making turns, whats your technique?

When you are going to make your turn, when you think you have given yourself enough room, swing a little wider)!

 

This is probably the best advice as its what I follow also.

 

I use all of the room that I have. I've never taken a turn too wide that I can remember.

 

After driving the same truck/trailer configuration for a while you get a feel for how much room you need to turn. I just figure that and then a little extra for insurance, as others have said.

 

i usually start by turning the wheel. of course in NJ I hafta turn right to go left

 

Slow down and swing out..

 

You get a feel for the truck setup you have. when you come up to your turn look at the way you have to turn, see whats there. is there a curb in the middle is it tight and so on and so on. than line up to make your turn. if i have a tight turn i swing my truck far out. ie if i am turning right i swing my truck into the left lane taking both the left lane and right lane. reasons. gives me more room in the turn keeps cars out of the way and is easier on the truck and trailer. those hard cuts are hard on the drives and the trailer all around.

 

run as fast as you can up to the turn, yank the wheel in the opposite direction, and stomp on the brakes as hard as you can!

Oh, I thought this was how not to make a turn......

 

To be honest I estimate before I start it and using my mirrors adjust how sharp I am turning in the turn. I switch between 48 and 53 ft trailers a lot, sometimes twice a day, so I find it a bit hard to be 100%, accurate without a bit of correction during the turn.

By accurate I mean not hitting the curb and not leaving a.big enough gap for a vehicle to get between your tandems and the curb.

Also, In Patterson, nj where one of my customers is, I have to make the cars back up to make one of my turns, it just isn't possible any other way, if I had a daycab and a 48 maybe, but the people do seem to know they have to back up, I don't have to coerce them much.