Near jacknife in rain

I had something similar happen with an empty trailer. It wasnt during any clunky auto shifting it was on uneven pavement with fresh asphalt. It was a shimmy left to right, right to left. My response was a lot like yours, small corrections and off throttle. No braking. I dont understand how the physics works but my left side was up on the new pavement right side lower on left and I got the shimmies. It felt like the front of the trailer was swinging the rear tractor

 

Here in the south, if you want anxiety, Ronnie Dowdy used to send me into NE MS to get Plumrose and we had a very good uber ice storm that night. I was pretty much the only one moving. To understand the situtaion a good strong storm wind was howling. here i am sitting at a 4 way stop next to a single lane paved on a hill above shipper's fence and gate. As well as a 3 foot ditch next to me. Normally it's not a problem but every gust of that wind shoved the entire 18 wheeler a inch or so over to the left. closer and closer to that stupid ditch 5 feet or so away.

8 hours of laying there no sleep waiting for her to go over. That was no sleep at all. Come morning Im less than two feet from losing the whole truck. Now I had to go downgrade about 4% 60 yards stop enough on ice you cannot walk on and turn right 90 degrees (Which the trailer wont follow) into the gate 20 feet apart.

I had texted on satellite back and forth about the pending property damage. I had feeling I would take out 5 of those poles and rolled up the chain link but good and poled the rig on one of them at least probably tearing into that fiberglass etc. (With me in it... ugh not to mention the thin fuel tanks, lines etc versus the galvanized poles. I actually examined the sunroof and upper bunk windows as a alternative escape expecting to be wrapped.

I allowed that truck to fall through the gate quick before the trailer fell enough to do damage. Hard to write in english how I allowed it to fall through before it did damage. Then I had to go upgrade to dock empty. She did it. Tires were michelin. Freightliner FLD 120 too on a great dane 53 reefer.

Getting out after being loaded feeling the truck fall again towards the gate this time going upgrade against that single lane road without hardly enough swing space cause me to get cold thinking about it today. Then to the top of the 4 way intersection where I had a 30 second slow emergency stop waiting to see if I will be hit in the fuel tank by a toyota. (No)

I can go on. But by the time we crossed each bridge a jack knife downslope on ice trying to shoo the stupid cars away from that dagum trailer was a treat. Got past Memphis I say 100 miles. Arkansas showed dry. I needed some more sleeper time having been up 40 to 50 hours straight dealing with this simple 300 mile round trip. 150 miles to fetch and 150 back to about Earle.

However.

The mother of all storms was right here at home. We had 3 feet of wet. Here I am with a stupid R model mack. (Long live mack, considering that there were a thousand petes sitting unused (Exaggeration... they were transitioning to the then new Eagles, I asked for a left over pete, but no lol at Hahn Transport) I made it all the way down 70 using the entire pavement as a lane. Somewhat. The bridges were a experience in snow that deep which pretty much showed no railing. The patuxent I think over east of the 29 in that valley was the worst of them all. I made it down the beltway towards Canton and Blue Circle but pulled off to go to bed on that small wood bench we kept in that Mack Cab for that purpose across the seat. No insulation. Just the clothes big coat many layers, max idle and heat which did not make a dent onn the ongoing storm. That was what the shovel was for.

Another company man woke me up after about 2 hours. No satellite in those days. They sent him out to hunt me after Blue Circle complained of no truck. (That's me) I got loaded and up to Westminster TBH later that morning to the Concrete ready mix to deliver the cement.

Guess what I hear when I pulled into their properlty.

G(* it! you *&^%% [profanity] ye here. *&^% now I gotta baby sit your unloading bum.

(Took two hours on the blow which was way more than normal off my exhaust instead of pump)

I think that load paid all of 48 dollars that morning. Left the house in a couple feet of snow to do a commute to truk a hour at 2 am then truck 3 am to 10 am to Blue circle maybe 40 miles in deeper snow in a ongoing storm plus nap and two hours to plant.

That's below minimum wage of the time. 2 bucks a hour versus 3.35 lol.

I should have stayed home. And the fuel? Gone. Got more at theyard. That truck did good. Not fast, my second one and (Ha.. not fast they say...) but she was really good in that snow.

I was not supposed to be delivering in that weather. But bullheaded me was out there.

Im just happy that bridge with no railing due to piled snow was not a problem. That's a form of fear because of the river down below there. You would either freeze or drown. Not sure which would stop your heart first.

 

One of the most sickening feelings a trucker can have is watching their trailer coming in that California mirror. Especially on ice and there is not much if at all you can do about it either. I know 2 people that today after a jackknife got out of driving tractor trailers. I know somebody is going to reply you can't drive on ice. I know that, but it don't prevent that occasional patch of black ice.

 

I never drove the Volvo ishift, but with Detroit transmission all you do is turn off the engine brake. You won't get those crazy jumps in RPMs as the transmission downshift

 

@Brandt I saw your post, and you were right. Not sure why you removed it. I have also had to move the tractor forward to avoid this. I was forced to run a redlight up in Wisconsin because I did just that. I was not paying attention and am thankful I did not kill somebody through my inattention.

 

I wish I had a forward facing dash cam sometimes. I jackknifed and went sideways down I-55 at the Arkansas/Missouri state line last winter. Crossed a weather front and shifted from snow and slush to freezing rain and black ice in just a couple miles. If I hadn't been running slow, it might have been really ugly. Few other vehicles on the road, and I had plenty of room to fishtail down the interstate for a while before I got control again.

The sound track inside my truck for about 20 seconds was 'oshitoshitoshit...' as I tried to keep the steers pointed in the direction I was sliding.

I should probably break down and get a forward-facing camera. That would probably guarantee that nothing interesting would ever happen to me again.

 

When I notice any moderate curve I usually downshift a gear if I’m low enough of my current gear then put manual mode on. I still have the Eaton auto shift with the lever similar to a passenger car’s PRNDL so its much faster to switch. Then I only give it enough gas to maintain or slightly pull the truck. It helps being in this position because it gives you quicker access to do any action you need. Trailer pushing you and starting to jackknife? Give abit more gas to pull her back. Understeer? Ease off the throttle.

Nonetheless good job driver. Drive safe!

 

Yes. I managed to keep the cab and trailer on the road, and keep them from getting past 90 degrees.

I didn't even set off the critical event monitor on the Qualcomm. I immediately clutched and took the truck out of gear, and never touched the fuel or brake the whole time I was fighting for control.

No damage to anything but my pride. No stains on the seat either!