I had an epiphany about backing up a tractor-trailer on a city street

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by expedite_it, Mar 21, 2025.

  1. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    you can do as you wish.
    I would sit there until he moves out of the way. Since he is in the wrong place.
     
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  3. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Gettin' down westbound
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    Is this the intersection ? Well that guy is an idiot if he's trying to get out the entrance there.. he is going to be backing up whether he likes it or not.

    maybe this is just me personally , but i would probably not be pulling all the way to the end of that turn lane in the first place. Knowing that someone is probably dumb enough to come out the driveway at some point Screenshot_20250321_164838_Maps.jpg
     
  4. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    With the benefit of hindsight of now knowing that the driveway was ENTRANCE ONLY, I would also wait until the green truck moves out of the way if I could go back in time and do this over again.

    Here's the thing: I had never been to this truckstop before yesterday. So at the time, I did not know that the driveway I was trying to pull into was ENTRANCE ONLY. I did not know that the driveway was ENTRANCE ONLY until after I got inside the truckstop. So at the time, I did not know that he was in the wrong.

    What would you do if you were trying to make the left hand turn and the green truck pulled up at the same time, AND YOU DID NOT KNOW that the driveway is entrance only (so you did not know that the green truck was in the wrong place)?
     
  5. Sons Hero

    Sons Hero Road Train Member

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    Screenshot_20241112-141556.png IMG_2689.jpeg IMG_2653.jpeg IMG_2472.jpeg IMG_2454.jpeg IMG_2074.jpeg IMG_1867.jpeg IMG_1737.jpeg IMG_1451.png IMG_1411.png
     
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  6. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    YES! That sure looks like the intersection.
     
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  7. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    If theoretically I’m sitting where your blue arrow is and waiting to turn left… I’m assuming for the moment that’s the OP’s issue… I would wait for the idiot to come out.
     
  8. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    I assume this is the south pilot, not the north pilot.

    Which one?

    This is stupid, it is really simple, YOU DO NOT BACK UP!

    YOU NEVER EVER BACK UP.

    if the guy is coming out of the entrance instead of the exit, he needs to move back to give you room, not the other way around.

    Like I said this is the south pilot, which has an entrance and an exit, the north one has one for both.

    if you were my driver, I would possibly fire you.

    edit - by the way, the other drivers has room to make a right out of the entrance.
     
  9. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    I will never return to that truckstop. I recommend everyone else here avoid that truckstop in the future as well. It is the Pilot on I-75 exit 341 in Florida. The Pilot has a Wendy's. You can use that Pilot with a Wendy's sign to be aware of which truckstop to avoid.

    I did not have a lot of time to think about this before I pulled up in that turn lane. I am not sure if I pulled up first or the green truck pulled up first. Even if the green truck pulled up first, I think it was kind of hard to tell that there wouldn't be enough room for me to make my turn until it was too late.
     
  10. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE DRIVEWAY WAS ENTRANCE ONLY UNTIL AFTER I GOT INSIDE THE TRUCKSTOP PARKING LOT. THE SIGNS SAYING "THIS DRIVEWAY IS NOT AN EXIT" are only visible from inside the truckstop.
     
  11. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Gettin' down westbound
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    I go to places I never been to, everyday. I have a 300" wb truck with a 48ft spread axle and run it down into the small streets of East Los Angeles and South central/long beach every single week.. almost every turn I have to make I have to split 2 or 3 lanes, take out turn lanes, wait for people to move out of the way... it's part of driving a truck . I very rarely hop a curb. I am no supertrucker either, just trying to do my best i can with what i have to work with.
    Sit and wait for someone to move if i need more room
    It happens every. Single. Day It's not rocket science. After awhile you will see what's gonna happen before it does and u can adjust. Don't put yourself in a bad position trying to be nice guy.
     
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