I had an epiphany about backing up a tractor-trailer on a city street

I hope you’re not headed south on I-75, there’s a snow storm south of Ocala, the interstate is shut down at exit 329 Wildwood exit and all the truck stops there at that exit are full, so you might want to take an alternate route

 

While I'm hesitant to dive into this, what the heck!

First thing I see looking at the pictures? Well, 2nd thing. Because first is if the truck coming out can't manage that turn, his happy ### is backing up so I can turn in.

Now back to that 2nd thing... I'm not sure, looking at that layout, how you were straight enough to have much of a blind spot. Because the approach to that corner that I'm visualizing has my truck at a substantial angle to my trailer at any point close enough to that drive to interfere with an exiting truck, all but eliminating the blind spot.

But to address the OP. Part of defensive driving is keeping tabs on vehicles around you. If your properly monitoring things you'd normally notice a car mirroring your path into that turn and there's be an internal alarm if it came up missing from my scan. But none of us are perfect, and we don't always do as good a job if keeping track as we should, a big part of being a real professional is realizing you've not kept track and accounting for that in your decision making.

So would I back up? Maybe if I got tired of the idiot in the drive wasting my time, I'd consider it. But not unless I was 100 % sure it was clear back there. If you're straight enough to the trailer to have a blind spot back there, no way I'm trusting only a mirror scan unless I've got a good shadow to show any hidden vehicles or I am 100% certain I've accounted for any traffic that was close by.

 

The only safe way to back up in that kind of situation would be to Get Out And Look.
The only problem with that is, once you have looked to make sure no one is behind you and walked back to the cab and entered... someone could have pulled up behind you in that blind spot.
A classic Catch-22.

It is never safe to back up on a road, just like it is never safe to make a U-turn. Those things can get you fired for a first offense if the company has a nanny-cam.

 

Seen too much from the past threads from OP to even bite.

I'm just sitting back having a brew & laughing my ### off.

Not worth the time, nor effort.

Throw that line out, reel 'em in........ LOL

 

Epiphany.....................