What is tail swing and why is it a problem?

Nope.

 

It may just be me.....but I don't think the driver made the exact same turn in both examples. It seemed like he was farther from the barrels on the 2nd turn.

Years back, I actually had a trailer swing accident. I had my axles to the front. The mistake I made was turning too sharp and giving too much throttle. Looking back, I really overdid it on both. I am a little more selective on routes because of that. I try to avoid turns that require a slight jack knife angle to turn. If I can't avoid them, I take up so much space amd swing out more, that it's ridiculous.

 

It looks like he veered left some before making that turn. He didn't need to do that if that was the case.

 

It’s more of an issue on daycabs and some OTR trucks with a short wheelbase that give them a tighter turning angle. My standard t680 turns like a boat I only usually have to worry about it with really sharp turns like ones where I have to do multiple points to turn sharper or I’m turning into those roads that are less than 90degrees from your left or right. Another issue with having them far forward is the 4 wheelers get confused on your pivot point in heavy traffic when they’re moving over if they’re behind you they like to have their hoods just past the tail end and if you’re on a curve you are likely to scrape something because they think the pivot point is on the tail end instead of the axles. Had it happen a few times I was never at fault because I was in my lane but it’s annoying to deal with it.

 

Was walking back to my truck at a Truckstop in Kentucky few weeks ago, guy with a van trailer had his tandems slid all the way forward was trying to back in to the spot next to me. I about lost my heart when the trailer got within 4” of my hood and air cleaner on my W9. I helped him get backed in and was thankful I walked up when I did…,

 

We had a guy at EZ in a pickup pulling a pole trailer with a 40’ pole on it rip the grill of a parked 379. He never once give any thought to how much tail swing he had as he left the Gomart Truckstop at exit 15 in Huntington, WV…..

 

That's a common rookie error. One I saw was especially hilarious when she made a turnaround not to back from the blind side and knocked down that Porta John and barricaded the shipping office entrance. Luckily for her nobody was using it.

 

Especially those tight parking lots are susceptible to this. Like that Winchester VA Flying J parking lot. It is so tight that I never parked there presuming such things were to happen. Too often lazy drivers who nose in are creating such problems too.

 

What I see as the bigger issue here…especially with the Megas doin drop/hooks at shippers….Many of whom load every wagon to the magic “Cali bridge law”
Pretty much requiring every load to have the wheels yanked 1/2 way under the wagon just to “attempt to get it legal
Not sayin that’s the cause
It’s still driver error and inexperienced and improperly trained….But it is a serious issue lately
I run into it all the time live loadin….where it’s all but a battle to load 44#+k the way I want it
And don’t get me started on what it takes to load a 53’spread

 

looks like he hit it.