BIG TRUCK, SMALL ROAD/DOORWAY

One of the most difficult things new drivers need to remember is the length of their vehicle, which is about 3 times longer, at 65 to 72 feet, than their car and neither truck or trailer are made of rubber, so it doesn’t flex. It takes a lot of room to negotiate a turn safely. The average driver doesn’t realize that when a truck is making a right turn, the wheels that must be close to the corner aren’t those at the rear of the truck, but the trailer wheels.

In an effort to save a few minutes, a four-wheeler can get themself in trouble when  they try to squeeze by on the right as a truck moves left to clear the corner to make a right turn. Bad choice, for the simple fact this is a blind spot, and the trucker cannot see them. A lot of trailers have this sign on the rear, in some form. The result of foolish drivers who get hurt doing this.

Here’s a couple of pictures of some extremely difficult places I’ve been in my travels. They sort of pop up when you least expect it. And rarely are you given the option to go around or chose another route. Sometimes, heck most time of the time it was because I wasn’t familiar with the area. Or someone from the office staff assured me that none of their deliveries had any problem with backing in, yeah right—famous last words. Of course, none of these people could drive your truck, but. . . .oh well. I surely breathed a sigh of relief when I pulled out of here without any damage to the trailer.

And this situation, oh my, did I not pay attention (my bad) when I was going the other way. I must have thought the crew would be done later in the day, duh. There probably was a full foot clearance between my truck and the cement “K” rails, maybe even eighteen inches, but sure didn’t look like it from the driver’s seat. What helped me in these situations, was to not concentrate on either side but ahead at an end point. Elsewise I found myself drifting into a “K” rail which wouldn’t be good. Ah, the life of a trucker.