Kinda funny

i switched from a short nose classic to a w-9-hmmm looked like i had never backed up before the first couple times
get used to something turning a bit quicker --then kapow--was like it was a huge ship-needing a couple tug boats to stear it into place

 

I was fortunate enough to be raised by a trucker father but even with all he taught me I was guilty of a few parking screwups when I was a rookie. I just knew I had it right the day I pulled into a food distributor in Denver, checked in and was told park it right and lunch was on the company, park it wrong and they would refuse to unload until the next shift.

I took that as a serious challenge, got back into the truck and spent the next several minutes very carefully squeezing that 53' of reefer into the very first slot. After it was sitting in there just about perfect and I was standing outside the truck admiring my parking job with thoughts of a free meal in my head the dock supervisor and the manager strolled up to me and introduced themselves.

Then the manager looked at the truck, back at me and then said 'Great parking job. Now if you can get it safely out of Shipping and park it just like that in Receiving where it actually belongs you can still have the free meal'. I did as I was told, albeit while redfaced and being laughed and pointed at and then got my free meal. I ate quietly while the truck was unloaded, when it was time left the place with a smile and a handshake from the dock supervisor and never went back. Once was enough.

 

No , you have to be psychic.By the time you spot its out of line its to late.

 

yep you are right . I pulled some 20 ft. chassis out of the port in savannah a couple of times . Holy crap felt like i hd never backed up before when i tried to hit a dock the first time . i was more thank happy when i got my flatbed back

 

I don't like to do that but if they are to stupid and lazy to make sure they are all the way in the spot and not blocking traffic then they get what they deserve!

 

Now I know all of you highway heroes have done this: in the tightest hole imaginable, you put it in there perfectly, but when every dock is empty and you have all the room in the world, you find yourself having to pull up to straighten out your wagon...

 

My hubby has the same problem . . . tough spot he can hit it right on, but an easy one is a nightmare!

 

Wish I could say I've never backed up to the wrong door. Did it at Rocky Boots in Wisconsin, or Minnesota, or one of them other states that gets more snow than can possibly be legal. Back when it was common practice for the driver to head straight to the delivery point overnight, and sleep on the lot (pre 9/11). Pulled in (no gate, no guard), found the docks and two other trucks already parked, opened the doors, picked a likely door, hit the hole, and called it a night. Woke up late the next morning (overslept relying on the feel of the forklift to wake me up), and discovered that the other trucks were gone, and new trucks were getting unloaded. Needless to say, I was kinda curious as to why my load hadn't been touched, so I wandered inside, got me a cuppa coffee (absolute neccessity in the morning), and went looking for a dock worker. Found the guy and said "Hey fella, can I get that thar weenie-wagon unloaded today?" Guy looks at me straight faced and said "Unloaded? I thought you were loaded! Why are you still on my dock!!" Turns out I was in the clearly marked on the OUTSIDE shipping dock, instead of the clearly marked on the OUTSIDE Recieving docks. Guess paying attention ain't just for class, huh?

 

its a hell of a lot easier to back a 53 footer then a 40 footer.....

 

I don't open the doors the first time I back into a spot. I back all the way in,make sure it's STRAIGHT, then pull out open the doors and put it back in. it's never off by more than a inch or two