The joys of being a rookie

What @bzinger said.

Missed the kingpin hookiing it up.

Dragged landing gear 20ft.

Hooked to wrong trailer and drove 25 miles to inspection.

Forgot kingpin lock and wondered why it wouldn’t hook.

All in the last 6 months.

After 16 years - sheesh.

My favorite one was changing out the AC thermostat in the sleeper, only to find I’d tripped the breaker on the generator when I was changing the oil. Duh.

If I don’t do one dumb thing every week something ain’t right.

 

How about getting a uppercut blow from your winch bar…… my bar had gotten stuck on the binder and I was trying to wiggle it out, before I knew it, I was on the ground, binder unsnapped. Winch bar came loose after the uppercut under my jaw. It didn’t knock me out nor did I get any broken teeth, but it messed up my rotator cup in my shoulder, winch bar swung my arm/shoulder flying backwards after the uppercut. I would definitely call that a rookie move after 42 years of skateboarding.

 

Ouch, im really not a "safety" guy, but the recoil-less snaps are the bees knees

Also load bar with the funky end that essentially lets it cam open without sending the bar flying is worth the investment.

 

Couple years ago driving a daycab local dedicated night run, secured, parked my car, hopped in the truck, 60 miles later, realized i had left my regular glasses in my car... that was a rough night driving with sunglasses (prescription)

 

I know most of you are not old enough to remember. However, a long time ago there was no GPS you had to use this thing called a map. So, one time I'm taking this load to Kingston Pa. However, when I looked it up I look at Kingstown Pa. This did not work out well at all.

 

At the Coors plant in Golden, dropped a reefer full of beer onto my tractor frame after failing to check the kingpin latch. I thought I got hit by a meteor. Luckily my instinct was strong enough to immediately stop, and it turned out that the trailer was still on the frame, so I was able to dolly down, dump the airbags, and get back under it without having to squeal on myself. I still give myself credit for figuring it out despite being a total noob.

Then after i got my year in, it was time to turn in the truck. I wanted to turn it in in perfect condition, so I got this bright idea of bringing it to a Freightliner dealer - and not just any dealer, the worst one in the country, in Gary, Indiana - to get a couple little things fixed on my own dime. There was a bent lid on the chain hook rack and a loose bolt under the seat. Well the chain rack was an aftermarket addition, so not in their domain, so they wheeled it into the garage for a loose bolt under the seat, handed me a bill for $450.00, and didn't even touch the bolt.

Yes I eventually talked my way out of paying, but no, it was not the kindest, gentlest introduction to truck repair shops.

 

Wasn't me but a guy delivering carpet from Georgia to one of our hotels in Peoria,AZ. He glaced at the paperwork, saw Peoria and called me a couple days later from Peoria, Illinois because he couldn't find us.

 

Yeah right.