Hints & Tricks to help with parallel parking & alley docking

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by locustrunner, Jul 22, 2012.

  1. Trucker_Matt

    Trucker_Matt Light Load Member

    148
    17
    Jul 14, 2012
    Downriver, MI
    0

    I mean, like doing a 90 degree alley dock. usually its a 45 or you have enough room to back straight back
     
    otherhalftw Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Quickfarms

    Quickfarms Heavy Load Member

    898
    236
    May 29, 2012
    Los Angeles, Ca
    0
    Alley dock on driver side

    Start with the truck and trailer straight. Back up slowly and give the wheel a 1/4 turn right until it breaks. Then start cutting the wheel to the left hanging you head out the window and just walk the trailer into the hole.

    Parallel park on the blind side.

    The line up on this is critical the rear of the trailer needs to be just forward of the cone and about 1 foot away, make sure you are straight with the space. Turn the wheel hard left, to the locks and back up slowly until the pass side of the trailer is about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way into the spot. You can tell this by looking down the passenger side of the trailer. Stop and straighten the wheels out and back up until the rear trailer tires are at the left side of the hole. Now turn the wheel to the right and Finnish putting the trailer into the hole.

    I hope this helps and this worked well with a day cab and a pup.

    I still do not get embarrassed when I get out and look. I would rather do that then hit something.
     
    locustrunner Thanks this.
  4. MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

    7,985
    4,366
    Feb 24, 2012
    0
    for the record, some 20 years later, you will still have days that it just goes into the hole and other days you may as well just find a place to pull it off to the side and walk away.
     
    locustrunner and otherhalftw Thank this.
  5. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

    13,081
    45,332
    Nov 18, 2008
    CA...gold discovery foothills
    0
    While always thinking to yourself...."OK, gonna ace this in with no other movement!":yes2557:
     
    MNdriver Thanks this.
  6. locustrunner

    locustrunner Bobtail Member

    15
    2
    Jul 20, 2012
    Northwest Ohio
    0
    NEver thought of using the toy - but my daughters have one of those floating around here somewhere...guess i better ask the wife what she did w/it so I can practice!
     
  7. locustrunner

    locustrunner Bobtail Member

    15
    2
    Jul 20, 2012
    Northwest Ohio
    0
    no doubt i'm gonna have a lot of those in the beginning!
     
  8. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

    13,081
    45,332
    Nov 18, 2008
    CA...gold discovery foothills
    0
    I was a trainer/Mentor with Swift for 10+ years....#1 tool in my truck was the toy truck!

    Best tool there is for the student to see the different aspects and movements while backing!
     
    locustrunner Thanks this.
  9. SuperLiner

    SuperLiner Light Load Member

    287
    163
    Dec 26, 2010
    Good Ol' Arizona
    0
    G.O.A.L. "Get Out And Look" "if they allow it" It will give you a "Mid Manuver" three dimentional look at the orientation of the Truck / Trailer so you can get an overall look at what your input behind the wheel has or has not accomplished.
     
  10. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

    13,081
    45,332
    Nov 18, 2008
    CA...gold discovery foothills
    0
    I don't think the examiner at the DMV follows that safety tip of GOAL!
     
  11. topher

    topher Bobtail Member

    17
    8
    Sep 18, 2011
    Metro-Detroit
    0
    fwiw, there is a decent amount of parallel parking with a tanker, at least from my experience. don't rush and don't be lazy with g.o.a.l and always watch out for street signs, mail boxes, low branches and wires and things unexpected
     
    SuperLiner Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.