New Career ... From the beginning.

I am sitting here at McDonalds in snowy New Hampshire...a big part of me doesn't want to write this. I get some nice "atta boys" from you guys...I hate to admit this. But maybe it will help somebody else. Yesterday was a day that was going to be great. 400 miles..only drop and hook...nothing fancy. I picked up a load of health related things from Johnson and Johnson and starteted for a Wal dist cntr in New Hampshire. When I hooked on...and started to pull the load it felt like I had a million pounds....holy smoke. I've only been driving a couple of weeks...but this didn't feel right. I started out for the guard shack...and another driver hailed me....and said that I had a frozen brake, no wonder it felt so heavy, I got under ther with my hammer and whacked it a few times....got in the truck...still frozen...I did this several times....until it finally broke loose. Good...smooth sailing for about 8 hours....I was planning on getting to my destination with about an hour and a half left in my clock....I got off the highway and followed my directions to Walmart DC it was night and the little sign wasn't lit....I missed my turn. I'm n a little town in the middle of rural New Hampshire....with NO place to turn this big rig around. I just drive...hopeing and praying. Nothing....nothing....miles of nothing. Finally I came to a little town with a school and a parking pt big enough to make my turn. I probably drove 15 miles....and ,it's 15 miles back....my clock is ticking....faster and faster. The guy at the guard shack is busy, and I have to wait about 15 mi utes to get checked in. I'm down to under 30 minutes....he tells me where to drop the load...and where to get my empty. I find the area where the trailer is supposed to be left...but there are only two slots....and it's very dark...and its a tight fit. I have trouble backing anyway....so I try one of them...and give up...it's just too tight....tick tick tick. I'm tired...flustered...and I turn too sharp....and bang......I've clipped another trailer.....####. #### I back up. Don't see any damage....I was going so slow....
And continue on. My clock runs out....the #### computer voice is demanding I stop....I am out of time. #### I finally get the trailer parked and u hooked. I head for the gate..land am stopped my Walmart security. It seems that I damaged the other trailor....####.....my heart is beating faster now as I tell you about it. I filled out some papers....and get to a place where I can pull off the road and sleep. Idash off a report to SNI and go to sleep after an earnest prayer to my God. I don't know...I think I've proven to SNI that I'm not a careful driver... I don't know what will happen....I'm sick about it. Driving big rigs is hard demanding work...it's not Will and Sonny movin on....east bound and down....maybe I can get a job greeting g people at Walmart,

 

You guys are great. Learning to think like a trucker...and not a four wheeler is key. I hadn't really thought of it that way before...but I tend to be a little slow. I'm still driving. But today was absolutely nuts. Have any of you driven in worchester, mass ? No offence to you if you live there..but that place is terrible to drive in. I had to get a load at tjmax there....I wonder what some of these guys were thinking when they decided to locate some of these warehouses. Access to them is not a priority evidently. Whew.....what a day. Will it get better? Is the northeast the worst place to drive?