A bit concerned! Asked to dock another driver's trailer

Crazy he would drop first then ask... What if you hooked up to it and wrecked? To much risk and to many lawyers to do stuff like that. I wouldn't have been as nice as you were. Good job.

 

I used to do that all the time in NYC, Chicago and a few other places. I'm not blindsiding off a busy street. Just put your flashers on and stay as far left as you can.

 

How the heck is that driver ever going to learn, if he always relies on someone else to do it for him? I'm glad you assisted him, forcing him to back it in, and find out that he can actually do it. That little effort probably helped boost his confidence.

When returning to the shop/yard, I always setup to blind-side into a parking space. Mind you, we don't have a large lot, or numerous trucks. Heck most of the time it just requires backing beside another, not between. Regardless, I treat it as it is a space between, it's called practice, I do it every chance I get, and Lord knows I need it. For example look at the photo in my sig. The entrance to the yard is to the right. So to park the truck where it is, I blind-side in.

When you find an experienced veteran driver (10-15 yrs) admit to scratching a trailer or rig, trying to back in the same place you're trying to, you get the understanding that what you're attempting is not an easy maneuver.

 

Read all the replies. All the drivers have good points. This day and age, drivers out of so called truck driving school, cant drive. This is a Liability lesson learned. I have even heard of drivers spotting a guy in , and He hit something, now the guy standing outside helping, is Liable. When you spot a driver in, I ALWAYS make sure he can see me at ALL TIMES in his mirror. Good post.

 

As another one of those"crusty ol drivers" I won't comment on the state of the industry today--but as someone who has done LTL all my life--I can tell you--there are VERY few times you will ever catch me blindsiding off the street! I do blindside quite frequently(more than most I would speculate) but typically only in enclosed property. I have read all the responses about no other choice and I must respectfully disagree--one thing you have to come to grips with on this job is "you are going to fracture a traffic law law now and again--it is part of the job
Now in this case--I would respectfully submit--the safest way to accomplish this--is to get to the customer at the CLOSEST side street--wait for traffic to clear--make a right turn (yes the wrong way)then back down the street until the docks are on your sight side--stay as close to (if not on the curb to allow traffic to pass)then block all the docks--check in-get a door-finish backing past the dock--then set up and sight side in--
Just my $.02

 

also let me qualify--I am directing this at OTR drivers with OTR units--NOT--at Y'all local peddle guys--with a single axle daycab etc...I know y'all do this all day long--and just look at it as another stop--LOL

 

It's you Canadians! I had a Canadian with a turban get out of a brand new black Pete pulling a B train out in WA before Thanksgiving, that didn't know how to tie down a simple piece of machinery. Nevermind the fact that the machinery was coming off my truck and was tied down so he could see the 4 crisscrossed chains holding it down. The shipper said the same company had sent another guy in the day before that had the same problem. I refused to help after pointing to mine tied down and saying "just like that". Here's a pic of one from josh.c

 

Had one like that in DC that I'd do about once a month. They expected us to do a U-turn then blindside into a busy parking lot off a real busy street. I'd just hop the curb, run far enough going the wrong way down to setup my trailer, and sight side in. Blindsided it in my first time, and it was amazing that there wasn't an accident due to all the idiots in my blind spots. It was the only stop I ever complaned to my dispatcher about, and I told her that I would not deliver there if it was not possible to sight side in, and I'd be willing to lose my job over it to protect my license.

 

Had a "new" driver that spoke very little English show up for a load friday. Before he even say the dock he told me he was a new driver and that I had to back his truck in for him. I told him there's plenty of room out back for him to practice in so go see what you can do, next thing I know his boss shows up and backs it in for him.