Parallel Parking...

I suck at parallel parking, all backing up really. I can straight line back up to a point but then always end up screwing up at the end. The teachers here are really good but I feel like I'm falling behind because of my bad backing up skills, any advice?

How about a bit more detail. At the point you realize you've screwed up, what's the situation? Where are the tandems in relation to the first cones? Things like that.

I suck at parallel parking, all backing up really. I can straight line back up to a point but then always end up screwing up at the end. The teachers here are really good but I feel like I'm falling behind because of my bad backing up skills, any advice?

I will give you a bit of advice on Straight Line. Only turn the wheel 1/4 of a turn in either direction and hold it for about 10 feet then back to center. No quick jerky little or big turns. It will come......hang in there.

Remember thr phrase: Turn towards Trouble. Trouble meaning seeing the trailer getting "bigger" in that mirror.

Straight backs.,. We were told to keep our elbows pressed against our sides. Then only turn as much as your hands could move while in this position.

The thing that helped me most was to remember to turn the opposite way to move the back of the trailer and the same way to move the front of the trailer.

So with each step "where do I want the back of the trailer?" Turn the opposite. "Where do I want the front of the trailer?" Turn in that direction.

Parallel is basically half an offset. Turn all the way to one side until you can see half the landing gear in your mirror. Some trailers have a crossbar that makes this easy to judge. Now turn all the way to the other side to the same middle landing gear reference point. Now the truck and trailer are straight but slanted pointing toward the box.

Then you want to be able to see the third cone in your mirror. This tells you that you are lined uo properly. Back straight until your tandems get inside the line. Then turn in the direction you want the front of the trailer to go to get it in the box. Then when you can see the line next to you (or in the mirror above your passenger door depending on which side you are on) turn the opposite direction to get the steers in the box.

When trying to line up with cones either on parallel or offset, corrections should be small. If you aren't lined properly with the cone then instead of using the whole landing gear, only allow half of the vertical pole in your mirror. It will move you over slightly. I hope this helps

Here's how i learned straight backing.

Hold out your hand, palm down. Your fingertips are the front of the truck and your palm is the back of the trailer. Now move your palm to the left. Your fingertips went right So in order to move the trailer left you have to turn the steering wheel to the right. Vise versa.

Also, try straight backing a little faster if your trying to compensate toomuch. That may help.

- Put you hand on the bottom of steering wheel and turn the way you want the trailer to go -All new drivers over steer when backing! I used to ride on fuel tank steps and hold the wheel when teaching drivers to back up, by the time the black and blue healed on my arm from the vent window post they were all 100% better at backing!

Parallel - wish I could draw it for you, swing the truck into the hole as you are pulling up and stop with the truck/trailer straight to each other but at a angle to the cones(cars, trucks, whatever) (####) (####) \ \ then straight back (don't turn the wheel more than an quarter turn like the others said above) just before your in place turn the trailer just a little bit, bring the truck under it, then make any last small corrections pulling forward.

Hope this help you Jimmy

I had over 2 million miles in, then gave up my CDL , now need it back. Once you get it don't let it go, you will regret it.

- Put you hand on the bottom of steering wheel and turn the way you want the trailer to go -All new drivers over steer when backing! I used to ride on fuel tank steps and hold the wheel when teaching drivers to back up, by the time the black and blue healed on my arm from the vent window post they were all 100% better at backing!

Parallel - wish I could draw it for you, swing the truck into the hole as you are pulling up and stop with the truck/trailer straight to each other but at a angle to the cones(cars, trucks, whatever) (####) (####) \ \ then straight back (don't turn the wheel more than an quarter turn like the others said above) just before your in place turn the trailer just a little bit, bring the truck under it, then make any last small corrections pulling forward.

Hope this help you Jimmy

I had over 2 million miles in, then gave up my CDL , now need it back. Once you get it don't let it go, you will regret it.

Welcome to the TT forum!

All new drivers over steer when backing!

Lyght, Jimmy hit the nail on the head right there. I'm almost certain that is your biggest problem. If you were to watch a veteran driver backing their truck you would be surprised at how little they turn the wheel. Go watch a rookie and they are turning that steering wheel back and forth with great force and speed. That trailer reacts slowly to your input from the wheel, so naturally it just seems you need to turn it faster and more. Patience... let the trailer roll for about eight or ten feet so it can show you what it's doing, you will be surprised how much easier it is if you just watch and let the trailer teach you how it likes to be handled.

Something else to consider for straight line and nearly straight line backing. Use both mirrors regularly. A lot of people who have problems backing for straight line or slightly offset backing use one mirror almost exclusively. Look back and forth between the two mirrors, frequently.

I'm not trying to "Jack your post" just a comment. I was told to always start with your hand at the bottom of the wheel that has helped me tremendously with getting the direction I need it to go. My problem now is "losing" the trailer but thats probably another thread.