How to handle NO SPACE at shippers/receivers?

I didn't read all the responses but I saw at least one telling you never to refuse to drop it, and another telling you to just keep trying indefinitely....presumably until you succeed or break something.
I beg to differ. Err on the side of caution and don't be coerced into trying moves that you're not yet competent to execute or would leave even the best driver zero margin for error.
If you've made a few attempts and it's just too tight,
or flat out impossible (which IS sometimes the case) ,
get a yard jockey to clear you some space. If that isn't an option then yes...notify your dispatch and head to a parking space...on site if possible, off site if not. Because nobody is going to share the responsibility for gouging a trailer or ripping the fairing off your front end with you. That's gonna be 100 % on you and it's going to be on you, on file, for three years, and 3 or 4 such incidents within 3 years will limit your prospects for employment.

 

Below I have posted an aerial photo of the Kroger Warehouse in Houston Texas. It might not look like much, but that row on the left side of the photo is VERY tight. This is typical of most of the tight places a driver gets caught in. I have made many deliveries here. This place will make a driver out of you or send you screaming into the woods.

 

I'd be making friends with the yard dog driver.

 

I read the posts. My helpful advice is..may you have done this? ..is to slide your axles to the rear, this reduces tail swing. Back in at a 90, and pivot trailer around to square up with the hole. We had a customer in Pitts, Pa ( box USA) down beside the highland park bridge, it was the only way to spot a trailer at their dock. They since have closed.

 

Anyone telling you hitting another trailer (regardless of damage) is not an issue, will think differently once they own that trailer.

 

For the record I have observed yard drivers not only hit trailers, but I saw one up in one of the New England states rip a door off one. I saw a yard driver rip a door almost off at the DC near Front Royal Virginia. I have said this before. I have seen yard drivers going 15 20 MPH take a sudden 180 degree spin with a loaded trailer. You can hear the steel under it. Trailers are getting damaged all the time in these places. This goes back to these inspections. Write them up and do not leave until that sucker is legal. I have had to get yard drivers to pull out a trailer for me because it was in so tight I could not raise the landing gear. In this environment it is almost impossible to avoid striking a trailer. A yard driver shouting and cussing me??? I stand a bit over 6 2, I played HS football, was an outside linebacker. You start that crap with me and somebody is leaving there either in handcuffs or an ambulance. That I don't put up with, EVER!