Advice Backing into a tight dock!

Thats a blind side dock. If I can understand your picture correctly.

If it was me I would nose in half way between dock and far wall then swing out missing the far wall until trailer is more or less in line with the dock or somewhat pulling out to the left. (Which is not bad.)

Then back in carefully Getting out to LOOK CONSTANTLY. I cannot tell you how much I believe in getting out 1000 times to check 10 feet backing, Then another 10 feet just to be sure not to hit anything.

At some point you will be straight with the dock and then you know you have it. Generally aiming at the far left side of the dock edge plate with your left trailer. But all of your eyes to your entire right side and your entire front end AS WELL AS YOUR DRIVE Wheels. IF you have any angle at all to your trailer that last drive axle tires will find a way to hit something. Thats the reason to constantly get out and look on that side.

IF during this your trailer starts coming out backwards to the left outside of the exact line to the edge of that dock you are jacking her too hard too long. Just do a nice pull up rolling on that line. Looks like a nice 40 foot of pavement or so in front of you there.

This is not about looking good, showing off or any of that. Blind side is a chore and I hate it. Because at some point I might gamble that the corner I cannot see is where I think it should be. ONCE IN A WHILE if I did not GET OUT AND DOUBLE LOOK TO CHECK I would have hit something or someone with it. if you don't know exactly where all of your corners are stop right there and do a walk around and find out.

 

what retail outfit. most retail stores have a in and out pattern. theres a trick to getting into the shopping centers. sometimes its not even the entrance you see. i would love to get the address to that place. so i can pull it up on google earth then i can advise. the picture isnt too clear.

 

You're making a simple thing too hard. Its just a parallel park with a wall added. Just pull past the opening, about 3' off the right side wall and back into that opening while avoiding the wall between the dock and the street you're coming in on.
Once you're inside the wall, theres enough room for a pullup to straighten things out. You can even see the rubber pavement marks on your photo showing what every other truck has done getting on the dock.

 

I second the need for the address. I have a few more thoughts about this. And yes I have gotten big rigs into small shopping strips or resturants even smaller than that. There is a trick to it.

 

You are welcome, dont mind editing that to remove some of the extra links that sneak in there sometimes it happens between you and the server. Or the Mod can clean it up easily for you. Easy peasy.

One other idea. Buy a toy 18 wheeler. Set up a book, a long one and another object to play dock to aim for. Drive up to the L you have created with your toy truck and try to back that in. Believe it or not it will behave the same as the real trucks have to out here.

 

all you do is back up. just watch the right trailers tires when moving over.