Whats the deal with Chicago??

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by sjtrucker, Dec 4, 2007.

  1. acw

    acw Bobtail Member

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    Nov 4, 2007
    Florida
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    Guess this is why they want experienced drivers with 1yr plus OTR.
     
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  3. Burky

    Burky Road Train Member

    One of the items that I keep in the truck is my "Harry Potter Map" of Chicago. Remember the map of Hogwarts that showed where everyone was? Well, I have a book that shows ever single alley in the town, and though I don;t use it as much as I used to now that I have a GPS unit, it still comes in handy at times. It's so accurate, if a kid walks across the yard more than 3 times, the path appears in the map book. It was about 20 bucks well spent when I bought it.
     
  4. Burky

    Burky Road Train Member

    I've run that stretch both north and south, down in the bottom of the state all the way up to Chicago, and though it is usually crawling with cops near Springfield, they are always concentrating on cars and leave the trucks alone unless they do something really stupid. I typically drive that hwy at about 63 mph and never draw the slightest bit of interest. By the way, the intense policing around Springrfield is becaus they are training new troopers at the nearby academy.
     
  5. redrocker1055

    redrocker1055 Light Load Member

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    Nov 26, 2006
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    A little tip that my dady taught me was to stop at a firestation because they have and will give you maps of all the low bridges. I only went into the city once to a drop lot acrose from a old sears factory type building. But i love how construction never stops The last time i was there was a couple of years ago, and before that it was four years and the same work was going on, on 94 just a few miles east. And i swear to god those road workers can not draw a straight line to save there life( for the new guys out there driving there for the first time STAY IN YOUR LANE)
    You will understand what i mean when you get there.
     
  6. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    NASA HQ
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    What if they are on the other side of the low bridge?:biggrin_25523:
     
  7. Ronnocomot

    Ronnocomot Road Train Member

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  8. Burky

    Burky Road Train Member

    The problem with the info on bridge heights is that a lot of it is supplied by the City of Chicago, and they really don't have a grip on that info. I can think of numerous bridges in Chicago that are listed as being 13' or lower, and I can drive right under them with a 13'6" trailer, with no problems. Just for an example, I pick up sugar on Western near 47th, and on one part of Western are several viaducts listed as 13' foot and marked "no trucks". yet, I see 13'6' vans use that route, and I use it with my tankers that are just as high. I happen to be a little bit luckier than most of you, because if all else fails, I can pull up to the bridge, stop the truck, run to the back and climb up the ladder to the top and sight my way down the top to ensure clearance. I've done it before, and that's one reason why I have never topped a trailer on a bridge.
     
  9. redrocker1055

    redrocker1055 Light Load Member

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    Nov 26, 2006
    michigan
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    Then it's time to call claims..lol
     
  10. RoamingGnome

    RoamingGnome Medium Load Member

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    Dec 1, 2007
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    nothing wrong wwith chicago. like any big city you have to know what times too go thru there. like don't go thru there on a friday at 4 o clock and expect to get right thru it. but that is with any big city.
     
  11. Burky

    Burky Road Train Member

    I shall be there Monday morn. I have a loaded trailer sitting at one of our yards to pick up, and I'll drag it about 25 miles out to Geneva, making my run before the morning traffic gets going, and going the opposite direction from the rush. Then, while the locals are all sitting in the morning traffic jams, I will be unloading the trailer (about 3 hours at geneva) whilst munching on my morning donuts and drinking hot chocolate. After the morning rush clears, I will bop about 30 miles over to Bensenville, drop the trailer and hook up to a load of whole grain flour and drag it back to Kalamazoo Mi, and unload it when I get there. From there, a quick trip 30 miles to the house, where I do the fixins for the monday nite chilidogs. While I eat chilidogs, the Chicagoans will be held up in the evening traffic jam, and the only sounds on my side of the lake will be me laughing and the ticking noises as my truck cools off from the day's running.
     
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