Calling The Cops For Help

My first week on my own working for
USX I followed their stupid driver tech directions to get to a shipper instead of the truckers GPS which sent me down a two lane road that had a 13'3 bridge. The sign was literally less then half a block before the actual bridge. My GPS was going off with all kinds of bells and whistles and the USX one didn't even make a peep. It was a T intersection with a cemetery on my left side (no turn off) bridge ahead and a residential side street on the right. As soon as I seen the 13'3 I pulled onto the "shoulder" which had a business attached to it and looked at my options. If I turned right, google maps showed a residential block with lots of cars on it which looked to tight for a truck. My plan was to wait for traffic to clear and try to do a U turn using the business parking lot. Well before that happened and I ended up on twisted trucker someone called the police and these nice Cops from the Obetz, Ohio (Columbus suburb) showed up.

The officer explained this happens all the time with drivers trying to get to that shipper on the other side. The officer was very nice and gave me a escort. The block was extremely tight with low wires, trailer kept going over the sidewalk on every turn but I made it. Later that night when I got to a truck stop, I emailed the department thanking the unknown officers and mailed them some Starbucks gift card.

For some reason the dash cam video won't upload on here so I posted some screen shots. As you can see, not a lot of room to turn around and very tight block. nice cops.

 

Just curious how is your driving career now after that?

 

Glad it worked out for you @Highway_Executive. Best bet in these situations is set the parking brakes, put on the 4-ways, call the police, and put out the triangles...in that order. I have done it before and will likely do it again.

Word to the wise is try to study the route in and out of customers on Google Satellite View and Google Street View when you have time. Sometimes I will "drive" the route in Street View. Saved my bacon many times.

A couple of months ago six of us had to deliver pipe to a new oil rig location near OKC. We were given turn by turn directions that HAD to be followed to avoid getting in trouble with the small town.

Those turn by turn directions covered eight miles of dirt road that crossed a river. Unfortunately there was a rickety rusted steel bridge with an 11' 6" clearance and 8000 lb limit a mile after the last dirt road intersection and lots of winding hills.

The local sherrif was parked at the bridge, waiting for us. Apparently he got word of the directions we were given and came from the other direction just in time. Six trucks had to back up a mile and get rerouted.

 

Much better! Always looking out for my signs and at google map's satellite to see what the neighborhood looks like if it's not right off the highway.

I wish I could upload the video, 10 mins of horror. After watching the video in glad I didn't attempt that u turn. ......

 

I agree. Google map's should be taught to new drivers. Saved me plenty of times.

 

If you haven't noticed, a common them here is, 'my GPS told me....' Now I love me some GPS but at some point you have to get in the trucking mindset before having a computerized voice tell you what to do.

 

There is a guy that works for a company that hauls for us. He was some where in Mississippi with permits to be over weight and oversized. He missed his turn and went to the next exit stopes and called the cops. They came and made him drive the truck to the impound and took him to jail with a 15,000 dollar fine. The owner of the company got him and the truck out and told him he can't quit until his money was paid back. I didn't believe it either , but if you ask anyone that works for them they will tell you the story. Crazy.

 

How many other times has this driver screwed up? For them to throw the book at him, and for the boss to say that to him, that wasn't the first time.

 

Come with me little buddy