What was your worst rookie mistake?

I missed a few of those STAGGERING around Telephones one night when I was just a kid with a fast car as well

 

Whiskey bottle, brand new car, oak tree in my way.

 

Hey Boss!

Jo call me? LOL

 

Worst mistake? Hmmmmm.........

Here was my worst and potentially fatal stupid rookie mistake...

My first gig was hauling tires all over northern central California. My truck was a 1970 Ford "flatback" cabover (Detroit 6V92) which loved to eat the air and electrical lines occasionally . I was toodling down 101 and the air gauges started acting up and I had a feeling that the air line had been damaged. I pulled into one of the wide spots and parked, climbed around the cab to the cat walk and looked over the lines, couldn't find the leak so I decided to release the brakes and check them again.. NOTE" There was no way to release JUST the trailer brakes on this thing. I released the brakes, and crawled around the cab to the catwalk... I fiddle with the now hissing line and felt good that I had found it rather easily... then of course, I noticed the lovely scenery whizzing by backwards as the truck rolled backwards towards hwy 101.... I still don't know how I got from back on the catwalk to into the driver's seat in one movement (no not that kind of movement) and stopped the truck before calamity happened... needless to say, I never did that again.

 

Here's one a Trainee of mine did when I was a L/O. He had a man purse, and has stubborn has a toddler. I told him, "I'm going to take a nap, I was up all night trying to cover 500 miles since we were down for a day with it in the shop." Now, mind you he had a man purse and didn't like truckstop food. Ticked him off one day with that. "You either eat, or starve." We finished, got back in the truck. Then I proceeded to point out a Mall across the street.

So, I woke up because it was hot. Guess what? The truck was parked. Threw the curtain open ready to beat some sense into somebody. Out the front window, a frickin Applebee's. Truck had a 600 dollar parking ticket on it. He paid that, kicked him off at Clayton the next day.

So, the guy behind training called me that night and told me to come out front. Man purse's truck was laid over in a ditch. Oh well, he had 7 weeks with me. So of course I laughed and went back to bed.

 

Started in '97 pulling an end dump with an ol '79 model International S series hauling asphalt. We were paving some city streets. I was backing off of a main street on the side street and took for granted that the flaggers were watching the traffic on my blindside. Well needless to say, they weren't and I ended up with my right-rear drives on the hood of a month old Mercedes owned by a very well known lawyer.

 

Ouch. It will buff out?

 

Howd that work out for ya?