and efficient execution of backing scenarios I struggled with. Now most of my backs are much simpler because I have learned how-to set-up for an infinite number of angles and spaces. This is what will occur over time, possibly years, after thousands of repetitions. Yes, I said thousands.

Try to be patient and consider using an illuminated ground marker to help with night maneuvering on a dark dock or lot.

Good luck with the eye exam and have them check you for cataracts. I've got the start of one, but not ready for surgery just yet.

Thanks, GT, you hit the nail with your head. I’m still learning every time I back up and have a long ways to go, but I’m trying to pay close attention and improve on my set ups, as you say. Sometimes I will nail a back up perfectly then the next time I struggle, so the consistency is not there yet but is gradually improving.

Can you give more detail about the illumated ground markers. That sounds like something I should be using. Are you talking about flashlights?

Thanks, GT, you hit the nail with your head. I’m still learning every time I back up and have a long ways to go, but I’m trying to pay close attention and improve on my set ups, as you say. Sometimes I will nail a back up perfectly then the next time I struggle, so the consistency is not there yet but is gradually improving.

Can you give more detail about the illumated ground markers. That sounds like something I should be using. Are you talking about flashlights?

A small flashlight will do. It will really help you at night.

Check how your mirrors are, they ma ugh just need some adjusting. When I first started I had some difficulty linking up just straight backing. Realized I had the mirrors angled in to much and once I bumped them out it made a huge difference. One small adjustment can make a very big difference.

I feel your pain.

Just finished a 2 hour exam over at a cataract surgeon. Getting old suks. My eyes are more dilated than 3 hits of LSD at a Grateful Dead show.

Had lasik 16 years ago.

My left eye is at 20/30, right at 20/20 - I've got to renew my DOT card in the next 2 weeks, but my doc is pretty cool. Getting a letter from my eye doc to give him, that shows my latest results in case I go borderline at my exam.

As far as depth perception goes - I'd be apt to go with everyone elses suggestion. If yo are not having depth perception issues with anything other than backing - it's probably NOT you eyes.

I wouldn't clue your company to an issue - until you discover IT REALLY IS ONE.

Rick

Bruce, I agree with OS.

It's not your eyes, otherwise you'd never have passed the eye tests administered during the DOT medical exam. Practice and repetition will cure that which ails you.

I’m not so sure. All three times (maybe more) that I have had an exam I’ve been told I have 20/20 vision. I even went to an ophthalmologist and they said I have a slight astigmatism but didn’t really need glasses. I got them anyway to correct the astigmatism.

My trainer wears glasses ( corrected to 20/30) and he could read signs 15 seconds before I could. Glasses helped a few seconds but not much, so I am going to go back again.

My trainer wears glasses ( corrected to 20/30) and he could read signs 15 seconds before I could. Glasses helped a few seconds but not much, so I am going to go back again.

Grump, that’s exactly what I experienced when I was out with my trainer. His vision was much better than mine. I remember him asking me at night when I was turning, “where are your trailer wheels?” And all I could say was “I don’t know because I can’t see them” maybe he should have insisted I get my vision evaluated.

I have even thrown an old yellow safety shirt or vest onto the ground. That way it didnt matter if i backed over it and unlike flashlights it wont move in the wind or on slopes.

I wonder if my laser levels from my construction days would work and project a nice bright line I could use for alignment. That’s a cool idea. I’m going to try that and see how it works.

My eyes are more dilated than 3 hits of LSD at a Grateful Dead show.

Rick

Lol, just noticed this.