| Make no mistake about it; being behind the wheel of a | | | | before you would in a car to prevent the smaller |
| lorry for the first time is hugely intimidating. No matter | | | | vehicles - especially motorbikes - pulling up on your |
| how many years you have been driving a car for, | | | | inside and forcing you to practice your emergency |
| nothing can prepare you for the sheer number of | | | | stops! |
| controls, the view and the responsibility you need to | | | | Know the Height and Weight of Your Lorry |
| get a handle on when you first climb into your haulage | | | | The reason for knowing the height and weight of your |
| vehicle's cab. There's a reason the licensing process is | | | | lorry should be obvious: there are certain bridges and |
| tougher than getting a licence to drive a car - it's very | | | | tunnels that will only allow vehicles below a certain |
| hard. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you | | | | height and weight to use them. If you don't know, you |
| first make the jump from car to your first haulage job... | | | | could risk an accident - and if you're aware of height |
| Break Early and Break Often | | | | restricted bridges in advance, you can plan your route |
| You're now driving a far heavier vehicle, and your | | | | to avoid them. |
| stopping distances are longer than you'd expect if | | | | Be Aware of Your Lorry's Dimensions and What it |
| you're used to driving a car. Remember your stopping | | | | Means to You |
| distance will be longer when carrying loads too, so be | | | | Most lorries have a trailer that's wider than the cab. |
| sure to adjust. | | | | This means that you should aim to drive more towards |
| You Need to Make Wider Turns | | | | the centre of the lane than you would in a car, to |
| Because you are now carrying a trailer behind you, | | | | make sure your trailer is in a good position. |
| you need to adjust your turning times to compensate | | | | Make Sure Your Load is Always Properly Placed and |
| and avoid clipping the curb. | | | | Secured |
| Your Acceleration is Far Worse, so Join Lanes with | | | | The reason for ensuring your load is secure is obvious |
| Caution | | | | - the last thing you want is for the load you've been |
| With a car, you can be comparatively daring at joining | | | | carrying to fall into the road and cause an accident. |
| a lane of fast moving traffic, because the acceleration | | | | Make sure it's secure and check every time you stop |
| is good. Lorry drivers have to be extra careful, as it will | | | | for a break. |
| take them a good while to gain enough speed to pull | | | | And finally a quick word of warning for when you |
| away from the traffic immediately behind. | | | | return to a normal sized car after a long haulage job: it |
| Indicate Early to Warn off Cars and Bikes | | | | will feel terrifyingly small and fast! Don't worry though - |
| Many other motorists don't realise exactly how slowly | | | | once you've made the switch a few times it becomes |
| lorry drivers have to do things, and are notoriously | | | | second nature! |
| impatient. You should be signalling turns in a lorry long | | | | |