is it just me, or does disaster strike after missing a turn, or taking a wrong turn?

And when the road is closed and you are detoured, what then?


There has been a bit of that this year, and it's still happening with the flooding and then repairing the damage. Or an accident happened on the way in, and the road is closed, I have waited for 3 hours to get to a receiver because there was no good alternative route and it was easier than turning around and driving 20 or thirty miles to come in from the other direction.

After you have been out here a while, you have it happen less often, but it still can happen.

 

I went by the house on the way out, and took a different route that I take often, and there was construction, and then it was detoured on county roads to get around a bridge, the difference is, I know where I am and where I'm going, and only a spread 48 behind, which isn't a whole lot different than pulling a 53 at between California and other states tandem settings. I figured it cost me about half an hour, then the scale(we have to scale per USDA rules) was out of order for the full weight, so I had to go to another scale and get the other weight. That cost me another half hour, 13 and a half hours with about 2 in the middle waiting for the loading crew.

 

Don't panic, know the roads you can be on and don't turn off of them until you legally can if you miss the turn. There are places you might have to drive awhile, but you can almost always find somewhere to double back. If you can safely park somewhere to recon or call for help, you can do that, but parking isn't always an option, especially in NJ and areas that mimic same. Watch for hazards, especially if you have been instructed to only come from 1 direction, there might be a turn too tight or a big pole or some other reason for the specific directions.


You start noticing places where you can do these things after awhile with practice.

 

You can almost always pull over and put the 4 ways on to figure out where you need to go even if you don't have anywhere to pull off the road. Its better than driving blind or trying to follow a GPS while moving. I keep my computer mounted on a stand in the drivers seat. It doesn't stay open while I drive but MS Streets and trips is just a few clicks away. Driving a tanker gas stations are always an option. I just pull into the place where they drop gas like I belong there.

 

I stopped with the flashers on and got queried, was going to get a ticket, I thought , but he gave me directions. There are places where it is better to keep going, no shoulders and 2 lanes with lots of traffic, like OH49 on the west side of that state, mostly, you can stop, but it isn't always advisable.

I figured on that one I might as well run east as soon as I could and come back up as there really was no place to turn around anywhere, the ground was too soft. The reason I went by was a serious looking new sign on the road I was supposed to take, saying,"No Trucks Allowed" in Fort Recovery, OH. I found a lot to make a call from, and when asked what was wrong, I told them, "I'm in Ohio." I was also told it was a good thing I hadn't taken the road with the sign, even though it was the most direct route.


I've been dragging a 53 around Chicago with sleeper truck for quite awhile now, that prepares you for almost anything from what I have found, I actually enjoy my home away from home, almost.