Learning to drive a forklift truck....

[Deleted member 1258]

Nice one

I've been driving counterbalance for about 30 years now on and off but I started on an ancient non-power steered Lansing Bagnall FRER5 reach truck. They're brilliant. 18 turns lock to lock if I remember. My right arm was like Popeye's..... from turning the wheel so much! What are you lot like eh.

We've also got a Bendi at our place which I'm pretty experienced at now but I'd rather drive a reach or even a man-up narrow aisle. I've actually been round the Bendi factory in Redditch. It's tiny.

Cable tie an old cleaned out plastic container to one of the roof uprights makes an ideal biscuit and sweetie container.

yes I remember, two and a half ton reach truck, no power steering, a steering wheel that wouldn't look out of place on a big red London bus and that many turns lock to lock it would give me Moto GP style arm pump if I drove it too long.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

First time I ever got sacked was for racing forklifts round the yard, probably because one of them sprang an oil leak and we used the oil to make a skid patch to liven up the course, and it did get messy. Shopped by the shop steward. The funny thing is I can't remember ever having any training on them. I think they told you forwards and backwards and stop, and then they just laughed until you got the hang of them.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

First time I ever got sacked was for racing forklifts round the yard, probably because one of them sprang an oil leak and we used the oil to make a skid patch to liven up the course, and it did get messy. Shopped by the shop steward. The funny thing is I can't remember ever having any training on them. I think they told you forwards and backwards and stop, and then they just laughed until you got the hang of them.

I remember a factory about 1970, the forklift driver left, the foreman went up to one of the fella's in the stores and said "you drive a car don't you?" when the fella said "yes" the foreman replied "you're our new forklift driver let me show you how it works".

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I remember a factory about 1970, the forklift driver left, the foreman went up to one of the fella's in the stores and said "you drive a car don't you?" when the fella said "yes" the foreman replied "you're our new forklift driver let me show you how it works".

That's about the right era. It was all very easy and a little bit mad at the same time.

 

[JoeyB]

I drove a forklift for the first time earlier this year. Was doing a private IT job in a warehouse and needed to get to some trunking high on the wall so the owner said we could use the truck lol. Was great fun!

Pic below of me trafficking Coke!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

That's about the right era. It was all very easy and a little bit mad at the same time.

Thats why the training came in, the casualty rate was alarming, even today there are companies about who will ignore the legal requirements.

 

[Jason.T]

Forklift trucks is What I do for a living, been driving counterbalance and reach truck for 13 years, truth is you have to be absolutely terrible to actually fail, if a employer is putting you through a test then they are basically paying for you to have a guaranteed pass, like I said unless your utterly terrible or dangerous then it's a pass

I can drive the damn things with my eyes closed I've been doing it so long

Although they look harder a reach truck is actually easier than a counterbalance, you have a far better field of vision and a much tighter turning circle

anyway well done it's a handy licence to have

 

[hedder2212]

Forklift trucks is What I do for a living, been driving counterbalance and reach truck for 13 years, truth is you have to be absolutely terrible to actually fail, if a employer is putting you through a test then they are basically paying for you to have a guaranteed pass, like I said unless your utterly terrible or dangerous then it's a pass

I can drive the damn things with my eyes closed I've been doing it so long

Although they look harder a reach truck is actually easier than a counterbalance, you have a far better field of vision and a much tighter turning circle

anyway well done it's a handy licence to have

went back today to do reach, it was a piece of cake. much nicer to drive than the counterbalance truck too, though that may have been because it was brand new Back tomorrow morning to do the test for reach.

 

[hedder2212]

and i now have the licence for a reach truck too. only got ten points for knocking the slalom a few times.

Now to find a job

 

[Deleted member 1258]

and i now have the licence for a reach truck too. only got ten points for knocking the slalom a few times.

Now to find a job

Well Done