Lots of interesting points of view people have expressed.
One of the problems is that, I think, most of the time, people are given a trailer to back and just told to put their hand on the bottom of the wheel and the trailer will move in the direction their hand moves. And that is all well and good, but their is so much more to it.
A few thoughts for the new to trailer backing driver.:
Windows:
Roll down the windows, so you can hear what is going on, like someone yelling at you to stop, or the crunch of an object, car, tree, etc. that is in the way.
Pilot Induced Oscillation:
This is a concept from the world of helicopters, R/C in my case.
As the trailer goes off course, the drive applies an increasing series of corrections in opposite directions, trying to correct the trailer's direction to the previous input and applying an over correction in the opposite direction.
Stop:
When the trailer is not going where you want. Stop. This gives you time to think. This takes the pressure off. You're not moving,
Turning the trailer:
It's not just one movement of turning the trailer, it is really composed of several steps.
Turn the wheel to get the trailer turning.turn started.
1: Just as the trailer lines up with the ramp, garage, etc., move the wheel back. Not all the way, just enough to stop the trailer from continuing to turn.
2: The trailer is moving straight back, truck still turning, coming into line following the trailer.
3: Once the truck is straight, turn the wheel back some more.
4: Trailer, truck, and wheels straight.
Bottom line, consider everything that you are told, and use what works best for you.