90 degree alleydock and 45 degree alleydock

Like matches like is more elegant than like matches unlike.

Why should a straight line back be a zero degree back instead of a 180 degree back? If there is zero change in direction of the truck in a back, then it is more elegant to have the back called a zero degree back. zero change in direction of truck = zero degree angle is elegant. zero equals zero is elegant. zero equals 180 is NOT elegant.

On what truckers call the 45 degree back, there is only a small change in the direction that the truck faces. On what truckers call a 90 degree back, there is twice as much a change in the direction that the truck faces as the change in direction that the truck faces on what truckers call a 45 degree back.

It is a lot more elegant to have a small change in the direction that the truck faces to be a small number angle and to have a change in the direction that the truck faces that is twice as large to have an angle twice as large. So what truckers universally describe as the 45 degree back and the 90 degree back has a lot of elegance. I agree with Moosetek 100%.

If what truckers call the 45 degree back was instead named the 135 degree back, the name 135 degree back would apply to a back that has a SMALLER change in direction than the 90 degree back, which is very NOT elegant.

So it all makes perfect sense. I have been meaning to explain this with a great deal of granularity for a few days but have been busy with a truck breakdown until now.

 

This is not a thread about how to back into a loading dock. This is a thread about semantics.

 

The phrases 45 degree back and 90 degree back are largely used for backing tests at trucking companies and, perhaps, tests administered by DOT to get CDLs. It's a lot less common for the phrases 45 degree back and 90 degree back to be used to refer to a back at a truckstop or shipper/receiver.