Finally hit the dock!

I used to have a little red beanbag it came in handy a few times and for different reasons...

 

Hat lives matter!! I'm calling DoT for your killing of a good hat sir. I'll need your cdl and medical card. Also need a sobriety test for inability to hit a open dock.


*No hats were harmed in this backing setup*

 

I still can’t back worth ####. I have learned acceptance of this.

 

Lol.... I used this trick a lot when I first started backing up to docks... Well more like loading chutes as I was hauling cattle... I have yet to see a chute with lines painted for you to line up on. By time I got into backing up to docks I could back up pretty good... And holy crap did the lines make it like way super easy!!!

 

When I trained I had 8 electric junction box covers painted bright orange.

They are 4" x 4".

I'd use them to extend out the lines until people got the hang of it.

Save your hat, get yourself a mini cone or two or some baby chocks and paint them orange.

Well done sir.

 

The more room you have the harder it is it seems. Give a tight spot and I'll hit it every time. But a wide open dock I'm hosed

 

Well done. For trying to get into an unlit dock at night I recommend you buy a few of those flashlights that are "glow sticks". Place those on the ground and maybe put your hand held spot light aimed at the dock. I carry an array of flashlights, glow sticks, etc. I rarely ever have to back into a dock anymore, but out in the middle of Bum#### Egypt on a dark, moonless night I often have to back out of a bad situation while trying to follow turn by turn directions to oil rigs.

One memorable night I followed the directions perfectly, only to come to a locked gate at a cattle guard. Call dispatch. Get new directions, meanwhile I start the process of backing up half a mile in pitch black dark, to find a side "trail" I can blind side into to get turned around.

I walked back and placed my glow sticks on the side of the dirt road so I could keep backing straight. Every hundred yards or so I got out to refresh the glow sticks line. I used my spotlight to light up the cattle guard fence I had to miss on the blind side. About 20 GOAL's got it done.

That took the better part of an hour. By then dispatch had the correct directions. It's all in a day's work.

 

You are tanker material.

 

A YouTube vid has an instructor tossing his glove out. It's already flat. Probably a better choice.

 

I have to tell you, many drivers who have experience also have bad days, I have one with 15 years of otr and 5 in the military hauling stuff all over Europe and the ME. The other day he gets himself banned from an automotive supplier in SC because it took him a while to get his trailer into the dock, he told me on the phone that he was ready to quit and I told him it wasn't a biggie, I've done it a lot of times with docks I would go to daily.