Share Tips for alleydocking on a Blind..

Dont hit anything.

Does that help?

 

blind-side?

Avoid it at all cost.

If not, then make sure you use your power mirror too if you can

 

More mirrors are better. Spot mirrors, power mirrors, some guys even put a mirror on the passenger sun visor that gives you a great view. And of course, when in doubt, get out and look. Don't let other people get you in a hurry, that's when you tear stuff up.

 

Why not look out the blind side window? i did it all the time . Yes I'm a NYC dedicated and volunteer driver or was! All you have to do while in idle and the truck is slowly heading where you want it is to step over and stick your head out the window for that quick look while having your left hand on the wheel and move the wheel like you would if sitting in the seat.

Not hard to do but it does get the job done BUT you have to realize I have 32 years of driving but I didn't start doing that until I had about 10 years of experience when an old timer showed me how to do it. I even did that while taking my driving test for CXI back in 92 because it turned out that, that cheap arsed company made the drivers pay for the spot mirrors and ole Chris Wilson didn't tell me to make a right turn out of the drive way until I was almost pulling out so I just stood up as I was making the right and freaked him and the 2 other drivers in the sleeper out but I made the turn without putting the trailer in that deep ditch!

OK I hear you going..What if you have to stop while standing looking out the mirror?

Pull the brakes out or slap the trolly handle! You have time to knock it into neutral before the brakes set all the way or you hit the seat and the brake pedal.

But you already know whats on the blind side and after getting a look you should be able to look at the drivers side at the tandems and should know where that blind side of the trailer is. If not you need a little more experence and how to judge distances in your mind. You can also unlock the tandems on the trailer and slide them all the way to the back to not have the swing qdn shorten the turning radius of the trailer. Leave it unliocked so you can reslide the tandems back forward to shorten the truck to tighten the turning radius of the tractor. I know some of you are thinking I work a lot but after trying some of the tips I give after years of trial and error they work and do help over beating your elbows up on that steering wheel looking like an 8 armed monkey in a banana picking contest!!

Trust me on this. It CAN be done IF you have a good sense of depth perception and a situational awareness of the space around your truck. It's like what fighter pilots and race drivers use to win that race or fight. You have it you just have to make it start to work!

Now in an MY lot try it! You'll be surprised what you can do with a truck! It's the same as shooting weapons. PRACTICE!

 

adjust side mirror , stop adjust again . convex mirror . practice

 

I have a stop that I go to several times a week.
Blind side in plenty of poles and other perm markers...NEVER goes in the same way twice

Don't get frustrated, there is no magic answer, just practice and pull up when you need to.

I pull up often to "get another Bite out of it"

 

As has been stated before--there is no substitute for experience--so practice practice practice--LOL--Blind side as much as possible--anytime you back in somewhere where there is room to the blind side(starting out) do it. At the truckstop--look for 3 or more m/t holes and practice--same thing when delivering to a larger facility and you get a door with x-tra room. I think you get the idea.
I have to do it alot--like Rollover said though--I have also been doing this well over 30 years and still do LTL--so I encounter places everyday that leave me no choice--but as you continue to practice you will build more confidence and soon it won't bother you at all--
Good Luck

 

Sleeper windows are handy for that ... but until you get a real feel for the size and maneuvering characteristics ... of "sight side" backing - there are no "tricks".

After hundreds of docks and slots, you'll understand.

 

get out and examine the spot real quick before backing in... i found it helpful to adjust right side mirror all the way to the right and if that doesn't help, as you are backing in, pull the brakes and stick your head through right side window as many times as you need to. (DO NOT let truck roll as you are looking through right side window, unless you've been to same parking spot 1001 time. )

 

they do have blindside helper mirrors you can buy off ebay that attached to the backside of the passenger sun visor. Always wanted to try one of those.