Offset Parking

This is killing me. I been working on my offset for a week now and i finally got a good one on Friday. It has to be the most frustrating thing ever when u can watch other students do it and know exactly when they should get back under it but when I get in the truck I cant judge my own distance for nothing in the world. I can perform the manuver in my head like a pro. I get the concept and all. Its like i am over shooting my box maybe like by 2 ft everytime. Grrrrrrr....

Don't get too down on yourself, it takes getting used to. Missing by only a couple feet is really corrected using a pullup. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Pick a point (mark) that you can use every time and start coming out of the turn at that point.

What worked for me was coming out of the turn when my exhaust stack was even with the corner of the trailer.

Even if your point is off a little bit you will be 'consistently' off each time and can correct accordingly :)

Pick a point (mark) that you can use every time and start coming out of the turn at that point.

What worked for me was coming out of the turn when my exhaust stack was even with the corner of the trailer.

Even if your point is off a little bit you will be 'consistently' off each time and can correct accordingly :)

Yeah i have some references on my trailer that i have been taught. It just makes me think that the parallel is gonna be even harder if i dont master this offset.

Pick a point (mark) that you can use every time and start coming out of the turn at that point.

What worked for me was coming out of the turn when my exhaust stack was even with the corner of the trailer.

Even if your point is off a little bit you will be 'consistently' off each time and can correct accordingly :)

Yeah i have some references on my trailer that i have been taught. It just makes me think that the parallel is gonna be even harder if i dont master this offset.

The parallel and offset are effectively the exact same procedure. Some people find the parallel easier because of the extra cones that you can use as reference and on your setup.

The marker points we lined up, you want a straight truck at prolly about a 30 degree slant drawn off a line through your parking spot. To get into the left lane from the right, we'd do a hard right 3 count, straighten the vehicle out, bring it back until your passenger side rear tandem was about a foot off the line drawn from the middle lane marker. Then you pull a hard left for a 3 count (one Mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi), hard right to straighten it out. If your angle's still not good there, just use a pull up and turn it into a straight line back. One of the things I was taught was to /never/ ride the clutch during your turns, you get off that (without popping it) asap, or it kills the angle of the turn. I never found that the 3 count worked, on the turns where I'm not straightening the vehicle, I would hold it until somewhere between 60 and 70% of the drive tires were covered by trailer.

Don't get too down on yourself, it takes getting used to. Missing by only a couple feet is really corrected using a pullup. I'm sure you'll be fine.

YES YES! When I started I was depressed that I wasn't getting it the first try, but you don't have to. Use your pull ups and it will help you learn how the truck and trailer are articulating. What I would do is first try and get the rear of the trailer to go between the entrance cones, then master how to do that while turning into the slot. It takes time and practice but don't get discouraged and ALWAYS watch the other students do the maneuvers, you can learn a lot by watching. Also if you can, pick one of the students who seems to get it and ask them to ride with you and give you pointers. Sometimes you can find someone who can explain it in a way you understand better than the instructor.

Phil

Don't get too down on yourself, it takes getting used to. Missing by only a couple feet is really corrected using a pullup. I'm sure you'll be fine.

YES YES! When I started I was depressed that I wasn't getting it the first try, but you don't have to. Use your pull ups and it will help you learn how the truck and trailer are articulating. What I would do is first try and get the rear of the trailer to go between the entrance cones, then master how to do that while turning into the slot. It takes time and practice but don't get discouraged and ALWAYS watch the other students do the maneuvers, you can learn a lot by watching. Also if you can, pick one of the students who seems to get it and ask them to ride with you and give you pointers. Sometimes you can find someone who can explain it in a way you understand better than the instructor.

Phil

When testing at the DMV the tester said, "DON'T BE A ROCK STAR! USE YOUR FREE PULL-UPS!" - :-)

Something important for a sucesful back is your setup if you're not setup good it will suck use all your mirrors and don't get tunnel vision on one mirror and forget about the other. Stay calm breath and use your free pull ups and get out and looks remember once you graduate no one will make fun of you for pulling up and getting out to look if they do **** them and also a nice trick I do is hang out the window once you can pick your points and make small corrections and you'll be alright and if you feel stressed turn on some music while you back to help take the edge off