Feedback to Day 13

Again, responses to my post and my reply:

"Pete...no worries. Everyone experiences the exact same thing. Everyone!

I can write 1000 words on how to back, but it won't help. Like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube, amazingly frustrations and unnatural. Beyond what is obvious, persistence and repetition are the only things that will get it done.

Same with shifting. Pushing the clutch in too far will engage the clutch brake, thus fouling your shift. No more than an inch. Again not what we were taught shifting Dad's Chevy...

Try not to be so hard on yourself. We have all been exactly where you are right now. You'll be fine..."
-  G-Town


"Pete, keep your head up. Like you said, learning is why you're there. You can't be the only student in their history to ever have this issue. And you're probably way harder on yourself than your instructor. I know it's tough but remember to take a breath and repeat yourself: you're learning, you're not the first and won't be the last, and they're not going to let you fail. They gain nothing by throwing their hands up and tossing you to the wolves. It's in their best interest to help you be successful.

It's interesting you mentioned the shifting as I just asked in another thread how it was similar (or not) to car shifting. Your answer and G-Town's help. So it's similar in that I need to shift and I get the mind-muscle connection but it's much abbreviated compared to my car.

And, if none of my "remember the positive" crap sticks, think about all you've already accomplished here. Would you have ever thought any of that would be possible? Probably not. If you can make it past all those tests, etc, then surely you can figure this backing out and dominate it too."  
-Han Solo Cup

"Hey Pete am also in my third week at Sage, am glad u been very thorough, can u please post the steps they gave u on the study guide for the different maneuvers ( alley dock, parallels & offset) to compare it to ours, i wanna know if it differ from truck to truck or school to school, thanks & good luck!"  -Ed T.

And my reply:  "G-Town and HSC, thank you very much for your words of encouragement. They are much appreciated. I know I can be my own worst critic. My wife appeared to be a little irritated with me for how hard I was being on myself. I studied pre-trip all morning, then was back out at the driving range, watching other drivers' backing, observing how their wheels were turning and how the trailer was reacting. It seems I am not alone in my struggles. I learned from one of the instructors that my next session, Friday, will be spent mostly backing. Four hours to learn off-set and 90-degree. I'll get it; I just need practice.

Ed, we were not given a study guide for any maneuvers. The materials we were given and could keep consist of the FMCSA regulations handbook, the Montana Commercial Driver License Manual, and some stapled papers re: troubleshooting issues with a truck: symptoms, probable causes, and fixes. Nothing to do with driving maneuvers. Which school are you in?"