'Take this mobile parking lot for a spin round the strawberry cornets to see just how you drive a truck!' That's the language of the international trucker, which roughly translates as 'Take this car transporter for a drive around traffic cones'! And that's just what you'll be doing.
This juggernaut driving experience will certainly sort the tailboard artists (over confident lorry drivers) from the Alices in Wonderland (those who have a tendency to get lost). As you get ready to bust some moves on the bitumen at your choice of track venues offered (all of which are well away from the public roads), it's time to see if you have what it takes to handle these kings of the road.
In today's trucking world, manufacturers are at pains to say the driver is the most precious cargo onboard, which is why, when you step into the ergonomic cab of a truck it is, quite frankly, jaw droppingly cool. First of all, you'll notice that you can pretty much stand up in the cab. That's quite useful. Then there are the overhead lockers for your overnight bag. Plenty of room for the sleeping bunk behind you and enough space for your microwave and mini fridge too. What more could you need?
But the best bit has to be the electronically operated, pneumatic, air conditioned driver's seat that these trucks have, complete with vertical dampers. If you're doing a long distance run covering thousands of miles, you'll need to be comfy, but even just learning how to drive this transporter rig around the paddock for a short while, you'll appreciate that high up driving position and the comfort, even if you are bamboozled by the array of controls on the steering wheel you're clutching!
So now you're sitting pretty in the driving seat, how do you get this baby to roll? Trucks have things like the EasyStart drive-off assistant, which makes smooth starts easy as pie, with less wear and tear on the gearbox too. After that, you're off. All you have to do now is keep your eyes peeled on the myriad of mirrors that adorn this truck and see if you can faultlessly negotiate the coned out circuit, hauling this juggernaut and that transporter trailer behind you around.
As those in the know who are about to drive a truck say: 'Keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down', which means have a safe trip!
