Going backwards.

The second day of my training was all about going backwards. Having never reversed anything with a trailer before my trainer Dave decided that it would be a good idea to spend all day reversing. Scania is lucky to have the use of a yard owned by Maritime in Tilbury to use for reversing which meant I really didn’t have any excuse not to try again and again and again.
After a few attempts I managed to reverse in a straight line, but it was the reversing exercise that seemed the most daunting. Turning the steering wheel left to go right and right to go left just seems altogether strange.
But Dave very patiently talked my through the process and then did it again when I made a complete mess of it. After a few more attempts where I turned the wheel too much resulting in the trailer pointing in the wrong direction Dave showed me that once the truck was moving backwards there was no need to have your feet on the pedals and just the smallest of movements with the wheel would correct the direction. With just the steering to think about I seemed to get a bit better . Not perfect, but better and by the end of the day I could get the truck into the bay with one or two shunts - which would be good enough in the test.
Yesterday’s problem was the de-coupling the trailer, but today I managed it - twice so I’m a bit happier about that. I just need to remember what order to do everything in. I do think I’ll have a big bruise on my shoulder tomorrow though because I was pushing it against the trailer to pull the pin out of the fifth wheel; but at least I can move the thing today, unlike yesterday.
Tomorrow is more reversing and those dreaded country lanes.