letters
Page 28
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
When truck technology encounte
A fter this week's editorial I thought you
might enjoy a couple of reversing warning stories. Both incidents happened at the same drop; one vehicle was fitted with a "bleeper", the other with an electronic voice.
The entrance was a fairly narrow gateway in a high wall. The trick was to pull across the road and back in on the "blind" side using both mirrors until the tail was in the gateway. then to concentrate on the nearside mirror to go on full left lock as the back wheels reached the gate post.
On the first occasion (bleeper) I had reached this point when there was a thump on the offside. I looked in the mirror to see a man staggering away from the side of the van with blood pouring from his nose. I asked him what had happened.
Ile said: "I saw you backing in and I could hear this infernal racket. As I walked along I was looking round to see where it was coming
rs human nature...
from and walked full tilt into your van".
A fortnight later, with the other van. I had started to reverse and saw an old lady walking slowly along on my offside. The tail was about to enter the gate but after the last experience 1 took a quick glance in the offside mirror. On the second glance I saw the old lady bending down with her head under the rave in the rapidly diminishing space between the rear mudguard and the gatepost.
I stopped sharply and went back to ask her what she was doing.
She beat me to it, saying: "Thank gawd you stopped driver, there's someone under your lorry. I heard him shouting and I was trying to see where he was."
I was glad I left that job and did not have to back into that yard again. Heaven knows what would have happened next.
R Rust, Basildon, Essex.