My oldest son will be 16 October 1, he has a permit and has been driving. I just put up a new dog kennel. I told the boy to jump in the truck and back the trailer under the shed. 6” clearance both sides. He went a lot faster than I would have but stabbed it the first try. He hadn’t backed a trailer in a month. I was pretty proud and told him so. He said it’s easy and he looked in the mirrors and held the bottom of the wheel and did just what I told him.

How old were you when you learned to back a trailer? I was 12 on a standard. But I liked the way things went today!

That’s great. Lots of big guys can’t back a trailer. WTG
I’ve fished big boats since I was young so…

Got good at it freshman in high school when I started roofing. Hot tar roofs as well, pull the hot tar kettle from roof to roof, you want to back it right to best stop to minimize having to carry it in buckets.

When I first got out of high school I worked for Asplundh Tree Expert Co on a climbing crew, we use to climb up the trees and trim the tree limbs away from the power lines for DP&L.

I started off driving a F750 crew dump truck (first pic) pulling a wood chipper behind, when backing up it was mirrors only, you had to look for the outside edge of the fender well on the chipper when backing it up.
Thank goodness they moved me to a bucket truck (cherry picker) usually we had a crew truck following us with a chipper but every now and then had to pull a chipper behind that bucket truck.

Got so good at backing out of tight jams, when they had either a crew or bucket truck stuck or almost jack knifed they would come get me to drive it out.
Crew trucks with a chipper no biggy in a tight spot when backing out, now a bucket truck with a chipper, most of the times I would have to slow down to the speed limit when backing out

First pic Crew truck, 2nd Bucket truck..

Putting your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel really makes it easier. I was probably about your son's age when I learned that.

I never really learned until I had a need to, probably around 20 years old. 30 years later, can do it in my sleep.

Sometimes when we get to the campground early, I like to go sit in the lawn chair and watch all the other fellas attemp to back their rigs in. Great entertainment... kinda like the boat ramp.

I hate to admit it, but I was 31. Never really had a need, but I can do it with ease on any size trailer nowadays...

My dad taught me around 14ish I think? My 15 year old son knows how to do it too.

Been backing trailers since I was about 12. Over the last 43 years, have backed everything from 4’ utility trailers to 53’ semi trailers. My wife has expressed interest in learning to back the boat trailer, so that should be a fun experience.

The closest I ever got to a divorce was teaching my wife to back a boat trailer. She took out the corner post on my carport the first year we were married. We were in our 20’s. I gave up. She wouldn’t listen. I’m just glad she’s hot!

I was 14.

I go back and forth on how I do it. Using mirrors I put hand on bottom of wheel. Turning around and watching the trailer hand goes on top. I usually switch between both every time, it depends on when I lose sight of the trailer or lose sight of what’s behind the trailer

I was probably 12. When me and Dad would go fishing I would back the boat into the water and then go park the truck. Some of the looks I got from the other fishermen at the ramp were pretty funny.

I was 14 when I learned, and also on a standard transmission.

Like anything, it takes practice to get very good at it. Often it takes years to encounter EVERY scenario you might encounter. I used to have a trailer hooked to my truck every day for about 20 years. You can't stump me. I can back one into anything. My dad was riding with me, when I parallel parked truck and trailer. He said "Damn son! You can back one better than I can pull one forward."

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
You practice.

My mom could back a trailer with the best of them.

Got some funny looks as a kid helping dad launch the boat. I guess I played with enough Lego trucks and trailers as a kid it went pretty well. Dad said use the mirrors and and go slow worked for me. That’s one thing I always loved with dad you ask to drive the truck? Go for it, same with the boat etc. mom and dads take was teach us how to use it when they were there and we would be able to do more on our own.

So could mine. The same person taught us.

Not sure on my age, probably 12-13. I thought I was damn good at it until I was on a harvest crew and had a grain truck with a pup trailer that had a steerable front axle. That extra pivot point made things sporty. Abilene Ag had a tight turn to get out of the elevator, all trailers had to be backed in. You learn real quick how to line up straight with one of those rigs.

Three on the tree and I think I was 14

Sometimes I think I am stil learning.

If he can back a cattle trailer up to the loading gate on a pipe pen; when the pen is not perpendicular to the land, he’s ready for graduation. You also have to put the trailer between two trees when backing.

Local boat ramp...entertainment value is priceless!

X2

Mrs Smokey is a sweetheart but teaching her to back a trailer nearly tore it.

I learned trailers before I had a license and it has served me well. I had a job managing a Fedex ground fleet for a little while, got my CDL. Older truck drivers that had never pulled doubles refused to let me teach them how to back the dolly until they had failed a few times. Short trailers are much harder than long trailers. They figured that out eventually and would normally listen after I showed them how to do it and succeeded the first try.

I was 16. I didn't learn to use my mirrors till I was in my late 30s tho. A little duck boat trailer behind a full cab truck is impossible to see looking back. I know... I could put a flag on it but I guess I like a challenge. I've gotten the controlled zig zag down to a science. I end up keeping just a little sight of the trailer in one mirror or the other. Can't stand not being able to see it LOL.