Question:
I am probably the MOST angry with myself I have ever been in ....well just too many years.
I am so frustrated that I can not see straight and afraid..yes afraid that I will lose my job.
I CAN NOT back a 48' trailer from a 90 degree angle. I do not know why. I can back a 20' container from the same angle, I can back a 48' from about a 120 degree, and any other angle...but 90 I can NOT do it.
Why can I do all the backing the trainer wants in the mornings, but we break for lunch and I can NOT????????????? I do not understand that. Yes my left knee screams just as loud before lunch as after. Yes I do eat at lunch, usually not a lot but I do eat.
I am so very much at a loss. I just dont know what to do. I have alot of people at my company pulling for me to make it. I will be the only woman otr company driver they have right now.
Maybe for once I am going to have to admit defeat and realize...that as hard as I have tried there may be a job that I have trained for and can do 95% of the time, that the 5% I can not do...will prevent me from obtaining this goal. I have been told by many and most recently my trainer that I am a good driver. I so hate, that not backing will prevent me from doing this.
I am so angry that right now I have a defeatest attitude. I am not giving up!! I will go in monday and try my best again and do alot of hoping and praying! As usual.
If anyone has any ideas for me to try. Please let me know, I am so very much at a loss here I just dont know what to do now.
Thank you

Answer:
when you pray you talk to God
when you stand in front of the ocean he talks to you
[This message was edited by LoriAz on January 11, 2004 at 11:24.]

Answer:
Well first we will stop with this “I should just quit” attitude.
OK Good
Second it’s difficult to answer your question as to why you cannot back up after lunch or from a 90 deg angle since none of us are there to watch you.
But from reading your posts I think I can picture what your state of mind is when you’re training.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
Are you a nervous person by nature, and do you panic easily??
Do you hear what your instructor tells you or do you hear what she is saying for a split second and then forget right after.
I think you’re getting yourself into such a frustrated mindset you’re not able to perform your task.
You have to learn to RELAX and not try so hard. I think your whole problem is that you’re putting WAY to much pressure on yourself and this is frustrating you and your ability to learn.
Now again it’s difficult you help you when others have never met you, or seen you drive.
Also. If you cannot back at a 90 deg will they fail you just for this reason???

Answer:
BB,
Both Lori and W-9 are right, Your fresh in the AM, and ready to roll, by afternoon your probably a little confident from the morning, and mabe a little less attentive. and after your first mistake in the afternoon your confidence drops off sharp and you panic, once you panic, its all down hill. if its any consolation, I havent known Givens to fire anyone over this kinda thing yet. Worse case is they offer you a non-driving job. But, you wont need that, your gonna get this yet.
Ike
PS, You aint missing anything, I dont have a run for next week yet. Steve says call Monday, Pickins are slim.
"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
Albert Einstein

Answer:
OK! I will try and explain this the best I can. I have been very tired this past week. After working for 12 years where I get a decent break every 2-3 hours to only a lunch break when working 8-5 has taken a toll on me. Monday and Tuesday I only got about 5 hours sleep each day because of having to pick up my daughter from work..and she ended up working till 12 and 12:15. NO excuse I know.
Yes the pressure I am feeling right now is more than I have felt in a long time. I mean I am doing the womans thing and yes it is alot of pressure to succeed.
NO I am not a nervous person. I do get angry at myself when I cant do something. I take things very slow when learning. Something I can not do when I have 4 other drivers trying to park. I dont panic easy I am a LPN no panic allowed there. I do get a bit anxious when I have other drivers waiting on me though.
I hear what she says and remember it. But when it comes to me doing it all on my own it seems like I never heard what she said. Even though I can tell her when asked what I should be doing.
I have the fundmentals down no doubt on that. I just fall apart on 90 with a 48" almost seems that I cant see the trailer end or something. I am not sure..and I forsure dont know when to turn to get into the hole.
I dont know guys I am told I have till wed next week. After that I have no idea. I know the last long time school bus driver who worked there..a female...was only there 2 months cause she was slow. Even though they hired her as a driver and not a switcher but couldnt get productivity up in switching.
Thanks guys for the help. I will try to learn a way to get over this. I want this..i really do but am unsure how the company will react to me.

Answer:
...that is, to teach someone, something about backing, with the written word. I haven't tried, but I came 'close' a week ago when I attempted to 'teach' a 'teacher' how to teach......
However, since nobody has offered up anything more substantial than "attitude" (which is very important), I offer you this:
When you are calming yourself for the 'big turn', VISUALIZE the 'track', your trailer wheels must take, to get into the hole. Keep the 'track' in your mind and the trailer wheels on the 'track'.
Think about keeping the trailer wheels on that gentle arc, rather than what the steering wheel is doing....(that is already second-nature to you).
But back to the 'set-up' for a moment. This is the most important part. I don't know how much room you have to swing out but you should have the back of your trailer pointing, however slightly, at the hole. That much easier to visualize the 'arc'.....Look in the mirror for the end of your trailer but once it starts turning, use the side window.....and then watch the trailer wheels.
This is all based, of course, on a 'see-side' backup. I trust this is all your instructors are asking of you; unless, the training truck is a day-cab with a back window......say it ain't so!?!
One day, when you are doing 'blind-side' back-ups with your spot mirrors, you will laugh about this.....
.
.
.

Answer:
Without reading a whole lot of what has been said. I will say it's because of the same reason I can back great at certain times and not others. It's because I'm awake and fresh at those times. Other times I've been awake all day working and tired or worn out. Alot of things become a hastle that otherwise aren't when I'm tired. Probably whats going on with you. Later in the day your a bit worn out so it becomes harder. Thats a perfectly normal thing to have happen.
-->
'Carpe Diem' does not mean 'fish of the day'.
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
_________________
RC Universe


Answer:
That's it; fatigue and stress takes a toll through the day, and some it affects worse than others.
___________________________
Humans are amazing creatures. "With all the things you can train them to do, I've been considering getting one."-Stoney
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" I can hire half the working class to kill the other half."
Jay Gould
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This post coming to you live, from Jesus Land !!!

Answer:
Why anybody would pay thousands of dollars for training at a low paying, semi-skilled blue collar job is beyond me. It just sounds like a front for a loan sharking operation to me.
Have I missed something the last 20 years? Does McDonald's charge people now for learning how to fry fries in the deep fryer, or spread mayo on the Big Macs?
___________________________
Humans are amazing creatures. "With all the things you can train them to do, I've been considering getting one."-Stoney
_________________
" I can hire half the working class to kill the other half."
Jay Gould
__________________________
This post coming to you live, from Jesus Land !!!

Answer:
Bearbell everything that has been mentioned will be a great help for you to be successfull. Repetition is the greates teacher and through this repetition there will be one day when it all clicks into place and you will be acting instinctively when you are backing. Sometimes this "instinct" takes longer to develope and the one thing you need until that point is a whole lot of patience. I am no "perfect" driver ad it took years for me to develope to the point I am now. Heck I can't get it in sometimes to save my own life so I will get out look at the issue and try try again. Some of the things I purposely did on the test I would not do in real life. I would get out and look and pull-up the truck and get the dang thing where it belongs and just not "almost" in place. The testing did not allow us to get out and look so I said to myself my goal is just to pass and not to be perfect. I will have time to be perfect out there and if it takes me 5 tries to get the truck positioned perfect then it will take five times. Think of it this way. Until you get the truck to the dock the loaders will not be able to unload it and thier is nothing they can do about it. Most people will understand that you are new to the buisness. 2 Years heck even one year down the line you will look back on this time and have a good laugh about it.
Drafter
Keep the wheels rolling

Answer:
Thank you everyone for the advice. I think most of you are right in that, I am more awake in the morning. Though I sure dont feel like I am. Maybe a reason to start liking mornings? -->
I do not "feel" the pressure as a concious thought or feeling when I am out there trying. Its more a lets see if I can get it this time. Instead of a I WILL get it.
I have seen improvements each day. In thinking and reading the posts and talking in chat. I am starting to see some of the things messing me up(now these are things messing me up in my head). A lot of times if I take my time like I have all the time in the world to park. I can do it. Once any kind of pressure now matter how small is on to hurry it up. I go to pot! I can straight back 40 miles if I have to..if I can do it slow. Make me do it fast the trailer is in "egypt" thats a quote btw..-->
Thank you everyone!! I dont have quite the defeatest attitude I did last night. I will rest this weekend, as much as the impending holidays will allow. Will try to "improve" my attitude with the rest time.

Answer:
Well, I just started my schooling a few weeks ago...so take it for whats its worth......I had a heck of a time with one manuever...they call it staright dock ?....serpentine up once you get past the dock/straigten it out as you go up and it should line right up.......WELL out of 12-15 tries maybe I was close twice......I was pretty much perfect on everting else but this....lots of excuses....they were using an old cruddy cab over....the trailer wheels were way out of alignment....(they are bad)........Instructors say...Well lifes a bummer...you'll have worse out there.......Soooo to make a long story longer.......before I got into the truck...I kicked and screamed and made a scene......( more jokingly than anything else)...but it relieved any tensions I had with the move.........sure enough it lines right up now....(still the misaligned axles in the back are a pain...but I get it in ..on line...straight....withuot pull-ups now..........try letting out a yell.....it worked for me

Answer:
It’s a little frustrating at this end not to be able to hop in the truck and show you the technique, and it’s very difficult to put into words
All I can say is follow the advice given by others above, but pay special attention to how much you have to turn your steering wheel to get the desired results.
I said this before you should not be steering and counter steering excessively, go slow and easy, turn your steering wheel at different amounts and pay attention to how the trailer behaves and adjust accordingly.
You should not have to fight with the truck to put it in most holes.
When you get good at it you will put it in the hole using one hand, and whistling at the same time lol, you will then look back at this and laugh, wondering what the big deal is.
Key things.
DON’T get frustrated when you mess up
DON’T beat yourself up when you mess up
DON’T get nervous if other drivers are waiting for you (they have been in the same situation as yourself)
All the, above are counter productive to you reaching your goal.
I believe from what I have read, that your main road block is your frame of mind when performing this task,( you have the skill to do this by the sounds of what your instructor is telling you), if you get control of that you will have success.
Keep us posted, I’ll be pulling for you at this end.
One more thing.
Give yourself a big pat on the back; you are doing something that most people, male or female would not have the guts to do and you will be every bit as good a driver if not better as any of the males out on the road once you get some experience behind you.

Answer:
Bigmike--Ya know letting out a yell just may do the trick. I know at times it has helped just to let the frustrations out. Thanks!
W900L --> --> Thank you for still wanting to come down and show me. Honestly so many have shown me what to do, that I bet if I could remember my dreams that I am backing in my sleep.
I find it so frustrating, that once someone realizes I can put a 20' container in but cant a 48' trailer that they look at me like I am nuts. Then say well if you can do the container you should be able to do the trailer. I want to say well DOH....got any idea why I cant! Talked to my otr trainer today..he laughed and said I have always done things backwards..--> He gets another trainee tomorrow. Hope it goes well for him.
This is so incredibly frustrating to me. To know I know how to do this. I can tell you every step of the way and show you with a container. Westline264 asked about my depth perception last night. I never really have had the greatest, but was always able to correct it. Maybe that is a reason I can with the 20' and not the 48'. But that doesnt explain why I can get a 48' from any other angle but a 90.
Another driver(he used to be a trainer) who was listening to my trainer and I talking suggested to the higher ups that I go out with him monday and tuesday in a T2000 which is what I will be in otr. Just to see if that helps me any. It may..who knows. But as of yet I havent heard anything on it. Another trainer my otr trainer was talking to today said he always suggested to folks come out on a sunday hook a trailer up and practice in one of the zillion docks we have. I would LOVE to do that. Hell I would be there right now if they would let me do that. But..I need to be assigned a truck 1st.
So I guess only time will tell if I can get it together enough to be assigned my own truck. And get my solo run..-->
Thank you for the support. Everyone has been so supportative and helpful. Makes me happy that I found a "home" here!

Answer:
You've probably heard all this already, but what the heck. Two suggestions that helped me the most were (and still are):
Drive the trailer:
Hard to explain. Picture yourself as if you were driving forward with the trailer in front of you.
Be proactive, not reactive:
When you do your 90 deg., you have to start "following it" before the trailer is lined up with the hole. If the trailer is lined up or almost lined up with the hole and the tractor is still at a sharp angle, you waited to long.
As Chicken Hauler stated, "visualize the arc". And remember, you can look under the trailer to see what your blind side is doing. This can help you determine how much of an angle you are at and can help you avoid hitting something on your blind side. However, there is no substitute for
Get
Out
And
Look
Good Luck! -->
Jim
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Jim
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