Unsure

[carpunky]

Hi,

I was wondering if there is a place for me or if I should not consider this field.

I drove a prisoner bus for 7 yrs or so, and later thought after 16 yrs in corrections that I would enjoy driving as a career.


I went to a CDL school and got my A

I drove for a local mom and pop company for about 2 yrs, but this was a B truck, never had a accident, but felt very timid most of the time, I always had butterflys when going to a new dock.

I got out of driving and went to a retail position , which I am very unhappy, I do miss the driving.

Is it normal to feel butterflys when driving a big truck or do you think that I should look for a different path.

I am thinking that I never had enough training and therefore do not feel comfortable driving a 18 wheeler...
I just DO NOT want to be a hazard to anyone...if this makes sense..please let me know...Thank You

Jeff

 

[pjjjjj]

If you are going to be a driver for an owner, you could go in a straight truck vs a tt, maybe you would feel more comfortable; or approach a driving school and pay for some more on-road experience with them with an emphasis on backing up to docks.

 

[Doggie Daddy]

If you were feeling timid in a B truck,I really don't think the feeling would improve pulling a 53' trailer,JMO.DD.

 

[P51bombay]

2 years in a straight truck and still not comfy? Perhaps not for you then - IMO after a few weeks you should feel comfortable and by around 3 months you should be able to stick it in any dock you want. How does heavy traffic grab you? Can you make lane changes even when it looks like there's no room?

 

[TeamCaffee]

I also wondered after two years still getting butterfly's that seems as if that lasted a very long time. I would think you will have to decide can you live with the butterflies and do what ever it takes to get over them or does that fear rule your day?
I had horrible butterflies whenever approaching an unknown large town, anything over 20,000 people was considered a large by my standards but in a very short time I was able to conquered this fear. I had to get a does of reality and when you get lost you can find your way back out of it. Now the about the only place that still gives me butterflies is trying to be in the right lane going north on I95 approaching the George Washington bridge. I also drove Bob nuts when in a truck stop practicing and practicing my backing over and over into different spots, from different directions and each time trying to be perfectly aligned with the white lines and as close to the back of the spot as possible.
I bet you can do drive and do well and an incentive for me would be thinking of how miserable I was at my retail job.

 

[carpunky]

2 years in a straight truck and still not comfy? Perhaps not for you then - IMO after a few weeks you should feel comfortable and by around 3 months you should be able to stick it in any dock you want. How does heavy traffic grab you? Can you make lane changes even when it looks like there's no room?

Yes, I can back up in any dock . I could if I chose to make lane changes when unsafe as you describe, but I choose not to for obvious reasons. You my freind P51bombay need to get off the road if you do this.

My main question was is it normal to feel timid (that could have been misleading ) or maybe these feelings are just a normal safety cushion that all conscience safety drivers feel.

Thanks

Jeff

 

[dcalien]

Yes, I can back up in any dock . I could if I chose to make lane changes when unsafe as you describe, but I choose not to for obvious reasons. You my freind P51bombay need to get off the road if you do this.

My main question was is it normal to feel timid (that could have been misleading ) or maybe these feelings are just a normal safety cushion that all conscience safety drivers feel.

Thanks

Jeff

If you wait til there is room to change lanes, don't go to Cali. I have noticed if you move slowly into the next lane there, it is almost impossible to hit anyone.

 

[P51bombay]

Yes, I can back up in any dock . I could if I chose to make lane changes when unsafe as you describe, but I choose not to for obvious reasons. You my freind P51bombay need to get off the road if you do this.

My main question was is it normal to feel timid (that could have been misleading ) or maybe these feelings are just a normal safety cushion that all conscience safety drivers feel.

Thanks

Jeff

I drive in heavy traffic every day and as mentioned if you wait till there is 70 or 80 to move over you'll never get where you need to. I have no accidents and no tickets, I am very aware of what is going on around my truck. It isn't about being unsafe, or running anyone off the road but rather making your intentions clear. Watching for the car that was far enough back to have ample opportunity to have seen my signal - you begin to slowly crowd the lane you want to be in and they get the message.

 

[ATeam]

There is the event and there is your response to the event.

In many cases, the anxiety one feels can be overcome by thinking through the feelings you experience and thinking of ways you can change your response.

Two authors that have written about the ability to change how you feel by thinking through your responses to events are Steven Covey (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) and Dr. David Burns (Feeling Good).

If you wish to overcome the anxiety you feel when backing up a truck and are willing to do some personal growth work, these books contain useful information and self-help exercises.

Covey is a motivational speaker and author. Burns is a doctor who has developed techniques for treating depression. That is not to suggest you are depressed or to say you need to be depressed to benefit from Burns' book. Burns offers a number of easy and practical exercises that can help you change the way you react to and feel about events.

 

[dcalien]

I believe the 7 habits book by Covey would be a great addition to high school curriculum. It is a great guide for business, and life in general.

I drove a TT for ten years, and I would not say I had "butterflies" backing up, however, when a skill becomes so ingrained as to allow a person to think of other things while backing, there is an accident waiting to happen.

It is good to not get so good at it that the seriousness of doing it becomes lost.

It only takes a brief moment of inattention driving any vehicle in any direction to do a lot of damage.

 

[greg334]

I agree with dcalien but will add this.

To answer your question – YES, with a caveat.

Everyone has some thing that they are unsure of, many will not admit to it but they do. The problem is not being unsure, it is having the attitude that they know all and are overly confident when they start out.

Backing takes some understanding of hand/eye coordination and how you process the information that you see in the mirrors and in fact some of it has to do with ‘seeing’ what is going on by imagining it in your mind.

I would suggest that you hang in there if you want to do this, maybe even renting a truck to practice with – here in my area we have so many closed businesses that docks are all over the place and no one cares if you use them all day long to practice, Oh and I actually rented the biggest truck I could find to practice with.



Confidence comes with practice, overconfidence comes from arrogance – see where I am going with this?

But with all that said, don’t be overly cautious, don’t be one who freezes up when they are confronted with any issue like backing up – it is important to relax and think, albeit you may have to do this very quickly. Try to image what you are trying to do and go though the steps in doing it, like I mentioned before. Practice and practice some more and relax and practice.


By the way you got the right attitude by saying that you don’t want to cause problems for others. Remember driving a truck is really easy, knowing what to do when you need to do it is difficult.