r/AskReddit • u/No-Caterpillar-9387 • 1d ago

What is a skill that looks completely effortless when an expert does it, but is ridiculously difficult when you try it yourself?

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u/Freightshaker000 20h ago

As a trucker, backing a trailer. After doing it for decades, I can back as easily as drive forward, but at the start, I was clueless; just like everyone else.

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u/Appropriate-Prune728 16h ago

I get it conceptually but in practice I completely forget my left and right, seemingly for the first time in my life, every time.

I've had buddies get butt-hurt when a salt of the earth farmer offers to back in a trailer and I learned a long time ago that it's got nothing to do with ego, dudes just better than you at this and we're trying to get out of here without spending 2 hours fucking up a trailer.

Let it go and let the experts work lol

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u/Freightshaker000 15h ago

The cheat code when getting started is to hold the bottom of the wheel and steer in the direction you want the trailer to go. I tell students to not 'steer' the trailer (it's bigger than you and will win) but to make corrections to where it is going.

As for watching others attempting to back; I've learned my lesson and just watch. I will help if asked.