Backing at night

[HB of CJ]

The very first rule we should understand driving our large bus conversions is that we never, never back up at all ever and even if we have to...don't.   End of discussion. 

[buswarrior]

And what usually follows the directive to never back up, by the bureaucratic fleet decision makers, is the self fulfilling prophesy...

Don't teach anyone to back up, don't practice it in real world conditions (ever find a driver trainer out in the dark?) because they won't need that skill set, so that if they do, they will hit something for sure, proving the rule is sound.

And another SOB loses his job, and those in power sit around with self satisfied looks on their faces.

With apologies to the original source, in a different mode of transport...

A Superior Driver
is one who uses his Superior Judgement
to avoid situations which might require
the use of his Superior Skill

Trouble is, what it takes to develop that Superior Judgement....

Practice makes perfect, get out and reverse until you feel good about it!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[HB of CJ]

Ah, grasshopper, we miss one important point and we have assumed prematurely.  Dangerous word "assume" is.  Never LEARN to back up at all as an end argrument?   Not quite the same (actually entirely different, but I am being kind) as not TO backup at all.

When dad taught us to fly, we actually practiced dead stick landings in his nice old 170 (?) Cessna.  Yes, it was considered dangerous (yep, it is!) but was conducted under very controlled conditions.  He admitted the danger/benefit ratio was right on the ragged edge.

Reason he did it was to give his students a real world taste of what happens when S...x...x...T happens.  I never had to to it for real, but I did it three (3) times for practice.  Almost like a normal landing, but the power was off much earlier.

The point that relates to safe Bus Conversion driving is that we need to be responsible in all aspects of our coach operation.  We need to practice, practice, practice doing "figure eights" backing down.  We have fun doing this in a very large vacant lot filled with rubber cone things.

Practice gives confidence.  Confidence combined with practice common sense and logic will prevent all sorts of bad stuff from even happening because it is not given a chance to even start.  Make sense?  I even do not back up in my VW Rabbit Diesel.  Why?

Because in spite of me being an excellent driver (yeah, in my own mind!) ALL of my little lapses in judgement (stupidy) have occured with me...you guessed it...backing up.  AUUUGHHHHH!  Very embarrassing.  LEARN to back up, then NEVER do sooss ever ever.  Works for me. 

[Dallas]

I agree with BW,

Like the old saying goes, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?...... Practice, Practice Practice!"

For fun some weekend find a big empty parking lot and set up some cones in an alternating pattern.... Back through them, first, the easy way, by going straight, then the much harder way.... around each one both on the left and the right.

When you get good at that, move them closer together lengthwise, but farther apart side to side. Now back through them again.

For more fun, set up a pair of cones 8 1/2' apart and back up to them, with the goal to stop exactly as the bumper is even with them.

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When I was a driver trainer in the trucking industry, we were required to have the new drivers learn that course forward and backward with a 48' and a 53' trailer. If they hit one cone they had to start over again.
On test day, they got 3 chances to complete the course without error.

Now they put a warm body behind the wheel and point forward and "POOF" Instant Expert Truck Driver!

I could add some more of the exercises here too, but these should be enough to tell you what you don't know and do need to learn.

Good Luck,

Dallas

[buswarrior]

10-4!

Superior Judgement in play.

Be good at backing, avoid doing it!!!!

We're singing harmony.

happy coaching!
buswarrior