Question:
unless he can see you out his WINDOW not his mirrors. Stand in front of the tractor and use hand signals with a breath ready to yell WHOA! The driver can already see out his mirrors! He wants to know what he can't see out of them. It makes no sense to be behind the trailer pointing with your index finger. Stand in front and you may have to run back and forth to look and go back to a place he can see you through a window but that's the way you do it.

Answer:
when possible that's best, but sometimes it isn't. When I train new drivers I usually let them back up at the bigger more open docks till they get a good feel for how to move the trailer around, and while they are doing that i'm on the running boards telling them what to do. Sometimes it's so much funner to let them do it on their own....you know, after they stop watching your hand signals as to which way to turn the wheel and when.
There are no stupid questions, only stupid people

Answer:
Excellent. that's how I train them too. Just remember, if you approach a stranger to help, you're not their trainer. You job is limited to telling them when to stop.
Things NOT to do when helping a stranger:
Pointing fingers.
Complex hand gestures.
Not staying in his line of sight as the truck turns.
Yelling and waving about which way to turn the wheel.
If he really needs someone in back of the truck (it happens) stay in his mirror. Keep looking back and forth, keep eye contact and stay in his mirror.
I just nod my head - no hand signals - and give a glenched fist and "whoa!" to stop.
Sometimes I show him the distance left with my hands out in front (that fish was THIS LONG) - moving them together as he gets closer.
But that's it. If you're not their trainer, don't presume they want or need a "learning experience" from you.
Do not try to supervise things (also for liability reasons).
Just be a reliable set of eyes and let him/her drive the truck.
The only thing I expect from someone helping me is to tell me when I have to stop.
Ideally, they don't have to.
I still jump out and look myself, several times if it's really tight or tricky, even if someone's helping.
I've heard stories of so-called "helpers" who waved a truck right into a parked car, a fence, etc, so I never trust them completely.
But I always appreciate a second set of eyes.
.
[This message was edited by Shuffler on December 03, 2002 at 19:53.]

Answer:
the only thing I do is hold my hands a foot or two or three apart to let them know how far away they are from what they can't see.
If they are backing into a spot with a truck behind them,I stand in back where they can see me in their mirror and hold one hand above the other.
as the gap closes,my hands get closer togetter
Zigzag a certified failure at OTR trucking.