The other drivers do it all the time...

You have to watch out for yourself, because no one else will.

 

If you had damaged the truck/trailer then you would have been crucified. You definitely made the right decision. ^5

 

I would have taken pictures via phone and emailed them to the company via phone

 

I was at this horrible place in Boston a few weeks back. I had an awful blind-side into a dock off a busy main street, and once backed in, I was still blocking on-coming traffic.

While getting loaded, I took some pictures, and I'm holding on to them, because the next time somebody tries to send me back there, I'm refusing to go, and if I get any hassles, I'm e-mailing the photos to the loss-prevention guy.

They can go ahead and fire me. Any new employer will ask why, and I'll say I refused to go back to a dangerous customer, would you like to see the pictures?

I guarantee I'll never go back! The problem is that I pretty much have to go everyplace once, because I don't know what it is like before I get there. Once there, the quickest way out of the situation is to get loaded/unloaded ASAP!

 

You never want to put yourself into a position where you know you are very likely to damage something...Just backing a truck alone is enough! If its unsafe and you know beyond a shadow of a dought it cant be done. You tell the customer.. If he say they do it all the time, then you say they may, but not on that truck..Maybe straight ones..Without seeing what you did I cant say either way..But your the Captain of that ship and the next step would be call your company..I have seen it a time or 2 in my career where freight was redirected to another facility, or they had a yard jock dock it and bring it out MT... One things for sure, they will get their freight,eventually..You damage something, Youll have it on your record..And a MVR isnt the only thing to fear in this industry..DAC is another Joke for companys to hurt good people with..Good luck.

 

I have a customer over in Chicago located in a neighborhood with housing across the street from them. One of the spots they use to preload our trailers is right up against the building, and if there are cars parked across the street, it can be pretty hairy to get into there. There have ben times they asked me to drop an empty trailer into there, and I have told them I will take a look at the spot and see if i can. I tell them that if i do not feel that I can put the trailer in with a road tractor, they will have to put it in spot with their Yard Jockey. It always brings up cries of "the other drivers do it", which nevber has any effect on me. I have backed in there some times, and at other times I have refused to do so, based on the specifics of the parking nearby.

I know my boss well enough that I know if they were to call up, they would support my decision on this. If I feel that I am risking damage to the truck, I won't make the move. Not everyone has the security of knowing that theit boss has their back, but I have never doubted this where I work.

Bottom line, you are the one responsible for the truck and trailer and you should not be doing something beyond the limits. Granted, those limits are higher for someone experienced than they are for someone new at this, but no one should ever be outside their comfort zone. You made the right call, and the customer was wrong. "The Others Do It" is rarely a valid argument to listen to.