OK experienced drivers, post your most recent rookie mistake!

Agreeing to take a load to DC instead of grabbing the one to NY/Long Island.

Should have stuck with the devil I know.
DC doesn't access major highways so it took 30 minutes to go 7 miles.
Then I hit the beltway, and 95 North was bad.
Tried to ditch for a back route and ended up in Mall traffic.
Oddly enough the only thing that worked was gunning straight into Baltimore on a local road and picking up 83.
I had a B-truck so I didn't have to worry about attracting attention on side streets.

Ended up being a 15 hour day on a day I got paid mileage instead of hourly.
Not counting the fact that the B-truck needed to be picked up & dropped off at our sister company, that was 30 minutes farther from my house.

(Oh and on the 15 hour thing, I cold have stopped by my house with the truck inside of 14 hours, but then I'd have to come in, unpaid, on Christmas eve just to get my car back. Since I spent 3 hours in traffic moving under 30mph, I could easily shave off that hour on a paper log)

 

Snapped a gooseneck off....yikes, that's a good one too.

Reading the latest posts reminded me of a couple more I did...not recently but still did them.

First trip with an RGN I didn't really know how to use it...just kinda figuring out as I went. Didn't put the center lock pin in and didn't put the big plates in place either. I told the guys pull the truck out but stand back this could fall. It did. Man that was dumb.

First trip into PA I exited I-81 south at the flashing sign that said "ALL SCRANTON TRAFFIC EXIT HERE" or some such description. Boy that was a mistake. Took me into downtown Scranton historical district with a 53 double drop grossing 80,000. Am I the only one that thinks that sign needs to be worded differently?

 

That's how I felt after I sheered off a trailer door. Was parked in a downhill dock full of snow. Was worried about being stuck in there so gave it a little extra to get out, but forgot the nice yellow pole on the pass side. Boom! Knew right away. Makes you pretty sick to walk back to find the trailer door laying there on the ground.

 

I was about to back into our client's driveway so I can deliver first thing in the the morning.

So as I went to set up my back, I swung around accros the road, and in to the dirt on the other side.

As I stuck it in reverse, I noticed the wheels started to spin leaving me stuck, blocking the entire road.
As traffic began to mount and patients growing slim.
I was finally able to get enough rocking for tires to grab.

I then pulled forward enough to get enough momentum to reback out on the road and into the clients driveway.

I could imagine what all those people were probably thinking and thank God I was able to get un stuck.

 

I had a client bark orders at me. I set my brakes. Your inches away from my door frame. I jumped out, I know that. Until you have something useful to say, please shut up. Inches count in more than sex. Don't want to scrape my trailer. He shut up. Midland walkie talkies work great. A spotter works better. I'm good, but I'm not stupid. Use help when it's there! These are long trucks!

 

I have two rookie mistakes that seem to be cyclical.

Airlines/pigtail and lockouts. When I was driving the Classic I did the lockout trick on my first run with it. I was on a tight schedule and didnt have time to play. Bought a hammer and flat tipped screwdriver. Two swings and the lock was busted loose in the passenger door. Then twice, in one week! I left the lines connected breaking the tractor protection valve.

I have since developed a pattern. Spare under the hood, spare in my pocket. So what did I do most recently... locked my pocket spare in the truck in my dirty jeans, used the underhood spare to get in the truck and THEN didnt put it right back. 6 hours later... locked out again. Someone please shoot me.