Some say that it is fruitless to attempt to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvers, or more succinctly, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Okay, so I'm not that old and I already know such tricks as sit, stay or roll over. That doesn't mean I can't learn something new.
This has been a busy week for me, a very good week but busy. I started a new job on Monday and all week I've been sitting in class learning, being trained and tested and believe me... my whiteboard is full.
I have been in a shipper/receiver position throughout most of my working life, my last job a logistics coordinator and now I am fortunate to have found a position in supply chain. This brings shipping and receiving to a whole new level.
So what does this have to do with motorcycles? I've ridden motorcycles since I was 12 years old, self taught before finally taking some formal training... which led me to becoming an instructor. Now I teach both students who have never been on a motorcycle before and students like myself who have been riding for years. I know the new riders are nervous and we do our best to calm their nerves letting them know that there will be plenty of coaching, that we will be with them the entire weekend.
Then there are the experienced riders, I was one of them when I took my very first Advanced Rider Training class with Irondad as my instructor. I knew how to ride and I went in with an open mind and a willingness to learn. I ended up learning something new and became a better and safer rider.
Now I've driven forklifts as long as I've been driving a car. I know the tricks and nuances of operating these bad boys and can hold my own. Standard, sit down, forks forward, counterweighted, rear steering forklifts with a conventional steering wheel.
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| Online photo |
My new ride however, is a Crown RC 5500 similar to the picture below but with a squeeze attachment. I've seen these units before, but never operated one. How hard can it be really? The only difference is the operator is standing instead of sitting, right?
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| Online photo from rekarma.com - (mine has the clamp attachment) |
Then came time to check the steering and now all of a sudden this is a whole different animal.
(My good friend Polar Bear of Adventures with Bud E. is a lift truck technician and I'll bet dollars to donuts he is laughing pretty good right about now and if not, he's about to).
Wow! Talk about touchy! Instead of a steering wheel I have to master the tiller type steering, which would be okay except I'm standing sideways traveling in an unnatural way... sideways!
Whoa! Brake! Brake!
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| Overview of the "cockpit" - photo rekarma.com |
This is where all that bravado I discussed earlier takes a back seat. I now know how our students feel when they hop on the training bikes. All I could think of was squeeze and ease, squeeze and ease, get used to that friction zone. Back and forth, back and forth, squeeze and ease. All day.
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| Online photo from Crown.com |
My instructor was very patient with me and I'll get it, but most of all the training certainly helped me understand what new riders go through and how easy the professionals make it look.
Not an easy task to operate this equipment for 9 hours a day.
This old dog not only learned several new tricks but a valuable new perspective.
Ride with Seriousness of Purpose but Lightness of Hand - Dan Bateman
Seems a bit unnatural, the positioning of the operator....
ReplyDeleteIt definitely takes getting used to, but it does prevent the operator from having to strain their neck when changing direction.
DeleteTroubadour:
ReplyDeletethat looks too complicated for me but I know with more practice you're going to be a pro at this. I used to park cars in a parking lot. Lots of different cars, some manual shift, some automatic. big or small I could drive it. I don't think anyone could just jump on that Crown and drive it away.
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
It will take time to master it, one of the coaches said it may take some people a week, others two weeks before they are comfortable enough to be out on the floor. We were on the floor the same day, although I wasn't truly comfortable, I was confident.
DeleteI am only laughing because its a Crown... it really isn't too difficult once you get used to it.. Or somebody reverses the steering on you.. then of course you could get one the the wheel will spin 360 degrees all the way round.. things get really interesting at highspeed with those..
ReplyDeleteJust think of it as daily mental gymnastics.. You don't want the old squash getting soggy, do ya..
The stand up version that I mainly work on was designed by people who would actually use them, So the ergonomics of the functions make much more sense. Of course, It was still engineered by somebody who didn't have to work on them.
Ahhh.. Lift Trucks.. how do I loathe thee... Let me count the ways...
Heh, heh, I've only driven our reach truck a couple of times (years ago) and with no training...they're interesting...
ReplyDeleteOur latest unit has pre-sets for the racking heights and some sort of anti-skid system but on ice in the freezer...
This one has a clamp attachment instead of forks and a self-leveling tilt feature, a luxury I've never had before.
DeleteCongratulations again on the new position and we've all watched those folks running around the big warehouse stores on these things. I can't see how all of the controls fit on that Atari stick. To me, it looks like fun if I were in an open parking lot. Inside of a packed warehouse, not so fun.
ReplyDeleteThank you Richard, it is a bit different than sitting at a desk answering the telephone and emails all day. It is an organized and orchestrated chaos that keeps you alert and well practiced in the SIPDE process.
DeleteWhen I was working my first job in Calgary I learned how to operate a conventional forklift truck, being trained by one of my colleagues after hours. I never got to a level though were I felt comfortable with it though, but it is just something I wanted to know to better manage my warehouse team. It wasn't my forte, but I had some artists in my team that could maneuver anything anywhere.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that new job of yours. I am pretty sure that you will be zipping around on that thing in no time.
Thanks Sonja, it is a very positive environment and I'm really enjoying it. I'm happy that you took the time to learn and understand that aspect of your job, many managers wouldn't do that. It really does make you appreciate your team and the skill required to operate heavy equipment.
DeleteCongratulations on the job!! I really love that you are able to translate that "new" feeling back to what your students must experience. Gives you just the nudge more patience in teaching. :) But I doubt you had a problem with that anyway. So...when you get more confident on that beast, gonna attach the GoPro to give us a live demonstration??
ReplyDeleteThanks Lori. When coaching students I relied on memories of when I was learning to ride, now I can relate with a much more recent experience.
DeleteI'm not sure about the live demonstration, I know I can operate the beast, it's the GoPro I have a problem with ;)
They are really easy to drive once you have had a couple sakes....
ReplyDeleteNothing is easy to drive after a couple of sakes, except screwdrivers ;)
DeleteThat looks like it would be quite challenging for you to operate. Yay to you for keeping an open mind. Lots of seasoned folks like us are embarrassed to admit they still have things to learn. I'm all for broadening your horizons. Congrats on the new job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy, I'm always up for learning something new. I have gotten the hang of it now and zip around on it pretty well, still working on the tricks and fine tuning my skill though.
DeleteTroubadour, Congrats on your new position! That Crown looks like it would fly if you get the joystick in just the right spot! Are there ailerons that fold out somewhere??
ReplyDeleteUnfamiliar with the Squeeze attachment, I'm not able to figure out from the photo how it really works or even what it is. Someday I'm still hoping to master a Pallet Jack...will leave this ergonomic freight moving machine to you Pros.
Thank you Coop, the Crown clips along at a pretty good pace. My forklift has the squeeze/clamp attachment on it instead of the forks, I found a video online and added it above. I'm not a pro yet and I will say that it is not easy operating one of these for 9+ hours a day. I'm still practicing and getting this old body of mine used to the rigorous workout.
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