OK experienced drivers, post your most recent rookie mistake!

I don't make mistakes. Mistakes are for other people. But if you count locking myself out of my truck when I looked right at my keys and closed the door anyway, that was a fun mistake. Luckily it didnt cost me anything as its not the first time I've done it and instead of having my spare key hanging up (which would be the smart thing to do) I have a clothes hanger and screw driver ok the cat walk. Lol.

 

I have locked my keys in the truck before, thought the wife had hers.. That was fun, cost nothing as I too found a wire hanger. The most rookie thing I have done, well... its on this forum somewhere...lol

 

My 1800 mile rookie mistake

I dead headed from keene, ND to houston since weather was getting worst and I thought I would spend less than staying in a hotel for 3 days/food/ truck starting every few hours since temp was -21 and I'd hook a good load out of houston With my ccompany's customers to end up taking a denver load for $3.6k.. now I'm busting head (upper)

 

Not being a driver, I was on the passenger side of the truck when we stopped for some reason along the side of a rode. Being ever mindful of the 3 points of contact, I climbed out my side of the truck and on the last step down and put my foot down and let go. I ended up flat on my back, the ground was lower than I thought or else the truck got taller, good thing it was soft dirt. Didn't do that again. ONe of the mysteries of how things happen.

 

I still occasionally run straps outside the rub rail when not paying attention to what I'm doing or in a hurry. Always makes me chuckle. I also popped a kingpin over my 5th wheel a little while ago. That was fun. Luckily the step I was trying to back under was empty. Just put one of the 4x4s at the yard under the landing gear and raised it back up, levelled out the 5th wheel, dropped the air bags and pulled out from under it. Could have been worse. On one load I left a 2 inch strap rolled up on the upper deck of a single drop. It stayed there all the way to the yard luckily enough. Always pays to double check your deck.

 

Pulled out from a trailer without insuring landing gear was solid enough (it was down) and dented the cross member of my truck with the king pin that was to low. Haven't repaired it yet, but the labor and metal piece are probably pricy. I see on newer trucks the cross member is lower, so obviously I'm not the only idiot to do this.

Locked myself out of the trucks tons of times, but most recently I locked myself out with the headlights on. Luckily the shipper found a coat hanger and I got in before the batt died.

 

High hooked a trailer a few months back. Luckily I already learned my lesson the hard way and caught it before it cleared the 5th wheel.

 

PackRat I still to this day lock my door with my key thanks to Volvo's idiot proof locking system. Before I got the Volvo I drove I had to keep a spare hidden under the hood :/