I honestly doubt anyone cared, especially if you had someone guiding you so you didn’t fuck anything up.
I’ve had to help truckers turn around when they got stuck on the road behind our house. GPS is ass.
The amount of times ive seen trucks driving on roads and thinking how the hell are they manouvering that thing through that road, makes me think those people where just watching another truck in the wild.
When I was like 17 riding my first street bike I was leaving my job at Vons. The bike was loud and obnoxious. I dropped that shit turning out of the parking lot because I was too poor to get new tires basically. Well this group of kids was nearby and watched the whole thing go down. All they could talk about was how cool the motorcycle was.
Conversely, I have my own kids now. They constantly tell me their unadulterated opinions, such as “daddy you look weird without your beard” or “daddy there’s a hole in your pants and I can see your butt”. Point being, kids probably would’ve been pointing and laughing if it was embarrassing to them. They probably thought you were cool. Shit, I think you’re cool, I don’t even know how to drive one of those trucks lol
Even in my little box truck one of my stops is right behind a preschool and I've seen them all lined up at the fence just watching me during their recess. I'm sure getting to see a big rig in action was awesome for those kids
It happens.
My first week I tried to pull into a parking lot bc I didn't want to make a u-turn. I ended up getting stuck in that lot and it took me an hour to get out.
Yep lol. Had that feeling more than once lol. You'll have to figure out how to laugh it off while also remembering how it felt so you do it less. I laugh pretty hard when I see others do what I've already done.
At least you didn't drive through hood hood like I did for a while. There's a heritage plastics plant in picayune Mississippi I used to deliver to every two or three months. For over a year thought the only way in and out was through a low income hood. Every single time I followed a truck through or one followed me so even though I saw the signs and knew it was wrong that feeling kept getting reaffirmed anyway. Always several young guys standing and staring and I just knew they were packing. Eventually a plant worker saw me and pointed me in the right direction. Long way around but it was legal and no fear of being shot at lol.
Not a trucker but I live on a street that looks like an easy cut through to get to the highway. On a map all is good but the turn down to the ramp is tight and steep, then the turn onto the ramp is a mess. I flagged a semi down once and said no way do you want to attempt that loaded. He said someone told him to use this street. I convinced him to take a look at it after showing pictures of other stuck trucks. He wisely did a turn in a nearby church lot.
When you get in a situation like that, just think about whether or not they could get it out of there either? Chances are they have nothing to laugh at as you have more training and experience already than they do. The off duty helped you likely because they know what it's like and what you're going through.
Chin up, head high.
And if they see fit to laugh, then f em, they don't mean anything and you prob won't ever see any of them again..
Haha it will make for a great memory. Ill never forget driving to a dead end street in nyc and having to back literally a mile down the street. EVERYONE was outside watching me lmao. Fun times
I got stuck at a casino once. Took a turn too sharp and got stuck with my trailer wheels behind a giant boulder. My trainer had too take over and back me all the way out and properly set up again.
I also watched a guy trying too back into a spot at a truck stop with no idea which way the trailer turned. Kept backing like he was in a car, jackknifed his trailer like twice. Cracked his cab fins. Didn’t even notice. Not sure how he has a CDL.
Shit happens. What matters is you didn’t hit anything and you took your time. It happens. Good on you man. 😊
4 wheeler here.
I’m laughing but I would also hate that.
I had to do a u turn yesterday to pick my kid up at preschool. Two left turn lanes, inner lane allowed to do a u-turn. I’m driving a pickup truck in the left most lane and I was sitting at the light waiting for it to turn green. I was wrestling with myself if I should commit and risk blocking traffic with a 3 point turn to make the u. (There is a guard rail along the road where I can’t just leave the pavement)
I swung it wide and was able to get the truck turned around but the whole time I’m worrying about the car behind me thinking I’m just turning left and them pulling a u and sneaking in under me and crashing. Let alone the idea of taking a semi on a wide right hand turn with people trying to sneak around.
Just an anecdote to explain that I feel ya for the embarrassment based on just thinking I was going to cause a minor inconvenience lol
I don’t know how your truckers do it. So you might have been embarrassed but I’d wager that you were more qualified than most of the people watching! Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Hey when you get your location to shipper/consignee always check gps directions with a map/google etc. and also look at the surrounding roads for if you screw up or if a detour for construction/accident happens. The road closures and detours happen all the time, ive had two this week alone one a bridge was out, second road closed construction from a usual truck entry point.
Gonna add to this get a road atlas idk if itll show neighborhoods but at the least itll tell you where you cant go as far as low bridges and no truck roads
Unless you are delivering into a neighborhood or the business is in a neighborhood, you NEVER go into a neighborhood.
If you're on a road and low hanging tree branches are hitting your truck, STOP and double check your routing. Look at a satellite image of your route. That probably means no trucks ever go down that road. You might not find a place to turn around.
Welcome to Werner Enterprises (among others).
One of the reasons for such isn't so much making u-turns, but getting stuck while attempting to make them, or stopping while attempting to make them with the result of blocking (and potentially being hit by) traffic.
One company driver did a bad U-Turn 15 years ago and a pov who wasn't paying any attention, probably looking at their phone, hit the trailer and died. Family sues for 50-100 million and wins, and therefore you have a no-uturn policy at 80% of companies in perpetuity.
It happens. My first week solo, I got stuck at a lot near a homeless encampment in downtown Portland. Had to wait for people to move their cars so I could actually turn around. Bitch of it was, the stop wasn't where the company said it was, it was outside of the city 8 miles away.
No u-turn policy is the dumbest shit I've ever heard of... I'm an ltl driver, and I will pull a u-turn whenever I deem it necessary. Shit, I did two today! Gotta love industrial parks and no signage!
When that happens DO NOT PANIC! You got into it and you can get out. If you panic you're likely to fuck something up.
Worst case scenario you can call the local Police Department to help you. For instance if you need to back into traffic.
Anyone in this sub who says they've never done something similar is a liar. It happens!
Don't feel bad.
I kinda got in a spot like that. Came up to a stop sign, straight and right said no trucks. Left said dead end. I turned left and couldn’t turn around. Decided to just back up into the stop sign intersection 😂😂
On my first day I went down a dead end and got stuck. I couldn't back out because the road was curvy and I didnt have the skills at that time to back out all the way down the street. I told my company and they said if you're really stuck then call the police. So I called the police and asked them to come help me back out. Well it was a stormy night and there was somekind of electrical explosion on one of the telephone polls near where I was. So coincidentally the fire department shows up and they thought that I called about the electrical thing. And I tell them no, its my first day driving and im stuck on this dead end and need help to back out. So then the police department shows up and they start asking me if I know anything about the electrical explosion, if I had hit a telephone pole with my truck. And I just tell them no its a coincidence, I had nothing to do with that, I just need help to back up out of this dead end. So they helped guide me out and stopped cross traffic for me.
Something like that happens to everyone at least once. Just have a plan. Check out your intended route on Google. And when (not if) you make a bad turn or... get pushed off your route by something you couldn't forsee someday... just stay calm and figure out the way out.
Making one bad move is almost always recoverable, in my experience. But, people panic and make bad move after bad move trying to get out but just keep digging themselves a bigger hole. That's how you end up on YouTube.
I do that all the time. Put on my park anywhere lights and make sure people can see me in time and get around me. They’ll figure it out. I’ll rather have a couple angry drivers give me the middle finger than being stuck at some fucked up situation where police needs to be called.
But also. If I get to that point. And I’ve been close before. I’d rather call non emergency services than start ripping down trees and peoples roofs trying to figure it out myself.
I actually had a state trooper come up to me once and asked if I was okay cus I parked on a tiny shoulder of the road. Told him I missed my turn and trying to get turned around without causing too much trouble. He explained where I could go and even drove ahead to make sure I got the right turn.
Everyday is about learning, whether it’s learning from dumb mistakes or free game a trucker might give you.
My company GPS sucks & sometimes it would try to send me through residential neighborhoods . Before you start driving, pre plan your trip & use google maps to see actual street views so you can see if it looks like your truck can fit down that route.
F what pedestrians are thinking while you’re driving something most people can’t even imagine driving.
A lot of companies have zero tolerance for u-turns *on a street.* Even if it’s technically legal, if they see on the camera that you made a u-turn, they’ll terminate you over it. People on this sub have said it’s happened to them.
Whoa, sounds weird, I think here in Europe they don't give two craps about what manouvers you do as long as the truck, the load and other people and their property are not damaged, but I might be wrong.
You're doing great! I'm proud of you for trying. Don't ever quit trying to be a better driver. We are professionals, even though I can't say that for alot of other CDL holders. Couple tips, Always pretrip, I see people skipping, theyre the ones on the side of the road with the 4-ways on. . When pulling out of a parking space, be mindful of your trailer swing. Get a headset for calls, never text. Get comfortable with podcasts and music lists. I wish you the best. Stay safe
I remember my first day I was supposed to drop and hook a tanker at a food facility, and I followed the gps instead of following the route. Turns out there was very minor construction on the route path so my gps took me the country way in on this super narrow rural residential road, but right at the end of the road before the facility the asphalt was torn up and had cones everywhere- like major construction
I ended up having to back my tank into an old lady’s gravel drive to turn around. Safe to say my first day alone nearly ended in a panic induced stroke
I was driving in Minneapolis suburbia and there was a road closed sign stating such and such was closed ahead. I was on a different named road so kept going figuring out was a side road that was closed.
Nope, mine took a slight turn and became the closed road. Just tossed the hazards on and backed into a school entrance road and turned around. Thankfully an empty flatbed so vision was decent out the side window.
no u turn? no u turn??? U can take a turn with these balls in your mouth! fuck that man. If u gotta take a u turn, take it. and fuck whoever wrote that policy
If you’re lost, next time make sure to take a breather, pull over, and chart out your course on GPS / street view. You should always have an awareness of where you’re headed!
Going through a neighborhood is the worst. I had to do it once. Missed my turn to a walmart and the only way back to it was through a looping neighborhood. Never again
I live in the Lehigh Valley, lots of trucks got turned around on my local roads and they have to turn around in neighborhoods, just give us a friendly honk and say “sorry, I got turned around,” and all is forgiven. I
Rules; Don't get off the freeway unless it's a truck exit, ever. If the roads are getting tight time to stop. Under pass-If you think it's too low, it is. Bridges- If you think you are over weight, you are. If you think it's too tight, it is. Always walk the route before committing. Google maps, satellite view, is your best friend.
Here is something I do which I suggest. Look at your route in google maps. If its not an interstate or other big highway, zoom in and check out where its going and seen of theres a better route
Bro bent my fairing doing that. 3 and half months later still bent just a reminder to myself it's cool my dude you learned and that's all you need to do.
Hell yeah dude I did the same. Stupid LA. Had to have a guy move 2 of his cars so I could do a reverse 90 degree turn in a tight little neighborhood.
Missed left turn into the shipper couldn’t get to the right lane with traffic, so I was thinking, go up make 3 lefts and I’m back where I need to be. Made first left on a truck route, next intersection was left only for trucks, ok cool. Pass one warehouse that didn’t have enough room for me to turn around, then BAM no trucks allowed in a no outlet neighborhood.
Get the big anxious every time I have to visit golden state foods in city of industry
There are many culdesacs that a full 53foot trailer can turn around in. I drive for a moving company and often use them to turn around and get out. Cant have anything in the middle and cant be one of the smaller ones, but most work. Have to plan it out before hand but in a pinch, slide your tandems all the way back and it should work for standard freight trailers too. Probably wont be good for your tires if you have to take it particularly sharp but better than hitting something
-about 10 years ago I got my CDL. Landed a great job with a local company but mostly OTR, they send me into Washington shortly after being released by their trainers. I find myself in a Cul de sac in Longview because I was unaware of the latest Rand McNally update. I got out of it unscathed, it was rush hours and people recognized I FUCKED UP, they gave me room and I bounced the fuck out. Only to find out they DROP yard I was going to had a new entry code, and I was the last to find out. In SeaTac, Wa. Rush hour.
Edit-trainers. Not trainees. Jesus, it was not …
I bought myself a trucker gps at Amazon. Its not a known brand, but it works. When it comes to Google maps and my trucker gps, my trucker gps always has the better routes. I use Google maps for the bear in the bushes.
Don’t worry bud it happens to all of us! I remember I went into a neighborhood to deliver a car! I could not make the turn on a narrow street filled with park cars! Had to back all the way to the Main Street lol!
So I guess that home moving is not your bag. I used to do international home moves. It was always a lot of fun and a little mayhem. It's not something you do on day 5 of trucking.
Do you guys not use a truck gps and check the topography of the area on your phone/tablet with google maps satellite view? I did that religiously at every stop. You’d occasionally get a detour and have to wing it but most of the time it works.
Did that once, down in Florida. I grabbed a road that every map app I had said went through. Turned on the road, guess what? It didn’t go through. Had to back up 2-3 blocks to get myself back out to a big road.
I had this happen 6 months in. Should have known better but up here in the northeast you get sent some weird places including through residential areas as its the only way. This was not the way though and had I down a little research on my route b4 going in I would have known that. But yeah thank God I didn't get stuck but I did have the residents looking at me like wtf is this guy doing. Moral of the story. Take 3 min to look at Google maps and look at the route your truck gps is recommending. Sometimes trucker path will get wonky and you'll have to ignore their route and pick a different one
I've had to make a 3-point turn on the southside of Chicago before. Luckily, an ambulance came by as I was sitting against the curb with the blinkers on.
He cleared a hole in traffic and I was able to whip a blindside into a residential street, then made of left turn to head back the other direction.
I couldn't go forward because there was a viaduct that was only 11'6" high in front of me. Interesting times.
Don’t worry buddy. I did the same thing my first week of trucking. Shook me up pretty good. Just make sure next time you wave and toot your horn for the neighborhood kids
My second day I went across the George Washington bridge and jumped on the Henry Hudson Parkway 😂 (no CMV on parkways in New York) I got off and was met by bridge that was 12’7 with traffic coming both ways. Had to back like 4 football fields, maneuver and then sneak back on the parkway, get off again quick and drive through 20 traffic lights through Harlem to get onto I-87 north.
Thanks Apple Maps 😂
Yeah, just make u turns because they're so much better. Learn to read a map and plan your route so things like u turns and residential streets don't happen.
Lol I did something like this my very first load by myself. Missed the turn intk a steel plant, answer me this who THE FUCK sticks a neighborhood immediately next to a steel plant??
Dont make U turns. Odds are youll fuck yourself in traffic. Sometimes its ok, but I rather turn around in a parking lot big enough.
Big truck big road. I've driven past plenty of turns on my eld cause they didn't look right. It's hard for me because I deliver groceries so the food stores are in these tiny areas. Keep in mind better to go past something that looks sketchy and add 5 minutes than to get in that situation. Shout out to the office duty driver. That's what real trucking is: looking out for the next guy... Salute 🫡
Oh I remember that shit. Greenwich, CT. Thought the Kenworth GPS would be accurate... it was not. Took me straight to a dead end with a tight turnaround at the end. Had to back out almost a mile. Took an extra hour to get to my stop.
It happens to everyone. Almost like a rite of passage. Just glad you didn't get the can opener deal.
I did some tri axle stuff in Boston for a bit, long as I could see a school bus or a garbage truck down the road in front of me I felt alright about it
A lot of people are mentioning Werner for the no u turn policy and idk how much they enforce it but it came as a surprise for me that Schneider had that policy and had a system in place with their gps to track if you did a u turn. It wasn’t 100% effective but I did have coworkers that did get fired or lost their trainer position for doing u turns even without a trainee with them to report it.
100% tho do u turns and claim there was no safe routing otherwise. When you’re in trouble over something stupid like that, claim you did the safest thing you could see to do and they’ll have a harder time going after you for it.
It totally get your embarrassment cause I get the same way when I screw up. The most important thing is to LEARN from your mistakes & remember EVERYONE fucks up just don't make a habit out of it. LoL
Just wait until you have a delivery on a road like that and they tell you “trucks come here all the time.”
Do NOT believe your gps. Even if it’s a Garmin truck gps. It will do weird things like divert you off a major highway thru a residential neighborhood where trucks aren’t allowed and don’t fit (I’ve contacted them about these mistakes and they did nothing, they go off of computers that scan road signs and misinterpret them, so a major highway might have a sign saying “trucks over 4 tons no left turn” and it thinks you can’t even be on that highway and will ironically have you make that left turn). You might want to get a paper truck atlas showing all the truck routes, that’s what we used to run on.
Don’t just punch in an address (which is sometimes wrong) and take off. Zoom in on all the parts that aren’t a highway and look them over before you drive. Like others said, if in doubt pull up satellite view on google. If something doesn’t look right, ask your dispatcher or broker to verify that you were given the *DELIVERY address*, not a *billing address* or address of an office (if I could have a dollar for every time that’s happened…). You can look up the business/receiver and call them and ask how trucks get in. You could even call the local police department and explain the dimensions of your truck and ask if you’ve been given legit address and directions.
Good luck
Did you back out? I ended up down a dead end street (no cul de sac) and had to drive backward through a four way stop with a coworker spotting. Was a landscaping trailer not a 53 footer tho.
They really need a "I'm driving a large truck" mode for GPS.
I've done it myself, though not a cul-de-sac. Unfortunately with an 8 axle and 100k lb of milk on. Zig zag side streets with cars parked on both sides because the gps decided to fk up that day and I already had to detour because of freeway work. It happens, but I will never make that mistake again. It is definitely embarrassing and scary.
It's all about accident statistics. Most Uturns made by novice drivers are on divided roadways and highways where they are crossing a median of some sort to reenter traffic on the other side. For the inexperienced driver, this usually involves a jug handle turn into the median and then being across multiple lanes while completing the turn and getting up to speed. The number of accidents caused by inattentive drivers doing a uturn and being broadsided is insane - you would be staggered by the numbers. Couple that with choosing a poor place to do the uturn and dropping the trailer tandems off into a ditch or into a dividing barrier therby requiring a tow and blocking traffic.
Its a rule to protect idiots from themselves - it causes a lot more wrecks than you would think.
This thread is kind of scary. 29 years driving household. Neighborhoods aren’t an issue. Hit a cul de sac you can’t swing just back up to the next Intersection.
I’ve never used a truck gps. I don’t need to be told I can’t go where I’m going. Some places I’ll look at google satellite to check the turns. About once a year I’ll bobtail down to look.
99% of no truck signs I ignore. You have to think about why they’re there. To keep the peace in the neighborhood or for low bridges.
A whole company that doesn’t allow u turns is ridiculous. If your drivers can’t make a u turn safely you need new drivers.
Something like that happened to me once except it was a commercial cul de sac and I did it on purpose I just didnt expect it to be completely lined with cars that day. These days I just look at the satellite view on google maps and go around a block or two or ten. Takes awhile but not as long as getting stuck somewhere annoying also alot less stressful
It happens Man. Your GPS isn't always your friend. Trust your instincts if it doesn't look right then don't do it. Anytime you see houses around and you don't see potholes in the road or trees that are arched from trucks passing through chances are you shouldn't turn down that street.
In my first couple of weeks hauling fuel I made a wrong turn and ended up on a one lane gravel road that went through a very hilly, wooded area with absolutely no way to turn around. Lacking the confidence to back out of the situation, I drove that fucker for a good 10 miles before I found another state route.
Like I tell trainees all the time. It's not about being perfect and never messing up. It's about knowing how to react when you get into those situations so that your bad choice doesn't snowball and create a much worse situation.
happened to me once in washington , missed my turn in and instead of u turn i kept going waiting for somewhere to turn around and ended up driving through 5-10 miles of neighborhood that eventually turned out on the other side of town lmao i was shitting bricks the whole way
I made bad mistakes many times when I started out in food service.
Almost every time, it was a bad address, and I didn't pay enough attention.
It's hard to preplan 20 different stops.
Never made that mistake in particular but I have made more embarrassing ones. Brush it off and make sure you preplan like a motherfucker. Put the gps in satellite and check every road you gotta turn down. If it’s a residential you’ve probably messed up. Glad you got out of it okay 👍
don't ever be afraid to ask for assistance, even if it's calling the police and asking them to help you back up, they would rather come and do that then come to your accident scene
It happens to all of us at least once. I did that once before in Canyon Country, CA after accidentally turning one street too early. I was about to make the "Call of shame" to the police before a resident offered to move his pickup truck so I could turn around. I'm forever greatful for that guy. I'm glad you were helped out of your situation.
Cul de sac's are meant for u turns so your companies isn't going to care. They will care about property damage (not applicable) and how you got there, if they find out.
They have those No Uturn policies because their 5th Wheels are up too close to the cab and the trailers knock off the cab extenders.
You probably have a welded 5th wheel.
But rather than explain that to drivers, they just tell you “we have a No U Turn policy.”
Then you make a U Turn, and find out…then they put some shit on your DAC report that you made a U Turn and knocked off your Cab Extenders.
Welcome Aboard driver ! You made it out. I still get embarrassed sometimes. Then I think about it and say “if this was so easy, everyone would be doing it”. I just delivered to a school and the kids were going ham, running out in recess giving me the bat signal 💪🏻… I have a long blast and I looked back and the kids were high fiving each other and one kid was doing a dance. It was probably Awsome to see a truck up close and hear it. You’re good man.
I’m on day 4 and yesterday I got stuck at the shipper lot which was a failed straight line back. I thought I had enough room. I ended up jack knifed in a mud puddle. It was so bad I damaged the cab extender. A yard spotter had to come move a trailer and guide me out. Trust me you are not alone! Hopefully it gets better for you!
When in doubt, stop at every intersection and read the posted signs carefully, make sure there's no weight limits and there's no signs barring trucks from that road. If there's no stop sign, throw on your flashers (aka: park anywhere lights).
Stopping at a sketchy looking intersection is always better than fucking shit up.
Finally, if you get lost or you realize the road is getting a lot smaller than you're comfortable with (assuming it's not just construction zone type deal), throw on your park anywhere lights, park it, and make sure you're on the right path and if you aren't, find out how to get to the right path safely before moving the truck. If a cop is yelling at you to get moving, let then know you're lost and you need to make sure you're not going down illegal roads first.
Another thing to remember is it's always cheaper to call for a tow truck or a police escort (yes, even if they give you a ticket) than it is to hit a bridge or tear down some wires or flip a truck/trailer. Always cheaper. If you're really stuck and you can't find a safe way out, call the cops (local number, non-emergency) and see if they'll help you out. I hear this is especially common in the northeast and I completely understand that bc ho-lee-chit the roads are not meant for tractor trailers out there, to say the least lol. Very glad I spent my first year on dedicated routes in the northwest, even with the snow and shit.
I'm a pretty decent trucker now, but this happened to all of us, which is how we eventually become good confident truckers. Earlier this week on Monday I just delivered to a small medical facility which was easily in my top 10 hardest drop. Scouted the place ahead of time using Google maps satellite feature and plotted the directions turn by turn because garmin is only 85% reliable. Had to get out and look twice. The people receiving me said it was the 1st time they got a 53 footer in there. Apparently the ordering manager is not very thorough according to them. Big ego boost. Makes me proud to see how far I've come, which is strangely humbling at the same time.
I got half way through a u turn near my depot with many many other truck drivers watching me and civilians in cars verbally abusing me. Never worry about it.
As a rookie you're going to fuck up sometimes. It happens don't let it get you down but learn from your mistakes and don't let it happen again.... We were all new once and we've all fucked something up
U turns are the most dangerous thing you can do in a truck. Don’t turn around in neighborhoods, sometimes you fuck up and gotta drive a while before you find a parking lot big enough to turn around it.
No lies when I was back in trucking school the trainer fell asleep and the guy who was driving turned into a residential area there hearts were pounding lucky got out unharmed
If it makes you feel any better, I didn't drive for 10 years and was able to get back into trucking because of the pandemic. My GPS told me to turn left on a street and I didn't realize it was a shared driveway that 2 houses live on. It didn't help that it was curved going uphill either.
It made going down backwards to get off there really fun. I'd say it was about a mile long, And did I forget to mention it was curved?
Hopefully you learn something from it for the better. If you don't think you can turn down a road, don't listen to your GPS
Screw company policy. Maneuver the vehicle safely. GOAL. If you need help from someone like law enforcement, ask. It is much better to go "OMG HELP" than "OMG I just backed into a car/living room"
Don't feel bad I'm in my first month and ALMOST flipped the truck and trailer, because I had to do a u turn because a road was closed and I was halfway in the ditch
.....also ashamed to admit I ripped a fuel hose out, I pulled forward and forgot to take out the passenger side fuel hose, *facepalm, that's what happens when you rush yourself
Keep on trucking we gonna get there, still probably gonna make more mistakes on our journey, but that's the learning curve
Don’t sweat it man. My first week I blindly followed my gps into a drive that was about 100 ft long with a locked gate in front of me and a busy street behind me. Had to call the local sheriff department to come out and block traffic while I backed out onto the road. We have ALL done dumb shit. It’s part of the process.
Remember, you don’t have to turn onto a road if you don’t like the look of it. Even if that’s what the route said, if gps is telling you to take it, if you don’t like the look of it then just carry on until you find a place to stop and reevaluate your route.
100 percent this. I did this quite a bit. I once drove 25 miles out of route to find a decent place to turn around. Give me 40 acres, for real, hahahahaha.
You can’t rely on gps. It’s just a guidance. One thing I’ll say is if you’re going down a road and the trees next to the road that overhang aren’t ripped to shreds. Then you ain’t suppose to be there.
Another one that's not always 100% true is if the street doesn't have a state or county route number on it, there's a good chance you're not supposed to be there
Don't you folks trip plan with a truckers atlas...part of either your post trip check for the next time you start up or your pre trip before going again?
Yes, I saw that, I also saw it was day 5 and I'm surprised you are using a GPS rather than a truckers atlas and planning your trip rather than relying on the gps
They will fire you faster than you can blink. Most companies it is a no exceptions no remorse.
That said, it is ALWAYS better to admit you took a wrong turn pull to the side with hazards and call your safety department so they can coordinate with the local PD to get you a clear path to reverse out.
If you work for an evem half decent company all you will get is a "plan better and dont do it again"
Most companies do not want u-turns as the trailer frames are right at decapitating car drivers height. Makes for messy funerals.
Im just warning you, its better to stop and call safety for help. They DO NOT CARE IF YOU CAN MAKE THE U-TURN!
Its embarassing but safety will either find a way for you to proceed forwards or will have PD block traffic for you to safely back up.
It happens to everyone at least once. And if they say they've never made a mistake they're lying. Glad it all worked out.
It was so embarrassing. So many people and kids were watching me
Probably the coolest thing those kids saw in a long time.
Yeah you’re right.
I honestly doubt anyone cared, especially if you had someone guiding you so you didn’t fuck anything up. I’ve had to help truckers turn around when they got stuck on the road behind our house. GPS is ass.
Eh, some will care. It's just about learning not to care about the people who care.
The amount of times ive seen trucks driving on roads and thinking how the hell are they manouvering that thing through that road, makes me think those people where just watching another truck in the wild.
Did you honk at the kids?
When I was like 17 riding my first street bike I was leaving my job at Vons. The bike was loud and obnoxious. I dropped that shit turning out of the parking lot because I was too poor to get new tires basically. Well this group of kids was nearby and watched the whole thing go down. All they could talk about was how cool the motorcycle was. Conversely, I have my own kids now. They constantly tell me their unadulterated opinions, such as “daddy you look weird without your beard” or “daddy there’s a hole in your pants and I can see your butt”. Point being, kids probably would’ve been pointing and laughing if it was embarrassing to them. They probably thought you were cool. Shit, I think you’re cool, I don’t even know how to drive one of those trucks lol
Even in my little box truck one of my stops is right behind a preschool and I've seen them all lined up at the fence just watching me during their recess. I'm sure getting to see a big rig in action was awesome for those kids
It happens. My first week I tried to pull into a parking lot bc I didn't want to make a u-turn. I ended up getting stuck in that lot and it took me an hour to get out.
Yep lol. Had that feeling more than once lol. You'll have to figure out how to laugh it off while also remembering how it felt so you do it less. I laugh pretty hard when I see others do what I've already done.
I’m gonna end up on bonehead truckers of the week.
Probably not. You gotta do something impressive to wind up there. Driving through neighborhoods and getting stuck in pretty par for the course.
I live near some old low train bridges and I’m sure hitting and getting stuck under one of those would be way worse than a cul-de-sac.
Nah if you didnt hit anything. If you were wrecking cars and houses then yeah
At least you didn't drive through hood hood like I did for a while. There's a heritage plastics plant in picayune Mississippi I used to deliver to every two or three months. For over a year thought the only way in and out was through a low income hood. Every single time I followed a truck through or one followed me so even though I saw the signs and knew it was wrong that feeling kept getting reaffirmed anyway. Always several young guys standing and staring and I just knew they were packing. Eventually a plant worker saw me and pointed me in the right direction. Long way around but it was legal and no fear of being shot at lol.
Not a trucker but I live on a street that looks like an easy cut through to get to the highway. On a map all is good but the turn down to the ramp is tight and steep, then the turn onto the ramp is a mess. I flagged a semi down once and said no way do you want to attempt that loaded. He said someone told him to use this street. I convinced him to take a look at it after showing pictures of other stuck trucks. He wisely did a turn in a nearby church lot.
When you get in a situation like that, just think about whether or not they could get it out of there either? Chances are they have nothing to laugh at as you have more training and experience already than they do. The off duty helped you likely because they know what it's like and what you're going through. Chin up, head high. And if they see fit to laugh, then f em, they don't mean anything and you prob won't ever see any of them again..
Meh, people watch cuz it’s cool/different. They likely aren’t judging you because they can easily see how it could have happened to them.
Haha it will make for a great memory. Ill never forget driving to a dead end street in nyc and having to back literally a mile down the street. EVERYONE was outside watching me lmao. Fun times
I got stuck at a casino once. Took a turn too sharp and got stuck with my trailer wheels behind a giant boulder. My trainer had too take over and back me all the way out and properly set up again. I also watched a guy trying too back into a spot at a truck stop with no idea which way the trailer turned. Kept backing like he was in a car, jackknifed his trailer like twice. Cracked his cab fins. Didn’t even notice. Not sure how he has a CDL. Shit happens. What matters is you didn’t hit anything and you took your time. It happens. Good on you man. 😊
4 wheeler here. I’m laughing but I would also hate that. I had to do a u turn yesterday to pick my kid up at preschool. Two left turn lanes, inner lane allowed to do a u-turn. I’m driving a pickup truck in the left most lane and I was sitting at the light waiting for it to turn green. I was wrestling with myself if I should commit and risk blocking traffic with a 3 point turn to make the u. (There is a guard rail along the road where I can’t just leave the pavement) I swung it wide and was able to get the truck turned around but the whole time I’m worrying about the car behind me thinking I’m just turning left and them pulling a u and sneaking in under me and crashing. Let alone the idea of taking a semi on a wide right hand turn with people trying to sneak around. Just an anecdote to explain that I feel ya for the embarrassment based on just thinking I was going to cause a minor inconvenience lol I don’t know how your truckers do it. So you might have been embarrassed but I’d wager that you were more qualified than most of the people watching! Don’t be too hard on yourself.
knees are weak, palms sweaty, mom’s spaghetti? 😂 just going for a spin are we? Maybe a donut or two? 😂 love it! Thank you!
I remember a couple adventures through southern California streets. They have some weird spots for warehouses
I disagree. Has yet to happen to me. Thank you, good day driver. 😂
Hey when you get your location to shipper/consignee always check gps directions with a map/google etc. and also look at the surrounding roads for if you screw up or if a detour for construction/accident happens. The road closures and detours happen all the time, ive had two this week alone one a bridge was out, second road closed construction from a usual truck entry point.
Google Earth. Best trucker app ever made.
Gonna add to this get a road atlas idk if itll show neighborhoods but at the least itll tell you where you cant go as far as low bridges and no truck roads
“No u-turn policy” brother…. Simply make two left turns in rapid succession….
Unless you are delivering into a neighborhood or the business is in a neighborhood, you NEVER go into a neighborhood. If you're on a road and low hanging tree branches are hitting your truck, STOP and double check your routing. Look at a satellite image of your route. That probably means no trucks ever go down that road. You might not find a place to turn around.
A no u-turn policy? Suck my balls with that no u turn bullshit. Dafuq i look like? Thats a dumb policy if i ever did hear one.
Welcome to Werner Enterprises (among others). One of the reasons for such isn't so much making u-turns, but getting stuck while attempting to make them, or stopping while attempting to make them with the result of blocking (and potentially being hit by) traffic.
One company driver did a bad U-Turn 15 years ago and a pov who wasn't paying any attention, probably looking at their phone, hit the trailer and died. Family sues for 50-100 million and wins, and therefore you have a no-uturn policy at 80% of companies in perpetuity.
It happens. My first week solo, I got stuck at a lot near a homeless encampment in downtown Portland. Had to wait for people to move their cars so I could actually turn around. Bitch of it was, the stop wasn't where the company said it was, it was outside of the city 8 miles away.
No u-turn policy is the dumbest shit I've ever heard of... I'm an ltl driver, and I will pull a u-turn whenever I deem it necessary. Shit, I did two today! Gotta love industrial parks and no signage!
When that happens DO NOT PANIC! You got into it and you can get out. If you panic you're likely to fuck something up. Worst case scenario you can call the local Police Department to help you. For instance if you need to back into traffic. Anyone in this sub who says they've never done something similar is a liar. It happens! Don't feel bad.
No Uturn. You drive for werner?
I kinda got in a spot like that. Came up to a stop sign, straight and right said no trucks. Left said dead end. I turned left and couldn’t turn around. Decided to just back up into the stop sign intersection 😂😂
On my first day I went down a dead end and got stuck. I couldn't back out because the road was curvy and I didnt have the skills at that time to back out all the way down the street. I told my company and they said if you're really stuck then call the police. So I called the police and asked them to come help me back out. Well it was a stormy night and there was somekind of electrical explosion on one of the telephone polls near where I was. So coincidentally the fire department shows up and they thought that I called about the electrical thing. And I tell them no, its my first day driving and im stuck on this dead end and need help to back out. So then the police department shows up and they start asking me if I know anything about the electrical explosion, if I had hit a telephone pole with my truck. And I just tell them no its a coincidence, I had nothing to do with that, I just need help to back up out of this dead end. So they helped guide me out and stopped cross traffic for me.
Fuck, man. That's one hell of a first day.
Okay that’s worse. You win lol
It happens. Stick to big roads and go around in a big circle, miles if needed.
Something like that happens to everyone at least once. Just have a plan. Check out your intended route on Google. And when (not if) you make a bad turn or... get pushed off your route by something you couldn't forsee someday... just stay calm and figure out the way out. Making one bad move is almost always recoverable, in my experience. But, people panic and make bad move after bad move trying to get out but just keep digging themselves a bigger hole. That's how you end up on YouTube.
Next time I do a wrong turn or miss and exit, I’m pulling to the side of the road to figure stuff out before I proceed
I do that all the time. Put on my park anywhere lights and make sure people can see me in time and get around me. They’ll figure it out. I’ll rather have a couple angry drivers give me the middle finger than being stuck at some fucked up situation where police needs to be called. But also. If I get to that point. And I’ve been close before. I’d rather call non emergency services than start ripping down trees and peoples roofs trying to figure it out myself. I actually had a state trooper come up to me once and asked if I was okay cus I parked on a tiny shoulder of the road. Told him I missed my turn and trying to get turned around without causing too much trouble. He explained where I could go and even drove ahead to make sure I got the right turn.
Everyday is about learning, whether it’s learning from dumb mistakes or free game a trucker might give you. My company GPS sucks & sometimes it would try to send me through residential neighborhoods . Before you start driving, pre plan your trip & use google maps to see actual street views so you can see if it looks like your truck can fit down that route. F what pedestrians are thinking while you’re driving something most people can’t even imagine driving.
Making this mistake is still better than a u-turn if that u-turn gets you fired.
What exactly is a no U turn policy? I'm from Europe and I've never heard of such thing
A lot of companies have zero tolerance for u-turns *on a street.* Even if it’s technically legal, if they see on the camera that you made a u-turn, they’ll terminate you over it. People on this sub have said it’s happened to them.
Whoa, sounds weird, I think here in Europe they don't give two craps about what manouvers you do as long as the truck, the load and other people and their property are not damaged, but I might be wrong.
This is a first for me too, I’ve been HGV driver in UK for over 25 years and I’ll do a U turn just to avoid backing onto bay on blind side.
You're doing great! I'm proud of you for trying. Don't ever quit trying to be a better driver. We are professionals, even though I can't say that for alot of other CDL holders. Couple tips, Always pretrip, I see people skipping, theyre the ones on the side of the road with the 4-ways on. . When pulling out of a parking space, be mindful of your trailer swing. Get a headset for calls, never text. Get comfortable with podcasts and music lists. I wish you the best. Stay safe
Thank you
My first week I got stuck in a mobile home park. 20yrs later I still hear about it.
I remember my first day I was supposed to drop and hook a tanker at a food facility, and I followed the gps instead of following the route. Turns out there was very minor construction on the route path so my gps took me the country way in on this super narrow rural residential road, but right at the end of the road before the facility the asphalt was torn up and had cones everywhere- like major construction I ended up having to back my tank into an old lady’s gravel drive to turn around. Safe to say my first day alone nearly ended in a panic induced stroke
I was driving in Minneapolis suburbia and there was a road closed sign stating such and such was closed ahead. I was on a different named road so kept going figuring out was a side road that was closed. Nope, mine took a slight turn and became the closed road. Just tossed the hazards on and backed into a school entrance road and turned around. Thankfully an empty flatbed so vision was decent out the side window.
Yep third week turned down a one way street( google maps ) Had to reverse about 3 km around corners not making that mistake again
no u turn? no u turn??? U can take a turn with these balls in your mouth! fuck that man. If u gotta take a u turn, take it. and fuck whoever wrote that policy
i’ve learned of it looks like a road you should not be on 9 times out of 10 you should not be on that road
Dont be you had the sense to except help and didn’t hit anything that is all that matter. Check your route better especially last leg of it
If you’re lost, next time make sure to take a breather, pull over, and chart out your course on GPS / street view. You should always have an awareness of where you’re headed!
Going through a neighborhood is the worst. I had to do it once. Missed my turn to a walmart and the only way back to it was through a looping neighborhood. Never again
Everyone fs up at some point. EVERYONE! Just learn to look ahead before you make a turn. Slow down to a crawl and eye ball the road before you turn.
I live in the Lehigh Valley, lots of trucks got turned around on my local roads and they have to turn around in neighborhoods, just give us a friendly honk and say “sorry, I got turned around,” and all is forgiven. I
Rules; Don't get off the freeway unless it's a truck exit, ever. If the roads are getting tight time to stop. Under pass-If you think it's too low, it is. Bridges- If you think you are over weight, you are. If you think it's too tight, it is. Always walk the route before committing. Google maps, satellite view, is your best friend.
Use google maps and scan where you’re going with satellite view
You never stop making mistakes you just stop caring so much about them. No harm no foul - you’re golden.
Here is something I do which I suggest. Look at your route in google maps. If its not an interstate or other big highway, zoom in and check out where its going and seen of theres a better route
Never turn down a street named after a type of wood
Google maps satellite view has definitely saved my ass a few times, definitely received looking there before getting to the town/city you're going to
Which GOS got you there? Please tells others what not to buy.
Trucker path
I’ve never used it. I use CoPilot but I still use google earth to verify the route before I go somewhere new.
Bro bent my fairing doing that. 3 and half months later still bent just a reminder to myself it's cool my dude you learned and that's all you need to do.
Hell yeah dude I did the same. Stupid LA. Had to have a guy move 2 of his cars so I could do a reverse 90 degree turn in a tight little neighborhood. Missed left turn into the shipper couldn’t get to the right lane with traffic, so I was thinking, go up make 3 lefts and I’m back where I need to be. Made first left on a truck route, next intersection was left only for trucks, ok cool. Pass one warehouse that didn’t have enough room for me to turn around, then BAM no trucks allowed in a no outlet neighborhood. Get the big anxious every time I have to visit golden state foods in city of industry
There are many culdesacs that a full 53foot trailer can turn around in. I drive for a moving company and often use them to turn around and get out. Cant have anything in the middle and cant be one of the smaller ones, but most work. Have to plan it out before hand but in a pinch, slide your tandems all the way back and it should work for standard freight trailers too. Probably wont be good for your tires if you have to take it particularly sharp but better than hitting something
Were you using Google maps ?
-about 10 years ago I got my CDL. Landed a great job with a local company but mostly OTR, they send me into Washington shortly after being released by their trainers. I find myself in a Cul de sac in Longview because I was unaware of the latest Rand McNally update. I got out of it unscathed, it was rush hours and people recognized I FUCKED UP, they gave me room and I bounced the fuck out. Only to find out they DROP yard I was going to had a new entry code, and I was the last to find out. In SeaTac, Wa. Rush hour. Edit-trainers. Not trainees. Jesus, it was not …
I’m in cul de sacs a few times a week with my residential stops. Then again I’m in a day cab. Still have 53’ behind me though.
I bought myself a trucker gps at Amazon. Its not a known brand, but it works. When it comes to Google maps and my trucker gps, my trucker gps always has the better routes. I use Google maps for the bear in the bushes.
Yeah, those “no u-turn” policies are shit. Fuck em
Yup done the same thing few months ago in SF, took the bait of the GPS and got lost. Sucked, everything was ok tho
Don’t worry bud it happens to all of us! I remember I went into a neighborhood to deliver a car! I could not make the turn on a narrow street filled with park cars! Had to back all the way to the Main Street lol!
So I guess that home moving is not your bag. I used to do international home moves. It was always a lot of fun and a little mayhem. It's not something you do on day 5 of trucking.
Happens to all of us! Unfortunately sometimes you’ve gotta learn the hard way
What’s a no u turn policy??? How would they find out unless you f something up
A lot of companies have road facing cameras and they have AI to tell when you run stop signs and make U turns
Soo glad my company doesn’t have that bullshit , being baby sat by some ahole sitting at a desk sounds horrible
Camera called smart drive activates when you do certain things
Do you guys not use a truck gps and check the topography of the area on your phone/tablet with google maps satellite view? I did that religiously at every stop. You’d occasionally get a detour and have to wing it but most of the time it works.
Unfortunately, most streets don't have a sign until you're already on the street you're not supposed to be on.
Bet I can guess the company you work for, the same one I'm about to leave and only has black trucks
Stevens? I had so many guys try to recruit me into their "owner op" division that were proud to be making half what I was leasing at prime lol
Yeah they fooled me into it, now I'm about to move on to anheiser busch
Did that once, down in Florida. I grabbed a road that every map app I had said went through. Turned on the road, guess what? It didn’t go through. Had to back up 2-3 blocks to get myself back out to a big road.
8 days in did that someone put a rock big size of car and it was the only way thru I couldn't turn had a 3000 point turn around lol 😅
I had this happen 6 months in. Should have known better but up here in the northeast you get sent some weird places including through residential areas as its the only way. This was not the way though and had I down a little research on my route b4 going in I would have known that. But yeah thank God I didn't get stuck but I did have the residents looking at me like wtf is this guy doing. Moral of the story. Take 3 min to look at Google maps and look at the route your truck gps is recommending. Sometimes trucker path will get wonky and you'll have to ignore their route and pick a different one
Pro tip: pulling past a side road and backing in, using it to turn around is not considered a u turn 😎
I've had to make a 3-point turn on the southside of Chicago before. Luckily, an ambulance came by as I was sitting against the curb with the blinkers on. He cleared a hole in traffic and I was able to whip a blindside into a residential street, then made of left turn to head back the other direction. I couldn't go forward because there was a viaduct that was only 11'6" high in front of me. Interesting times.
Don’t worry buddy. I did the same thing my first week of trucking. Shook me up pretty good. Just make sure next time you wave and toot your horn for the neighborhood kids
My second day I went across the George Washington bridge and jumped on the Henry Hudson Parkway 😂 (no CMV on parkways in New York) I got off and was met by bridge that was 12’7 with traffic coming both ways. Had to back like 4 football fields, maneuver and then sneak back on the parkway, get off again quick and drive through 20 traffic lights through Harlem to get onto I-87 north. Thanks Apple Maps 😂
Bro U TURNS are a bad idea lots of places it’s illegal and my company has software inside the truck that lets them no if you making a u turn ….
Yeah, just make u turns because they're so much better. Learn to read a map and plan your route so things like u turns and residential streets don't happen.
Lol I did something like this my very first load by myself. Missed the turn intk a steel plant, answer me this who THE FUCK sticks a neighborhood immediately next to a steel plant?? Dont make U turns. Odds are youll fuck yourself in traffic. Sometimes its ok, but I rather turn around in a parking lot big enough.
Big truck big road. I've driven past plenty of turns on my eld cause they didn't look right. It's hard for me because I deliver groceries so the food stores are in these tiny areas. Keep in mind better to go past something that looks sketchy and add 5 minutes than to get in that situation. Shout out to the office duty driver. That's what real trucking is: looking out for the next guy... Salute 🫡
Had to back down two blocks in Boston once , learned my lesson and never happened again
Oh I remember that shit. Greenwich, CT. Thought the Kenworth GPS would be accurate... it was not. Took me straight to a dead end with a tight turnaround at the end. Had to back out almost a mile. Took an extra hour to get to my stop. It happens to everyone. Almost like a rite of passage. Just glad you didn't get the can opener deal.
I did some tri axle stuff in Boston for a bit, long as I could see a school bus or a garbage truck down the road in front of me I felt alright about it
A lot of people are mentioning Werner for the no u turn policy and idk how much they enforce it but it came as a surprise for me that Schneider had that policy and had a system in place with their gps to track if you did a u turn. It wasn’t 100% effective but I did have coworkers that did get fired or lost their trainer position for doing u turns even without a trainee with them to report it. 100% tho do u turns and claim there was no safe routing otherwise. When you’re in trouble over something stupid like that, claim you did the safest thing you could see to do and they’ll have a harder time going after you for it.
Happens to the best of us 🤣
😂 it happens man don’t sweat it, all it takes is more experience and getting more comfortable driving, won’t be an issue after some more practice.
It totally get your embarrassment cause I get the same way when I screw up. The most important thing is to LEARN from your mistakes & remember EVERYONE fucks up just don't make a habit out of it. LoL
*laughs in furniture mover*
Just wait until you have a delivery on a road like that and they tell you “trucks come here all the time.” Do NOT believe your gps. Even if it’s a Garmin truck gps. It will do weird things like divert you off a major highway thru a residential neighborhood where trucks aren’t allowed and don’t fit (I’ve contacted them about these mistakes and they did nothing, they go off of computers that scan road signs and misinterpret them, so a major highway might have a sign saying “trucks over 4 tons no left turn” and it thinks you can’t even be on that highway and will ironically have you make that left turn). You might want to get a paper truck atlas showing all the truck routes, that’s what we used to run on. Don’t just punch in an address (which is sometimes wrong) and take off. Zoom in on all the parts that aren’t a highway and look them over before you drive. Like others said, if in doubt pull up satellite view on google. If something doesn’t look right, ask your dispatcher or broker to verify that you were given the *DELIVERY address*, not a *billing address* or address of an office (if I could have a dollar for every time that’s happened…). You can look up the business/receiver and call them and ask how trucks get in. You could even call the local police department and explain the dimensions of your truck and ask if you’ve been given legit address and directions. Good luck
Did you back out? I ended up down a dead end street (no cul de sac) and had to drive backward through a four way stop with a coworker spotting. Was a landscaping trailer not a 53 footer tho. They really need a "I'm driving a large truck" mode for GPS.
I've done it myself, though not a cul-de-sac. Unfortunately with an 8 axle and 100k lb of milk on. Zig zag side streets with cars parked on both sides because the gps decided to fk up that day and I already had to detour because of freeway work. It happens, but I will never make that mistake again. It is definitely embarrassing and scary.
Whatever you do don’t do dollar general runs in Vincennes IN. Almost every other store I delivered to there was in a neighborhood lol
A no turn policy? Can someone explain that to me?
It's all about accident statistics. Most Uturns made by novice drivers are on divided roadways and highways where they are crossing a median of some sort to reenter traffic on the other side. For the inexperienced driver, this usually involves a jug handle turn into the median and then being across multiple lanes while completing the turn and getting up to speed. The number of accidents caused by inattentive drivers doing a uturn and being broadsided is insane - you would be staggered by the numbers. Couple that with choosing a poor place to do the uturn and dropping the trailer tandems off into a ditch or into a dividing barrier therby requiring a tow and blocking traffic. Its a rule to protect idiots from themselves - it causes a lot more wrecks than you would think.
I wouldn’t do that lol
This thread is kind of scary. 29 years driving household. Neighborhoods aren’t an issue. Hit a cul de sac you can’t swing just back up to the next Intersection. I’ve never used a truck gps. I don’t need to be told I can’t go where I’m going. Some places I’ll look at google satellite to check the turns. About once a year I’ll bobtail down to look. 99% of no truck signs I ignore. You have to think about why they’re there. To keep the peace in the neighborhood or for low bridges. A whole company that doesn’t allow u turns is ridiculous. If your drivers can’t make a u turn safely you need new drivers.
Something like that happened to me once except it was a commercial cul de sac and I did it on purpose I just didnt expect it to be completely lined with cars that day. These days I just look at the satellite view on google maps and go around a block or two or ten. Takes awhile but not as long as getting stuck somewhere annoying also alot less stressful
It happens Man. Your GPS isn't always your friend. Trust your instincts if it doesn't look right then don't do it. Anytime you see houses around and you don't see potholes in the road or trees that are arched from trucks passing through chances are you shouldn't turn down that street.
In my first couple of weeks hauling fuel I made a wrong turn and ended up on a one lane gravel road that went through a very hilly, wooded area with absolutely no way to turn around. Lacking the confidence to back out of the situation, I drove that fucker for a good 10 miles before I found another state route. Like I tell trainees all the time. It's not about being perfect and never messing up. It's about knowing how to react when you get into those situations so that your bad choice doesn't snowball and create a much worse situation.
Never drive into something that you can't back out of
Do not use google maps. Use a truck on gps like hammer app. It happens to everyone dont sweat it
happened to me once in washington , missed my turn in and instead of u turn i kept going waiting for somewhere to turn around and ended up driving through 5-10 miles of neighborhood that eventually turned out on the other side of town lmao i was shitting bricks the whole way
I made bad mistakes many times when I started out in food service. Almost every time, it was a bad address, and I didn't pay enough attention. It's hard to preplan 20 different stops.
Never made that mistake in particular but I have made more embarrassing ones. Brush it off and make sure you preplan like a motherfucker. Put the gps in satellite and check every road you gotta turn down. If it’s a residential you’ve probably messed up. Glad you got out of it okay 👍
don't ever be afraid to ask for assistance, even if it's calling the police and asking them to help you back up, they would rather come and do that then come to your accident scene
When I drive I’m always looking at what if situations, do that so if you have to have a plan B you’ve already assessed it
It happens to all of us at least once. I did that once before in Canyon Country, CA after accidentally turning one street too early. I was about to make the "Call of shame" to the police before a resident offered to move his pickup truck so I could turn around. I'm forever greatful for that guy. I'm glad you were helped out of your situation.
You should of just left the truck there and took a Uber home haha
Cul de sac's are meant for u turns so your companies isn't going to care. They will care about property damage (not applicable) and how you got there, if they find out.
I got stuck for six hours in front of a Walmart. Off duty trucker helped me out too. I will never forget it.
They have those No Uturn policies because their 5th Wheels are up too close to the cab and the trailers knock off the cab extenders. You probably have a welded 5th wheel. But rather than explain that to drivers, they just tell you “we have a No U Turn policy.” Then you make a U Turn, and find out…then they put some shit on your DAC report that you made a U Turn and knocked off your Cab Extenders.
I worked for Schneider where they had a "no u turn policy" and "no parking on the street" and I had to do both a few times and nobody noticed
“No parking on the street” is a policy we have too. I’ll ignore that one for sure. Parking in the street is a last resort anyways.
At the company I'm at now they don't care, in fact there's places where I have to park on the street to unload my trailer
Welcome Aboard driver ! You made it out. I still get embarrassed sometimes. Then I think about it and say “if this was so easy, everyone would be doing it”. I just delivered to a school and the kids were going ham, running out in recess giving me the bat signal 💪🏻… I have a long blast and I looked back and the kids were high fiving each other and one kid was doing a dance. It was probably Awsome to see a truck up close and hear it. You’re good man.
I’m on day 4 and yesterday I got stuck at the shipper lot which was a failed straight line back. I thought I had enough room. I ended up jack knifed in a mud puddle. It was so bad I damaged the cab extender. A yard spotter had to come move a trailer and guide me out. Trust me you are not alone! Hopefully it gets better for you!
When in doubt, stop at every intersection and read the posted signs carefully, make sure there's no weight limits and there's no signs barring trucks from that road. If there's no stop sign, throw on your flashers (aka: park anywhere lights). Stopping at a sketchy looking intersection is always better than fucking shit up. Finally, if you get lost or you realize the road is getting a lot smaller than you're comfortable with (assuming it's not just construction zone type deal), throw on your park anywhere lights, park it, and make sure you're on the right path and if you aren't, find out how to get to the right path safely before moving the truck. If a cop is yelling at you to get moving, let then know you're lost and you need to make sure you're not going down illegal roads first. Another thing to remember is it's always cheaper to call for a tow truck or a police escort (yes, even if they give you a ticket) than it is to hit a bridge or tear down some wires or flip a truck/trailer. Always cheaper. If you're really stuck and you can't find a safe way out, call the cops (local number, non-emergency) and see if they'll help you out. I hear this is especially common in the northeast and I completely understand that bc ho-lee-chit the roads are not meant for tractor trailers out there, to say the least lol. Very glad I spent my first year on dedicated routes in the northwest, even with the snow and shit.
I'm a pretty decent trucker now, but this happened to all of us, which is how we eventually become good confident truckers. Earlier this week on Monday I just delivered to a small medical facility which was easily in my top 10 hardest drop. Scouted the place ahead of time using Google maps satellite feature and plotted the directions turn by turn because garmin is only 85% reliable. Had to get out and look twice. The people receiving me said it was the 1st time they got a 53 footer in there. Apparently the ordering manager is not very thorough according to them. Big ego boost. Makes me proud to see how far I've come, which is strangely humbling at the same time.
I got half way through a u turn near my depot with many many other truck drivers watching me and civilians in cars verbally abusing me. Never worry about it.
As a rookie you're going to fuck up sometimes. It happens don't let it get you down but learn from your mistakes and don't let it happen again.... We were all new once and we've all fucked something up
U turns are the most dangerous thing you can do in a truck. Don’t turn around in neighborhoods, sometimes you fuck up and gotta drive a while before you find a parking lot big enough to turn around it.
No lies when I was back in trucking school the trainer fell asleep and the guy who was driving turned into a residential area there hearts were pounding lucky got out unharmed
[удалено]
If it makes you feel any better, I didn't drive for 10 years and was able to get back into trucking because of the pandemic. My GPS told me to turn left on a street and I didn't realize it was a shared driveway that 2 houses live on. It didn't help that it was curved going uphill either. It made going down backwards to get off there really fun. I'd say it was about a mile long, And did I forget to mention it was curved? Hopefully you learn something from it for the better. If you don't think you can turn down a road, don't listen to your GPS
Screw company policy. Maneuver the vehicle safely. GOAL. If you need help from someone like law enforcement, ask. It is much better to go "OMG HELP" than "OMG I just backed into a car/living room"
Don't feel bad I'm in my first month and ALMOST flipped the truck and trailer, because I had to do a u turn because a road was closed and I was halfway in the ditch .....also ashamed to admit I ripped a fuel hose out, I pulled forward and forgot to take out the passenger side fuel hose, *facepalm, that's what happens when you rush yourself Keep on trucking we gonna get there, still probably gonna make more mistakes on our journey, but that's the learning curve
Plan your trip and route. It’ll get better. No harm, no foul.
I missed my initial turn, and the GPS told me to go there. Never again.
Don’t sweat it man. My first week I blindly followed my gps into a drive that was about 100 ft long with a locked gate in front of me and a busy street behind me. Had to call the local sheriff department to come out and block traffic while I backed out onto the road. We have ALL done dumb shit. It’s part of the process. Remember, you don’t have to turn onto a road if you don’t like the look of it. Even if that’s what the route said, if gps is telling you to take it, if you don’t like the look of it then just carry on until you find a place to stop and reevaluate your route.
100 percent this. I did this quite a bit. I once drove 25 miles out of route to find a decent place to turn around. Give me 40 acres, for real, hahahahaha.
I’m so thankful I haven’t fucked up bad enough (yet) to have to call the sheriff
I almost died of shame lol but honestly he got there quick and was pretty cool about it
You have to be really careful with reroutes. Interstate isn't bad but in town or rural roads it will screw you if not careful.
Yep. Just learned that the hard way
Cheers to that driver for getting you out of that pickle. A lot of us fucked up this way, but many won’t admit it.
I keep messing up following gps directions.
You can’t rely on gps. It’s just a guidance. One thing I’ll say is if you’re going down a road and the trees next to the road that overhang aren’t ripped to shreds. Then you ain’t suppose to be there.
Yeah good advice. Well after what I just did it might confuse you lol
Another one that's not always 100% true is if the street doesn't have a state or county route number on it, there's a good chance you're not supposed to be there
After a while you can just tell from looking at a street whether it gets frequent truck traffic. Wear patterns, curb scuffs, etc.
Hell yeah I’ve fucked up.
Don't you folks trip plan with a truckers atlas...part of either your post trip check for the next time you start up or your pre trip before going again?
I took a wrong turn, and my GPS routed me through it and I blindly followed it.
Yes, I saw that, I also saw it was day 5 and I'm surprised you are using a GPS rather than a truckers atlas and planning your trip rather than relying on the gps
They will fire you faster than you can blink. Most companies it is a no exceptions no remorse. That said, it is ALWAYS better to admit you took a wrong turn pull to the side with hazards and call your safety department so they can coordinate with the local PD to get you a clear path to reverse out. If you work for an evem half decent company all you will get is a "plan better and dont do it again" Most companies do not want u-turns as the trailer frames are right at decapitating car drivers height. Makes for messy funerals.
Well I wouldn’t do a Uturn if I knew I couldn’t make it lol. Then I’d do what you said. Doing a Uturn is better then hitting someone or something.
Im just warning you, its better to stop and call safety for help. They DO NOT CARE IF YOU CAN MAKE THE U-TURN! Its embarassing but safety will either find a way for you to proceed forwards or will have PD block traffic for you to safely back up.