How do I not kill people on the road?

Most companies wont send a newb into the burroughs....like I said most, so I wouldn't worry too much about NYC yet....but definitely good to be prepared. Another thing that will help avoid casulties is to have your route planned out and know where you are going. write it down dont rely on your memory it will fail and at the worst possible #### time too. and for gods sake if you buy a GPS make sure you get one that is designed FOR TRUCKERS!!!!!!! not all gps's are created equal, and have a road atlas...once again FOR TRUCKERS!!!!! I DO NOT use a gps but use my map and get my directions then verify the directions thru internet sites like mapquest but I DO NOT rely on them. Knowing where you are going will eliminate one helluva lot of indecision which can lead to an accident.

 

I saw it happen today.


left lane was a roadway (leader), another big truck, a little SUV, big truck, big truck, & then 4 or 5 4 wheelers.

I was in the right lane.... Just waiting for roadway to clear the road & allow traffic to move so I can safely merge left & hammer down.

Ahead, I saw a disabled 4 wheeler in the middle of the hammer lane....... I quickly hit the shoulder thinking that the other trucks are going to need an escape route..... Roadway creamed that 4 wheeler..... second big truck got stopped..... the little SUV got stopped for a moment until the 3rd. big truck pushed it into the second big truck.... By then, I'm still on the shoulder at 70 & long passed the scene.... I didn't see if anything else hit anything else.

Moral of the story.... Everyone in the left lane was tailgating. I was in the right lane patiently waiting for a clear hammer lane. although, I made room for the others to make evasive manuvers.... They didn't because the only ones who could clearly see the hazzard up ahead was Roadway & myself.

 

When did that change? 10 years ago that was every rookies cherry popping load.

 

that was 10 yen years ago when men were men and sheep were nervous...oh wait wrong thread.....alot of companies anymore aren't makin NYC mandatory they still send plenty of fresh meat in there I'm sure but I think maybe the cops got tired of the #### rookies screwing things up in a city that is already so screwed up

 

Slow down and pay attention to everything. Some will tell you driving fast will make you more $$$, but no matter how much money you make it won't help the family you kill by speeding. It doesn't even have to be your fault, but if you can prevent an accident by slowing down it will save all the money you would have made by going faster.

The other thing you want to do is a thorough circle check, mechanical failures can cause accidents too. AS a driver you can become complacent with your circle checks. My original driving instructor told me a circle check was an ongoing thing and at every stop there are certain things you should be looking at.

Doesn't matter NYC or rural Iowa you still need to be aware of where the trailer is and what obstacles you have around you.

 

it takes great restraint to let them live..its all that durn paperwork you'd have to do that gives you restraint..and then too you'd be late for p/u or dely..the d.o.t. Bear would need you to pee in a cup, while he gives your ride a level 1..it just ain't worth it, but it is tempting to crunch 1 or 2 every now and agin.

 

Things I notice about the 4 wheelers as soon as a trucker gives space in front of the car in front, another car moves into that same space, it is a never ending chain of events especially at the spaghetti bowls in heavy traffic. Its amazing any trucker makes forward progress.

 

wheres this place called the bronx? thought that was just in the movies

 

What I have found myself doing more and more is REALLY being aware of everything around the rig. I'm determined to make that a "default" habit. A couple of seconds of reaction time can gained, in the event something screwy happens in front of you or to the side of you, if you are truly paying attention to scanning and can react seconds earlier before the screwy thing is "up close and personal".