Headlights On While Backing In A Truckstop

Call me old fashion but..... When I started driving in the 80's, if we were parked anywhere and a truck was backing in we simply picked up the CB mic, sometimes a second set of eyes is good, but not many turn the CB up or on anymore it seems. Doesn't matter how many miles you have under your belt, or how good you think you are, a helping hand is nice sometimes. Be careful out there.

 

Wow... Still going strong... LOL

 

Nothing wrong with pull ups...or getting out as many times a you want to look around. I would rather see a driver do this than try to be all macho and crunch into something. I know it's a rookie mistake, but over safe is better than overconfident...

 

I want an autonomous backing truck.

 

Indeed.
That said, I will still get out and spot for someone but less so anymore.
The reason is that I've just ended up helping people who couldn't seem to follow the directions I was giving them and I'm standing there thinking (after screaming "STOP STOP STOP!)", that I'll probably get blamed if it goes wrong.

What I *will* do sometimes if it's night and someone is backing into a tight spot, is to turn my truck to illuminate the corner they are trying to bend the trailer around.
Yes, I know this means my headlights are on pointing at someone's front fenders, but I figure they'd rather have that than have to get out to inspect damage.

Sometimes it gets pretty dark back there, and eyes are tired.

 

Yep, I have done the "try to help" guide someone in before. I did that just a few months ago at the Go mart off exit 15 in Huntington. My wife and I were in my pickup coming across the lot when I noticed a young man trying to back from the drivers side, plenty of room, but it was obvious what he needed to do was not computing in his minds eye. I got out and helped him but my goodness it was a chore.

 

Thanks for helping him out.
We need more of that in the industry.

 

Honestly, there's just situations where one wants to help. Due to some really sloppy parking by some other drivers, one night a guy comes in and he's trying to navigate into a tricky diagonal hole in a turnaround (don't get me started on drivers parking in turnarounds).
After a several tries he gave up. It really was a tricky maneuver where I had to keep running from one side of his truck to the other to get a visual (about 12" open per side).
He looked like he was exhausted and about to cry, then asking me if I knew of any other nearby parking because he was out of hours.

Frankly, I was stressed out after that too.

I now keep a set of FRS channel radios with me. They are really cheap anymore.
If I'm compelled to spot for someone, I hand them one so that I can verbally direct.
If I need help and someone volunteers, I hand them one.

Cheers!

 

Lol, imagine all that wiggling with no power steering! My 73 K100 and pops 75 359 both had Armstrong steering, but I still miss them.