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

I'm going to answer these then I'm out of this blackhole.

I don't back up in truck stop parking lots. I only pull in. How's that even possible? I'm a local guy. No need to park. Just pull in, get fuel, get out.

As short-sided as I would love to be with that answer, I can't. You see, being a local driver has more backing than many OTR jobs. Pedestrians, trucks, cars, motorcycles, etc moving back and forth without a care or concern about their safety. "The big truck will see me and stop". It's our responsibility to keep from hitting them. So yes, if someone wants to spot for me, as good of a driver as I think I am, I don't refuse the help.

Regarding the course you took, you did exactly what I suspected. You took the course not to learn but to check a box. The boss told you to take it, you were able to put the certificate in your personnel file, you can pat yourself on the back. What you failed to do was understand the concepts of it. For example, Key 2. Get the Big Picture. What does that mean? Know what's around you, not just 30* to your front, not just 180* from your peripherals and forward, but putting a 360* circle of safety around yourself. That means you know what's on your rear. However many years ago in your illustrious career when you allegedly took the Smith System course, you should have learned that. Based on you paying attention in that class, it should have never taken you 10 years to have your epiphany that someone could be behind you that you could not see!

You are one of the many problems in the trucking industry. You have been riding around the country like you know what you're doing for the past 10 years yet you are completely clueless.