# Still trying to get the hang of driving my trailer



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I think you are taking every precaution by practicing. 

I believe you will be fine. With your practice, you will anticipate and avoid many possible bad spots. If you do get in a tight place, be kind to yourself. Most of us have. You'll be okay and hopefully have a good story!

I once pulled into an empty gas station along I-75 in Kentucky. By the time I filled both tanks, It was packed and i couldn't move. A clerk took pity on me, and probably wanted the two pumps i was blocking opened. He went around and got 6 or 7 people to move to clear my way. I don't like attention. Got it anyway.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Stop stressing...
The fact is you are going to hit curbs occasionally. You are going to cross the line with the trailer...
You are going to need extra turn space and yup, you are either going to back up waiting cars so you not hit them, or you are going to sit at a intersection till the traffic in the way either moves, yields or...you chase them down backwards.
Have you never watched a tractor-trailer go to make a tight{er} right turn....
They swing wide into the parallel moving traffic lane if there are 4 lane {2 each direction} and indeed sometimes they force a car to move yet...and sometimes they _slowly_ climb a curb...its hard on the tires so not advisable to do often.
You also need to learn to turn tight not do sweeping turns...

And....your husband is right.
You _can not_ just practice for everything cause actual driving conditions continually change...
Your neighboring streets may be narrow for you to drive through...good.
Center the best you can in your lane. If I am faced with dropping off the pavement or stealing some space from the other side, I _don't _drop my trailer off pavement especially if loaded...

Hook up and just go drive on roads with people and not in rush-hour traffic yet...
Early on a Saturday or Sunday morning is less road traffic by us and a lot more patience shown to drivers than you in the way of those headed to work or homeward bound..............
Honestly, most people are courteous and can see if you are having difficulty and will do what they can to get out of your way or hold up to let you get out of their way quicker.
Make sure you are a courteous driver too with a wave of thanks to those who see and get out of your way...
If allowing you to merge on to a road moving faster by moving over or giving you space...a quick flash of your 4-way flashers tells them thank-you, you are appreciated and if a tractor-trailer or others intentionally flash headlights at you they are giving you space and courtesy room to do what you need...again, courtesy response from you takes a second and you never know what that polite gesture could mean a mile down the road...

Remember something you have_ in your favor..._
*You Know How To Back-up....*
If you can't go forward you can always back up a bit to change your approach angle and make the sweep easier for you.
My husband faces that often when we got blocked at the gas station trying to leave with the trailer connected.... back up, realign/position and off we go. Don't do this on a road though cause your fault if you thud backing into something..choose where to back-up carefully with that big blind-spot behind you.

A tidbit of comment many not think of...make sure if you have 4x4 your hubs are _not_ locked, as that engage the knuckle and turning radius is not as tight as it could be...
Don't know what kind of hubs you have whether self-locking, continuous locked or get out and turn the dial or no 4x4 at all...something you _should_ know about the truck you drive.
But....
Go drive, and learn as you go.

In all honesty, how many really tight turns do you do normally with the truck is where you will have more iffiness...otherwise enjoy your freedom of travel.
You have to just gulp and do it sometimes, stop making yourself nuts with worry. _{When all else fails, go past and turn around and go back so you then will be making a left turn into a road to tight otherwise}_
You _*need*_ confidence to drive a truck & trailer especially with horses on board...confidence in you & your ability.
If you are not a confident driver, you better become one fast cause it will make you sick every-time you try to do this otherwise. 
*🐴... *_jmo..._


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Well I wrote this up and then went out for about an hour and half and drove again. As luck would have it, it started raining as I left and it was pouring down by the time I got to the park. I realized that my method of checking my trailer tires with my side mirror doesn't work too well when the side mirror is all wet. I think I have the heated mirrors, which might dry off the rain, but I couldn't figure out which button would make them work (I left the owner's manual at home, oops).

I just drove around in the parking lot and the hilly streets around it until the downpour turned into more gentle rain, then I hit the streets. Not literally, luckily. I got better at the curvy road. It seems that I need to think about my outside front tire actually riding up on the outside line of the road, but then my inside is OK. I found myself saying "OUT-OUT-OUT" just like the barn owner does when Pony is trying to cut a corner and she wants me to keep him on the rail. It was actually quite helpful LOL.

It started pouring down again but I kept at it. Then it stopped again. I ventured onto some main streets and I even passed someone! It was a bus that had stopped. I didn't think I was going to have room, but the guy in the other lane seemed to maybe have slowed down for me, so I moved over and then back. Passing is the other thing I'm super worried about -- having the feel for whether I've got room to move over into someone else's lane or not

I also, I wouldn't say I slammed on the brakes, but I sort of made a decision at the last minute with a yellow light. The trailer brakes work great! You wouldn't even have known it was there, but I saw the indicator on the dashboard light up to show that they had braked hard. To make another horse riding analogy, me at a stale green light with the trailer is like me coming up to a jump and Pony has a bad step. Do I try to push him forward? Do I hold him back half a step? Right now, with Pony, I don't have the instinct to know when to do what, so I usually just do nothing and then he takes the jump badly and it's my fault. Not good with Pony, and even worse with the trailer. I guess hopefully I will figure it out with time.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

The more "real" driving you do the better you will figure it out...

As for sudden stops....
Depends upon where you are, and absolutely what the other traffic is doing at that intersection.
You should be looking far enough ahead to see anticipation and creeping up on the line would indeed have me reacting differently.
Also knowing a light has been green for some time and a quick glance at traffic sitting waiting for a light change...the more cars the better the chance of a yellow/red occurring on you.
You have a horn on that truck..._*use it when you must.*_
If loaded hit the horn and run it if, *IF* no traffic is creeping.......
If the sitting traffic has a creeper, you are probably going to get it broadside in a hit....instant decisions must be made cause hesitation kills or maims!
Slamming on your brakes when loaded is a recipe for putting one on the floor or scrambling with possible injuries.
You must drive with awareness to surrounding _everything_ when driving a truck and trailer...
You will learn to anticipate and react before things occur too as you become more comfortable...
You _are_ the length of a short tractor-trailer....remember that when you tour the town!! 
🐴...


----------



## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

Just gotta do it. Parallel parking - or any parking - in London used to give me nightmares when I first got my license, especially with traffic and impatient people. Now I'm a pro at parking cars and vans without a rear view mirror of course (which my mother physically removed when teaching me to drive). I can see myself OK in a horsebox but worry about hills and small roundabouts. A trailer though... oof. I have such admiration for your courage in taking this step, something I should have said much earlier but always kept forgetting. You should see my ability in just using the _bicycle_ trailer LOL. I actually think it's a good idea to maybe add in some emergency stops for practice and see how you feel every +5 mph and in different conditions (dry/rain). Somewhere reasonably safe ofc. 

As for moving over what helped me with an unusually long vehicle was 1) have extra mirror that helped me see length of vehicle and half of next lane (and one for blind spot). 2) find a parked vehicle and parallel to it, go forward enough to have room for my entire van to merge that "lane" and 3) use marker or sticker on mirror so I have an immediate reference. "The cars right light is at the black line = enough distance to move over". This also works for helping figure out turning corners (curb lines up, can turn). You'd have to fiddle a bit to find what is comfortable for you on both sides. I even turned my main driver side mirror entirely away from my vehicle so I could see most of the next lane and marked it so. I had a smaller one for blind spot/close view and was partial to sticking my head out the window occasionally to check. Passenger side bit trickier. With practice didn't need any of it.


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Kalraii said:


> Now I'm a pro at parking cars and vans without a rear view mirror of course (which my mother physically removed when teaching me to drive).


OMG this reminds me of something a co-worker told me. She's from, I forget which one, but one of those tough New England states. Her dad taught her how to drive. He taught her how to deal with driving on snow and ice the following way: he found an empty icy road that had snow banks on either side. He told her to drive at a normal speed, then slam on the brakes and see what happened. I guess that's just how they do it up there? And then practice until you learn how to steer out of the skid? I suppose the snow banks would keep you on the road and/or give you a soft landing if not.

This whole process has reminded me that I have a fear of failure. Trying something big and possibly failing is extremely de-motivating for me. Taking things in tiny steps and having a win at each one, or at least not failing spectacularly, is very motivating for me.

As for the roundabouts, geez. I hate roundabouts on the best of days and with the easiest of cars. Especially if they have more than one lane on the roundabout. The thing that gets me is that you're really supposed to just merge, not stop, but with those two-lane ones I could never tell where people were going, because you know you're supposed to be in the inside lane if you're going past, I forget, one or two of the possible exits, and then move over to the outside lane. Doing that in a trailer? I'd just stop and tick off everyone behind me by waiting until it was totally clear.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Just keep driving and practicing, the more you do it, the better you get. When I was going to lessons every week, I was getting so decent at at backing. Then coach retired, new coach comes to my arena, l suck again.


----------



## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

They make all the little roundabouts in NZ flat enough to the ground so that large vehicles can just drive over part of them where needed. I never encountered many roundabouts in the US though? We mainly drove in CA though and then other neighbouring states. It was all way stops where we lived, and I was ok with them. The couple of roundabouts that were in our area, the majority of the US locals obviously did not know what to do with them. I used to witness many things like driving straight through the intersection directly over top or driving the wrong way round the roundabout.

I quite like roundabouts. I feel when everyone knows what they are doing, which is more the standard in NZ because they are so prevalent, they really make the traffic flow much more nicely than other forms of controlled intersections. And I think they are just quite fun to drive around.

Good luck with your trailer driving. Is there anywhere that you can do a small win with a horse. Like drive from your barn to an easy place to unload and go for a short ride?

Re. bike lanes in your neighbourhood, are you worried you will be in the bike lane with a cyclist coming up behind or for passing a cyclist you see in front? If you are wanting to pass a cyclist you will just have to wait till there is no on coming traffic so you can pull out and give them the courteous 1 m wide berth as you pass. I mean if you are passing a cyclist, it is not like you want to be right on the line of the cycle lane anyway. As a cyclist, and sometimes a cyclist with my very much loved children, it is no fun being passed by even a large vehicle, let alone a large vehicle pulling something. It very much gives the less strong cyclists (e.g., kids) the wobbles (both mentally and physically). It might be annoying to have cycle lanes making your road narrower, but the alternative is that cars accept them as have equal road rights and allow them to bike in the lane. In that case, a savvy cyclist would very well be riding out further into the lane than a cycle lane would place them. For their own safety; cycle lanes are not always placed in the safest place for cyclists as they are often jammed up right next to the parked traffic that could door you into oncoming traffic.


----------



## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

horselovinguy said:


> it will make you sick every-time you try to do this otherwise.


This was me when I first started driving a trailer. My hands would be shaking, my mouth so dry, I would drink a whole glass of water when I arrived at my destination. I hate to drive, and I knew of a bunch of trailer accidents. As a child, I rode hours and miles to get to shows and foxhunts because we had no trailer. It gets better with time and experience. I used to think I would NEVER trailer off to go for a ride for pleasure because there was always the chance of a trailer accident and why take that chance. Fifty years later, I do it all the time. I hope it doesn't take you fifty years, but it certainly is anxiety producing. You are not alone.


----------



## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

There could be a whole spin off thread for traffic "anomalies" depending on where you learned to drive. Roundabouts are getting more common but better than traffic squares that go around courthouses in some small towns where there are two lanes plus the merge and exit lane along with parking along both sides. Blows minds🤯. Add the yellow flashing light for left turns which makes total sense when used properly or the diverging diamond or its mini me. Almost need new driving classes.

Intersections need to be anticipated way ahead and watch approaching side traffic. On roads where I don't know the habits of those lights (timer or trip plate) I slow down expecting to stop. I'd rather aggravate those behind me than end up in an accident.


----------



## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

Roundabouts, huge ones with traffic lights as you go around, any with no lane markings (it's a guessing game!), mini ones that you have to bounce over and around, cutting over lanes as you join, and people who don't indicate whether they're going round or turning off and can you chance pulling out...;

Single track roads with passing places, hard enough with a large vehicle, but add in drivers who think it's easier for a trailer or horsebox to reverse to the passing place and won't budge until you do; and,

Tourist areas, where there are bilingual road signs and they either creep along as they try to read them and slam on the brakes when they think they've gone the wrong way, or forget and drive on the wrong side (I've met them a few times while on horseback and in the car).

Roundabouts - mini, medium and huge with big trucks!





As it's Monday and I needed a laugh!


----------



## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Just an aside, I do like your description of your husband, "extremely uninterested". I wonder how many of those good men are out there, not into horses but being there for their spouses. I know I have one, not into horses but there for me when I need him.
I don't know if these situations have been mentioned but when you pull into an area also have an eye for height clearance. Usually horse trailers aren't as likely not to have clearance as house trailers but something else to keep in mind. Also turning corners, I have seen so many drivers slow for the turn and come around carefully and as the truck straightens out again, they step on the gas and the trailer is still turning, This way the horse is having to balance not only for the turn but then a sudden speeding up which can catch them unawares;
I think you are doing a good and careful job of getting ready for trailering your horses.
As HLG said, traffic lights can be a bit stressful so be aware and do use your horn as a warning to other drivers, if you have to go through on a yellow light.


----------



## Dutch_Juniper (May 21, 2020)

I think you are extremely brave to teach yourself these skills and I can only hope to learn all this too one day!


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Well I went out for just half an hour today, as there were ominous clouds on the horizon. It went much better! Four good things happened:

Going the full speed limit, I took one hand off the steering wheel long enough to scratch my chin LOL. Previously my hands had been glued to the steering wheel.
I went right on red!
I passed another truck and trailer on my narrow and twisty neighborhood through-street. We both slowed down and inched over as far to the outside as we could, and we passed successfully! I also noticed that he was going well into the opposing lane to pass all of the parked cars, much farther than I go. So I felt good about that.
I made a tight left turn where there was a car waiting at the stopsign to my left. The car couldn't back up because there were two more cars behind it. I swung really far out to the outside and then cut in, and I would say there was at least a foot between me and the car. So, maybe practicing that turn I was practicing before, even if it was an impossible turn, prepared me for this tight but apparently possible turn here.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

The trailer is going to follow the truck so just keep it between the lines. As for the turns, you just want to take them wider than you would with no trailer. I usually do more than I have to. I stay in the straight lane until I'm almost where I would be going into the wrong lane when I turn. (I don't actually go in the wrong lane but I go that far passed where I would normally turn in the truck alone. When I turn, the front of the truck is almost on the yellow line and if there is no one in the other lane, then I will go over a little. Then I stay alone the yellow line a little (I'm in the line but I'm closer to it) while I straighten out. The trailer is going to follow you so once you are in your lane, it's behind you. If you don't cross the line or drop off the road, it won't either.

Sudden stops - avoid them! (I know, I know, that's the plan). But seriously, you can't stop on a dime. You do your best to stop but if someone cuts you off, I think you are probably better off hitting them then trying to swerve. That's when you lay the trailer over on it's side. I'm not saying, hit them if you can avoid it but someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think less damage to the horses would be hitting the car in front of you rather than trying to swerve around it.... (Hopefully that never happens)


----------



## MeditativeRider (Feb 5, 2019)

I second that you are super brave teaching yourself these skills.

Sounds like a good drive! 

I miss right turns on red. We don't have that in NZ (it would be a left technically for us), and even after eight years of being back in NZ I still have to sit there at the lights and do a little chant to myself in my head ("no turn on red, no turn on red"). It is just so much better for traffic flow.


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I've decided to call my trailering practice rides "no joy rides," that being a combination of a joy ride, which is an aimless ride, and "no joy," which means something not fun.

I woke up earlier this morning than I wanted, but it gave me the chance to go out and drive while traffic was less. Our neighborhood Sunday-morning traffic of cyclists and walkers was, of course, as heavy as usual, so I went out on the larger arterials. I passed more people, and even when I wasn't passing I was checking my mirrors and asking myself whether I could safely change lanes or not. I stayed at (as opposed to below) the speed limit the whole time.

I also turned left a couple of times from one of those two-left-turn lanes. I had debated which one to use, but ultimately I choose the outside one since I could then swing out as far as I needed to make sure the trailer stayed in the lane. I think those lanes are actually extra wide, I guess to give people more room like that. I didn't have a problem.

I got gas, too. I had been making a mental list of gas stations in the neighborhood where the truck and trailer might fit. There is a very small gas station on a corner a couple of miles away. It only has one set of pumps and they are at an angle. I thought I could fit in there. Then as I was thinking more about it, and realistically appraising the size of my rig, I thought I couldn't. But I went down there anyway and it turned out I had lots of room. So if I need gas while I'm in the neighborhood that's where I'll go. It's kind of funny that this very small gas station had more room for me than one of the medium sized ones would.

I also exceeded my prior maximum speed; I got up to 47 mph on a 50 mph access road.

Oh, and I drove it to a big box store yesterday and sort of parallel parked it.

Finally, I was scrolling through radio channels and I hit a country station. I have never liked country -- maybe I heard it too much on the radio growing up. But today, in my big ole pickup truck, towing my horse trailer, it suddenly felt appropriate. I kept the station on.

I'm still trying to get the hitch situation figured out. Apparently speciality hitches are another thing that's hard to find right now, and I need a special specialty hitch. I think I might have found one, but I have to get in touch with the manufacturer to make sure the dimensions are correct. I do think I'm comfortable enough driving the trailer now that I might be willing to take the horses on a few very short drives (like 10 minutes LOL) once I get the hitch set up.


----------



## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

Good for you teaching yourself to be comfortable. I admit to being a chicken and avoid routes where I have to change lanes. My truck doesn't have the extended side mirrors and I feel....vulnerable driving solo. Give me a two lane and lots of right hand turns and I'm happy. You've had some great advice from other folks. I like the tip about driving with a glass of water on your dashboard. Drive so as to not spill a drop! Especially good for braking and accelerating!


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

@livelovelaughride can you buy aftermarket extended side mirrors? I can tell you, I don't know what I'd do without them. They could make all the difference to you.

I did change lanes across three lanes of traffic at the last minute yesterday, which kind of impressed me, but there weren't any cars anywhere near me, so maybe it's not all that impressive.

I drove on the highway for the first time and got up to a little over 60mph. Wow, changing lanes on the highway is a whole different thing. I would check my mirrors, determine that I had plenty room to move over, put on my turn signal, start to move, and a car would suddenly zoom past in the lane I wanted to change into, and I'd have to pull back at the last minute. I know now that I need to leave myself LOTS of time to change lanes on the highway, or better yet just pick a lane and never leave it LOL.


----------

