Question:
I'm currently attending school. In fact I just had my first 4hr. drivin shift today. I'm ok out on the range,but when I think about goin out on the road with all those 4wheelers I get alittle freaked out. How long did it take some of you to get over the anxiety/fear and really start feelin comforatable with what you were doin. I'm lookin for total honesty pep's OK.
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Some people are like slinkeys,not good for much and you just can't help but smile when one takes a tumble.

Answer:
is normal when getting ready to try something new, but when the time comes to actually do it I think you will find that you will relax fairly quickly. You will become more intent on doing the job at hand than your fears.
I know when I went through school every single student, myself included, was nervous about everything (and excited too) from backing to driving before we actually got in a truck to begin to develop thos skills, but every student in my class quickly relaxed once that task was set before them (within minutes of rolling with them behind the wheel) and soon the anxiety turned into just excitement and fun.
Relax. Take a deep slow breath. Have fun while you are in school. By all means do your best, but do not be too hard on yourself. You will not be an expert at anything when school is over so dont expect to be. All you are trying to do is provide yourself with a good foundation to your carreer by learning the basics. Once you start driving professionally you will build the walls, put on the roof, and furnish the new house of your career through on the job training, time and experience.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
jovil,
I started driving in 1997. My first load picked-up in Harrisburg, PA. and went to Sacramento, CA. I started to "settle down" a bit after I was probably halfway there. Just relax and things will be fine.

Answer:
Well, my first time on the road behind the wheel of a truck, the instructor had me go through DOWNTOWN Indianapolis! Not only was I in an unfamiliar (at the time) city, but I was doing it in a truck - I sweated it out and in fact, blew my first CDL test due to my nervousness.
It took me awhile to get used to the equipment, but after a few weeks I got used to it and the anxiety went away.
Eventually, I would consider Indy my 2nd home. :-)
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I'm not a truck driver, I'm a professional tourist!

Answer:
Thanx for the words of encouragement. We did parrallel pk.,and serpentine on sat. Serpentine totally sucked but I think I started to get it near the end of the session. Parralel was awsome. It blows my mind how you can just ease that thing right up to the curb.
--------------------------------------------------If Wal-mart lowers their prices everyday then why is'nt everything free by now?

Answer:
Just relax, go easy, and pay attention to what you are doing.
Remember that the trailer doesn't exactly follow the tractor around corners. We learned that on the range when one guy, for whatever reason couldn't keep the trailer out of the grass.
He even went so far as to wipe out a stop sign that was easily 6 feet in off the roadway.
He never hit it again after the instructor gave him a shovel and made him re-dig a new hole.

Answer:
Offtracking it'll make ya or break ya, eh? Thanx for the words Cessna, I appreciate it. The common word seems to be relaxing. Could it be that one is less apt to screw up when one is comforatable and relaxed. I'll really try to remember that when I feel the insides starting to bunch up.
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If Wal-Mart lowers their prices everyday how come nothing is free yet?

Answer:
Originally posted by jovil:
Offtracking it'll make ya or break ya, eh? Thanx for the words Cessna, I appreciate it. The common word seems to be relaxing. Could it be that one is less apt to screw up when one is comforatable and relaxed. I'll really try to remember that when I feel the insides starting to bunch up.
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If Wal-Mart lowers their prices everyday how come nothing is free yet?
Relaxed and alert is the only way to fly. Just remember that throughout your entire career. If you feel yourself becoming less alert or if you start becoming scared in a given situation simply stop as soon as safely possible and take care of the situation. This might mean taking a nap, getting a cup of coffee, going for a walk, waiting out a storm. The whole point is the more tense you are, the less alert you are, the more likely you are to make a mistake.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
Another way to look at it:
Your "fear" is a healthy motivator to learn the craft well and perform it the best you can. I wish more drivers had a little more "fear" on the road. They take unnecessary risks that force other drivers to react defensively around them. So hold on to that fear. It will serve you well in the future. Never take safety for granted - something easy to do as you rack-up the miles and nothing bad happens. ALWAYS maintain a healthy fear of other drivers, weather, security issues, etc.
But as for "anxiety": That's a dangerous trait. I don't want to make you more anxious by pointing this out but it's important to understand how your mind works when you're driving.
A relaxed, alert demeanor behind the wheel allows your skills and instincts to operate at their fullest.
An anxious frame of mind only inhibits your best judgment. And that's what driving is all about: Judgment.
So relax and stay alert. Don't worry about holding-up the guy behind you. Take your time.
PS
One thing most drivers come to enjoy about driving big truck is how intimmidating our size is to 4-wheelers. Most of them go to great lengths to avoid a dnagerous confrontation with us. (I said "most of them" ) That's not to say you can ever let down your guard -- they can do almost anything at any time. But you are big and dangerous looking to most smaller vehicles, and most (MOST!!) 4-wheelers will drive defensively around a big truck.