the 100% directionless thread

Watching my engineer back the boat trailer down a boat ramp when he’s never backed a trailer sure was interesting to watch.
 
Once you get the hang of it, it is actually easier to back a 52' semi trailer than my 16' flat bed trailer. Ya shoulda video'd it..
 
Old Tracker said:
Once you get the hang of it, it is actually easier to back a 52' semi trailer than my 16' flat bed trailer. Ya shoulda video'd it..
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I didn't want to be a ****. But I did show off a little when I hopped in, but I have the unfair advantage of my dad yelling at me when I was little trying to back the trailer. Pop's was right, it does build character. The trailer is ~22' so not long, but not short either, easily maneuverable.
 
Only one of my daughters survived me trying to teach them how to drive a stick shift. The other 3 gave up cuz I hurt their wittle feelings. The survivor made a bunch of money guiding deer hunters and field dressing deer for them as she drove them to and fro in the 1975 Pinzgauer. Ex Swiss army truck with a 5 speed manual tranny.
 
My wife and I are considering going out to Utah next September for the HLTH conference. Camping and lectures in a National Forrest, it also happens to have a few hundred miles of mtn bike trails.

Supposedly a couple of her RN friends want to go, hopefully they'll plan girl stuff so I can ride for a day.
 
Old Tracker said:
Only one of my daughters survived me trying to teach them how to drive a stick shift. The other 3 gave up cuz I hurt their wittle feelings. The survivor made a bunch of money guiding deer hunters and field dressing deer for them as she drove them to and fro in the 1975 Pinzgauer. Ex Swiss army truck with a 5 speed manual tranny.
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Dad taught me to drive a stick by giving my left leg a charlie horse every time he thought. i was riding the clutch.

Learning to drive a stick means you have to be aware of what the vehicle is doing and what it is supposed to be doing. You're forced to pay more attention, instead of being a stomp and steering wheel holder wondering why you're doing donuts at 70mph going over the ice covered bridge.
 
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ffemt8978 said:
Dad taught me to drive a stick by giving my left leg a charlie horse every time he thought. i was riding the clutch.
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My dad put me on a hill. That was my first into to a stick shift.
 
I've owned a few vehicles over the years... and most of them have been manual transmission equipped. I've only switched over to slushbox vehicles because my wife wants to be able to drive my car if needed and she tried but just can't get the rhythm of the manual trans. This, of course, means that my new-to-me truck is also an automatic trans. Doesn't mean I'll buy the specific truck I'm looking at, but... more generally whatever truck I get as my daily driver/travel trailer tow will be an auto trans equipped vehicle. I'll live...
 
I got one day's teaching with stick shift and then thrown into the wild. It was quite the time.
 
Going back to trailers, or just in general. One thing that will work, without much effort, and will keep you backing up straight, is have your hand at either the 12 or the 6 o'clock position and hold the steering wheel with your index finger extended.
 
Old Tracker said:
Going back to trailers, or just in general. One thing that will work, without much effort, and will keep you backing up straight, is have your hand at either the 12 or the 6 o'clock position and hold the steering wheel with your index finger extended.
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I pretty much can’t back a trailer without keeping only one hand on the wheel at 6. Then no matter how you’re looking (mirrors, over the shoulder, etc), if you move your hand to the left the trailer goes left. I try to think about why that is, then I get dizzy and give up.

My first job was at a garden center and power equipment shop, wouldn’t trade that for anything.
 
Oh that reminds me, our box trucks have a tow option. I don’t get why. I’ll have to get a pic when I get the chance. You press a button on the steering column and it shows up on the dash.
 
Fezman92 said:
Oh that reminds me, our box trucks have a tow option. I don’t get why. I’ll have to get a pic when I get the chance. You press a button on the steering column and it shows up on the dash.
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A lot of the box trucks will have a tow/haul option due to them being 250/2500 or above and considered heavy duty.
 
Fezman92 said:
Oh that reminds me, our box trucks have a tow option. I don’t get why. I’ll have to get a pic when I get the chance. You press a button on the steering column and it shows up on the dash.
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And remember that the cab and drive train for most ambulances is not specific to ambulances. They're used on tow trucks, commercial delivery and hauling, etc etc
 
Great for unexpectedly tossing your partner with an ill timed downshift too!
 
So we used to get an extra $50 for picking up a shift on our days off. Starting Nov 1st, that’s not going to happen because we don’t have the money for it. RIP. Wonder if the new management that we just got will change anything for the better, doubt it though.

Edit: so apparently the bonus isn’t supposed to be done to get people to pick up shifts but we were. Corporate found out what was going on and cut off the money.
 
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Fezman92 said:
So we used to get an extra $50 for picking up a shift on our days off. Starting Nov 1st, that’s not going to happen because we don’t have the money for it. RIP. Wonder if the new management that we just got will change anything for the better, doubt it though.

Edit: so apparently the bonus isn’t supposed to be done to get people to pick up shifts but we were. Corporate found out what was going on and cut off the money.
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Do you understand why that $50 stipend was a HORRIBLE idea?
 
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