Possibly the worst turn (at store location) in America

So I'm back to doing Walmart dedicated for the next few weeks. It's a decent gig with steady income. The only problem is, some of the store locations can be challenging to say the least. Tight store deliveries in NJ and Long Island. Well this one tops them all...

Ever been to the Uniondale NY store (Long Island)? It's easy enough to get in to but a real SOB to get out of, thanks to the hazards. On the directions to the store it says "Please use extreme caution behind store, very tight!!!" It documents the hazards as "Concrete Wall", "Extremely Tight Turn", and "Watch transformer and curbing". What you realize once you start to make the left turn to exit is that the concrete wall, the tightness, and the transformer with the curbing are ALL IN THE SAME LOCATION. No wonder the directions also tell you "This store is a true test of your professionalism."

Well it was. I'm not embarrassed to say that it took me about 30 minutes to make the turn with a 48 foot trailer (53's are not to be taken to this store). I got out and looked probably about a dozen times. I paced off distances and marked the ground with pieces of paper. All this so that I could ride the wall (to the right) as close as possible without scraping my fender. And even after playing chicken with this wall, coming within about 10-12 inches away from it, and after setting up for the turn way in advance, I still only had a few inches to spare, making sure the trailer didn't hit the concrete pylon to the left.

Oh yeah. And after not making the turn the first time and stopping, it took me 10 minutes to back out of it. Then I set up REAL CLOSE to the wall after moving the tandems all the way forward on the 48. After all this I still had only a few inches to clear.

What I want to know is, what sick mind decides to put a transformer right there in an already tight turn? There is something wrong with the person who designed this exit.

This place tops the list for the most difficult driving I've ever done. And here it is I've seen some ridiculously difficult backs in different places throughout the country, but this "going forward turn" tops the list as the biggest PITA and DUMBEST design one could imagine. I can't imagine anywhere being as bad as getting out of the Uniondale store.

Maybe I should have put this under the "rant" section. LOL

 

Yes! That is the one! Just look at that tight turn with the transformer right there. Ugh

The Walmart is the store on the right. Note the one trailer in the dock. I've been told this is a hard dock to back into, but I had no problem with the 48. But you still have to be careful because of the wall in front. The same wall that makes the left turn by the transformer possibly the worst left turn in America.

I was talking to a guy who delivered to this store 3 times. Another Arnold driver. He's been driving for 29 years. He told me that in his opinion, yes, this is one of the worst turns he's ever had to negotiate. The other was in Alabama somewhere. I feel kinda proud of myself for making this ridiculous turn without putting a scratch on my truck or the trailer.

 

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do next time, go out the way I came in. It really is the safer way to get out.