Feeling Like A Rookie

Any of you other OTR solo rookies feel you're the only rookie on the road, in a drop yard, or at a truck stop? Sometimes it feels that way to me. I have days when I can stick it in a dock on the first shot, then later the same I look a blind man backing a trailer lol.

Don't even let it get to you. I've been in truck stops where guys who have been on the road for decades will get on the radio laughing about how badly they parked and were about to offer to pay someone to do it because, ,,,,,, it just happens. Even with all the radio Rambos out there, you'll almost always hear one or two guys chime in, at least he bothered to check his surroundings and who cares how long it took, he didn't hit anything. The fact is, we all have those days where we couldn't park on a football field and keep it between the sidelines, just brush it off and don't let it get to you. Especially with winter coming on, it's like watching the old cartoon Wacky Racers, with trucks moving around and slipping all over to park.

Backing up: Something almost nobody can do. Sure All truck drivers do it. This is a very small portion of the population at large.

Yeah, every driver has that one day where he can't back for anyrhing. Perfectly normal.

Thanks for the support and a good laugh too fellas! I'm my own worst critic and sometimes set my expectations and standards at an unrealistic level.

Today I had three drops on my load, 2 in Los Angeles and 1 in San Diego. I got to my first drop and I should have back in from the street but I decided to nose it in and do a u-turn in a very small parking lot. I got it in the slot with only two pull ups. which I didn't think was bad with the amount of room I had to work with.

Second drop I waited in the staging area and my trainer told me he had been there before and I better hope I don't have to back into door number 8. Sure enough the guard came out and told me to back into door number 8. The best description I can give is it was a blind offset 45 with a building in the way. to my surprise I backed it in on my first shot with no problems at all.

My third drop was super easy plenty of room and no problem at all.

I was feeling pretty good until I got to the truck stop. All I had to do was a straight line back with a curb on the drivers side. Three pull ups later I finally got it in the hole. I was a little upset at myself.

But hey I got it in and didn't hit anything expensive.

It's kicking my ass I passed the test on the first try but now that I'm out here I just have no idea how to set up for a backing maneuver. Especially in a truck stop, it's just beating me up because it hasn't clicked yet or because I just wasn't shown what the best approach was. Well I'll either get it or destroy someone's truck and never drive again.

I'm okay being a hobo for awhile, might help clear things up.