Noob Rant to the Old Guys

Seriously though, if you are blindsiding without assistance, GTFO and look even if it takes a dozen times.

 

I only do it 11 times. Cuz I'm scared somebody might jump me on the 12th trip out of the truck

 

A power right hand mirror will get ya down to about 4 GTFO and looks....(grin)

 

Don't get me wrong.. I am not saying anyone should demand respect.. Respect must be earned... I am not new but I am not a oldie either.. I have had my fair share of different types of trucking.. Heck I have probably don't more different types of loads then most drivers with 20+ year under the belt.. I never once demanded respect I earned it by being a safe driver and paid attention to advice given from other drivers.. I mean in my time of trucking I have done.. Wide, high, heavy, long, odd shaped, light loads... So I have experienced a lot...

All I am simply saying is if a guy is having a difficult time backing up why not help him?? Give me one GOOD reason why you can't help him?? A good reason is NOT "because I have done it myself lots of times" or "he has his CDL he should know how to do it" those are not good reasons those are just poor excuses..

Yes you should get out and look when your backing up (blind side or drivers side) if your unsure of anything get out and look... Then again when you do this now you have "experienced" truckers you now are laughing or just standing staring at you which adds to the pressure the driver backing up already has on him/her... Then this is when the rookier (or even experienced) driver makes a mistake trying to get in faster so he is't be mocked by other drivers... So again wouldn't it just be easier to help a driver out rather then watch him/her struggle or ridicule the driver because it's taking a "extra" long time to back in????

I have seen it and heard it happen.. I have been lucky enough to not have this happen to me.. I have had some really bad blind side spots and I have gotten out and looked to make sure I wouldn't hit anything.. No other drivers around sometimes and other times drivers are around just watching

Like I said.. I don't think respect should be demanded it should be earned... Nor do I think you should EXPECT someone to help you BUT I think the trucking industry would be a lot better if we just helped out each other rather then just sit back and watch mistakes happen... Like I said I'd much rather help a driver out while I am getting loaded then to have him/her hit my truck.. I am sorry but i'd rather not have the mind set of "he should just know how to do it cause he has his CDL and hot hit my truck"... The damage is not worth being a stuck up driver IMHO...

I stick to what I said.... I think some of the comments are disgraceful and just shows where the trucking industry is going.. If you can't help out a fellow driver then your just a stuck up "I am kind $#!T driver who ever needs help" kind of person.. I hope that the day comes when you need help that no one is around to help you out so maybe you can realize that not everyone in the world is 100% perfect at what they do...

I don't understand why you "old timers" think that when that commercial class is put on your licence that you should automatically know how to do it all in one shot is beyond me.. I would be scared to think that we have rookies out there who think they know it all and can do anything because they have the commercial licence.. I guess some may have this feeling because the "old timers" tell them they should be able to back up blind side without help..

 

All I am saying is..

I hate when I see 5 truckers shooting the #### watching another fellow driver struggle.. Your not doing anything important so what is the big deal if you go help him/her back up (like I said maybe 1 min of your life) and then you can all go back to talking about pointless stuff... No damage done to other equipment and no one felt like they need to rush into the dock in fear of being made fun of..

As a driver backing up you should know when you get out and look.. Or get out and ask for help.. As I driver standing around watching someone struggle you should have the mindset that it would be better to help the driver out then have him/her struggle and sweating bullets doing it..


BTW.. How do you know the guy having troubles is even a rookie??? Maybe it's a guy with 15 years experience on flatbed that doesn't require as much backing that just switch to van work and now it's a different playing field now because now he/she is dealing with backing into tight docks with trucks on both sides his/her trailer???

 

I've talked to some that think they do.

Not only do I help when the opportunity arises. I give the new guys advice on making it easier. I.E. A mirror mounted on the right side visor. Open the side door in the bunk...if it has one.

I've blind sided more times than I can count over the years. But personally, I'm NOT going to blindside, unless there is no other alternative.

And I'm not blindsiding in a packed truck stop....for any reason. Hell some of them take a shoe horn, to get into a pull through.

And thanks for bein a good sport

 

Man! Rant on us old guys huh!....Geeze!

I see plenty of young drivers not wash their hands,use the sink for a Ho bath and turn their head if someone is having trouble backing in.

Age has no meaning in this line of work when it comes to those topics.

I love it when the only parking spaces are ones you have to blind side into.
Watch truck after truck pass those spots,I just laugh and back right into one of them.That right side power mirror has a good use..

 

Here is one good reason. My company won't allow it, nor directing traffic in construction or accident. I would be fired if i had to call in because i was directing a driver and he backed into something, causing me to be partially liable in the damage claim. If you have as much experience as you say, then you know better than take backing instructions from a stranger in a truck stop.

I don't have a problem helping anyone that apreciates it, but in this day and time, helping in some situations to save another mans bacon, may put yours there instead.

 

"how about being the professional you say you are and give me a hand ?"

We are so screwed by our government (MOT, DOT), our shippers, receivers and very often by our own employers and dispatch that on the top of that we don't need more greed from our fellow drivers... Although not to many get this. Some have to much "pride" of being a "real trucker" that they simply don't care if you hit something or someone durring backing up in tight spots or in the truck stop. In fact it seems to me that they are just simply lazy. On average backing in the truck stop takes me just 20-30 seconds and I don't care for a help, but... There are days when after running all f. day it takes me 5 minutes or more to get parked when I'm really tired.
- Courtesy, kindness, friendly aptitude... this things are not common anymore. Our governments worked on it for the long time and we don't have to fall in their B.S... We need to help each other.